Effect of pre-operatory low-level laser therapy on pain, swelling, and trismus associated with third-molar surgery

The extraction of impacted third molars is commonly associated to pain, edema, trismus, limited jaw opening and movements. The aim of this retrospective study is to verify if pre-surgical low-level laser therapy (LLLT) associated with the extraction of impacted lower third molars could add benefits to the postoperative symptoms respect LLLT performed only after surgery. Data from 45 patients subjected to a surgical extraction of lower third molars were pooled and divided into three groups. Patients that received only routine management were inserted in the control group. Group 1, were patients that received LLLT immediately after surgery and at 24 hours. In group 2 were included patients treated with LLLT immediately before the extraction and immediately after the end of the procedure. Data were analyzed using linear regression and descriptive statistics. Both laser-treated groups were characterized by minor events of post-surgery complications of pain, edema, trismus. The use of NSAIDs in the first 24 hours was significantly inferior in Group 2. Pre-surgical LLLT treatment seems to increase the analgesic effect of LLLT. However, trismus and edema were reduced in both laser treated groups, independently from the period of irradiation

Comparative Study of the Effects of 2% Ibopamine, 10% Phenylephrine, and 1% Tropicamide on the Anterior Segment

PURPOSE To assess in normal and glaucomatous eyes the effect of the dopaminergic drug 2% ibopamine on visual acuity, IOP, pupil size and anterior segment geometry, compared with 10% phenylephrine and 1% tropicamide. METHODS Fifteen healthy subjects and 15 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, aged from 40 to 70 years (mean age: 54.8 +/- 9.6), were recruited into this open prospective study. After instillation of 2% ibopamine, refraction, visual acuity, pupil diameter, IOP, five A-scan ultrasonographic parameters, and 15 ultrasound biomicroscopy parameters were evaluated. The study was repeated with assessment of the same parameters 20 to 30 days later in 10 subjects (5 normal and 5 with glaucoma), using first 10% phenylephrine and then 1% tropicamide. A second group of 15 healthy subjects, aged from 45 to 70 years (mean age: 53.5 +/- 8.6) was examined to evaluate the dose-response effect and time course on pupil diameter, of ibopamine, phenylephrine, and tropicamide. RESULTS After 40 minutes 2% ibopamine induced a marked mydriatic effect (from 5 to 9.1 mm; P < 0.0001) greater than that produced by 10% phenylephrine (from 4.7 to 7.9 mm; P < 0.0001) or 1% tropicamide (from 4.6 to 6.9 mm; P < 0.0001), with no changes in refraction or visual acuity. IOP was significantly increased only in patients with glaucoma after instillation of either 2% ibopamine (from 22.2 to 24.8 mm Hg; P < 0.0001) or 1% tropicamide (from 21.2 to 23.6 mm Hg; P = 0.004), whereas 10% phenylephrine induced no statistically significant changes. Ibopamine (2%) caused a significant increase in iris thickness with a reduction of the sulcus ciliaris and posterior chamber depth. The anterior chamber angle (ACA) showed a mean 5 degrees widening with an increase in scleral-iris angle (SIA) and sclera-ciliary process angle. In 11 (37%) of 30 cases, separation of the pupil border and lens surface occurred, whereas contact was maintained only with the zonule in the other 19 (63%) of 30. The changes after 10% phenylephrine instillation were similar, although only the increase in iris thickness and SIA was statistically significant. Tropicamide (1%) induced a slight but significant increase in SIA. CONCLUSIONS The results confirm the potent mydriatic effect of 2% ibopamine, which is greater than that of either 10% phenylephrine or 1% tropicamide, as well as its ability to induce an increase in intraocular pressure when used in patients with glaucoma alone. These data support the hypothesis that the widening of the ACA induced by 2% ibopamine is due to posterior rotation of the iris plane and ciliary processes. These changes are quantitatively greater than those induced by 10% phenylephrine and 1% tropicamide and are related to the greater mydriatic effect of the drug

Pharmacologic modulation of clodronate in local therapy of periodontal and implant inflammation.

Bisphosphonates are drugs used in the treatment of a variety of osteometabolic diseases. Recently they have been the object of research and studies on their potential application in dentistry and orthopedics. In particular, clodronate (non-aminobisphosphonates) has been studied, due to its reversible activity in comparison to apoptotic osteoclasts, the intrinsic action which stimulates the differentiation and activity of the osteoblasts, their antinflammatory activity, antipain and antioxidant action, represent the rational to estimate their clinical efficacy, for local use in dentistry, implatology, orthopaedic, rheumatology, oncology and dermatology

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid effect in periodontal disease: state of art and possible mechanisms involved.

