Intercommissural width in 4 racial groups as a guide for the selection of maxillary anterior teeth in complete dentures

Purpose: To determine whether intercommissural width is a reliable guide for the selection of maxillary denture teeth width. Materials and Methods: Casts were made of 160 subjects from 4 different racial groups. Locations of intercommissural width landmarks (the corners of the mouth) were made on the subjects and transferred to the casts. The distances between the corners of the mouth and the distal of the canines were measured on the casts and compared. Results: A weak correlation was found between the distal of the canines and the distance between the corners of the mouth in the 4 racial groups. Conclusion: The use of the corners of the mouth for the selection of artificial teeth is generally inaccurate.

Effectiveness of microwave irradiation on the disinfection of complete dentures

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of microwave irradiation on the disinfection of simulated complete dentures. Materials and Methods: Eighty dentures were fabricated in a standardized procedure and subjected to ethylene oxide sterilization. The dentures were individually inoculated (10 7 cfu/mL) with tryptic soy broth (TSB) media containing one of the tested microorganisms (Candida albicans, Streptoccus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). After 48 hours of incubation at 37°C, 40 dentures were individually immersed in 200 mL of water and submitted to microwave irradiation at 650 W for 6 minutes. Forty nonirradiated dentures were used as positive controls. Replicate aliquots (25 μL) of suspensions were plated at dilutions of 10 -3 to 10 -6 on plates of selective media appropriate for each organism. All plates were incubated at 37°C for 48 hours. TSB beakers with the microwaved dentures were incubated at 37°C for 7 more days. After incubation, the number of colony-forming units was counted and the data were statistically analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test (α = .05). Results: No evidence of growth was observed at 48 hours for S aureus, B subtilis, and C albicans. Dentures contaminated with P aeruginosa showed small growth on 2 plates. After 7 days incubation at 37°C, no growth was visible in the TSB beakers of S aureus and C albicans. Turbidity was observed in 3 broth beakers, 2 from P aeruginosa and 1 from B subtilis. Conclusion: Microwave irradiation for 6 minutes at 650 W produced sterilization of complete dentures contaminated with S aureus and C albicans and disinfection of those contaminated with P aeruginosa and B subtilis.

Nasal width as a guide for the selection of maxillary complete denture anterior teeth in four racial groups

Purpose: Selecting artificial teeth for edentulous patients is difficult when pre-extraction records are not available. Various guidelines have been suggested for determining the width of the maxillary anterior denture teeth. This study was undertaken to evaluate the use of the nasal width as a guide for the selection of proper width maxillary anterior denture teeth in four racial groups of the Brazilian population. Materials and Methods: One hundred and sixty subjects (40 Whites, 40 Mulattos, 40 Blacks, and 40 Asians) were selected. Using a sliding caliper, the nasal width and the intercanine distance were measured. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between the above measurements. A prediction was made of the percentage of subjects of the White, Mulatto, Black, and Asian populations in which the selection error due to the clinical application of the method of the nasal width would be within 0 to 2 mm, within 2 to 4 mm, and greater than 4 mm. Results: The four racial groups showed a weak correlation between the intercanine distance and the nasal width. In 39.7% of the White, 55.7% of the Mulatto, 81.9% of the Black, and 48.2% of the Asian populations, errors greater than 4 mm would be present with the use of the nasal width. Conclusions: The correlation found between the intercanine distance and the nasal width was not high enough to be used as a predictive factor. The relationship between natural tooth width and artificial tooth width as predicted by the nasal width showed that the nasal width method is not accurate for all the studied groups. Copyright © 2006 by The American College of Prosthodontists.

Electromyographic evaluation of masseter and anterior temporalis muscles in resting position and during maximum tooth clenching of edentulous patients before and after new complete dentures.

The aim of this study was to assess the electrical activity of the masseter and anterior temporal muscles in patients with severe bone resorption, with complete dentures worn for over ten years, and five months after having new dentures put in place. The RDC questionnaire was applied to twelve asymptomatic patients, before and five months after new dentures were put in place. The electrical activity recordings were made in the mandibular position at rest, and during maximum tooth clenching. The electrical activity of the masseter and anterior temporal muscles in the position at rest presented no statistically significant difference after five months of wearing the new complete dentures. Electrical activity during tooth clenching exhibited a statistically significant reduction only in the right temporal muscle. A period longer than five months of wearing the new complete dentures is required for adaptation and the acquisition of functional capacity.

