Smart Hydrogels in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine.

The field of regenerative medicine has tremendous potential for improved treatment outcomes and has been stimulated by advances made in bioengineering over the last few decades. The strategies of engineering tissues and assembling functional constructs that are capable of restoring, retaining, and revitalizing lost tissues and organs have impacted the whole spectrum of medicine and health care. Techniques to combine biomimetic materials, cells, and bioactive molecules play a decisive role in promoting the regeneration of damaged tissues or as therapeutic systems. Hydrogels have been used as one of the most common tissue engineering scaffolds over the past two decades due to their ability to maintain a distinct 3D structure, to provide mechanical support for the cells in the engineered tissues, and to simulate the native extracellular matrix. The high water content of hydrogels can provide an ideal environment for cell survival, and structure which mimics the native tissues. Hydrogel systems have been serving as a supportive matrix for cell immobilization and growth factor delivery. This review outlines a brief description of the properties, structure, synthesis and fabrication methods, applications, and future perspectives of smart hydrogels in tissue engineering.

Role of Intelligence Quotient (IQ) on anxiety and behavior in children with hearing and speech impairment.

AIM: To assess and compare the role of IQ on anxiety and behavior of children with and without hearing and speech impairment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 120 children of age group 7-14 years were included in the study, of which control group comprised of 60 normal healthy children and 60 hearing and speech impaired children formed the study group. The study was done in two consecutive sessions. First appointment for Culture Fair Intelligence Test and second appointment for RMS pictorial anxiety score (RMS-PS) and Frankl behavior rating which were assessed during oral prophylaxis. RESULTS: IQ of children with hearing and speech impairment was lower as compared to normal healthy children. There was a positive correlation between IQ and anxiety in children with hearing and speech impairment while no correlation was found with behavior. CONCLUSION: Children with hearing and speech impairment are less anxious and more cooperative compared to normal healthy child in the dental setting and are, therefore, easier to manage.

Evaluation of Lactobacillus and Streptococcus mutans by Addition of Probiotics in the form of Curd in the Diet.

BACKGROUND: Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms which when taken in adequate amounts provide a health benefit on the host. They have been used to improve gastrointestinal health, and their popularity has prompted increased interest for their role in the promotion of oral health also. The study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of diet alteration on oral microflora with the addition of probiotics in the form of curd in the diet. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sample pool included total 20 children, 15 in experimental group; who were given curd containing probiotic bacteria in their diet daily and 5 children in control group; who were contradicted of food containing probiotics. All the children were followed for over a period of 1-year. A pre and post quantitative analysis of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli were done in the saliva of both active and control groups, and caries score was recorded. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The data thus compiled were statistically evaluated using Chi-square test and Pearson correlation on SPSS software version 14. RESULTS: In experimental group, 87% children showed decrease and 7% showed increase in S. mutans count (P = 0.83), whereas 67% showed increase and 7% decrease in Lactobacilli count (P = 0.002) after 1-year of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Probiotics are upcoming as an intriguing field in oral health. Efforts should be made to increase the knowledge of the general dental practitioners with this facet of oral disease therapy and promote the implementation of the concept of "food rather than medicine."

Tissue engineering in endodontics: root canal revascularization.

Root canal revascularization attempts to make necrotic tooth alive by the use of certain simple clinical protocols. Earlier apexification was the treatment of choice for treating and preserving immature permanent teeth that have lost pulp vitality. This procedure promoted the formation of apical barrier to seal the root canal of immature teeth and nonvital filling materials contained within root canal space. However with the success of root canal revascularization to regenerate the pulp dentin complex of necrotic immature tooth has made us to rethink if apexification is at the beginning of its end. The objective of this review is to discuss the new concepts of tissue engineering in endodontics and the clinical steps of root canal revascularization.