Bleeding Index and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein 1 as Gingival Inflammation Parameters after Chemical-Mechanical Retraction Procedure.

OBJECTIVE: A widely used chemical-mechanical method of gingival retraction can cause gingival tissue damage. The aim of this study was to test the influence of the chemical-mechanical gingival retraction procedures on the gingival bleeding index (GBI) and the salivary concentration of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) as an indicator of inflammatory changes in the gingiva. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of 2 different retraction agents (aluminum chloride and ferric sulfate) were compared, particularly their tissue damaging effect during tooth preparation. Therefore, GBI values and the salivary concentration of MCP-1 were assessed during the chemical-mechanical method of gingival retraction in a homogenous group of respondents. The subjects (n = 60) were divided into 2 experimental groups (G1 and G2) regarding the need for tooth preparing and making artificial crowns. Each group was further divided into 2 subgroups (R1 and R2) according to the type of the gingival retraction agent used (aluminum chloride and ferric sulfate). RESULTS: Compared to the values at the study start, a statistically significant increase in GBI and salivary MCP-1 (p < 0.001) 1 day after gingival retraction agent application was observed in both experimental groups. After 72 h, the values were lower than in the second observation period but still statistically significantly higher compared to the study start (p < 0.001), which indicated the reversibility of the tissue changes. CONCLUSION: Higher values of the investigated parameters were observed in the group of subjects with prepared teeth, and clinical changes were more pronounced after the use of ferric sulfate.

Oral health-related quality of life of edentulous patients after complete dentures relining.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Tooth loss affects oral health-related life quality. More than a third of edentulous patients are not fully satisfied with their complete dentures and mainly complain of insufficient stability, retention, and pain during mastication. Solving the problem may include relining by materials that are based on silicone or acrylic. The aim of this study was to determine the level of patients' satisfaction before and after relining upper dentures with soft and rigid liners. METHODS: The patients (n=24) were divided into two study groups. Maxillary denture relining of the first group of patients was performed with hard acrylic based resins while in the second group of patients complete denture was relined with a silicone-based soft liner. They were asked the questions from the specifically adapted the Oral Health Impact Profile Questionnaire for edentulous patients before and three months after relining dentures. RESULTS: After relining the patients showed a higher degree of satisfaction with their dentures in all the tested domains (masticatory function, psychological discomfort, social disability and retention and hygiene). The padents with soft denture relines were more satisfied. CONCLUSION: Refining of maxillary complete dentures significantly positively impacts the quality of life of patients in all the tested domains (masticatory function, psychological discomfort, social disability, pain and oral hygiene). Better results were achieved using a silicone-based soft liner, which recommends it as the material of choice for relining dentures.

Determination of vertical dimension of occlusion by using the phonetic vowel "O" and "E".

BACKGROUND/AIM: The vertical dimension of occlusion is a very important parameter for proper reconstruction of the relationship between the jaws. The literature describes many methods for its finding, from the simple, easily applicable clinically, to quite complicated, with the use of one or more devices for determination. The aim of this study was to examine the possibility of determining the vertical dimension of occlusion using the vocals "O" and "E" with the control of values obtained by applying cognitive functions. METHODS: This investigation was performed with the two groups of patients. The first group consisted of 50 females and 50 males, aged 18 to 30 years. In this group the distance between the reference points (on top of the nose and chin) was measured in the position of the mandible in the vertical dimension of occlusion, the vertical dimension at rest and the pronunciation of the words "OLO" and "ELE". Checking the correctness of the particular value for the word "OLO" was also performed by the phonetic method with the application of cognitive exercises when the patients counted from 89 to 80. The obtained difference in the average values in determining the vertical dimension of occlusion and the "OLO" and "ELE" in the first group was used as the reference for determining the vertical dimension of occlusion in the second group of patients. The second group comprised of 31 edentulous persons (14 females and 17 males), aged from 54 to 85 years who had been made a complete denture. RESULTS: The average value obtained for the vertical dimension of rest for the entire sample was 2.16 mm, for the word "OLO" for the entire sample was 5.51 mm and for the word "ELE" for the entire sample was 7.47 mm. There was no statistically significant difference between the genders for the value of the vertical dimension at rest, "ELE" and "OLO". There was a statistically significant difference between the values f or the vertical dimension at rest, "OLO" and "ELE" for both genders. There was a statistically significant correlation between the value for the vertical dimension at rest, "OLO" and "ELE", for both groups of subjects. CONCLUSION: Determining the vertical dimension of occlusion requires 5.5 mm subtraction from the position of the mandible in pronunciation of the word "OLO" or 7.5 mm in pronunciation of the word "ELE".

Artificial saliva effect on toxic substances release from acrylic resins.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Acrylic-based resins are intensively used in dentistry practice as restorative or denture-base materials. The purpose of this study was to analyze the surface structure of denture base resins and the amount of released potentially toxic substances (PTS) immediately upon polymerization and incubation in different types of artificial saliva. METHODS: Storage of acrylic samples in two models of artificial saliva were performed in a water bath at the temperature of 37 +/- 1 degrees C. Analysis of the surface structure of samples was carned out using scanning electronic microscopy analysis immedidtely after polymerization and after the 30-day incubation. The amounts of PTS per day, week and month extracts were measured using high-pressure liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Surface design and amount of PTS in acrylic materials were different and depended on the types and duration of polymerization. The surfaces of tested acrylates became flatter after immersing in solutions of artificial saliva. The degree of acrylic materials release was not dependent on the applied model of artificial saliva. CONCLUSION: In order to improve biological features of acrylic resin materials, it was recommended that dentures lined with soft or hard cold-polymerized acrylates should be kept at least 1 to 7 days in water before being given to a patient. So, as to reach high degree of biocompatibility preparation of prosthetic restorations from heat-polymerized acrylate was unnecessary.

