Radiopacity of restorative materials using digital images Radiopacidade de materiais restauradores utilizando imagens digitais

The radiopacity of esthetic restorative materials has been established as an important requirement, improving the radiographic diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiopacity of six restorative materials using a direct digital image system, comparing them to the dental tissues (enamel-dentin), expressed as equivalent thickness of aluminum (millimeters of aluminum). Five specimens of each material were made. Three 2-mm thick longitudinal sections were cut from an intact extracted permanent molar tooth (including enamel and dentin). An aluminum step wedge with 9 steps was used. The samples of different materials were placed on a phosphor plate together with a tooth section, aluminum step wedge and metal code letter, and were exposed using a dental x-ray unit. Five measurements of radiographic density were obtained from each image of each item assessed (restorative material, enamel, dentin, each step of the aluminum step wedge) and the mean of these values was calculated. Radiopacity values were subsequently calculated as equivalents of aluminum thickness. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated significant differences in radiopacity values among the materials (P<0.0001). The radiopacity values of the restorative materials evaluated were, in decreasing order: TPH, F2000, Synergy, Prisma Flow, Degufill, Luxat. Only Luxat had significantly lower radiopacity values than dentin. One material (Degufill) had similar radiopacity values to enamel and four (TPH, F2000, Synergy and Prisma Flow) had significantly higher radiopacity values than enamel. In conclusion, to assess the adequacy of posterior composite restorations it is important that the restorative material to be used has enough radiopacity, in order to be easily distinguished from the tooth structure in the radiographic image. Knowledge on the radiopacity of different materials helps professionals to select the most suitable material, along with other properties such as biocompatibility, adhesion and esthetic.<br>A radiopacidade dos materiais tem sido valorizada como importante requisito, incrementando o diagnóstico radiográfico. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar, no sistema digital Digora, as densidades radiográficas de 06 materiais restauradores comparando-os aos tecidos dentais (esmalte e dentina), expressos em milímetros de alumínio (mm Al). Foram confeccionadas 05 amostras de cada material e três cortes de um molar extraído hígido (incluindo esmalte e dentina), com 2 mm de espessura, e um penetrômetro de alumínio com 09 degraus. Sobre cada placa óptica foram colocados amostras dos diferentes materiais, um corte do dente humano, o penetrômetro e a identificação, e feita a exposição utilizando um aparelho de raios X. Foram obtidas 05 medidas de densidade radiográfica de cada item avaliado (material restaurador, esmalte, dentina e degraus do penetrômetro de alumínio) em cada radiografia, e calculadas as médias destas medidas. A partir destas médias de densidade, foram calculados os valores da radiopacidade destes itens em mm de Al, em cada radiografia. Análise de variância (ANOVA) indicou diferença significante entre os valores de radiopacidade dos materiais (p<0.0001). A radiopacidade dos materiais restauradores avaliados foi em ordem decrescente: TPH, F2000, Synergy, Prisma Flow, Degufill, Luxat. Apenas o Luxat apresentou radiopacidade inferior ao esmalte e dentina. Um material não diferiu estatisticamente do esmalte (Degufill) e quatro apresentaram radiopacidade superior ao esmalte (TPH, F2000, Synergy, Prisma Flow). Portanto, faz-se necessária a avaliação de materiais restauradores disponíveis no mercado, proporcionando aos profissionais informações adicionais sobre os materiais restauradores que eles utilizarão

Effect of dietary phytase suplementation on the performance, bone densitometry, and phosphorus and nitrogen excretion of broilers

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of different levels of phytase on broiler performance, bone densitometry, and phosphorus and nitrogen excretion. Nine hundred and sixty one-day old broilers, 50% males and 50% females, were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design into five treatments and six replicates 32 birds each. The treatments consisted of a control diet and four diets with the addition 25, 50, 75, and 100 g/ ton of phytase (250, 500, 750 and 1000 FTU of phytase/kg fed). Diets were formulated to contain equal nutritional levels, and considered the phytase product nutritional levels. In general, the addition of phytase resulted in a linear decrease in broiler performance. However, the performance results obtained with the level of 250 FTU phytase/kg feed were not different from the control treatment. The best bone density results were observed in the control treatment, with no phytase. The results of this experiment indicate that the nutritional matrix of the phytase product needs to be reviewed when added in levels higher 250 FTU/kg to broiler diets

Bone mineral density of tibae and femura of broiler breeders: growth, development and production

The aim of this study was to follow-up the physiological variations in the development of the bone tissue, associating them with the egg production curve. This study was carried out in the facilities of the Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia of the UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil. Twenty-three families of Ross broiler breeders were used, each family consisting of 13 females and 1 male, distributed in 23 pens of 5.0m&sup2; each. The management was that recommended by the genetic company manual (Agroceres Ross, 2003), with daily feeding until 6th week of age; and birds were fed according to a 5:2 schedule (5 days fed, 2 days of fasting) between 7 and 17 weeks of age, returning to daily feeding starting at 18 weeks of age. Birds did not receive afternoon calcium supplementation. On the fourth week of rearing, 84 females were removed for bone analyses of the right tibia and femur, using optical densitometry in radiographic images technique. These analyses were sequentially carried out in 4, 8, 12, 15, 20, 24, 30, 35, 42, 47, and 52 week-old birds. The egg production curve of the birds was followed-up and associated to bone mineral density results. For bone mineral density evaluation (BMD) birds were divided by weight categories as light, intermediate, or heavy within each data age. BMD values of the tibias were not influenced by weight range, but by the age at collection. On the other hand, interactions were found among femur BMD values and weight and age categories. There was no correlation between eggshell quality and femur BMD. A negative correlation (-0.15) was observed between tibia BMD and eggshell percentage. It was possible to conclude that the egg production has little influence on bone mineral density of the birds probably because there was no need of bone mineral mobilization during the production period, since the observed egg production was below that observed under commercial conditions