Care and Cleaning of Maxillofacial Prostheses

Both the cleaning and care of the prosthesis are fundamental for maintaining its quality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to show the methods of cleaning and care the patient needs to take as regards the prosthesis and adjacent tissue, starting with correct instruction and training by the professional. It has been verified that among the materials for fabricating maxillofacial prostheses, silicone was considered the major retainer of microorganisms on its surface. Therefore, for cleaning prostheses, the use of water and neutral soap, as well as chlorhexidine, is recommended. As regards care of the adjacent tissues, it is recommended to remove the prosthesis before going to sleep, in addition to washing the prosthesis receptor tissues with water and neutral soap or with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water. Whereas for the mucosal surfaces of the ophthalmic cavity, cleaning with filtered and boiled water or physiological solution at least 3 times a day is recommended.

Effect of Sodium Ascorbate on Tag Formation in Bleached Enamel

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The influence of time interval between bleaching and enamel bonding

Objectives: the purpose of this study was to investigate the penetration of a conventional adhesive material into enamel bleached with 16% carbamide peroxide and 38% hydrogen peroxide using optical light microscopy.Methods: Extracted human teeth were randomly divided into eight experimental groups with six specimens each, according to the bleaching material and time interval after bleaching and before the bonding procedure. Groups were designated as follows: control group, restorations in unbleached teeth; restorations performed immediately after bleaching; restorations performed 7 days after bleaching; restorations performed 14 days after bleaching; and restorations performed 30 days after bleaching. The length of resin tags was measured with an Axiophot photomicroscope at 400x magnification for the calculation of the proportion of tags of study groups compared to the respective control groups. Analysis of variance was applied for comparison between groups; data were transformed into arcsine (p < 0.05).Results: the specimens of experimental groups, in which restorations were performed 7, 14, and 30 days after bleaching, showed better penetration of adhesive material into enamel than specimens restored immediately after bleaching. There was no statistically significant difference between the bleaching materials employed or in the interaction between bleaching agent and time interval.Conclusions: This suggests that a time interval of at least 7 days should be allowed between enamel bleaching and placement of adhesive bonding agents for accomplishment of composite resin restorations.

Color alteration in teeth subjected to different bleaching techniques

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Human pulp responses to in-office tooth bleaching

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Toxicity of chlorhexidine on odontoblast-like cells

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Response of human pulps after professionally applied vital tooth bleaching

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Trans-enamel and trans-dentinal cytotoxic effects of a 35% H2O2 bleaching gel on cultured odontoblast cell lines after consecutive applications

To evaluate the trans-enamel and trans-dentinal cytotoxic effects of a 35% H2O2 bleaching gel on an odontoblast-like cell lines (MDPC-23) after consecutive applications.Fifteen enamel/dentine discs were obtained from bovine central incisor teeth and placed individually in artificial pulp chambers. Three groups (n = 5 discs) were formed according to the following enamel treatments: G1: 35% H2O2 bleaching gel (15 min); G2: 35% H2O2 bleaching gel (15 min) + halogen light (20 s); G3: control (no treatment). After repeating the treatments three consecutive times, the extracts (culture medium + gel components that had diffused through enamel/dentine discs) in contact with the dentine were collected and applied to previously cultured MDPC-23 cells (50 000 cells cm(-2)) for 24 h. Cell metabolism was evaluated by the MTT assay and data were analysed statistically (alpha = 5%; Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-test). Cell morphology was analysed by scanning electron microscopy.Cell metabolism decreased by 92.03% and 82.47% in G1 and G2 respectively. G1 and G2 differed significantly (P < 0.05) from G3. Regardless of halogen light activation, the application of the bleaching gel on the cultured odontoblast-like cells caused significantly more severe cytotoxic effects than those observed in the nontreated control group. In addition, significant morphological cell alterations were observed in G1 and G2.After three consecutive applications of a 35% H2O2 bleaching agent, the diffusion of the gel components through enamel and dentine caused severe toxic effects to cultured pulp cells.

Cytotoxicity of Portland Cement with Different Radiopacifying Agents: A Cell Death Study

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Fracture strength of incisor crowns after intracoronal bleaching with sodium percarbonate

Objectives: To compare the fracture resistance of bovine teeth after intracoronal bleaching with sodium percarbonate (SPC) or sodium perborate (SP) mixed with water or 20% hydrogen peroxide (HP). Materials and methods: Fifty extracted bovine teeth were divided into four experimental groups (G1G4) and one control (n = 10) after endodontic treatment. Following root canal obturation, a glass ionomer barrier was placed at the cementoenamel junction. After that, the pulp chambers were filled with: G1 SP with water; G2 SP with 20% HP; G3 SPC with water; and G4 SPC with 20% HP. No bleaching agent was used in the control group. Coronal access cavities were sealed with glass ionomer and specimens were immersed in artificial saliva. The bleaching agents were replaced after 7 days, and teeth were kept in artificial saliva for an additional 7 days, after which the pastes were removed and the coronal access cavities were restored with glass ionomer. Crowns were subjected to compressive load at a cross head speed of 0.5 mm min-1 applied at 135 degrees to the long axis of the root by an EMIC DL2000 testing machine, until coronal fracture. Data were statistically analysed by anova and Tukey test. Results: No differences in fracture resistance were observed between the experimental groups (P > 0.05). However, all experimental groups presented lower fracture resistance than the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: SPC and SP led to equal reduction on fracture resistance of dental crowns, regardless of being mixed with water or 20% HP.

