Bioactivity of Calcium Silicate-Based Endodontic Materials: A Comparative in vitro Evaluation.

Background: Bioactivity refers to the ability of a material to interact with living organisms or biological systems in a way that elicits a specific response. In the context of materials science and medicine, bioactivity is particularly important because it can determine the suitability of material for various applications. Objective: To evaluate and compare different commercially available calcium silicate-based materials regarding: 1. Morphological and elemental analysis at the dentin/material interface. 2. Calcium and silicon release and uptake by adjacent root canal dentine by evaluating the calcium and silicon incorporation depth in adjacent root canal dentin. Materials and Methods: This study examined four calcium silicate-based cements: Biodentine, MTA Angelus, BioAggregate, and MTA Plus. One hundred extracted human teeth with intact apices and no cavities were selected. Root sections measuring 3 mm in length were created at the mid-root level using low-speed diamond discs. Bioactivity was evaluated at 1, 7, 30, and 90 days, respectively. Results: The principal composition of the interfacial dentine layer and incorporation of calcium and silicon into dentine was measured at 1, 7, 30, and 90 days. Statistical analysis was performed by multiple comparisons using post hoc Tukey HSD. Conclusion: All the materials have shown bioactivity, i.e. release of calcium, silicon, and their uptake in the adjacent dentin in the presence of phosphate-buffered saline.

Comparison of Oncostatin M in Patients with Chronic Periodontitis with and without Diabetes

Abstract Objective: To compare the Oncostatin M (OSM) concentrations in tissues of patients with chronic periodontitis with and without diabetes. Material and Methods: Sixty-four subjects visiting the dental outpatient department were categorized as "healthy" (Group 1), "periodontitis" (Group 2), and "diabetes with periodontitis" (Group 3) groups. The clinical oral examination included assessment of plaque, gingivitis, probing depth, clinical attachment level. Blood glucose was assessed for group 3 patients. OSM concentration in the tissues was assessed using ELISA in all groups. Results: The mean OSM was 0.02 ± 0.04 pg/mg in the healthy group, 0.12 ± 0.09 pg/mg in the chronic periodontitis group and 0.13 ± 0.10 pg/mg in the diabetes-periodontitis group. A significantly higher mean OSM was seen in Group 2 and Group 3 than Group 1. The amount of OSM positively correlated with probing depth and clinical attachment level. Conclusion: Periodontal disease causes a rise in Oncostatin M, independent of the diabetic status. Expression of OSM in the gingival tissues can serve as an inflammatory marker.

Comparative Evaluation of Salivary Biomarker Levels in e-Cigarette Smokers and Conventional Smokers.

BACKGROUND: The cigarette smoking and its effect on the inflammatory cytokine levels in the smoker's saliva depicted the influence of electronic cigarettes on oral cytokine levels in oral fluids are scarce in the literature. OBJECTIVES: The present trial was conducted to compare and determine the proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in whole stimulated saliva samples of electronic cigarette smokers, conventional smokers, and participants with no smoke exposure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty adult participants were divided into the following four groups of nonsmokers, current smokers, smokers smoking both conventional and e-cigarettes, and e-cigarette smokers. The saliva samples were assessed for Interleukins (IL-1B, 6, 8, 10, and IL-1RA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Plaque scores and Gingival Index, and body mass index were also calculated. RESULTS: Statistically significant (P < 0.05) and remarkable relationship was seen in plaque scores and IL 1RA, 1 ß, and 10 with the respective values as-0.285, 0.268, and 0.267. Regarding anti-inflammatory cytokines, CRP, IL-10, and IL-RA had the P-value of 0.073, 0.945, and 0.834 respectively. When these values were evaluated for proinflammatory cytokines, the P values were 0.0001, 0.019, 0.991, and 903 for TNF-α, IL-1 ß, IL-6, and IL-8, respectively. These results were statistically significant for TNF-α (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Within its limitations, the present study concludes that smoking e-cigarettes whether solely or in combination with conventional smoking increases the levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1 ß with decreased counter IL-1RA levels.