Background: Intra oral periapical radiographs remain the backbone of diagnostic assessment of dento-facial pathologies. However, in some clinical situation like in developmentally disabled individuals, those with an exaggerated gag reflex, pediatric dental patients and anxious dental patients, it may be very difficult to obtain an intra-oral periapical radiograph of diagnostic quality. In such situations, extra oral periapical radiographs are very useful. They are obtained by placing a sensor outside the oral cavity and then making the radiographic exposure using a digital X ray machine for intra oral radiographs. The radiation dose in this technique is much lesser as compared to panoramic radiographs. This article reviews the technique, advantages, disadvantages and indications of extra oral periapical radiographs.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of addition of Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) to the conventional Glass-Ionomer Cement (GIC) on its antibacterial and selective mechanical properties. Materials and Methods: Conventional posterior glass ionomer restorative cement- Fuji IX was used as the control group (control-GIC). Experimental group was prepared by incorporating zinc oxide nano particles of size <50nm into the powder of Fuji IX at 3% W/W concentration with P/L ratio 3.6:1. The antibacterial activity of the set material against Streptococcus mutans was assessed using the agar diffusion test. The compressive strength and shear bond strength were measured using the Universal testing machine. Data was analyzed using Independent T test. Results: Experimental group showed significant increase in antibacterial properties for both set and unset specimens. Incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles has no significant difference over the mechanical properties of set Glass Ionomer Cement. Conclusion: The study showed significant increase in antibacterial property of set GIC with ZnO nanoparticles without modifying the mechanical properties. Thus incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles in glass ionomer cement can be considered as a better alternative to conventional GIC.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Aim: Ibuprofen400mg and Diclofenac Sodium 50mg marketed today inhibit Cox-1 and Cox-2 and have selectivity for Cox-1. Ibuprofen 400mg is an established analgesic in the management of acute dental pain. Diclofenac Sodium 50mg is also used in the management of acute pain, but there are very few studies comparing its analgesic efficacy with Ibuprofen. Materials and Method: A double blind randomized study was carried out to compare the analgesic efficacy, safety and potency of Ibuprofen and Diclofenac Sodium in acute pulpitis patients with moderate to severe pain. 60 patients with acute pulpitis were enrolled in the study and Ibuprofen 400mg and Diclofenac Sodium 50mg were randomly given to them. Self-administered questionnaire was given to the patients and they were asked to note the intensity of initial pain on Visual analogue scale. Results: Time of onset of action of drugs, Time to peak effect, Total analgesic effect and tolerability of the drugs were assessed. From the present study it was found that there were statistically significant differences in the onset of action of drug and Time to peak effect. Onset of action was early in Ibuprofen and Time to peak effect was early in Diclofenac sodium. Patients rated both drugs to be equally good on Global evaluation scales. Conclusion: It was found that Diclofenac Sodium is more potent compared to Ibuprofen.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Background: Lasers and optical technologies play a significant role in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. The unique ability of optical technologies to target specific structures and layers in tissues to effect chemical, mechanical or thermal changes make them a powerful tool in cutaneous rejuvenation, hair removal, fat removal and treatment of vascular lesions such as port-wine stains, among many other procedures. With the development of adjunct techniques such as epidermal cooling, lasers and optical technologies have become more versatile and safe. The constant improvement of existing applications and the emergence of novel applications such as photodynamic therapy, nanoparticles, spectroscopy and noninvasive imaging continue to revolutionize aesthetic medicine by offering a minimally invasive alternative to traditional surgery. In the future, therapies will be based on individualized, maximum, safe radiant exposure to deliver optimal dosimetry. Lasers and optical technologies are headed toward safer, easier and more quantifiable individualized therapy.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Aim: Gingivitis is a common periodontal condition affecting most of the population of the world. Beneficial results have been achieved by researchers with use of antibiotics as an adjunct to phase I therapy. This study was done to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of Ornidazole containing gel as an adjunct to scaling in comparison with scaling alone. Materials and Method: Total 30 subjects of both the sexes diagnosed with chronic generalized gingivitis were recruited for the study. A split mouth study was conducted where scaling was done on the control site & scaling along with Ornidazole gel application was done on the test site. Modified gingival index and plaque index were recorded at baseline, 2 weeks and 4 weeks. Results : This clinical study showed statistically significant improvement in gingival status of all the patients. For both the groups significant difference in mean score (0.52) of modified gingival index was observed but there was no significant difference in mean plaque score between two sites. Conclusion: The result showed that scaling alone can improve the gingival status; however additional benefits can be obtained when antimicrobial gel is used as an adjunctive therapy.