Complete denture masticatory efficiency: a literature review

The restoration of masticatory function and esthetics is an important aim in dentistry mainly when patients present with extensive tooth loss. The aim of mastication is to reduce food size to produce a homogeneous bolus appropriate to be swallowed. For edentulous patients, chewing efficiency is reduced because dental arches are replaced by artificial teeth. The aim of this study is to present factors related to chewing efficiency for the edentulous patient.

Joint sounds in complete denture wearers. Literature review.

Long-term denture wearers can present with prosthesis instability, reduced occlusal vertical dimension and incorrect positioning of the jaw. This can lead to muscular changes and joint vibration. This study presents the main considerations related to joint vibrations in partially or totally edentulous patients. Occlusal treatment improves the disc-condyle relationship in the mandibular fossa. Furthermore, a detailed clinical exam and anamnesis must be performed to identify the dysfunction and its etiology, so that appropriate treatment can be provided.

Complete denture wearing and fractures among edentulous patients treated in university clinics

Objective: The prevalence of wearing and fracture of complete dentures was evaluated among edentulous patients treated in two dental schools in Brazil. Background: Acceptance and wearing of complete dentures are related to adaptive behaviour of edentulous patients. However, one reason that could interfere with the wearing dentures is their potential to fracture, which is still a common complication in denture rehabilitation practice. Material and methods: Two hundred and twenty-four edentulous patients rehabilitated with complete dentures from 2000 to 2005 in Araçatuba and Araraquara Dental School, University of State of São Paulo, were assessed in 2006 and 2007 to answer a questionnaire about wearing and fracture of their dentures. Statistical analysis were performed using Epi Info software and chi-squared test to compare maxillary and mandibular data (α = 0.05). Results: Almost 26% of the patients did not wear their dentures, and among the remainder, the majority wore the maxillary denture. About 30% of the dentures were fractured, with higher prevalence in the maxillary arch (p = 0.003). Conclusions: Discontinuation of wearing dentures was quite high, especially considering the treatment which was carried out in university clinics. Prevalence of fractures was also high, greater for the maxillary denture, and was one of the main reasons for non-wearing of complete dentures. © 2011 The Gerodontology Society and John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Tri-state single-phase integrated inverters with input to output power decoupling control

Researches on control for power electronics have looked for original solutions in order to advance renewable resources feasibility, specially the photovoltaic (PV). In this context, for PV renewable energy source the usage of compact, high efficiency, low cost and reliable converters are very attractive. In this context, two improved simplified converters, namely Tri-state Boost and Tri-state Buck-Boost integrated single-phase inverters, are achieved with the presented Tri-state modulation and control schemes, which guarantees the input to output power decoupling control. This feature enhances the field of single-phase PV inverters once the energy storage is mainly inductive. The main features of the proposal are confirmed with some simulations and experimental results. © 2012 IEEE.

Proposal of a simplified process to correct the phase decoupling using modal analysis

Modal analysis is widely approached in the classic theory of transmission line modeling. This technique is applied to model the three-phase representation of conventional electric systems taking into account their self and mutual electrical parameters. However the methodology has some particularities and inaccuracies for specific applications which are not clearly described in the basic references of this topic. This paper provides a thorough review of modal analysis theory applied to line models followed by an original and simple procedure to overcome the possible errors embedded in the modal decoupling through the three-phase system modeling. © 2012 IEEE.

