A cephalometric comparison of twin block and bionator appliances in treatment of class II malocclusion

Class II malocclusion is one of the most common orthodontic problems. In cases of class II malocclusion with mandibular deficiency, functional appliances often are used with the intent of stimulating mandibular growth. Bionator and twin block are two of the more popular functional appliances. The aim of this study was to compare the treatment outcomes of these two appliances using cephalometric radiographs. Cephalometric radiographs of 33 patients who had class II division I malocclusion, before and after treatment were digitalized. The mean changes in twin block and bionator groups were compared using independent t test. Twin block and bionator showed no statistically significant differences in cephalometric parameters except for ANB, NA-Pog, Basal and Ar-Go-Me angles. There were no statistically significant differences in dentoalveolar and mandibular position between twin block and bionator (p>0.1). Twin block was more efficient in inhibition of forward movement of maxilla (p<0.1)

Pomegranate juice (punica granatum): a new storage medium for avulsed teeth.

There is evidence indicating that pomegranate juice contains many of the essential properties necessary to retain cell viability and cell proliferation. These properties indicate that pomegranate juice is a suitable storage medium for avulsed teeth. However, this idea has not yet been tested. In this study, the capacity of pomegranate juice (PJ) as a storage medium for retaining avulsed teeth was evaluated.PDL fibroblasts were obtained from healthy human premolars and cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM). Cultured cells were subjected to different concentrations of pomegranate juice (PJ), 1% Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS) and tap water for 1, 3, 6 and 24 hours. PDL cell viability was assessed by the neutral red uptake assay.The results indicated that 7.5% PJ was the most effective solution for maintaining PDL cell viability amongst all the experimental solution's and time intervals (