Influence of restorative material translucency on the chameleon effect.

Blending of artificial restoration materials to the natural tooth is challenging. Beyond just color, optical properties, particularly translucency, substantially influence the final appearance. The more chameleon effect that the restorative materials exhibit, the more natural looking restorations.

A Pyk2 inhibitor incorporated into a PEGDA-gelatin hydrogel promotes osteoblast activity and mineral deposition.

Pyk2 is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that belongs to the family of focal adhesion kinases. Studies from our laboratory and others demonstrated that mice lacking the Pyk2 gene (Ptk2B) have high bone mass, which was due to increased osteoblast activity, as well as decreased osteoclast activity. It was previously reported that a chemical inhibitor that targets both Pyk2 and its homolog FAK, led to increased bone formation in ovariectomized rats.

Pyk2 deficiency potentiates osteoblast differentiation and mineralizing activity in response to estrogen or raloxifene.

Bone remodeling is controlled by the actions of bone-degrading osteoclasts and bone-forming osteoblasts (OBs). Aging and loss of estrogen after menopause affects bone mass and quality. Estrogen therapy, including selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), can prevent bone loss and increase bone mineral density in post-menopausal women.

Can Cleansing Regimens Effectively Eliminate Saliva Contamination from Lithium Disilicate Ceramic Surface?

This study evaluated the effect of cleaning protocols on the bond strength of resin cement to glass-ceramic. Ceramic specimens (N=120, n=12 per group) were etched with hydrofluoric acid and rinsed with water. After saliva contamination, specimens were cleaned as follows: water, 37% H3PO4, cleaning-paste (Ivoclean), or isopropanol.

Pyk2 and Megakaryocytes Regulate Osteoblast Differentiation and Migration Via Distinct and Overlapping Mechanisms.

Osteoblast differentiation and migration are necessary for bone formation during bone remodeling. Mice lacking the proline-rich tyrosine kinase Pyk2 (Pyk2-KO) have increased bone mass, in part due to increased osteoblast proliferation. Megakaryocytes (MKs), the platelet-producing cells, also promote osteoblast proliferation in vitro and bone-formation in vivo via a pathway that involves Pyk2.

The impact of hydrofluoric acid etching followed by unfilled resin on the biaxial strength of a glass-ceramic.

Objectives: To evaluate the null hypotheses that hydrofluoric (HF) acid etching time would neither decrease the biaxial flexural strength of a glass-based veneering ceramic nor enhance it after silane and unfilled resin (UR) applications.

Methods: Disc-shaped IPS e.max ZirPress specimens were allocated into 12 groups: G1-control (no-etching), G2-30 s, G3-60 s, G4-90 s, G5-120 s, G6-60 s+60 s.