Prevalence of gingivitis in 6- to 11-year-old Croatian children.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of gingivitis in 6- to 11-year-old children in two urban settlements of Zagreb, Croatia. PARTICIPANTS: Total number of 1025 children was included in the study. The Gingival Bleeding Index was used to determine the condition of the gingiva on mesiobuccal and buccal surfaces of six selected teeth, totaling to 12 surfaces. RESULTS: Forty-three percent of the examined children had healthy gingival tissue, 12% showed bleeding from one surface, 6% from two, 5% from three, 17% from four, and 17% from five to eight surfaces. CONCLUSIONS: Gingivitis was prevalent, but slight to moderate. It is important to instruct and control schoolchildren in excellent oral hygiene in order to prevent gingivitis.

Ten-year evaluation of conservative and surgical treatment of gingival recession. A case series study.

In the last years the treatment of non-inflammatory periodontal diseases has greatly changed. Apico-coronal dimension of gingival tissue is not considered to be of utmost importance, but significance of tissue thickness over each tooth is stressed. Purpose of this study was to show results of conservative and surgical treatment of gingival recession. Sample consisted of two groups of subjects, which have been treated in one of stated ways during ten years. The data was obtained on the beginning and after ten years of recall. Both groups showed increased dimension of keratinized gingiva during observed time with decrease of gingival recession, plaque- and gingival index. It is considered that treatment should start with conservative measures with necessary motivation of the patients. If it does not show improvement, one should consider best surgical method available for each patient. Clinical results show success in both groups, meaning that treatment was properly decided on.

Metabolic unit of pulp-dentinal complex of human tooth.

The change of dentin depends on odontoblast's metabolism (synthesis and secretion), and the result of those cells activity is apposition of dentin: physiological or reactive. Odontoblasts, dentinal tubuli with odontoblastic processus and peritubular zone, they all make metabolic unit of dentin, and they are the major part of circumpulpal dentin structure. Functional activities of the tooth are the base for constant changes during the entire life of circumpulpal dentin. The apposition, and also the resorption of dentinal tissue, can be found as the respond to trauma, pathological conditions, or after the therapeutic interventions.

Endocrinological status of patients with periodontal disease.

The aim of the present study was to determine whether changes in the endocrinologic status occur in patients with progressive forms of periodontal disease and, if so, what their role is. For this purpose the function of hypophysis, concentration of pituitary and accessory gland hormones, parathormone, calcium, phosphorous, glucose and lipids in blood were determined. The study was carried out in 77 subjects, 37 patients with advanced periodontal disease, and 40 control subjects with normal periodontium. Blood glucose was significantly lower in the study group (p < 0.01%) which was surprising, since increased glucose values are known to favor the development of periodontal disease. Growth hormone was significantly lower in the study group (p < 0.01%). Concentrations of parathormone calcium and phosphorous were also lower in the study group. Among sex hormones, only estradiol was found to have a significantly lower value in the study group (p = 0.92%). Although the values of nearly all hormones were within the reference range, the within-group analysis showed significant differences for some hormones. In general, these results were lower in subjects with advanced periodontal disease.

Natural killer cells in oral lichen ruber.

NK-cells are one of main indicators of nonspecific and innate immunity. Disorder of NK-cell functional activity can result with autoimmune diseases and it can suppose that every disorder has significant role in pathogenetic mechanisms in OLR, like oral mucocutaneous autoimmunity disease. Result of NK cells function, like indicator of innate immunity condition, can be very interesting in patients with OLR. Examination of NK-cell functional activity and their total count in peripheral blood of patients were spended, which included 38 patients. Examination of total NK cell count in peripheral blood and their activity spended by method described by Rabatic at al. Results showed statistically significant correlation with control groups in all functional activity, NK cell to target cells, in ratio 25:1, 50:1 and 100:1 (E:T) %l. Statistically significant result of lower NK cells functional activity, and total NK cell count in peripheral blood in patients with OLR, refer to alteration of innate immunity persons with this recurrent oral disease. That disorder can have important role in pathogenetic mechanisms in beginnings of OLR.

Incidence and distribution of dehiscences and fenestrations on human skulls.

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and distribution of dehiscences and fenestrations of the alveolar plate. The sample used in the study consisted of 163 adult jaw bones (78 maxillae and 85 mandibles) of a recent population from the north-western Croatia. The skulls are part of the skull collection of The Anatomy Institute, Zagreb, Croatia. The number and location of dehiscences and fenestrations for each tooth area above the total number of 2038 teeth were registrated. The total number of 696 (26.67%) dehiscences and 190 (9.32%) fenestrations was measured. Among the maxillary teeth, canines exhibited greatest and most frequent dehiscences and fenestrations. In the mandible, canines were most commonly associated with both defects, too. It was concluded that the canines were most frequently associated with either of the osseous defects.

Alveolar bone resorption in the skulls.

In this report the quantitative relationship between the alveolar bone and cervical part of the teeth in millenary intervals of human existence is reported. In this study 115 skulls were examined of which 27 belonged to the 1st, 22 to the 10th and 66 to the 20th century. The skulls belonged to persons of both sexes older than 20 years. Each group mentioned was divided into four subgroups according to the age persons (20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50+). It measured tooth-cervical-height index (TCH-index) according to Davies and coll. The resorptive changes on the alveoli are increasing in the older age, the alveolar resorption is greater on the vestibular than interdental side, the higher values of alveolar resorption in the skulls of the 20th century are statistically significant in relation to the skulls from the 1st and 10th century.

Bruxism and psychobiological model of personality.

Bruxism is an abnormal activity of the masticatory system, caused by both psychological and occlusal factors. The aim of the study was to determine the possible correlation between the temperament and character of patients and bruxism. Personality profile of 35 bruxism patients, with no history of psychiatric disorder, was studied by means of Cloninger's seven factor model of temperament and character. For diagnosis of bruxism, muscle activity was analysed and occlusal interferences and facets were registered by clinical functional analysis. Temperament and Character Inventory assesses four dimensions of temperament and three dimensions of character. Results suggest that bruxism patients can have following personality traits: exploratory, impulsive, extravagant and irritable, pessimistic, fearful, shy and fatigable, critical, aloof, detached and independent, lazy, spoiled, underachiever and pragmatist. Combined scores of character dimension indicate immature dimensions of character. Inventory is not standardized for the Croatian population, therefore the result should be taken with caution.