Prevention of Enamel Adjacent to Bracket Demineralization Following Carbon Dioxide Laser Radiation and Titanium Tetra Fluoride Solution Treatment: An In Vitro Study

 Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the caries-preventive potential of carbon dioxide (CO2) laser application in conjunction with the use of titanium tetra fluoride solution on the enamel adjacent to bracket.Methods: Seventy-five freshly extracted bovine incisors were used. In order to attach the brackets, the area of examination was covered with adhesive tape to limit acid etching of the entire enamel surface. Metal orthodontic brackets for upper central were bonded to all the teeth following the manufacturer’s instruction. Then all the teeth were painted with 2 layers of acid-resistant nail varnish on all surfaces except the boxes area cervical to the brackets. The teeth were then randomly divided into five groups (n = 15): control group (C); laser group (L); titanium group (T); laser-titanium group (LT) and titanium-laser group (TL). The laser-titanium group was first irradiated with CO2 laser (same as the L group) then TiF4 solution was applied on the enamel (same as the T group). Samples in the TL group were first treated with TiF4 solution (same as the T group) and then irradiated with CO2 laser on the surface (same as the L group). Then, the teeth were immersed in pH-cycling solutions. After that, the amount of calcium released into the two solutions (de- and re-mineralization) was measured with an atomic absorption spectroscopy. The data were analyzed by one-way Analysis of var-iance (ANOVA) and Tukey test.Results: Calcium loss in LT, TL and T groups were significantly lower than those in the L and C groups (P < 0.05).Conclusion: The application of Titanium tetra fluoride 4% solution on enamel can inhibit as much as 87% of subsequent caries like lesion progression

Optimized Er: YAG Laser Irradiation Distance to Achieve the Strongest Bond Strength Between Orthodontic Brackets and Zirconia-Ceramics

Introduction: In recent decades zirconium oxide has been introduced in the field of dentistry as a high-strength ceramic. Unlike its mechanical advantages, however, due to its inert chemical properties, it bonds poorly to other substrates, so improving bonding strength to an adhesive material is necessary.Methods: In this experimental study, 70 ceramic zirconia blocks were prepared and distributed randomly among 7 groups. Then the shear bond strengths were determined and the samples were examined by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Statistical analysis was performed by one-way ANOVA and multiple Tukey comparisons.Results: One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that laser irradiation distance has a significant effect on orthodontics brackets bond strength to zirconia-ceramics. Based on the Tukey post hoc test, each group was compared with other groups and the contact mode and 2 mm distance groups showed significantly higher bond strength than other groups (P-value <0.05).Conclusion: Orthodontic bracket bond strength to zirconia-ceramics will be reduced by increasing Er: YAG laser irradiation distance from samples. The highest bond strength will be achieved when the laser irradiation distance is 2 mm or when the laser beam is in contact with samples.

The use of dental radiography in age determination: Concepts and methods

  The need to identify and determine the age of the unidentified dead person s or accident victims of natural disasters is clear. Also, some remedial measures in the field of orthodontics and pediatric dentistry depend on knowing the patient’s physiological age. Previous studies suggested that dental age have a good correlation with physiological age more than skeletal or o ther common methods of age determination. Among the various methods used to determine dental age , dental radiography provides wide facilities for clinicians. Being noninvasive and the ability of performing the technique on live subjects as well as simplicity and low cost and reliable results , have led researchers to investigate further on that . The formation and calcification process of teeth and changes during aging has been regarded by many, leading to introduce various methods in which the field. In this study, 36 related articles were achieved by searching PUBMED, Science Direct and Google Scholar resources and discussed. Provided what diversified means of determining age using dental radiographs is encouraged , it is recommended to be not restricted to use only one of the methods because the multilateral approach is more reliable

