Background Dental caries and oral candidiasis are among the most common oral diseases and are primarily associated with Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans. Growing concerns regarding antimicrobial resistance and the adverse effects of synthetic antimicrobial agents have increased interest in plant-derived alternatives. This study evaluated and compared the antimicrobial efficacies of aqueous extracts of Abrus precatorius and Achyranthes aspera against Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans. Methodology An in vitro experimental study was conducted using aqueous extracts from the leaves of Abrus precatorius and Achyranthes aspera. The antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 25175) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) was assessed using the agar well diffusion method. Chlorhexidine and nystatin served as positive controls for antibacterial and antifungal testing, respectively, and distilled water served as the negative control. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined using the broth microdilution method. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's post-hoc test and independent-samples t-test. Results Significant differences in antimicrobial activity were observed among the groups (p < 0.001). Against Streptococcus mutans, Abrus precatorius demonstrated a larger mean zone of inhibition (18.42 ± 1.58 mm) than Achyranthes aspera (15.16 ± 1.47 mm), although chlorhexidine exhibited the greatest antibacterial activity (24.31 ± 1.32 mm). Similarly, against Candida albicans, Abrus precatorius produced a larger inhibition zone (16.87 ± 1.36 mm) than Achyranthes aspera (13.92 ± 1.41 mm), whereas nystatin showed the highest antifungal activity (22.74 ± 1.24 mm). Abrus precatorius also demonstrated significantly lower MIC values against both microorganisms, indicating a greater antimicrobial potency. Conclusions Both aqueous plant extracts exhibited significant antibacterial and antifungal activity. Abrus precatorius showed superior antimicrobial efficacy compared to Achyranthes aspera; however, both extracts were less effective than the standard antimicrobial agents. These findings suggest the potential application of these herbal extracts in the development of oral healthcare products.
Clear aligner therapy requires complete tray seating, effective engagement of attachments, and good patient compliance. Commercial aligner seating and removal aids are often expensive, less accessible, or prone to distortion, while the use of fingernails or sharp objects can damage the aligner and injure the gingiva. This article describes the fabrication and clinical application of a simple, multifunctional orthodontic safety tool made from 19-gauge stainless steel wire with helices, reverse S- and Z-loops, and angulated triangular hooks that permit locking and unlocking. The single or locked double hooks facilitate aligner removal from both arches and aid in intra- and inter-arch elastic placement, while the flexible helices assist in aligner seating through the biting forces. The tool is easy to fabricate, sterilizable, reusable, economical, and safe for soft tissues, and it minimizes aligner distortion. This multifunctional safety tool improves patient convenience and clinical efficiency during clear aligner therapy and can serve as a cost-effective alternative to commercially available aligner accessories.
Background The growing sophistication of smartphone cameras has prompted enquiry into their suitability as alternatives to digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras for clinical dental photography. This study compared the image quality of a DSLR camera and two smartphone systems, each fitted with an identical macro lens, for intraoral dental photography using objective colorimetric and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) metrics. Methods Thirty dental students were enrolled in this comparative, cross-sectional study. Standardised intraoral photographs were captured across seven views using three camera systems: a DSLR with a Canon 100 mm macro lens and ring flash (Canon Inc., Tokyo, Japan), a Samsung smartphone (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Suwon, South Korea), and an Apple iPhone (Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA), the latter two fitted with an identical custom Sony 100 mm macro lens and twin flash (Sony Group Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). CIELAB colour space (CIE L*, a*, and b*) values were recorded in Adobe Photoshop (Adobe Inc., San Jose, CA), and the total colour difference (ΔE) was calculated. SNR was computed in MATrix LABoratory (MATLAB) (MathWorks, Natick, MA) from a standardised background region. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey honestly significant difference (HSD) post hoc tests were applied (significance: p < 0.05). Results The DSLR produced the most consistent colour rendition and served as the colour reference standard. The mean ΔE between the DSLR and the smartphones was comparable for the two devices (25.63 ± 8.62 for Samsung; 25.98 ± 9.56 for iPhone; p = 0.486), and both values substantially exceeded the clinically acceptable threshold of ΔE ≤ 2.0. Mean lightness (L*) was markedly lower for the DSLR (25.24) than for the Samsung (47.47) and iPhone (47.59) systems (p < 0.001). A warm, yellow-shifted smartphone bias was most evident in the frontal shade-matching view. SNR was highest for the iPhone, followed by the Samsung, and lowest for the DSLR, a reversal attributable to artificial-intelligence-driven computational noise reduction in the smartphones. Conclusions The DSLR remains the reference standard for colour-critical intraoral dental photography. The elevated SNR recorded for the smartphones reflected computational noise reduction rather than superior image fidelity. Neither smartphone achieved clinically acceptable colorimetric agreement with the DSLR, nor did brand materially influence this outcome once the optical configuration was standardised. Standardised calibration protocols warrant further investigation before smartphone systems are adopted for colour-critical applications.
Optimal polymerization of resin composites without harmful thermal effects on dentin and pulp remains a clinical challenge. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the effect of pre-heating to 60°C on microhardness, conversion, curing depth, photoinitiation and temperature changes in four composite systems. Microhardness, FTIR, UV–Vis spectrophotometry and customized thermal analysis were used for evaluation. Pre-heating significantly improved microhardness and depth of cure, while intradentinal temperature increased by only 0.77–1.43°C and conversion remained comparable in most groups. Thus, data shows the pre-heating resin composites to 60°C may enhance polymerization and mechanical performance without clinically significant thermal effects.
Introduction: The human tongue presents a novel and underexplored biometric modality, offering distinct advantages due to its internal location, resistance to environmental exposure, and individual variability. Materials and Methods: 162 individuals were visually evaluated through digital photographs of the dorsum of the tongue to determine various morphological patterns of the tongue for assessing morphological variations. Results: V shaped tongue was identified in 74.1% followed by U shaped in 24.1% and bifid shaped in 1.9% of the subjects. With respect to tongue borders, smooth borders were identified in 58% followed by partially scalloped borders in 40.8% and scalloped borders in 1.2% of the study population. However, absence of fissure on tongue was seen in 63% of the study group. Conclusion: The dorsal surface of the tongue is unique to each individual with regard to morphological traits, thus providing a stable and difficult-to-forge source of evidence for biometric authentication.
