Shear/peel bond strength of orthodontic attachments to moist and dry enamel.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in-vitro shear-peel bond strength of orthodontic attachments bonded to moist and dry enamel surfaces with orthodontic resin.

Methods: Two stainless-steel mesh-based buttons were bonded to pumiced and etched enamel of each of 60 human molars mounted in cylindrical molds with Transbond XT (3M/Unitek, St Paul, Minn) (control), Smartbond (Gestenco International, Goteborg, Sweden), or Assure (Reliance Orthodontic Products, Itasca, Ill) according to each manufacturer's instructions. Half of the teeth were bonded under dry conditions, and half were given a thick layer of whole, unstimulated, fresh human saliva just before bonding.

Review of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy: who is affected?

Objectives: Vitamin D deficiencies have been documented in several populations, including aboriginal Canadians from isolated northern communities. Such deficiencies can impact the health of both the mother and her infant. This review was performed to determine how widespread vitamin deficiency is during pregnancy.

Criteria to rationalize population screening to control oral cancer.

Screening populations for the early detection of asymptomatic malignancies and potential malignancies are intuitively attractive strategies to control or reduce the burden of oral cancer on society. Subsequent preventive and/or therapeutic measures must, however, be substantiated by prospective randomized controlled trials (RCT) to markedly improve patient outcomes to reconcile such usages of 'scarce' healthcare resources. This strategic objective is more likely to be achieved by adopting the precedent established by cardiology, where prevention is emphasized over the treatment of occult lesions.