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Aim: The next decade of dentistry is speculated to see unparalled advances in the field of stem cell tissue engineering. The discovery of stem cells in the pulp of deciduous teeth raised intriguing possibility of using dental pulp stem cells for various life threatening disorders. This novel therapy has been proved to b e a huge scope in dentistry and currently has large-scale clinical applications. The WHO recommends dentists should encourage following evidence based literature in order to educate patients about the collection, storage and use of stem cells. There is a need to assess graduating dental care professionals, which would help in understanding awareness on this topic. Materials and Methods: Four dental colleges from Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts participated in the study. A structured questionnaire containing 13 questions was prepared and distributed to the participants. Data was analyzed after all the participants submitted their questionnaire. Results: Out of 372 students, 231 reverted back for the study. Majority of the graduating interns were ignorant about the canine being the best deciduous tooth for the extraction of stem cells. 24.84 % students believed dental pulp stem cells as best source for therapeutic use whereas almost 30% considered as bone marrow or umbilical cord. Majority of participants had no idea regarding the optimal root length to get the vital stem cells post extraction. Conclusion: Updating ourselves in medical profession is key to clinical success. In recent years due to influence of media, patients have become aware of latest innovations in medical and dental science. Therefore it has become necessary for the dental professionals to keep themselves updated to new world of dentistry.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of causes of fixed dental prosthesis failures in Indian population. Materials and method: A total of 158 patients were selected for the study who reported to the OPD of the Department of prosthodontics, Karnavati School of Dentistry, with complaints related to fixed dental prosthesis (FDP). Site and condition of the prosthesis and its abutments were evaluated and the cause of failure was classified accordingly by John J. Manappallil's classification. Results: Majority of failures (32.27%) were found to be class III failure followed by class VI failure (24.05 %). 13.29 % failures were Class IV, 12.65 % failures were identified as class II, 12.02 % failures as class V and 5.69 % failures were categorized in class I failure. Conclusion: Though earlier literature reported caries as the most common cause of fixed dental prosthesis failure, however present study reported class III failures, which include unserviceable restorations due to defective margins, technical failures or esthetic considerations as the most common cause. Therefore proper design of prosthesis is of utmost importance and should be kept in mind during fabrication of FDP.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Background: Significant changes in bone volume and morphology following tooth extraction can make implant rehabilitation very difficult and these changes increase as the time from extraction to implant placement increases. The extraction socket preservation technique conserves the alveolar architecture and prevents hard and soft tissue collapse that minimizes the necessity for future augmentation procedures. Many techniques have been discovered for socket preservation which allows the dentist to place the implant in extraction sites that were thought to be compromised. Recently, to reinstate alveolar bone loss and to support efficient placement of dental implants many different bone substitute such as autografts, allografts, xenografts, synthetic biomaterials and osteoactive agents have been proposed. The aim of this case report was to evaluate the aptitude of bioactive glass with collagen membrane in the socket preservation for the development of ideal future implant site.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Background: Clinically significant enlargement of the thyroid gland by amyloid deposition is rare. A case study of 22-year-old lady with gradual enlargement of the thyroid gland has been presented. Routine haemological, biochemical test including thyroid function tests were normal. Ultrasonographic findings were nonspecific. Amyloid goiter has to be differentiated from other types of goitre and malignancy. FNAC was found to be suspicious for the presence of amyloid. Special staining with thioflavin T confirmed amyloid deposition.