Osteoclast formation, inflammation, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 are downregulated in bone repair following root canal treatment in dogs teeth.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the inflammatory infiltrate, osteoclast formation, and expression of MMP-9 during the healing phase following root canal treatment in teeth with apical periodontitis.

Materials And Methods: Apical periodontitis was induced in dogs teeth, and root canal treatment was performed in a single visit or using calcium hydroxide as intracanal medication. One hundred and eighty days following treatment the presence of inflammation was examined, and the tissues were stained to detect osteoclasts by means of a tartrate resistant alkaline phosphatase (TRAP) assay.

Prevalence of temporomandibular dysfunction in children and adolescents.

Objective: To review the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in children and adolescents, verifying the methodological variations.

Data Sources: Research conducted in Medline, PubMed, Lilacs and BBO databases, including manuscripts (except reviews and case reports) published from 1990 to 2012. The descriptors were "temporomandibular joint syndrome", "temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome", "temporomandibular joint disorders", "prevalence studies", and "cross-sectional studies"; the words "dysfunction", "disorder", "temporomandibular", "children", "adolescents", "prevalence", "frequency", and "transversal" were used.

Relationship between breast- and bottle-feeding and non-nutritive sucking habits.

Purpose: The objective of the present study was to assess the persistence of non-nutritive sucking habits and its relationship with breastfeeding, as well as to establish the influence of sociodemographic factors on these habits among children aged 3 to 5 years.

Materials And Methods: A case-control study was conducted with 1107 children from public and private daycare centres in Natal, Brazil: 450 in the case group (312 pacifier suckers and 138 thumb suckers) and 657 in the control group (habit-free). Data regarding sociodemographic conditions and duration of breastfeeding were obtained using a structured questionnaire.

Prevalence of orofacial clefts and social factors in Brazil.

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of orofacial clefts in live newborns from 1998 to 2002 in Brazilian state capitals and correlate their occurrence with a number of relevant socioeconomic factors collected in the 2000 census. Data was obtained from the Public Health Hospital Information System (SIH-SUS), Information System of Live Hospital Births (SINASC) and Atlases of Human Development in Brazil. The results showed that the mean prevalence of orofacial clefts in Brazil was 0.

[Mortality for oral cancer and socioeconomic status in Brazil].

Chronic non-communicable diseases represent a major public health problem, requiring more effective investigation and control by government agencies. The aim of this study was to correlate the mortality rate for oral cancer in Brazilian State capitals from 1998 to 2002 with socioeconomic factors collected in the 2000 census, using an ecological study design. Data were obtained from the Mortality Information System from 1998 to 2002.