Oral health-related quality of life and satisfaction before and after treatment with complete dentures in a Dental School in Brazil

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of treatment with new complete dentures on oral health-related quality of life and satisfaction of edentulous patients attending the Prosthodontic Department in a Dental School in Brazil. Methods: A total of 70 edentulous subjects (37-86 years) treated by undergradute students at the Araçatuba Dental School, University of State of São Paulo, were accessed. A specific questionnaire for edentulous patients (EDENT) based on the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-EDENT) was applied to collect information on patient oral health-related quality of life. Questions related to the personal satisfaction of the edentulous patients with their complete dentures were also included. The patients were accessed before the treatment, and 3 months after receiving the new dentures. Results: After rehabilitation with new complete dentures, all domains of OHIP-EDENT showed significant improvements. There was also a significant improvement in patient satisfaction after placement of new complete dentures. Furthermore, it was possible to observe association between upper denture satisfaction and age. Conclusion: Conventional complete dentures may have a positive impact on oral health-related quality of life and satisfaction of edentulous patients. © 2012 Japan Prosthodontic Society.

Correlation of previous experience, patient expectation and the number of post-delivery adjustments of complete dentures with patient satisfaction in a Brazilian population

A number of variables may influence the outcome of complete denture therapy. The objective of this study was to verify possible correlations between previous experience with dentures, patient expectation and the number of post-delivery adjustments with patient satisfaction after treatment. One hundred patients (mean age 61·9 ± 10·3) rated their previous experiences with complete dentures and their expectations before and satisfaction after treatment on a visual analogue scale (VAS) using scores from 0 (worst results) to 10 (best results). The number of post-delivery adjustments and other patient-related clinical variables was also noted. Patient expectation scores were higher than previous experience scores and satisfaction after treatment scores. Positive and weak correlations were found between previous chewing experiences with complete dentures, with regard to chewing expectations and comfort of use. Phonetics and comfort of use in previous experiences presented a positive correlation with expectations for chewing, aesthetics, phonetics and comfort of use. Groups of patients with different levels of education presented significant differences in expectation scores regarding comfort of use as well. A negative and weak correlation was found between phonetics satisfaction and the number of post-delivery adjustments. Patients' expectations for the therapy were higher than their satisfaction after treatment. Previous experiences with complete dentures could slightly influence patients' expectations and satisfaction, whereas lower scores for previous experience with complete dentures caused lower scores for both expectation and satisfaction. Patients' educational levels and the number of post-delivery adjustments influenced negatively the expectations about comfort of use and patient satisfaction, respectively. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Facial growth evaluation of complete unilateral cleft lip and palate operated patients: a cleft reference center in Paraíba, Brazil, using the GOSLON yardstick

Objectives: To evaluate the surgical outcomes of patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (CUCLP) operated on by a single surgeon of the cleft reference center of the Lauro Wanderley University Hospital at the Federal University of Paraiba. Methods: Forty-four individuals' dental casts diagnosed with CUCLP, born between 1995 and 2002, mean age of 11 years, were evaluated by three calibrated orthodontic specialists and scored by the Great Ormond Street, London and Oslo (GOSLON) yardstick on two occasions. The scores were compared with those observed in other centers around the world. The Kappa test was applied to evaluate the intra- and inter-examiner agreement. Descriptive statistics was applied for the GOSLON yardsticks core. Results: The mean GOSLON score was 2.75. For the GOSLON yardstick, 43.2 % of the sample presented scores 1 and 2, 31.8 % had score 3, and 25 % were with scores 4 and 5. There was very good intra- and inter-examiner Kappa agreement in the application of the GOSLON yardstick. Conclusions: The data suggest favorable outcomes, with 75 % of cases with no need of orthognathic surgery. The Kappa values confirmed the high reproducibility of the GOSLON yardstick. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Simplified computational routine to correct the modal decoupling in transmission lines and power systems modelling

Modal analysis is widely approached in the classic theory of power systems modelling. This technique is also applied to model multiconductor transmission lines and their self and mutual electrical parameters. However, this methodology has some particularities and inaccuracies for specific applications, which are not clearly described in the technical literature. This study provides a brief review on modal decoupling applied in transmission line digital models and thereafter a novel and simplified computational routine is proposed to overcome the possible errors embedded by the modal decoupling in the simulation/ modelling computational algorithm. © The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2013.

DOCPAL at nineteenth months: an outline of activities, problems and promises (with a complete set of flow diagrams, worksheets, forms, etc)

Includes bibliography