Salivary up-regulation of human polymorphonuclear leucocyte chemotaxis and adhesion-molecule expression.

Chemotaxis and adhesion molecules were investigated in peripheral blood neutrophils incubated with saliva collected from healthy donors. A salivary concentration of 20% increased chemotactic responses and CD11a/CD18 and CD11b/CD18 expression, but had no effect on formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine receptors.

[Antibacterial activity of endodontic medications]. / L'attività antibatterica di alcuni medicamenti endodontici.

BACKGROUND: The successful outcome of endodontic treatment depends on the elimination of bacteria present inside the root canal system. In the pulpal chronic infection, intracanal medicaments are necessary to obtain the sterilization. This study evaluated the antibacterial activities of some intracanal medicaments. METHODS: The bacteria used were: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus viridans, Escherichia coli, Bacteroides fragilis and Candida albicans; the medicaments used were: Stomidros, Stomilex, Endoidros and Cresatina. Wells were punched in plates and filled with the medicaments to be tested. The diameters of the areas of bacterial inhibition were measured and recorded after 24.48 hours and 7 days. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The most important result of this study is the demonstration of the inefficiency of medicaments like calcium hydroxide against Candida albicans. The Cresatina showed antibacterial activity against all bacteria used.

[Reactions of the submandibular salivary gland caused by sialography. Experimental research in dogs]. / Reazioni della ghiandola salivare sottomandibolare da scialografia. Ricerca sperimentale nel cane.

In order to ascertain the damaging effects on the glandular parenchyma and excretory system of the major salivary glands of sialography using iodate contrast media in an oily vehicle, experiments have been carried out on a group of dogs. Among other compounds, Lipiodol UF and Urovison were used, the former oil-based and the latter water-based. Histological slides of the injected gland made three and four weeks afterwards showed in one animal only the presence of a periductal infiltrate and an intracanalicular formation of hyaline thrombotic type that was not easy to interpret. Lipiodol UF was employed in this case. Comparing these results with the literature, it is concluded that Lipiodol is an irritant, especially if it passes beyond the salivary excretory tree, but this is not enough to have it banned absolutely. Contraindications are reported and the need for correct technique stressed.

[Comparative evaluation of the retentive capacity of endodontic posts]. / Valutazione comparativa delle capacità ritentive di alcuni perni endocanalari.

The retentive capacity of certain endodontic posts was assessed in terms of: pin design, pin diameter and cement employed. The following commercially products were examined: Flexipost (Essential Dental Systems), Parapost Plus (Whaledent) and Dentatus (Dentatus) posts; Phosphacap (Vivadent) and Bondalcap (Vivadent) cements.

[Visco-elastic properties of various composites for the front teeth]. / Studio delle caratteristiche visco-elastiche di alcuni compositi per anteriori.

The rupture load, elasticity modulus and viscosity coefficient of certain composite currently on sale for the reconstruction of front teeth were calculated experimentally. The products examined were: Prismafil (Caulk), Helioprogress (Vivadent), Heliosit (Vivadent), Silux (3M), Concise (3M), Command Ultrafine (Kerr), P30 (3M). The figures obtained relate to 3 different time periods after the preparation of samples.

[Integrated instrumental diagnosis in salivary gland pathology]. / La diagnostica strumentale integrata nella patologia delle ghiandole salivari.

The role of instrumental practice, especially using pictures, in the diagnosis of salivary gland conditions has been examined. A number of remarks arise out of the evaluation of possibilities and limitations of the various techniques. In general, the aid these offer when clinical medicine alone fails to achieve accurate diagnosis; then need to proceed from the simpler, more innocuous techniques to other more complex, invasive ones only when the limitations of the former prevent a complete classification of the features of the lesion. Used rationally, integrated instrumental diagnosis represents an extra tool available to the clinician.

[Dentinal lesions caused by the use of endodontic posts]. / Lesioni dentinali causate dall'impiego di alcuni endoposts.

An endodontic treatment has been effected on 36 extracted teeth, using drills; certain endodontic posts presently on the market have been successively inserted inside 18 teeth: Flexipost (Essential Dental System); Parapost Plus (Whaledent); dentatus (Dentatus). The teeth have been sectionized and watched through a photomicroscope to check an eventual presence of dentinal damages.

[Primary oral peripheral chondrosarcoma. Anatomo-clinical aspects and presentation of 2 cases with periodontal onset]. / Il condrosarcoma periferico orale primitivo. Aspetti anatomo-clinici e presentazione di due casi ad insorgenza parodontale.

After a brief analysis of the anatomoclinical aspects of chondrosarcoma in general and of the characteristic and particular aspects of the forms with maxillofacial onset (lower age of onset, elective sites of onset anterior in the maxillary and posterior in the mandible, often insignificant standard X-ray pictures, high percentage of error in clinical and histological diagnosis) two cases of peripheral periodontal onset, with low degree of malignity (grade 1), with aspecific clinical and radiological aspects, both locally recurrent several times after nonradical surgery are reported.

