Bioglass can be used as a non-invasive remineralizing treatment for enamel white spot lesions (WSLs). Cold plasma application can boost enamel surface properties by increasing its surface energy and wettability without disturbing the bulk structure or raising up pulp temperature. It is thought that the remineralizing ability of bioglass, might be enhanced if proceeded by plasma application. This study investigated the combined effect of cold plasma and bioglass on demineralized enamel. Forty bovine incisors were sectioned to obtain flat enamel specimens and challenged by demineralization solution of pH 4.47 for 72 h. The enamel specimens were randomly divided into four groups: (I) control, demineralized enamel with no treatment (C); (II) demineralized enamel primarily treated with cold plasma, then bioglass paste protected with adhesive, afterward additional application of cold plasma (PBP); (III) demineralized enamel treated with cold plasma, then bioglass paste protected with light cured adhesive (PB); and (IV) bioglass paste applied to demineralized enamel and protected with light cured adhesive (B). All groups were stored in remineralizing solution for 24 h, subsequently cross-sectional micro-hardness measurements were done and then a scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDS) were used to examine specimen's surface morphology and chemical analysis. Group II (PBP) showed a significant higher cross sectional micro-hardness value than bioglass group at 30 μm depth. SEM revealed numerous surface deposits of spheroidal and prismatic shape, EDS showed that the elements are mainly calcium, phosphorus with trace amount of silica and sodium. Combined plasma/bioglass/plasma treatment could improve the remineralization of enamel white spot lesions.
Objectives: to elucidate the association between HHVs [Human Herpes Viruses–human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV)] and risk of aggressive periodontitis (AgP) and advanced periodontitis (AP). Materials and methods: the addressed focused question was: “Is there an association between HHVs and AgP and do HHVs implicate in the pathogenesis of AgP and AP?” Electronic search of the MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, ISI Web of knowledge, and Google-Scholar databases was combined with hand searching of articles published from 1970 up to and including March 2016 using relevant MeSH terms. Review papers, in-vitro and experimental studies, case reports, commentaries, interviews, updates and duplicate publications were excluded. Results: twelve studies were included. Three studies reported elevated percentage of HSV1 carriage in AgP patients whereas two studies reported comparable percentage levels of HSV1 among AgP patients and periodontally healthy patients. Seven studies reported significantly higher percentage levels of HCMV in AgP patients as compared to healthy controls whereas four studies showed comparable levels of HCMV among AgP and healthy controls. Six studies reported higher EBV carriage in AgP patients than healthy controls whereas five studies showed comparable EBV percentage levels among AgP and periodontally healthy patients. Conclusion: overall, human herpes virus (HSV, CMV and EBV) levels are increased and are found to be associated with AgP and AP as compared to healthy individuals. However a possible involvement of HHVs in the pathogenesis of AgP warrants further investigation.
Aim: To evaluate the current knowledge about oral health and preventive dentistry among adults seeking dental care in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in which 900 questionnaires were randomly distributed to adults seeking dental care in all health settings in Riyadh; 450 questionnaires were distributed in each of the governmental and the private sectors. The questionnaire included questions regarding socio-demographic factors (age, education, occupation, etc) and others concerning the patient’s knowledge of preventive dental measures; the oral hygiene procedures, fluoride and sealant applications and the healthy dietary habits. Statistical analysis was performedusing SPSS and simple descriptive statistics as means and frequency distributions were calculated for the study variables. Comparisons were performed using Chi-square test. Results: Eighty-six percent of the study subjects knew that dental caries could be prevented. Almost 59% were aware of the relation between frequency of sugar intake and dental caries. The prevalence of patients who knew that fluoride prevents dental caries was 50.3%, however, only 34.2% reported previous applications of topical fluoride in dental clinics. About 16% of the participants had received fissure sealants although 42.4% knew about them. The study sample’s dietary knowledge had statistically significant relations with education and occupation (p<0.0001). Correct knowledge of visiting the dental clinic was statistically significantly related to education (p<0.0001). Conclusion: It can be concluded that the majority of adults in Riyadh have the correct preventive dental knowledge, which is mostly related to the individuals’ educational level and occupation.
Aim: The aim of the present study was to compare apical transportation in curved root canals prepared using ProTaper Next, Wave One, TF, and OneShape nickel–titanium [NiTi] systems. Materials and methods: This study was conducted on mesiobuccal canals of extracted first and second mandibular molars with 30–60degree curvatures [n=40]. Specimens were divided into four experimental groups [n=10 each]. In each group, the mesiobuccal canals were prepared using NiTi systems, including Wave One, ProTaper Next, TF, and OneShape. The apical transportation with each NiTi system was measured using a double digital radiograph technique. The data were analyzed by ANOVA using SPSS ver. 20.0, and significance was set at P<0.05. Results: There were significant differences in apical transportation [P<0.05] among Wave One, ProTaper Next, TF, and OneShape NiTi systems. Apical transportation with Wave One was greater than that with OneShape, and transportation with ProTaper Next was greater than that with OneShape and TF. There was no significant difference [P>0.05] in apical transportation between TF and OneShape or between ProTaper Next and Wave One. Conclusions: TF and OneShape NiTi systems preserved the original shape of the canal in the apical area better than ProTaper Next and Wave One NiTi systems did.
