COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE EVALUATION OF TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT AND NECK STRUCTURES IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS AND IDIOPATHIC SCOLIOSIS PATIENTS

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) and neck structure changes in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis (IS) by clinical examination. Material and Methods: The study included 51 patients affected by IS (24 males,27 females; mean age: 13.5± 2.1 years) selected using simple random sampling, and a healthy control group of 50 subjects (23 males, 27 females; mean age: 14.5± 2.3 years). The Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders: Clinical Protocol and Assessment Instruments (DC/TMD) form was utilized to assess the signs and symptoms of TMD in the subjects. For the evaluation of neck structures,masseter and temporalis muscles, pressure pain threshold (PPT) values were measured with a hand-held pressure algometer.Obtained data were analyzed statistically applying Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon, and chi-squared tests with a significance level of 0.05. Results: According to the DC/TMD form, the following parameters showed statistically significant differences between the groups (p≤0.001): presence of TMD, temporal headache, midline deviation, and right and left lateral movements. The PPT values were higher in the control group compared with the study group (p<0.001). Additionally, the type of pain-related TMD identified in the subjects was myalgia. The myalgia was significantly (p<0.001) higher in the study group (68.6%) than in the control group (22%). Conclusion: This study concluded that spinal diseases which cause postural changes, like IS, in the head and shoulder region are associated with muscle adaptation and alterations in the temporomandibular joint area

A global-scale screening of non-native aquatic organisms to identify potentially invasive species under current and future climate conditions

The threat posed by invasive non-native species worldwide requires a global approach to identify which introduced species are likely to pose an elevated risk of impact to native species and ecosystems. To inform policy, stakeholders and management decisions on global threats to aquatic ecosystems, 195 assessors representing 120 risk assessment areas across all six inhabited continents screened 819 non-native species from 15 groups of aquatic organisms (freshwater, brackish, marine plants and animals) using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit. This multi-lingual decision-support tool for the risk screening of aquatic organisms provides assessors with risk scores for a species under current and future climate change conditions that, following a statistically based calibration, permits the accurate classification of species into high-, medium-and low-risk categories under current and predicted climate conditions. The 1730 screenings undertaken encompassed wide geographical areas (regions, political entities, parts thereof, water bodies, river basins, lake drainage basins, and marine regions), which permitted thresholds to be identified for almost all aquatic organismal groups screened as well as for tropical, temperate and continental climate classes, and for tropical and temperate marine ecoregions. In total, 33 species were identified as posing a 'very high risk' of being or becoming invasive, and the scores of several of these species under current climate increased under future climate conditions, primarily due to their wide thermal tolerances. The risk thresholds determined for taxonomic groups and climate zones provide a basis against which area-specific or climate-based calibrated thresholds may be interpreted. In turn, the risk rankings help decision-makers identify which species require an immediate 'rapid' management action (e.g. eradication, control) to avoid or mitigate adverse impacts, which require a full risk assessment, and which are to be restricted or banned with regard to importation and/or sale as ornamental or aquarium/fishery enhancement. Decision support tools AS-ISK Hazard identification Non-native species Risk analysis Climate changepublishedVersio

A global-scale screening of non-native aquatic organisms to identify potentially invasive species under current and future climate conditions

The threat posed by invasive non-native species worldwide requires a global approach to identify which introduced species are likely to pose an elevated risk of impact to native species and ecosystems. To inform policy, stakeholders and management decisions on global threats to aquatic ecosystems, 195 assessors representing 120 risk assessment areas across all six inhabited continents screened 819 non-native species from 15 groups of aquatic organisms (freshwater, brackish, marine plants and animals) using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit. This multi-lingual decision-support tool for the risk screening of aquatic organisms provides assessors with risk scores for a species under current and future climate change conditions that, following a statistically based calibration, permits the accurate classification of species into high-, medium- and low-risk categories under current and predicted climate conditions. The 1730 screenings undertaken encompassed wide geographical areas (regions, political entities, parts thereof, water bodies, river basins, lake drainage basins, and marine regions), which permitted thresholds to be identified for almost all aquatic organismal groups screened as well as for tropical, temperate and continental climate classes, and for tropical and temperate marine ecoregions. In total, 33 species were identified as posing a ‘very high risk’ of being or becoming invasive, and the scores of several of these species under current climate increased under future climate conditions, primarily due to their wide thermal tolerances. The risk thresholds determined for taxonomic groups and climate zones provide a basis against which area-specific or climate-based calibrated thresholds may be interpreted. In turn, the risk rankings help decision-makers identify which species require an immediate ‘rapid’ management action (e.g. eradication, control) to avoid or mitigate adverse impacts, which require a full risk assessment, and which are to be restricted or banned with regard to importation and/or sale as ornamental or aquarium/fishery enhancement.publishedVersio