Anti-inflammatory properties have been widely reported for n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and some studies have been focalized on their possible role in the modulation of gingivitis and alveolar bone resorption in periodontal disease (PD). Increased formation of arachidonic acid-derived inflammatory eicosanoids and augmented oxidative stress are two molecular mechanisms pathogenetically involved in the progression of PD and known to be inhibited by n-3 PUFAs in PD setting. The present review will focus also on other molecular pathways and factors known to be altered in the development of PD and known to be subject to n-3 PUFA modulation in other pathological settings different from PD. Overall, the available findings strongly encourage further experimental studies on animals subject to experimental PD and treated with n-3 PUFAs, long term n-3 PUFA intervention studies on PD patients and molecular studies to identify additional potential molecular routes of n-3 PUFA action in PD

Biological considerations on the use of zirconia for dental devices.

Zirconium oxide, known as zirconia, is a ceramic material with optimal esthetical and mechanical properties. Zirconia stabilized with yttrium oxide has the best properties for medical uses. A stress on ZrO2 surface creates a crystalline modification that opposes to propagation of cracks. Zirconia core for fixed partial dentures (FPD) on anterior and posterior teeth and on implants are now available. Clinical evaluations after 3 years report good percentage of success for zirconia fixed partial denture. Zirconia biocompatibility was studied in vivo and in vitro by orthopedic research; no adverse responses were reported on insertion of ZrO2 samples in bone or muscle. In vitro experimentation showed absence of mutation and a good viability of cells cultured on this material

Long Lasting Modulation of Cortical Oscillations after Continuous Theta Burst Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Transcranial magnetic theta burst stimulation (TBS) differs from other high-frequency rTMS protocols because it induces plastic changes up to an hour despite lower stimulus intensity and shorter duration of stimulation. However, the effects of TBS on neuronal oscillations remain unclear. In this study, we used electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate changes of neuronal oscillations after continuous TBS (cTBS), the protocol that emulates long-term depression (LTD) form of synaptic plasticity. We randomly divided 26 healthy humans into two groups receiving either Active or Sham cTBS as control over the left primary motor cortex (M1). Post-cTBS aftereffects were assessed with behavioural measurements at rest using motor evoked potentials (MEPs) and at active state during the execution of a choice reaction time (RT) task in combination with continuous electrophysiological recordings. The cTBS-induced EEG oscillations were assessed using event-related power (ERPow), which reflected regional oscillatory activity of neural assemblies of θ (4–7.5 Hz), low α (8–9.5 Hz), µ (10–12.5 Hz), low β (13–19.5 Hz), and high β (20–30 Hz) brain rhythms. Results revealed 20-min suppression of MEPs and at least 30-min increase of ERPow modulation, suggesting that besides MEPs, EEG has the potential to provide an accurate cortical readout to assess cortical excitability and to investigate the interference of cortical oscillations in the human brain post-cTBS. We also observed a predominant modulation of β frequency band, supporting the hypothesis that cTBS acts more on cortical level. Theta oscillations were also modulated during rest implying the involvement of independent cortical theta generators over the motor network post cTBS. This work provided more insights into the underlying mechanisms of cTBS, providing a possible link between synchronised neural oscillations and LTD in humans

Conceptual Design of a Soft X‐ray SASE‐FEL Source

FELs based on SASE are believed to be powerful tools to explore the frontiers of basic sciences, from physics to chemistry to biology. Intense R&D programs have started in the USA and Europe in order to understand the SASE physics and to prove the feasibility of these sources. The allocation of considerable resources in the Italian National Research Plan (PNR) brought about the formation of a CNR‐ENEA‐INFN‐University of Roma "Tor Vergata" study group. A conceptual design study has been developed and possible schemes for linac sources have been investigated, bringing to the SPARX proposal. We report in this paper the results of a preliminary start to end simulation concerning one option we are considering based on an S‐band normal conducting linac with high brightness photoinjector integrated in a RF compressor

L'avulsione chirurgica dei terzi molari inferiori inclusi: accorgimenti di tecnica operatoria.

Gli autori, alla luce delle attuali tecniche di chirurgia exodontica e delle propria esperienza maturata in un reiterato approccio diagnostico-terapeutico all'inclusione del terzo molare inferiore, sottolineano alcuni accorgimenti che consentono l'ottimizzazione dell'intervento estrattivo, riducendo il rischio di incidenti intraoperatori e l'intensità delle sequele post-operatorie