Short-term antimicrobial properties of mineral trioxide aggregate with incorporated silver-zeolite.

The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine whether adding silver-zeolite (SZ) to mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) would enhance the antimicrobial activity of MTA against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC #25923), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC #29212), Escherichia coli (ATCC#25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC #27853), Candida albicans (ATCC #90028), Porphyromonas gingivalis (ATCC #33277), Actinomyces israelii (ATCC #12102), and Prevotella intermedia (ATCC# 15032). SZ was added at 0.2% and 2% mass fraction concentration to MTA powder. The control group was MTA powder with no SZ. The antimicrobial effect test was accomplished by placing freshly mixed MTA specimens on agar plates inoculated with microorganisms and comparing the zones of inhibition at 24, 48, and 72 h. The amounts of silver ion release from MTA specimens were measured with atomic absorption spectrophotometry at 10-min, 24-, 48-, and 72-h periods. The pH of MTA specimens was measured with a pH meter at 10-min, 24-, 48-, and 72-h periods. MTA with 2% and 0.2% SZ specimens showed inhibitory effects on some microorganisms at all time periods, whereas no antimicrobial activity showed for P. intermedia and A. israelii. MTA without SZ inhibited C. albicans, E. Coli, and P. intermedia. The highest silver release was detected in 2% SZ MTA at 24 h. The incorporation of SZ may enhance the antimicrobial activity of MTA.

The prevalence and surface distribution of caries among schoolchildren in Ankara, Turkey according to their dental health behaviors.

The aim of this study was to classify children according to their oral hygiene behaviors at the elementary school, and to evaluate the effects of oral health behaviors on caries prevalence, and to calculate the number of carious teeth and the surface distribution of caries in school children during a 2-year follow-up period. Results shows that even in the presence of the acquisition of appropriate oral hygiene behavior during preschool period, dental professionals and educational system should supported oral health motivation in primary school.

The wand in pulp therapy: an alternative to inferior alveolar nerve block.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to compare children's reactions to inferior alveolar nerve injection with traditional syringe and periodontal ligament injection with a computerized device (Wand); and to assess the efficacy of the anesthesia and their reaction after treatment. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Twenty-five children, aged 6 to 10 years, participated in the study. The contralateral primary mandibular second molars were treated in 2 separate visits with random use of either the Wand or traditional syringe injection. The pain perception levels for each step were assessed with Eland Color Scale during the preparation. A Mann-Whitney U test was performed to compare the results. The patients were asked their preference of technique after the treatment. RESULTS: When pain was measured immediately after injection, the traditional syringe was found to be more painful than injections with the Wand (P < .05). Pain scores with the Wand injections were found to be significantly (P < .05) higher than those with traditional inferior alveolar nerve injections at the end of the restoration. The overwhelming majority of patients favored the periodontal ligament injection with the Wand. CONCLUSION: The Wand technique provided significantly lower pain scores during the periodontal ligament injection. However, the pain scores during the treatment were significantly higher compared with the inferior alveolar nerve injections. Most of the patients stated that they preferred the periodontal ligament injection with the Wand to the traditional inferior alveolar nerve injection.

An evaluation of survival of space maintainers: a six-year follow-up study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the median survival time of fixed and removable space maintainers related to age groups, gender, and their distribution in upper and lower dental arches. The adherence of patients to a periodic recall program and the success rate of different types of space maintainers related to different arches were also evaluated. This study included 663 patients aged between 4-15 years old that were treated between the years of 1997 and 2002. The patients were categorized into four main groups: lost to follow-up, failed, successful, and censored at the end of study. Three hundred forty-five space maintainers were considered lost to follow-up, 83 were considered failed, 206 successful, and 20 censored-at-end. The overall median survival time of the appliances was 6.51 months. Median survival time was 7.25 months in the 4-6 age group, 6.35 months in the 7-12 age group, and 7.0 months in the 13+ age groups. Median survival time was 5.76 months in girls and 7.11 months in boys. Median survival time of space maintainers was 7.17 months for maxilla and 6.69 months in the mandible. Median survival time was 5.25 months for space maintainers fabricated in both arches.

An in vitro evaluation of the efficacy of a novel iontophoresis fluoride tray on remineralization.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to determine the effects on remineralization of a novel iontophoresis device called 'Fluorinex', conventional (acidulated phosphat fluoride) APF gel treatment, and conventional ionthophoresis device comparatively by laser fluorescence measurements. STUDY DESIGN: Artificial incipient carious lesions were created on immature, 60 intact premolar and molar teeth with no defects. The specimens were randomly allocated to four groups. In the first group 1.23% APF gel was applied to specimens by conventional method for 4 minutes and in the second group 2% (sodium fluoride) NaF solution applied by conventional iontophoresis device for 4 minutes. In Fluorinex group specimens were pretreated with (copper chloride) CuCl2 for 1 minute and then treated for 4 minutes with 1.23% APF gel in a Fluoritray. Control group was placed in distilled water for 4 minutes. After these applications all specimens were included to a pH cycling. DIAGNOdent pen measurement were obtained in three different time intervals; after incipient carious lesions, after fluoride treatments and after pH cycling. Specimens were studied by SEM(scanning electron microscopy) after artificial caries lesions and fluoride treatments. RESULTS: Alterations on DIAGNOdent pen measurements before and after treatment, the Fluorinex group was statistically different from conventional APF gel (p=0.011), conventional NaF iontophoresis (p<0.001) and control group (p<0.001). As the DIAGNOdent pen measurements before treatment and after pH cycling were compared, differences were statistically significant in Fluorinex and conventional APF gel groups (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this in vitro study has shown that fluoride application by Fluorinex was superior to the conventional APF gel application and NaF iontophoresis on incipient carious lesions. Key words:Fluoride, iontophoresis, remineralization.

