Effect of Various Electronic Devices on the Performance of Electronic Apex Locator

Introduction: Apex locators are important devices that can be used to determine working length during root canal treatment. However, it is not known whether electronic devices with various wave length frequencies influence the accuracy of apex locators. The aim of this study was to determine whether a cordless phone set, MP4 player, FM radio, asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL), or a mobile phone could influence the accuracy of working length determination by the Dentaport ZX apex locator. Methods and Materials: In this study, twenty-four sound intact single-rooted extracted human teeth were used. After determining the root canal length with a file and a microscope, the canals were measured with three separate Dentaport ZX apex locators while one of the test devices (ADSL, MP4, FM radio, mobile phone, and cordless phone) was used at a distance of 50 cm from the apex locator. Bland–Altman plots was used for reliability and consistency. Results: Except for the FM radio, all other devices showed significant difference with actual working length (P<0.05). ADSL and MP4 player showed the least consistency compared to the other devices. Conclusion: Based on this in vitro study, the use of ADSL, MP4 player, mobile phone, and cordless phone during root canal treatment may influence working length determination with the Dentaport ZX apex locator.Keywords: ADSL; Apex Locator; Cell Phone; Dentaport ZX Apex Locator; MP4 Player; Radio; Wave Lengt

Oropharyngeal candidiasis and resistance to antifungal drugs in patients receiving radiation for head and neck cancer

BACKGROUND: Oropharyngeal candidiasis is a common infection in patient receiving radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Accurate and rapid identification of candida species is very important in clinical laboratory, because the incidence of candidiasis continues to rise after radiotherapy. The genus Candida has about 154 species that show different level of resistance to antifungal drugs and have high degree of phenotypic similarity. The aim of this study was to investigate oral yeast colonization and infection and resistance to antifungal drugs in these patients. METHODS: Thirty patients receiving a 6-week course of radiation therapy for treatment of head and neck cancer at the Oncology Unit in Shafa Hospital, in 2008, were enrolled in the study. Specimens from patients were cultured weekly for Candida. All isolates were plated on CHROM agar and RPMI-based medium. They were subcultured and submitted for antifungal susceptibility testing (nystatin, fluconazole, clotrimazole and ketoconazole) and molecular typing. RESULTS: Infection (clinical and microbiological evidence) occurred in 50% of the patients and Candida colonization (only microbiological evidence) occurred in 70% of subjects in the first week. Candida albicans alone was isolated in 94.9% of patient visits with positive cultures. Candida tropicalis was isolated from 5.1% of patient visits with positive cultures. All isolates were susceptible to nystatin, but did not respond to the other antifungal drugs CONCLUSIONS: The irradiation-induced changes of the intraoral environment such as xerostomia lead to increased intraoral colonization by Candida species. All yeast isolates were susceptible to nystatin. Thus prophylactic therapy with nystatin should be considered for these patients. KEY WORDS: Oropharyngeal candidiasis, radiation, colonization, antifungal drugs, cance

Pain experience after oral mucosal biopsy: A quasi-experimental study

consequence of the oral mucosal biopsy. The aim of this study was to examine the incidence and severity of postoperative pain following the biopsy of oral mucosal lesions in patients attending in an oral medicine department of Kerman Dental School. METHODS: Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess post-operative pain in 60 patients. Seven days after the biopsy of oral mucosa, patients were asked about overall pain experiences and analgesic usage over 3 days following the biopsy. RESULTS: Forty percent of patients reported moderate pain in the day of the biopsy and 58% of patients experienced no pain in the third day after the biopsy. Thirty percent of patients used analgesic in the day of the biopsy and there was not any relationship between the average level of patient's pain and the location of the lesion removal, type of biopsy, type of coverage, maximum diameter and type of the lesions (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pain after biopsy from oral mucosal lesion is mild to moderate. KEY WORDS: Biopsy, Pain, Oral Mucos

Pain experience after oral mucosal biopsy: A quasi-experimental stud y

BACKGROUND: The biopsy of an oral mucosal lesion is a minor operation. Pain might be an unpredictable consequence of the oral mucosal biopsy. The aim of this study was to examine the incidence and severity of post-operative pain following the biopsy of oral mucosal lesions in patients attending in an oral medicine department of Kerman Dental School. METHODS: Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess post-operative pain in 60 patients. Seven days after the biopsy of oral mucosa, patients were asked about overall pain experiences and analgesic usage over 3 days following the biopsy. RESULTS: Forty percent of patients reported moderate pain in the day of the biopsy and 58% of patients experienced no pain in the third day after the biopsy. Thirty percent of patients used analgesic in the day of the biopsy and there was not any relationship between the average level of patient's pain and the location of the lesion removal, type of biopsy, type of coverage, maximum diameter and type of the lesions (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pain after biopsy from oral mucosal lesion is mild to moderate