Osteoporosis in Iran

Osteoporosis is an important public health problem for older adults. In the Iranian population older than 30 years of age, both osteoporosis and osteopenia are common problems. There is a high prevalence of osteoporosis and vitamin D deficiency in Iran.1,2 According to reports, it is estimated that 17% of Iran’s general population aged >30 years have osteoporosis and 35% have osteopenia. The prevalence of these 2 conditions is higher in the northern regions of Iran than in the southern regions, possibly because of their different geographical situations. The northern parts of the country are mostly mountainous, while the majority of the south is covered by deserts. Thus, people living in the southern parts of the country may receive more vitamin D than residents in the northern parts.3 It can be mentioned that bone fracture may be the first symptom of this so called silent disease. Actually, every 3 seconds one osteoporotic fracture occurs somewhere in the world. According to a report by the Iranian Multicenter Osteoporosis Study (IMOS), more than two-thirds of women and half of men over the age of 50 have a low bone mineral density. As life expectancy is increasing the number of older people is also rising. As a result, it has been predicted that by the year 2050, more than half of the osteoporotic fractures around the world will occur in Asia.4 Some of the main risk factors for osteoporosis are genetics, advancing age, alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, bad nutrition or eating habits, calcium balance disorders, sex, glucocorticoid use, low BMI, and smoking. There are many other unknown factors as well. Currently, about 6 million elderly people live in Iran.5 A study recently conducted by Iran’s Ministry of Health showed that 47% of women and 44% of men over 50 years of age have deficient bone density, and 6.4% of people aged 20 to 70 years have osteoporosis of the spine. Moreover, one of every 4 Iranian women over the age of 50 has osteoporosis. Globally, this figure is one in every 3 women; 1 in every 5 men over the age of 50 also suffers from osteoporosis. Statistics in Iran indicate that 50% of people with osteoporosis have hip fractures. The use of baking soda in bread is a main cause of a lack of calcium in Iranian people; 58 million people in Iran suffer from a calcium deficiency. The use of dairy products in Iran is very limited. Encouraging the consumption of milk enriched with vitamin D, exercise for all age groups, and modifications to dietary habits may partially prevent osteoporosis

A Comparative Analysis of Staining Effects on Translucency in Two Transparent Retainers Exposed to Various Cleansers

Objectives: Due to their aesthetic appeal and translucent properties, clear thermoplastic retainers have become increasingly popular. However, ensuring their proper maintenance and cleaning is a significant challenge. It is essential to prevent any negative impact of cleaning solutions on the translucency and color consistency of retainers. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effect of different cleaning solutions on the light transmission (translucency) rate of two distinct types of clear thermoplastic sheets. Materials and Methods: Two different clear thermoplastic sheets (Erkodent, Shodental), and five disinfectant solutions including chlorhexidine, Listerine, hydrogen peroxide, GUM whitening, and acid acetic served as the study materials and distilled water was used as control. The samples in each group (N=12) were immersed in the respective solutions for 15 minutes, twice a week and their light transmittance was measured using spectrophotometry after one and three months. Statistical analysis was conducted using two-way analysis of variance, with the significance level set at P<0.05 Results: Light transmittance decreased from baseline to 3 months for all study groups. After three months, the lowest translucency was related to retainers manufactured with Erkodent sheets, cleaned with GUM whitening (74.11±10.72%). The highest translucency after this period was found in retainers prepared with Shodental sheets immersed in Listerine mouthwash (88±1.55%). Only retainers treated with hydrogen peroxide showed significant difference between the thermoplastic sheets, which was higher in Erkodent (P<0.05). Conclusion: Our findings indicated that among the studied solutions, cleaning translucent retainers with Listerine mouthwash twice a week has the least effect on light transmission

Effect of atorvastatin on orthodontic tooth movement in male wistar rats.

Statins are used as cholesterol-lowering drugs by many patients and have been recently shown to affect bone metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of atorvastatinon on orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) in rats.Thirty-six adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups of 12 samples each. Group A, served as control with no medication while groups B and C received a daily gavage of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as vehicle and atorvastatin (5 mg/kg) as test substance, respectively. In all three groups, 6mm nickel-titanium closed-coil springs were ligated between the maxillary incisors and first left molars to deliver an initial force of 60g. Tooth movement was measured following sacrifice, 21 days after appliance insertion. Root resorption, PDL width and osteoclast number were histologically evaluated and compared between the groups.The mean amount of tooth movement was 0.62 mm in group A, 0.59 mm in group B and 0.38 mm in group C. OTM reduction following administration of atorvastatin was statistically significant (p0.05).According to the results obtained in the current study, atorvastatin appears to reduce tooth movement in rats; however its effect on osteoclasts, especially osteoclastic function, requires further investigation

Effect of TiO2 nanoparticles incorporation on antibacterial properties and shear bond strength of dental composite used in Orthodontics

ABSTRACT Introduction: Plaque accumulation and bond failure are drawbacks of orthodontic treatment, which requires composite for bonding of brackets. As the antimicrobial properties of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) have been proven, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial and mechanical properties of composite resins modified by the addition of TiO2 NPs. Methods: Orthodontics composite containing 0%, 1%, 5% and 10% NPs were prepared. 180 composite disks were prepared for elution test, disk agar diffusion test and biofilm inhibition test to collect the counts of microorganisms on three days, measure the inhibition diameter and quantify the viable counts of colonies consequently. For shear bond strength (SBS) test, 48 intact bovine incisors were divided into four groups. Composites containing 0%, 1%, 5% and 10% NPs were used for bonding of bracket. The bracket/tooth SBS was measured by using an universal testing machine. Results: All concentration of TiO2 NPs had a significant effect on creation and extension of inhibition zone. For S. mutans and S. sanguinis, all concentration of TiO2 NPs caused reduction of the colony counts. Composite containing 10% TiO2 NPs had significant effect on reduction of colony counts for S. mutans and S. sanguinis in all three days. The highest mean shear bond strength belonged to the control group, while the lowest value was seen in 10% NPs composite. Conclusions: Incorporating TiO2 nanoparticles into composite resins confer antibacterial properties to adhesives, while the mean shear bond of composite containing 1% and 5% NPs still in an acceptable range

