Exclusion of known gene for enamel development in two Brazilian families with amelogenesis imperfecta

Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) is a genetically heterogeneous group of diseases that result in defective development of tooth enamel. Mutations in several enamel proteins and proteinases have been associated with AI. The object of this study was to evaluate evidence of etiology for the six major candidate gene loci in two Brazilian families with AI. Genomic DMA was obtained from family members and all exons and exon-intron boundaries of the ENAM, AMBN, AMELX, MMP20, KLK4 and Amelotin gene were amplified and sequenced. Each family was also evaluated for linkage to chromosome regions known to contain genes important in enamel development. The present study indicates that the AI in these two families is not caused by any of the known loci for AI or any of the major candidate genes proposed in the literature. These findings indicate extensive genetic heterogeneity for non-syndromic AI.

Dens invaginatus type III: report of a case and 10-year radiographic follow-up

Aim the purpose of this article is to report the 10-year follow-up of a right mandibular central incisor with 'dens invaginatus' that was root filled.Summary 'Dens invaginatus ' is a rare malformation of teeth, probably resulting from an infolding of the dental papilla during tooth development. It has alternatively been called 'dens in dente' and 'dilated composite odontome'. Radiographic examination may clearly demonstrate this feature, although no signs may be recognized clinically. If no entrance to the invagination can be detected and there are no signs of pulp pathosis, then no treatment is required other than fissure sealing of the invagination. In deep invaginations, it is likely that root-canal treatment may be required. Occasionally, when the tooth has an immature root, apexification is necessary. Root-canal treatment of a right mandibular central incisor with 'dens invaginatus ' is described along with 10-year follow-up.Key learning pointsBoth clinical and radiographic examinations are necessary to determine morphological features of teeth before root-canal treatment.Sensibility testing to determine the pulp condition is critical prior to treatment.

Association between PAX-9 promoter polymorphisms and hypodontia in humans

Hypodontia, the congenital absence of one or a few teeth, is one of the most common alterations of the human dentition. The most common permanent missing teeth are the third molars, second premolars, and maxitlary lateral incisors. Hypodontia does not represent a serious public health problem, but it may cause masticatory and speech dysfunctions, and esthetic problems. PAX9 is believed to play an important rote in tooth development. It is expressed at initiation, bud, cap, and bell stages of odontogenesis. Mutations in PAX9 coding sequences have been implicated in autosomal dominant oligodontia affecting predominantly permanent molars and second premolars. Here, we report two polymorphisms in the promoter region of PAX9 gene that are associated with hypodontia. DNA was extracted from buccal epithelial. cells of 106 healthy Control individuals and of 102 unrelated individuals with hypodontia. PCR-RFLP was employed in the investigation of G-1031A and T-912C polymorphisms. Significant differences were obtained comparing Control and Test groups. Alleles G and T were found at a significant higher frequency in individuals with hypodontia, whereas alleles A and C were more frequent in Control subjects, p = 0.0094 and 0.0086, respectively. The GT haplotype was significantly more prevalent in the hypodontia group, white the AC haplotype was more frequent in the Control group. These results indicate that polymorphisms in the promoter region of PAX9 gene may have an influence on the transcriptional activity of this gene and are associated with hypodontia in humans. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. AR rights reserved.

Dental fluorosis: Exposure, prevention and management

Dental fluorosis is a developmental disturbance of dental enamel, caused by successive exposures to high concentrations of fluoride during tooth development, leading to enamel with lower mineral content and increased porosity. The severity of dental fluorosis depends on when and for how long the overexposure to fluoride occurs, the individual response, weight, degree of physical activity, nutritional factors and bone growth. The risk period for esthetic changes in permanent teeth is between 20 and 30 months of age. The recommended level for daily fluoride intake is 0.05 - 0.07 mg F/Kg/day, which is considered of great help in preventing dental caries, acting in remineralization. A daily intake above this safe level leads to an increased risk of dental fluorosis. Currently recommended procedures for diagnosis of fluorosis should discriminate between symmetrical and asymmetrical and/or discrete patterns of opaque defects. Fluorosis can be prevented by having an adequate knowledge of the fluoride sources, knowing how to manage this issue and therefore, avoid overexposure.