Gingivitis and periodontitis as a risk factor for stroke: A case-control study in the Iranian population

Background: Periodontitis and gingivitis are one of the most infectious diseases in human. Several studies have been carried out on dependence of periodontitis and stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the gingivitis and periodontitis as a risk factor for stroke in Iranian population. Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted on 100 patients suffering from stroke as case group, and 100 hospitalized patients as control group. The case group included 42 males and 58 females, and in control group there were 44 males and 56 females. Using a University of North Carolina-15 manual probe, the clinical attachment level, the distance between the cemento-enamel junction and the probed base of the periodontal pocket, were recorded by gingival and periodontal indexes. The data were analyzed by multiple logistic regressions, Chi-square test, Fisher′s test, t-test, Man Whitney, and SPSS11.5 software program. P < 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The case group included 42 males and 58 females, and in control group 44 males and 56 females were included. In this investigation, the average of gingival index in men and women of case group was 1.22 ± 0.55 and 1.31 ± 0.55, respectively. This study showed that the average of gingival index in case group was more than control group. Periodontal index in both groups in men was more than women. The moderate and severe periodontitis in case group were more than that of control group (P = 0.003, P = 0.001). Conclusion: The result of this study shows that there is a significant relation between stroke and periodontal index; however, there isn′t any significant relation between stroke and gingival index

Biosynthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activities assessment of fabricated selenium nanoparticles using Pelargonium zonale leaf extract

The present study focuses on the biogenic synthesis of selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) using Pelargonium zonale leaf extract under microwave irradiation. Response surface methodology was used to evaluate the effects of the synthesis parameters, namely amounts of the leaf extract (0.5–2.5 ml) and amounts of the 10 mm sodium selenite solutions (15–65 ml), at constant microwave heating (4 min), on the concentration and particle size of the fabricated Se NPs, optimize the synthesis conditions and verify the generated models and the procedures. The obtained results indicated that Se NPs with preferable attributes of mean particle size (50 nm), zeta potential (−24.6 mV), absorbance [34.6% absorbance units (a.u.)] and broad absorption peak (319 nm) were formed at the optimum synthesis conditions including amounts of 1.48 ml and 15 ml Pelargonium leaf extract and sodium selenite solution, respectively. The antibacterial activities of the synthesized Se NPs against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus indicated that the created NPs had higher antibacterial activities toward the Gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, the synthesized Se NPs indicated higher antifungal activities against Colletotrichum coccodes and Penicillium digitatum

Oropharyngeal candidiasis and resistance to antifungal drugs in patients receiving radiation for head and neck cancer

BACKGROUND: Oropharyngeal candidiasis is a common infection in patient receiving radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Accurate and rapid identification of candida species is very important in clinical laboratory, because the incidence of candidiasis continues to rise after radiotherapy. The genus Candida has about 154 species that show different level of resistance to antifungal drugs and have high degree of phenotypic similarity. The aim of this study was to investigate oral yeast colonization and infection and resistance to antifungal drugs in these patients. METHODS: Thirty patients receiving a 6-week course of radiation therapy for treatment of head and neck cancer at the Oncology Unit in Shafa Hospital, in 2008, were enrolled in the study. Specimens from patients were cultured weekly for Candida. All isolates were plated on CHROM agar and RPMI-based medium. They were subcultured and submitted for antifungal susceptibility testing (nystatin, fluconazole, clotrimazole and ketoconazole) and molecular typing. RESULTS: Infection (clinical and microbiological evidence) occurred in 50% of the patients and Candida colonization (only microbiological evidence) occurred in 70% of subjects in the first week. Candida albicans alone was isolated in 94.9% of patient visits with positive cultures. Candida tropicalis was isolated from 5.1% of patient visits with positive cultures. All isolates were susceptible to nystatin, but did not respond to the other antifungal drugs CONCLUSIONS: The irradiation-induced changes of the intraoral environment such as xerostomia lead to increased intraoral colonization by Candida species. All yeast isolates were susceptible to nystatin. Thus prophylactic therapy with nystatin should be considered for these patients