Bone Loss in Furcation-involved Mandibular Molars: A Retrospective Analysis.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine whether teeth with furcation involvement lose significantly more bone in furcation sites over time than interproximal sites of the same tooth. Existing radiographs were analyzed to compare the rate of bone loss between furcation and interproximal sites of the same tooth. Selection criteria included mandibular molars with furcation involvement and a minimum follow-up of 5 years.

Sodium hypochlorite (dilute chlorine bleach) oral rinse in patient self-care.

Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), commonly known as "bleach," is widely accepted as being a safe and effective antiseptic against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. For over a century, bleach has been used to control or overcome infection in homes, hospitals, and even on battlefields, and in endodontics for disinfection of root canals. This paper reviews clinical studies on the efficacy of sodium hypochlorite oral rinse to combat dental plaque and gingival inflammation.

Triple jump examination evaluation of faculty examiners by dental student examinees.

The triple jump examination (TJE) is an oral examination that poses challenges for objective assessment. Student satisfaction levels with faculty assessment can provide information on quality of teaching and students' perceptions of the learning environment. The purpose of this study was to determine scale and interrater reliability of an instrument used by approximately 576 first-year dental students at one U.

The rationale for and implementation of learner-centered education: experiences at the Ostrow School of Dentistry of the University of Southern California.

This report describes the design, implementation, and function of integrated, learner-centered education at the Ostrow School of Dentistry of the University of Southern California. The 190 required courses of the previous curriculum have been condensed to forty-four courses. Four courses, presented for each of eleven trimesters of the four-year D.

Triple jump examinations for dental student assessment.

The triple jump examination (TJE) attempts to assess a higher level of learning with demand for analysis, critical thinking, and resolution of problems presented by written scenarios based on patient care situations. The purpose of this study was to examine the internal consistency, scale reliability, and interrater reliability of the TJE used at the Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California. On the sample of 2,227 examinations administered by seventy-seven raters across a three-year time period, the Cronbach's coefficient alpha for internal consistency of the overall TJE was found to be good (a=0.

Risk of prion disease transmission through bovine-derived bone substitutes: a systematic review.

Background: Despite the causal association between variant Creutzfeldt - Jakob disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), bovine origin graft materials are widely used during dental surgical procedures. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of BSE transmission through anorganic bovine bone substitutes.

Methods: Electronic database of MEDLINE was searched to identify relevant studies regarding our focused questions, presence of BSE prion infectivity in raw bovine bone, BSE prion inactivation by bone substitute manufacturing process, protein contents in anorganic bovine bone substitutes, and validity of current BSE diagnostic methods.

The profile of inflammatory cytokines in gingival crevicular fluid around healthy osseointegrated implants.

Objective: Regardless of gingival health and subgingival microbiology, production of cytokines within peri-implant tissues may be different from that of teeth. The objective of this study was to describe the peri-implant levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and subgingival microbiology in clinically healthy sites.

Materials And Methods: Subgingival plaque and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) were obtained from 28 clinically healthy implants and 26 teeth selected from 24 individuals.

Cone beam computed tomographic measurement of maxillary central incisors to determine prevalence of facial alveolar bone width ≥2 mm.

Background: The initial thickness of maxillary bone has significant impact on the responding level of facial bone and soft tissue after extraction and immediate implant placement. A prevailing notion is that following implant placement in fresh extraction sites, at least 2 mm of facial bone is needed to prevent soft tissue recession, fenestration, and dehiscence.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) to measure horizontal width of facial alveolar bone overlying healthy maxillary central incisors and to determine prevalence of bone thickness ≥2 mm.

The impact of early-in-life periodontal infection on the smiles of children: a worldwide view.

Little attention has been directed toward evidence that an early-in-life oral infection with the potential to reach epidemic proportions is threatening the health of youths throughout world. Health professionals and the public seem unaware that the silent disease process of early-in-life periodontal infection is targeting thousands of children and young adults, their smiles, and, consequently, their emotional and psychologic lives. Yet, the literature is replete with reports that many periodontopathic microorganisms are multiplying at an alarming rate with a serious impact on youths in many cities, towns, and villages throughout the globe.

The impact of systemic disease-associated gingival enlargement on pediatric patients.

This article provides an analysis of pediatric systemic disease and the corresponding prescribed medications for selected physical and mental health conditions. The focus is on pediatric oral health, specifically the drug-associated side effect of gingival enlargement. A simple and logical analysis of current pediatric health trends reveals that gingival overgrowth is evident in societies worldwide as a serious epidemic.

Immunology, microbiology, and virology following placement of NobelPerfect scalloped dental implants: analysis of a case series.

Background: Cytokine-microbiology-virology monitoring after implant placement may help to develop profiles of variables that can help to explain interaction between the immune system and alveolar bone. Descriptive information at the molecular and cellular levels after implant placement is important in the emerging field of osteoimmunology and may help to formulate hypotheses and intervention strategies in periodontology and implantology.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the presence or absence of selected cytokines in association with periodontopathogens and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) after placement of dental implants.

Microbiology and cytokine levels around healthy dental implants and teeth.

Background: Elicitation of the relationship of periodontopathogens and pro-inflammatory cytokines to bone resorption and formation is significant to a growing body of research known as osteoimmunology. It is essential that clinically healthy peri-implant and periodontal sites are studied to contribute comparison data for investigations that are addressing diseased sites.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe levels of selected pro-inflammatory cytokines in clinically healthy peri-implant and periodontal sites, and to examine whether cytokine levels may be related to specific bacterial/viral pathogens.

Problem-based learning versus a traditional educational methodology: a comparison of preclinical and clinical periodontics performance.

To evaluate efficacy of a problem-based learning (PBL) pedagogy in preclinical and clinical teaching, test scores of 234 undergraduate dental students from the conventionally taught classes of 2003 and 2004 were compared with scores of 274 dental students from the PBL classes of 2005 and 2006. Although the groups' means were close together, t-test analysis of scores revealed that PBL students performed significantly better than traditional (TRAD) students on midterm (p=.0001) and final (p=.