Clinical and radiographic outcomes of implants immediately placed in fresh extraction sockets

Objective. The objective of this study was to examine the clinical and radiographic results of implants placed in fresh extraction sockets for 2 years of function

Prosthetic Rehabilitation of Cleft Lip Palate with Andrews Bridge Modified as Obturator Prosthesis: Case Report

Background/Aim: Congenital defects such as cleft palate and lips require a long-lasting and multidisciplinary approach. In cases when surgical and orthodontic treatment is not feasible, prosthodontic management of these patients is advocated. Prosthetic rehabilitation of cleft palate in concerning of achieving aesthetic and function (such as swallowing and speech) outcomes is very demanding

A comparative analysis of the accuracy of different direct impression techniques for multiple implants

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of different direct implant impression techniques for edentulous arches with multiple implants. Methods: Five experimental groups (n = 5) were assembled. Experimental models were created by a direct splinted technique (EG2 to EG5) and a non-splinted technique (EG1). In EG2 and EG3 synOcta impression copings were splinted with an acrylic resin bar, and in EG4 and EG5 with a light-curing composite resin bar. In EG3 and EG5 the resin bars were sectioned, while the other experimental groups were not. Three-dimensional discrepancies were measured by a computerized coordinate measuring machine. Distortion values among the groups were analysed using one-way repeated measures ANOVA. The post hoc Tukeys test was then performed for multiple comparisons. Results: The highest accuracy was obtained in EG2 (mean deviation: 12.70 mu m). The acrylic bars demonstrated less deviation (12.70 mu m and 22.71 mu m) from the master model than the light-curing composite resin groups and the non-splinted group (41.09 mu m). The post hoc Tukeys test showed no significant difference among the groups when the effect of splint design on accuracy was investigated. Conclusions: For situations where impressions of multiple implants are to be made, splinting impression copings with acrylic resin demonstrate superior results than the non-splinted technique and splinting with light-curing composite

In vivo evaluation of occlusalcontact area and maximum bite force in patients with various types of implant-supported prostheses

Objective. To determine the effects of various implant retained and/or supported prostheses on number of occlusal contacts (NOC), occlusal contact area (OCA) and maximum bite force (BF). Patients and methods: In total, 56 patients were included in the study; five test groups and two control groups. The patients in the treatment groups received implant-supported/retained prosthesis; over-dentures retained with two individual attachments in occlusion with complete denture, with four individual attachments in occlusion with complete denture, with four individual attachments in occlusion with fixed partial dentures or natural dentition, 6-implant retained fixed bridges in occlusion with natural dentition and 8-implant retained fixed bridges in occlusion with natural dentition. The patients in control group 1 were wearing conventional complete maxillary and mandibular dentures, whereas in control group 2 they had fixed full-arch porcelain-fused to metal restorations prostheses for both arches. Dental Pre-scale was used measure the NOC, BF and OCA. Results. There was no statistically significant difference between the treatment and control groups, among the groups with regards to NOC. OCA demonstrated different results among the removable and fixed reconstruction groups. With regards to BF, removable dentures supported with four implants showed higher bite force values than controls and two implant over-dentures. Also, a fixed reconstruction using eight implants showed higher BF values than a fixed reconstruction using six implants. Conclusion. Use of implants for removable dentures and fixed reconstructions improve occlusal contact area and bite force

Comparative Evaluation of the Effects of Implant Position, Impression Material, and Tray Type on Implant Impression Accuracy

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of implant position, impression, and tray material on the accuracy of implant impressions of edentulous arches with multiple implants