Effect of antibacterial agents on the surface hardness of a conventional glass-ionomer cement.

UNLABELLED: In atraumatic restorative treatment (ART), caries removal with hand excavation instruments is not as efficient as that with rotary burs in eliminating bacteria under the glass ionomer cements (GICs). Thus, different antibacterial agents have been used in recent studies to enhance the antibacterial properties of the GICs, without jeopardizing their basic physical properties. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of antibacterial agents on the surface hardness of a conventional GIC (Fuji IX) using Vickers microhardness [Vickers hardness number (VHN)] test. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cetrimide (CT), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) and chlorhexidine (CHX) were added to the powder and benzalkonium chloride (BC) was added to the liquid of Fuji IX in concentrations of 1% and 2%, and served as the experimental groups. A control group containing no additive was also prepared. After the completion of setting reaction, VHN measurements were recorded at 1, 7, 15, 30, 60, and 90 days after storage in 37°C distilled water. A one-way ANOVA was performed followed by a Dunnett t test and Tamhane T2 tests and also repeated measurements ANOVA was used for multiple comparisons in 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: VHN results showed significant differences between the control and the experimental groups at all time periods (p<0.05 for all). Significant differences were observed between all study periods for individual groups (p<0.05). After 7 days, VHNs were decreased in all experimental groups while they continued to increase in the control group. BC and CHX groups demonstrated the least whereas CT and CPC groups exhibited most adverse effect on the hardness of set cements. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the decreased microhardness values in all experimental groups compared to the controls after 7 up to 90 days, incorporating certain antibacterial agents into Fuji IX GIC showed tolerable microhardness alterations within the limitations of this in vitro study.

Antibacterial effect of silver-zeolite containing root-canal filling material.

The aim of this study was to determine the in vitro antibacterial effect of two experimental glass ionomer cements (GICs) on Streptococcus milleri, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis after 24 and 48 h incubation by using the agar diffusion inhibitory test. Silver zeolite (SZ) was added at 0.2 and 2% mass fraction concentration to GIC (Endion). The control group was Endion with no SZ. Each of them were prepared to uniform size using a custom-made Teflon mold, and the GIC materials were prepared to form disks (n = 5 per group). The effect of these materials on the growth of three bacteria associated with endodontic infections was determined using the agar diffusion inhibitory test. The amounts of silver ion release from these materials were measured with atomic absorption spectrophotometry at 10 min, 24- and 48-h periods. The pH of samples was measured with a pH-meter at 10 min, 24- and 48-h periods. After the incubation period, the agar plates were evaluated and the degrees of bacterial inhibition were measured in millimeters. A comparison of the mean of the test materials was statistically different in each group of specimens (p < 0.05). Between the two tested materials 2% SZ containing GIC showed the largest zone of inhibition on the agar plates of all the tested strains (p < 0.05). The most inhibition in bacterial growth occurred in E. faecalis. Adding 2% SZ to GIC resulted in a significant increase in the silver release into deionized water. This study demonstrated that GIC had an inhibitory affect on Streptococcus milleri, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis and that adding SZ increases that affect proportional to its concentration.

Effect of antibacterial agents on the surface hardness of a conventional glass-ionomer cement

In atraumatic restorative treatment (ART), caries removal with hand excavation instruments is not as efficient as that with rotary burs in eliminating bacteria under the glass ionomer cements (GICs). Thus, different antibacterial agents have been used in recent studies to enhance the antibacterial properties of the GICs, without jeopardizing their basic physical properties. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of antibacterial agents on the surface hardness of a conventional GIC (Fuji IX) using Vickers microhardness [Vickers hardness number (VHN)] test. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cetrimide (CT), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) and chlorhexidine (CHX) were added to the powder and benzalkonium chloride (BC) was added to the liquid of Fuji IX in concentrations of 1 percent and 2 percent, and served as the experimental groups. A control group containing no additive was also prepared. After the completion of setting reaction, VHN measurements were recorded at 1, 7, 15, 30, 60, and 90 days after storage in 37°C distilled water. A one-way ANOVA was performed followed by a Dunnett t test and Tamhane T2 tests and also repeated measurements ANOVA was used for multiple comparisons in 95 percent confidence interval. RESULTS: VHN results showed significant differences between the control and the experimental groups at all time periods (p<0.05 for all). Significant differences were observed between all study periods for individual groups (p<0.05). After 7 days, VHNs were decreased in all experimental groups while they continued to increase in the control group. BC and CHX groups demonstrated the least whereas CT and CPC groups exhibited most adverse effect on the hardness of set cements. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the decreased microhardness values in all experimental groups compared to the controls after 7 up to 90 days, incorporating certain antibacterial agents into Fuji IX GIC showed tolerable microhardness alterations within the limitations of this in vitro study.