Multivariated variance analysis applied to biological experiments: An analysis with curves of rats teeth growth as influenced by colchicine

The evaluation of the growth of incisor teeth of rats as influenced by colchicine (doses of 25, 50, 100 and 200 μg/kg) injected during 10 and 18 days is performed using a multivariated variance analysis, which allowed a global view of the results, showing that: there are differences in the growth of teeth of control group (untreated rats) and those treated with colchicine, in the measurements made at the 4th, 7th and 10th days of experiment); there is no difference in the growth of the teeth between the groups treated during 10 and 18 days, except in the measurements made at the 7th day; there is no influence of the doses of colchicine in the group treated during 10 days and in the group treated during 18 days - only at the 7th day is observed an influence of the doses used; and there was no significant interaction between treatment and days of measurement, showing the similarity of the groups during the experiment.

Autoradiographic investigation of effects of high-dose colchicine on dentinogenesis in rat incisors

Twelve female Wistar rats received 1.5 mg/kg of colchicine (CLC) intravenously. Control animals were similarly injected with isotonic saline solution. The animals were killed 5 h, 24 h, 3 days and 7 days after injection. Ninety minutes prior to sacrifice, all animals received an intraperitoneal injection of 3H-proline. Autoradiograms of maxillary incisors showed that CLC increased the retention of the labeled precursor in the odontoblasts. It was also shown that the odontoblasts in the different sectors of the rat incisor present different sensitivities to the CLC action.

Estudio radiográfico do desenvolvimento da dentição permanente de crianças brasileiras com idade cronológica variando entre 84 e 131 meses.

With the help of orthopantomograms we analyse the tooth development beside body weight and height from Brazilian healthy boys and girls. So, their dental age were compared to their chronological age. The results of this investigation, according to the methodology employed, indicated that: 1. girls showed accelerated formation of permanent teeth and mean values of dental age higher than boys; 2. the mean values of dental age in girls were higher than their chronological age in all groups; 3. the teeth development stages were appropriate in assessment of the degree of physiological maturity of a growing child.

Efeito da ciclofosfamida sobre o desenvolvimento de germe dental do incisivo do camundongo.

Thirty six female mice were injected on the 12th day of the gestational period with 0.2 ml of distilled water (control group) or of an acqueous solution containing either 30 mg/Kg or 50 mg/Kg of body weight of cyclophosphamide (treated group). The animal were killed at 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours after the injection and 3 days after birth. It was verified that cyclophosphamide interferes on the tooth germ development and that this effect is in directly ratio of the doses used.

Efeito da ciclofosfamida sobre o desenvolvimento de germes dentais de molares transplantados para a câmara anterior do olho de camundongos.

Mice foetus were killed between 13 and 16 days of the gestational period and their molar tooth germs grafted into the anterior chamber of the eye. The hosts were injected either with 6.25 mg/Kg or with 125 mg/Kg of cyclophosphamide and killed 15 days later. The cyclophosphamide irreversibly, interferes on tooth germ development causing either its total degeneration or an alteration on its morphology forming hypodeveloped tooth germs; its action is directly proportional to the foetus age and to the dose used; it does not induce the formation of osteodentin while some predentin partial cell inclusion may occur.

Osseous regeneration in the presence of fibrin adhesive material (Tissucol) and epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA).

The effects of Tissucol and Tissucol/EACA on bone healing were evaluated histologically. Experimental defects were made in both tibias of 25 rats. Test materials were placed in defects in right tibias and left tibias served as control. Five animals in each group were killed at 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days after surgery. Results showed that: a) Tissucol did not interfere with connective and osseous tissue formation; b) Tissucol allowed new bone formation; c) Tissue residues in Tissucol groups in sections of 21-day specimens did not impair healing; d) Tissucol/EACA was usually completely resorbed and healing was complete 21 days after surgery in the Tissucol/EACA group.

Apoptosis in the early developing periodontium of rat molars

Development of the periodontium involves a series of complex steps that result in the formation of root dentine, cementum, bone and fibres of the ligament. These precisely controlled and timed events require the participation of the enamel organ derived epithelial cells of Hertwig's (HRS) and ectomesenchymal cells of the dental follicle. These events involve rapid turnover of the tissues and cells, including disappearance of epithelial cells of HRS. Thus, it seemed likely to us that programmed cell death (apoptosis) may play a role in the development of the periodontium. Fragments of first molars, obtained from 14- and 29-day-old rats, were fixed in glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde and processed for light and electron microscopy. For the TUNEL method for detection of apoptosis, specimens were fixed in 4% formaldehyde and embedded in paraffin. Results confirmed that epithelial cells of HRS maintain a close relationship with the forming dentine root, and that they may become trapped in the dentino-cemental junction. Some of the epithelial cells exhibited ultrastructural features which are consistent with the interpretation that they were undergoing programmed cell death, i.e. apoptosis. Periodontal fibroblast-like cells showed typical images of apoptosis and engulfed apoptotic bodies. TUNEL positive structures were present in all corresponding regions. It seems therefore that apoptosis of epithelial cells of HRS and fibroblast-like cells of the periodontal ligament constitutes an integral part of the developmental process of the tissues of the periodontium. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Natal maxillary primary molars: Case report