Fracture resistance of bleached teeth restored with different procedures

This study evaluated the fracture resistance of teeth submitted to internal bleaching and restored with different non-metallic post. Eighty mandibular incisors were endodontically treated and randomly divided in 10 groups (n = 8): G1- restored with composite resin (CR), G2- CR + fiber-reinforced composite post (FRC, Everstick post, Sticktech) cemented with resin cement self-etch adhesive (RCS, Panavia F 2.0, Kuraray), G3- CR + FRC + self-adhesive resin cement (SRC, Breeze, Pentral Clinical), G4- CR+ glass fiber post (GF, Exacto Post, Angelus) + RCS, G5- CR + GF + SRC. The G6 to G10 were bleached with hydrogen peroxide (HP) and restored with the same restorative procedures used for G1 to G5, respectively. After 7 days storage in artificial saliva, the specimens were submitted to the compressive strength test (N) at 0.5 mm/min cross-head speed and the failure pattern was identified as either reparable (failure showed until 2 mm below the cement-enamel junction) or irreparable (the failure showed <2 mm or more below the cement-enamel). Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey test (α = 0.05). No significant difference (p < 0.05) was found among G1 to G10. The results suggest that intracoronal bleaching did not significantly weaken the teeth and the failure patterns were predominately reparable for all groups. The non-metallic posts in these teeth did not improve fracture resistance.

The Effect of Power Bleaching Actived by Several Light Sources on Enamel Microhardness

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of different light sources for in-office bleaching on surface microhardness of human enamel. One hundred and five blocks of third molars were distributed among seven groups. The facial enamel surface of each block was polished and baseline Knoop microhardness of enamel was assessed with a load of 25 g for 5 s. Subsequently, the enamel was treated with 35% hydrogen peroxide bleaching agent and photo-activated with halogen light (group A) during 38 s, LED (group B) during 360 s, and high intensity diode laser (group C) during 4 s. The groups D (38 s), E (360 s), and F (4 s) were treated with the bleaching agent without photo-activated. The control (group G) was only kept in saliva without any treatment. Microhardness was reassessed after 1 day of the bleaching treatment, and after 7 and 21 days storage in artificial saliva. The mean percentage and standard deviation of microhardness in Knoop Hardness Number were: A 97.8 +/- 13.1 KHN; B 95.5 +/- 12.7 KHN; C 84.2 +/- 13.6 KHN; D 128.6 +/- 20.5 KHN; E 133.9 +/- 14.2 KHN; F 123.9 +/- 14.2 KHN; G 129.8 +/- 18.8 KHN. Statistical analysis (p < 0.05; Tukey test) showed that microhardness percentage values were significantly lower in the groups irradiated with light when compared with the non-irradiated groups. Furthermore, the non-irradiated groups showed that saliva was able to enhance the microhardness during the measurement times. The enamel microhardness was decreased when light sources were used during the bleaching process and the artificial saliva was able to increase microhardness when no light was used.

A Thermal Investigation of Dental Bleaching In Vitro

Objective: Our goal was to investigate the surface temperature variations in the cervical region via infrared thermography, as well as the temperature within the pulp chamber via thermocouples, of mandibular incisors when subjected to dental bleaching using two different 35% hydrogen peroxide gels, red (HP) and green (HPM), when activated by halogen light (HL) and LED light.Background Data: Temperatures increases of more than 5.5 degrees C are considered to be potentially threatening to pulp vitality, while those higher than 10 degrees C can result in periodontal injury.Materials and Methods: Tooth samples were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10 each), according to the bleaching agent and catalyst light source used.Results: Mean values and standard deviations of the temperature increases inside the pulp chamber in the HL groups were 4.4 degrees +/- 2.1 degrees C with HP, and 4.5 degrees +/- 1.2 degrees C with HPM; whereas in the groups using LED light, they were 1.4 degrees +/- 0.3 degrees C for HP, and 1.5 degrees +/- 0.2 degrees C for HPM. For the root surfaces, the maximum temperature increases in the groups irradiated with HL were 6.5 degrees +/- 1.5 degrees C for HP, and 7.5 degrees +/- 1.1 degrees C with HPM; whereas in the groups irradiated with LED light, they were 2.8 degrees +/- 0.7 degrees C with HP, and 3 degrees +/- 0.8 degrees C with HPM. There were no statistically significant differences in pulp and surface temperature increases between the groups using different gels, although the mean temperature increases were significantly higher for the groups irradiated with HL when compared with those irradiated with the LED light (p < 0.05 with Tukey's test).Conclusion: LED light may be safe for periodontal and pulp tissue when using this method, but HL should be used with care.

Pro-oxidant activity of apocynin radical

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Molecular approaches for structural characterization of Bothrops L-amino acid oxidases with antiprotozoal activity: cDNA cloning, comparative sequence analysis, and molecular modeling

Two L-amino acid oxidases (LAAOs) were identified by random sequencing of cDNA libraries from the venom glands of Bothrops moojeni (BmooLAAO) and Bothrops jararacussu (Bjussu LAAO). Phylogenetic analysis involving other SV-LAAOs showed sequence identities within the range 83-87% being closely related to those from Agkistrodon and Trimeresurus. Molecular modeling experiments indicated the FAD-binding, substrate-binding, and helical domains of Bmoo and Bjussu LAAOs. The RMS deviations obtained by the superposition of those domains and that from Calloselasma rhodostoma LAAO crystal structure confirm the high degree of structural similarity between these enzymes. Purified BjussuLAAO-I and BmooLAAO-I exhibited antiprotozoal activities which were demonstrated to be hydrogen-peroxide mediated. This is the first report on the isolation and identification of cDNAs encoding LAAOs from Bothrops venom. The findings here reported contribute to the overall structural elucidation of SV-LAAOs and will advance the understanding on their mode of action. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.