Root resorption of replanted teeth: an SEM study.

Two replanted and subsequently expelled upper central incisors were observed under a scanning electron microscope to study the changes brought about by root resorption. The severity of resorption and the distribution of the affected areas were different in the two specimens. In the first case, large, deep excavations were found along a continuous bone defect which exposed the opposite root canal wall. Bacteria-like elements were found on the bottom of the eroded areas both on the outer and on the inner root surfaces. In the second case, resorption denuded the apical portion of the metal post. Erosive lacunae were visible in some areas while tubiform excavations were present close to the apical margin exposing the collagen network. The roots in the first case likely underwent inflammatory resorption while replacement resorption was thought to have occurred in the second case.

[Oromaxillofacial changes in thalassemia major]. / Alterazioni oro-maxillo-facciali nella thalassemia major.

Sixty patients (31 male and 29 female) with thalassemia major, aged between 6 and 26 years, 18 of which were splenectomized, were observed in this study evaluating the oro-maxillo-facial alterations and correlating them to transfusion indexes, serum ferritin levels, splenectomy and age. For each patient a haematologic and odontostomatologic card was filed with a view to report the medical and clinical history regarding: the haematologic picture, the prevention of caries and parodontal disease, the facies characteristics, the odonto-stomatologic examination, the orthodontic diagnosis, the skull X-rays and the orthopantomography. Poor oral hygiene as well as misknowledge of prevention were generally observed. All the patients showed carious lesions but most of them had never seen a dentist for therapy. The disharmonious growth of splanchnocranium, with the enlargement of the jaw and of its alveolar process, induced by the bone marrow hyperplasia, produced various and serious malocclusion stages (Angle's II class, deep bite, open bite), gnathologic alterations, hypodiaphanous paranasal sinuses and orbital hypertelorism, with a typical oriental-like facies. Malocclusion and the poor oral hygienic conditions determined the occurrence of marginal gingivitis, mainly localized at the level of the lower frontal teeth. In only 3 patients the oral mucous membrane was pale and atrophic. During this investigation agenesia and dental retention were reported in 30% and in 26% of the examined cases respectively, while no patients had supernumerary teeth. Tooth volume, position and shape abnormalities rarely occurred. Only in two patients was enamel hypoplasia described. The caries frequency greatly varied in number and in degree. Only five patients did not show any carious lesions. The caries index (DMF) for the permanent teeth calculated in all the 60 subjects was 5, 12 +/- 4.76. By utilizing Spearman's rank test the number of teeth with caries in the permanent dentition (DFM) and in the mixed dentition (DFM + dmf) was correlated to the average value of ferritin, with the ferritin peak, with transfusion requirements and with the age of the patient at the date of the clinical examination. A significant inverse correlation was therefore demonstrated between transfusion requirements and caries in the mixed dentition. The chi 2 test was used to assess the different frequency of the caries index (above 5) between splenectomized and non-splenectomized patients. Splenectomy proved to be associated only apparently to the total number of patients with more than 5 caries. Conversely, in the non-splenectomized group the frequency of patients with more than 5 caries was definitely lower. Indeed the overall number of caries in both groups of splenectomized and non-splenectomized subjects, of the same average age, was almost identical. Consequently, splenectomy and the higher number of caries are statistically more probable in individuals affected by thalassemia, of increasing age, without however being mutually correlated.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of DDAVP in surgery and in bleeding episodes in haemophilia and von Willebrand's disease. A study on 43 patients.

1-deamino-8-D-arginine-vasopressin (DDAVP), was used in a wide spectrum of clinical situations employing two different dosages (0.3 and 0.4 microgram/kg b.w.) for the management of 43 patients with factor VIII deficiencies--mild and moderate haemophilia A and von Willebrand's disease (vWD). In most instances, the drug was given in association with antifibrinolytics. Twenty-five dental extractions were carried out with two different protocols: one based upon a single infusion and the other based upon three infusions. Bleeding occurred in three patients regardless of the protocol used. The vasopressin analogue promptly stopped bleeding in 12 'spontaneous' open bleeds (haematuria, epistaxis, menometrorrhagia, gum bleeding) and it appears to be also effective in closed bleeds. DDAVP was used to minimize blood loss during surgical interventions and to avoid haemorrhage in the postoperative period. Nine surgical procedures were carried out in six vWD patients and three haemophiliacs. Bleeding occurred late in the postoperative period on one occasion only. No difference was demonstrated between the two doses of the drug either in terms of clinical benefit or rise of factor VIII coagulant activity. The efficacy of DDAVP and the absence of side-effects make this vasopressin analogue worthy of consideration as a reliable alternative to factor VIII concentrates in a wide variety of clinical situations.