An unusual case of a newborn with two immature natal maxillary molars is presented. Clinical and histological examination showed that the teeth were rootless and incompletely mineralized. The patient was followed up during one year and we confirmed that the natal teeth were from normal primary series.

Neonatal rat exposure to pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides: A physiological and biochemical trial of progeny

A manufactured product (Ectoplus®) composed by a cypermethrin (44.7%) and dichlorvos (4.2%) mixture was administered (10mg/kg/day, orally, by gavage) to pregnant rats, during the periods of gestation+lactation, gestation, and lactation. Control mothers received vehicle aqueous solution during the gestation+lactation period. With the progeny, in the 1-15 post-natal days (PNDI-15) there were observed alterations in the periods of occurrence of teeth, hair, unfolding of ears, and in the developmental period for following reflexes: postural, palmar grasp, negative geotaxis, and acoustic startle reflex. After weaning (PND21), there were observed the presence of cypermethrin and dichlorvos in the blood brain and liver; decrease in weight of liver, of cholinesterase activity in the plasma, liver, and brain, and hepatic metabolizing activity of drugs; alterations of levels of gamma glutamyl transferase enzymes, of creatinine, and of potassium in the serum of the animals. In conclusion, neonatal exposure to a formulated mixture of cypermethrin and dichlorvos is inductive to alterations in characteristics that indicate somatic and neuromuscular development of the progeny, and in certain biochemical parameters. The results suggest that enzymatic assessment associated with somatic and neuromotor assessment can be important markers of developmental characteristics in neonatal toxicity by pesticide formulations based on mixtures of insecticides.

Dental age in patients with Down syndrome

The aim of this research was to evaluate dental age in 102 patients with Down Syndrome, using panoramic radiographs. A software program developed by the Discipline of Radiology, School of Dentistry of São José dos Campos, São Paulo State University (UNESP), was used. A table of mineralization chronology of permanent teeth among Brazilians conceived by Nicodemo, Moraes and Medici Filho was used within the software. Statistical analysis of the results showed that 70.91% of the males land 61.21% of the females presented advanced dental age. Only 32.09% of the males and 39.79% of the females presented delayed dental age. Regarding the differences between the dental and chronological ages, two thirds of the males and females presented dental age with differences of up to 12 months, which means that they can be considered to be within normal standards, whereas only 18.87% of the males and 10.21% of the females presented dental age outside normal standards, with differences of over 24 months. In conclusion, the majority of the patients with Down Syndrome were considered to be within the normal standards of mineralization chronology.

Mechanisms of action of fluoride for caries control

Fluoride was introduced into dentistry over 70 years ago, and it is now recognized as the main factor responsible for the dramatic decline in caries prevalence that has been observed worldwide. However, excessive fluoride intake during the period of tooth development can cause dental fluorosis. In order that the maximum benefits of fluoride for caries control can be achieved with the minimum risk of side effects, it is necessary to have a profound understanding of the mechanisms by which fluoride promotes caries control. In the 1980s, it was established that fluoride controls caries mainly through its topical effect. Fluoride present in low, sustained concentrations (sub-ppm range) in the oral fluids during an acidic challenge is able to absorb to the surface of the apatite crystals, inhibiting demineralization. When the pH is re-established, traces of fluoride in solution will make it highly supersaturated with respect to fluorhydroxyapatite, which will speed up the process of remineralization. The mineral formed under the nucleating action of the partially dissolved minerals will then preferentially include fluoride and exclude carbonate, rendering the enamel more resistant to future acidic challenges. Topical fluoride can also provide antimicrobial action. Fluoride concentrations as found in dental plaque have biological activity on critical virulence factors of S. mutans in vitro, such as acid production and glucan synthesis, but the in vivo implications of this are still not clear. Evidence also supports fluoride's systemic mechanism of caries inhibition in pit and fissure surfaces of permanent first molars when it is incorporated into these teeth pre-eruptively. © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.