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Aim: Regarding the high prevalence of hyperlpidaemia, which is one of the major risk fa ctors of cardiovascular disease and uncertain reports about the relation between periodontal disease and serum lipid profile, this study was conducted to assess the relation. Materials and Methods: The cohort study was conducted on 45 cases including 30 persons with chronic periodontitis as case group, and 15 healthy subjects as control group. Both groups had same age and weight ranges, sex and diet, without any periodontal treatment history in the past six months, underlying systemic disease such as diabetes, anti-hyperlipidemic drugs or active tobacco smoking history. Low density lipoprotein (LDL), High density lipoprotein (HDL), Triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol levels (CHOL) were measured by direct enzymatic assay. Results: TG level was 116.713+/-30.485 mg/dl in control group and 166.197+/-69.332 in case group (P = <0.001). In control group, LDL was 90.347+/-21.565 and in case group, 105.813+/-19.197, which presents a significantly higher level (P=<0.01) in case group. Other serum level indices also showed highly significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: The study along with other studies till date has provided evidence that periodontal disease has a causal link to atherosclerosis. Further research must be conducted to definitively establish the role of periodontal disease in the etiology of atherosclerosis.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the combination therapy i.e. inverted periosteal graft (IPG) with autogenous bone used alone and in conjunction with an osteoclast inhibitor - 1% alendronate (ALN) sodium gel, in the treatment of mandibular buccal degree II furcation defects. Materials and Method: A total of 28 buccal degree II furcation defects in 14 patients were selected and randomly divided into Group A and Group B. Experimental sites in Group A were treated using inverted periosteal graft and autogenous bone mixed with 1% alendronate gel and experimental sites in Group B were treated with inverted periosteal graft and autogenous bone only. Results: Both the experimental groups showed significant reduction in probing pocket depth, gain in clinical attachment level and mean percentage of horizontal defect fill (41.82% vs 49.09%) at 6 months. Experimental sites in group B showed a significant loss in mean vertical defect height compared to experimental group A (1.52% Vs -1.59%). Conclusion: It can be suggested that bisphosphonates such as alendronate sodium have the potential to inhibit the surgery induced bone loss.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Aim : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the polymerization shrinkage of four different light cured composite resins used for restorative purposes by measuring shrinkage strain. Materials and Method: Thirty composite samples were divided into three groups of ten each. An experimental design was made to record the shrinkage strain while curing the composite sample. The readings were recorded and statistical analysis was done. Results: Results showed samples in group II (fiber reinforced composite) had least polymerization shrinkage whereas group III (Nano filled composite) had the highest shrinkage. Conclusion: Resin matrix composition, filler volume, type of filler and lot of other factors has to be considered before selecting a composite resin for a successful restoration.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Background: Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is the death of bone due to radiation. The bone dies because of damage to its blood vessels caused by the radiation. Radiation provides high cure rates, but has also called increasing attention to its side effects. Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is one of the most severe and serious complications of head and neck cancer treatment. A new theory for the pathogenesis of ORN has proposed that damage to bone is caused by radiation-induced fibrosis. Here there is a case which was operated conservatively and after 8 months of follow up no recurrence was observed.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Background: Dentigerous cysts are common cysts of the jaws. They are associated with the crowns of permanent teeth, most frequently associated with impacted mandibular third molars. The other teeth that are commonly affected are, in order of frequency, the maxillary canines, the maxillary third molars and, rarely, the central incisor. Radiographically, the cyst appears as ovoid well-demarcated unilocular radiolucency with a sclerotic border. The present case reports describes the surgical enucleation of a 2 dentigerous cysts involving the lower permanent canine and upper premolar of maxilla in 12 years old nonsyndromic children.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Background: Perforations represent pathologic or iatrogenic communications between the root canal space and the attachment apparatus. Root perforations are significant complications to endodontic treatment and, if not detected and treated properly, the breakdown of the periodontium may ultimately lead to loss of the tooth. Iatrogenic root perforations are the second most common reason for endodontic failure. As a repair material for perforation, MTA is considered to be gold standard. Complete clinical and radiographic examination and adequate knowledge of the morphology of the teeth is necessary for successful clinical outcome.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]