[Assessment of the effectiveness of low level laser in the treatment of alveolar osteitis].

BACKGROUND/AIM: Alveolar osteitis (AO) is the extraction wound healing disorder with a presence of severe pain. Low level laser therapy stimulates cell metabolism and microcirculation, have has pronounced analgesic, antiedematous and anti-inflammatory effect and speeds up wound healing process. The aim of this study was to present results of clinical research that examined the effectiveness of low level laser in pain relief and healing of extraction wounds with alveolar osteitis in the lower jaw which was formed on the second day after tooth extraction. METHODS: The study was conducted on 60 subjects divided into the study and the control group. In both groups extraction wounds were processed in similar way, except that in the study group was applied daily treatment of low level laser with a total of eight sessions of radiation, while in the control group extraction wounds were dressed with zinc oxide eugenol paste, which was changed every 48 hours up to the pain cessation. Measurement of pain intensity was done with a visual analogue scale (VAS) 10 min prior to processing of extraction wounds and daily for the next eight days. Assessment of the effectiveness of low level laser on healing of extraction wounds was performed on the day eight of the treatment. RESULTS: On the day five after beginning of the treatment of extraction wounds with alveolar osteitis in the patients of the study group a lower average value of pain as compared to the control group was registered. This difference was increased within the following days. Extraction wounds healing in the study group was more successful and faster than in the control group. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that the reduction of pain was more pronounced in the patients with alveolar osteitis whose extraction wounds were subjected to low level laser radiation in comparison to those in which extraction wounds were treated with zinc oxide eugenol paste.

[Mineral substances in the bone tissue and blood of patients with osteoporosis].

INTRODUCTION: Osteoporosis is a very common disorder of skeleton, which can be caused by various metabolic disturbances, malnutrition, immobilization, endocrine disorders, bone marrow diseases, connective tissue disorders, and, in some cases, by inappropriate therapy. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the relationships between the mineral content in the alveolar bone and serum osteoporosis in chosen patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included an experimental and a control group of patients who were submitted to internal and prosthodontic therapy. The plan of therapy was to extract anticipated parodonthopathic teeth, taking samples of the alveolar bone and its analysis by spectrometry. At the same time the biochemical analyses of the blood were performed. RESULTS: Before the therapy, due to negative remodeling, values of mineral content in decalcified bone tissue and serum were significantly lower than in the control group. After the therapy, the quality of the bone tissue was improved, with increased contents of mineral substances. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Disorders of mineral metabolism are very important for osteoporosis. This disorder may involve entire skeleton, especially stomatoghnatic complex. Therefore osteoporosis is one of very important illnesses in dentistry, especially in prosthodontics, because of the supporting nature of bone tissue for all types of dental prostheses.

[Residual monomer content determination in some acrylic denture base materials and possibilities of its reduction].

BACKGROUND/AIM: Polymethyl methacrylate is used for producing a denture basis. It is a material made by the polymerization process of methyl methacrylate. Despite of the polymerization type, there is a certain amount of free methyl methacrylate (residual monomer) incorporated in the denture, which can cause irritation of the oral mucosa. The aim of this study was to determine the amount of residual monomer in four different denture base acrylic resins by liquid chromatography and the possibility of its reduction. METHODS: After the polymerization, a postpolymerization treatment was performed in three different ways: in boiling water for thirty minutes, with 500 W microwaves for three minutes and in steam bath at 22 degrees C for one to thirty days. RESULTS: The obtained results showed that the amount of residual monomer is significantly higher in cold polymerizing acrylates (9.1-11%). The amount of residual monomer after hot polymerization was in the tolerance range (0.59-0.86%). CONCLUSION: The obtained results denote a low content of residual monomer in the samples which have undergone postpolymerization treatment. A lower percent of residual monomer is established in samples undergone a hot polymerization.

[Impact of various luting cements on the fixed dentures bonding strength].

BACKGROUND/AIM: Various luting cements are used to fix dental crowns to prepared teeth, and should provide an adhesive bond to the tooth structure giving reliable retention. The aim of this study was to establish in vitro which type of the tested luting cement provided the strongest adhesive bond of the prepared teeth to the fixed denture. METHODS: Testing was carried out on the sample of 100 intact human premolars extracted for orthodontic reasons. The preparation of the teeth was performed by a heavy-duty machine. The surfaces of the prepared teeth were mathematically calculated. Dental crowns from the Nickel-Chromium-Molybenum (Ni-Cr-Mo) alloy were made in a standard fashion, and fixed to prepared teeth (two samples of each group) with 5 different types of luting cements. The strength of force applyed to separate the cast crowns from the prepared teeth was measured by an electronic dynamometer, after 7 days. RESULTS: The obtained results revealed the connection between the type of luting cement and the values of retention power. The best adhesive bond under the constant convergence angle of the prepared teeth was provided by the resin cement. CONCLUSION: When choosing a luting cement for fixing dental crowns to prepared teeth, the advantage should be given to the resin cement in case the glassionomers are not available.