Assessment of the Role of NO-cGMP Pathway in Orthodontic Tooth Movement Using PDE5 Inhibitors: An Animal Study

Objectives: Nitric oxide (NO) is a signaling molecule that mediates mechanical bone loading. Cyclic guanosine 3', 5' monophosphate (cGMP) is a NO-induced effector molecule. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of NO-cGMP pathway on orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) in rats by use of two phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors namely sildenafil and tadalafil as chemical tools. Materials and Methods: Forty-five male Wistar rats were divided into three equal groups (n=15) based on the substance they received. The first group received daily injections of tadalafil; the second group received daily injections of sildenafil and the third group received daily injections of normal saline. The orthodontic appliances consisted of nickel-titanium closed-coil spring ligated between the maxillary right incisor and the first molar of the animals for 21 days. The amount of tooth movement was measured in all three groups at the end of this period. Histological analysis was performed to assess root resorption lacunae, osteoclast number and periodontal ligament (PDL) thickness. Results: All appliance-treated molars in the experimental and control groups showed evidence of tooth movement. The mean OTM was calculated to be 0.39±0.16, 0.32±0.16 and 0.26±0.16mm in tadalafil, sildenafil and control groups, respectively and there were no significant differences in OTM among the study groups (P>0.05). In the tadalafil group, significantly greater root resorption on the tension side was seen when compared with controls (P≤0.05). Conclusions: Tadalafil and sildenafil PDE-5 inhibitors affecting the NO-cGMP pathway did not affect OTM in rats.

Effect of Long-Term Captopril Administration on Bone Density and Orthodontic Tooth Movement

Background and Aim: Captopril is an oral angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor extensively used in the treatment of hypertension and heart failure. ACE has been suggested to function in bone cells and might therefore impact orthodontic tooth movement (OTM). Considering the controversy surrounding the effects of ACE and its inhibitors on osseous tissues, we aimed to evaluate the effect of captopril on OTM for the first time in a rat model. Materials and Methods: Orthodontic appliances were fixed between the left first molars and incisors of 30 rats divided into three groups (n=10) receiving captopril, saline or no treatment. Following sacrifice on day 21, the amount of tooth movement was measured as the distance created between the first and second molars. Bone density was assessed by lateral cephalograms on days 1 and 21 and osteoclast number, root resorption and periodontal ligament (PDL) width were analyzed histologically. One-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc test were used for statistical analysis (P<0.05) Results: OTM significantly increased in the captopril group compared to the saline and no-treatment groups (P<0.05). Bone density significantly decreased in the mandible of the captopril group from day 1 to 21 (P<0.05). No significant differences were found in the histological variables except for the significant increase in PDL width at the mesioapical aspect in the captopril group. Conclusion: The present study showed that captopril administration could lead to increased OTM and decreased bone density in rats. Further studies are suggested to clarify its exact role at the cellular and molecular levels. Key Words: Captopril, Tooth Movement Techniques, Rat

Evaluation of Shear Bond Strength and Adhesive Remnant Index in Debonding of Stainless Steel Brackets Assisted Nd:YAG Laser Irradiation

Objectives: The purpose was to compare shear bond strength (SBS), pulp temperature, and adhesive remnant index (ARI) in debonding of stainless steel brackets from enamel surface using neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser versus the conventional debonding method. Materials and Methods: Forty-eight extracted premolars were bonded to stainless steel brackets. The samples were divided into three experimental groups and one control group. In the first three groups, Nd:YAG laser was used for debonding with the power of 1, 1.5, and 2 W, respectively, for 10 seconds. The SBS and ARI of the samples were assessed. Pulp temperature was recorded before and after irradiation. Two samples from each group were used for determining enamel morphology after debonding using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: The mean SBS in the groups was 33.05, 28.69, 24.37, and 31.53 MPa, respectively, with no statistically significant differences (P=0.205). Significant differences in post-irradiation temperature were noted among the lased groups (P=0.000). Debonding mainly occurred at the adhesive-enamel interface in the 1-W laser and control groups and at the bracket-adhesive interface in the 1.5-W and 2-W laser groups. Enamel structure was amorphous and irregular following laser irradiation. Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, the use of Nd:YAG laser could not significantly affect the SBS. Therefore, this laser would not be suitable for debonding of metal brackets. The use of a 2-W laser could significantly raise the pulpal temperature. Nd:YAG laser renders a more heterogeneous enamel morphology compared to conventional debonding methods