METHODS: Fifteen intact, non-carious single-rooted teeth were decoronated at the cementoenamel junction. Visually, working length was determined by using a #15 K-file under stereomicroscope (×20). The effect of cellular phones on electronic working length (EWL) was determined under 2 experimental settings: (1) in a closed room with poor signal strength and (2) in a polyclinic set up with good signal strength and 5 conditions: (1) electronically, without cellular phone in room; (2) electronically, with cellular phone in physical contact with EAL; (3) electronically, with mobile phone in physical contact with EAL and in calling mode for a period of 25 seconds; (4) electronically, mobile phone placed at a distance of 40 cm from the EAL; and (5) electronically, mobile phone placed at a distance of 40 cm and in calling mode for a period of 25 seconds. The EWL was measured 3 times per tooth under each condition. Stability of the readings was scored from 1 to 3: (1) good stability, (2) stable reading after 1 attempt, and (3) stable reading after 2 attempts. The data were compared by using analysis of variance.
RESULTS: The EWL measurements were not influenced by the presence of cellular phone and could be determined under all experimental conditions.
CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that mobile phones do not interfere with the EWL determination.
Materials and Methods: Sixty postmenopausal female patients aged 51-68 years were included in the study to assess the relationship between tooth loss and the level of blood pressure. The information including sociodemographics, last menstruation period, hypertension history, and the duration of having tooth loss was recorded. Blood pressure was measured using sphygmomanometer and the number of tooth loss was determined.
Results: The results showed a more significant tooth loss in hypertension (median: 23 + 4; interquartile range [IQR]: 6) compared to the normotension postmenopausal women (median: 18 + 6; IQR: 12; P < 0.05). Furthermore, obese patients had more tooth loss (median: 23 + 5; IQR: 8) than the overweight patients (median: 19 + 8; IQR: 8).
Conclusion: Tooth loss is associated with the increase of hypertension in postmenopausal women which may have a role in the development of vascular diseases.
METHODS: This article was divided into the following parts: Part 1 Surface roughness and substance loss: an in vitro study, which involves intact extracted teeth sectioned and treated using a piezoelectric ultrasonic device (PM200 EMS Piezon, Switzerland) with a conventional scaler tip (FS-407) and a Perio Slim (PS) scaler tip (Perio Slim DS-016A). All sectioned samples for tooth surface roughness (n = 20) and tooth substance loss (n = 46) analyses were measured and compared using a 3D surface texture analyser and scanning electron microscope (SEM) respectively, at baseline and following scaling. Part 2 Pain Perception: a clinical study, which was a split mouth study design including 30 participants with gingivitis and/or mild chronic periodontitis; treated with supra-gingival scaling from teeth #13 to #23. Subjects were randomised to group A or group B. Group A was treated first with PS scaler tips, whereas group B was treated first with conventional scaler tips. Pain perception was recorded using the visual analogue scale (VAS).
RESULTS: In vitro study: both scaler tips caused significant reduction in root substance roughness after scaling (p 0.05) was observed. The PS scaler tip caused statistically significantly less root substance loss (p tooth was tooth substance loss compared to a wider scaler tip design. In the clinical study, less pain was observed compared than a wide (conventional) scaler tip design.
METHODS: Data for this study were collected as part of a comprehensive, cross-sectional survey investigating oral health status and treatment needs of 12-year-old schoolchildren in Benghazi, Libya, between December 2016 and May 2017. Sociodemographic information was collected through a dental health questionnaire. The children were assessed for oral health status, including TDIs according to modified World Health Organization (WHO) classification criteria, in their classroom by trained and calibrated examiners. Anthropometric measures, lip competence and overjet were all assessed and reported. History of TDIs was sought among those affected. Logistic regression models were applied for TDIs as an outcome variable. The statistical significance for all tests was ≤0.05.
RESULTS: Data from 1134 participants were included in this study. TDIs were observed in 10.3% of the sample. Most of these TDIs were enamel fractures only (55.6%) and enamel and dentine fractures (35.9%). "Falling" was the most common cause of TDIs, accounting for 51% of cases. While increased overjet appeared to be associated with higher risk of TDIs (OR: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.29-2.86), being female (OR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.22-0.53) and overweight (OR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.13-0.83) were also associated with lower risk of having TDIs.
CONCLUSIONS: This survey showed that a considerable proportion (10.3%) of 12-year-old Libyan children had TDIs, with relatively high unmet treatment needs. More efforts are required to develop effective prevention programmes and to enhance the provision of dental treatment of TDIs for Libyan children.
BACKGROUND: Changes in cell density and morphology of dental pulp cells over time may affect their capability to respond to tooth injury.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred thirty-one extracted teeth were obtained from individuals between the ages of 6 and 80 years. The apical 1/3 of the root region was removed from all teeth prior to routine processing for producing histological slides. The histology slides were used to study the changes in cell density and morphology of selected pulp cells; odontoblasts, subodontoblasts and fibroblasts in the crown and root regions of the dental pulp. Student's t-test and one-way anova were used for statistical analyses.
RESULTS: In all age groups, the cell density for all types of cells was found to be higher in the crown than in the root (p tooth injury.
DESIGN: Eighty-one extracted teeth were grouped into two age groups (6-25 years, 26-80 years). The teeth were demineralized and histological sections were prepared for cell count. Regression equations were generated from regression analysis of cell count and tested for age estimation.
RESULTS: The number of dental pulp cells were found to increase until around the third decade of life and following this, the odontoblasts and subodontoblasts cell numbers began to decline while the fibroblasts seemed to remain almost stationary. The Pearson correlation test revealed a significant positive correlation between the cell number for all type of cells and age in the 6-25 years group (r=+0.791 for odontoblasts, r=+0.600 for subodontoblasts and r=+0.680 for fibroblasts). In the 26-80 years age group, a significant negative correlation of the odontoblasts (r=-0.777) and subodontoblasts (r=-0.715) with age was observed but for fibroblasts, the correlation value was negligible (r=-0.165). Regression equations generated using odontoblasts and subodontoblasts cell number were applicable for age estimation. The standard error of estimates (SEEs) were around±5years for 6-25 years and±8years for 26-80 years age groups. The mean values of the estimated and chronological ages were not significantly different.
CONCLUSIONS: A significant correlation between the cell count of odontoblasts and subodontoblasts with age was demonstrated. Regression equations using odontoblasts and subodontoblasts cell number can be used to predict age with some limitations.