Fiber Post Removal: Comparative Study Using a New Post Concept

Objectives: To evaluate the time required to remove endodontic posts made of quartz and glass fibers, and compare them to a new glass fiber post designed for easy removal on the basis of efficiency and tooth damages. Methods: 40 human single-rooted teeth were treated endodontically and randomly assigned to four fiber posts groups: 1) was restored with Premier#90 (Innotech); 2) with DT#2 Lightpost (Dentsply); 3) with Unicore#3 (Ultradent); 4) with a special, soft-cored “S” glass fiber post ER-Prosthetic#3 (Overfibers). An impression of the canal was taken prior post cementation. The posts were luted with Panavia F and adhesive (Kuraray). All the specimens were mounted in a dental simulation unit to reproduce the difficulty of clinical conditions. The fiber posts were removed using a diamond bur /Gates and Largo reamer combination. The teeth were examined radiographycally 2 times seeking for cement, fiber composite debris and tooth damage. After post removal, another impression of the canal was taken for each tooth to evaluate the canal enlargement. Then, the specimens were fractured and observed microscopically. Results: No significant differences were found among the conventional posts (groups 1-3) as regards removal time and dental tissue loss (Kruskal-Wallis, alpha=0.05). The new soft-core concept applied to the ER-Prosthetics allowed a mean rank removal time significantly lower (P=0.001) than the mean rank of group 1-3 posts (Dunn's test). The canal enlargement was significantly lower with ER posts. Root perforation occurred in groups 1 to 3, but none was recorded in group 4. Conclusion: Removal of posts avoiding dental tissue loss is a difficult task when performed in simulated clinical conditions. A new post type conceived to be removed safely in a short time was very effective to reduce the removal time without tooth damages. Further studies will be necessary to validate this new concept

Fatigue failure and success rate of lithium disilicate table-tops as a function of cement thickness

Purpose: Under thin, partial coverage restoration the proper cement thickness to be clinically employed still remains an issue. The aim of this study was to determine the failure and success rates of simplified lithium disilicate occlusal veneers as a function of cement thickness. The null hypothesis was that cement thickness has no effect on the fatigue resistance. Methods: Sound human molars were severed in a plane parallel to the occlusal surface to create a flat dentin surface surrounded by enamel edges. Forty-five occlusal veneers 1.0 mm thick (IPS e.max CAD LT) were luted to the teeth with Multilink Automix resin cement, creating 3 experimental groups (n=15) with cement thicknesses of 50, 100, and 200 µm. The restorations were fatigue-cycled using a ball mill machine containing zirconia and stainless steel spheres. Twelve 60 min cycles were performed. Survival statistics were applied to “failure” and “success” events, comparing the three groups using a log-rank Mantel– Cox test and a log-rank test for trends (alpha = 0.05). Results: The failure and success rates were not significantly influenced by cement thickness (P = 0.137 and P = 0.872, respectively); thus, the null hypothesis was accepted. However, when log-rank test for trends was applied to failure events, the tendency to have less failures with increasing thicknesses was found statistically significant (P = 0.047). Conclusions: The cement thickness within the range adopted here did not have a significant effect on the failure or success rate of lithium disilicate occlusal veneers when exposed to randomized impact stresses generating fatigue phenomena

Elemento di supporto e rinforzo per protesi dentali o restauri coronali.

Abstract A supporting or strengthening element (1) for dental prostheses or crown restorations made of a composite material consisting of a matrix (2) in which is embedded at least one solid phase (3) appropriately distributed in it, has a total length divided into at least three different sections (4, 5, 8), namely an apical section (4), a crown section (8) and an intermediate section (5); the sections (4, 5, 8), preferably equal in length, have uniform flexural and/or torsional rigidity obtained by a combination of different local geometries and different flexural and/or torsional elasticity moduli. The different elasticity moduli of the individual sections (4, 5, 8) are obtained by a suitably differentiated distribution of the solid phases (3) in the body of the matrix (2)

Pharmacologic therapy of cranio-cervico-mandibular disorders. Review of the literature

The recommended treatments of craniomandibular disorders (CMD) are drug therapy, physiotherapy, relaxation procedures, occlusal therapy with and without splint. The purpose of this study is to carry out a survey of the literature on drug therapy in patients affected by CMD. It is essential to recognize the cause of pain (muscular or articular) and the phase of disorder (acute or chronic) in order to establish an adequate pharmacological protocol for each type of CMD. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are generally accepted for treatment of internal derangement and myofacial pain, sometimes in association with benzodiazepine