A prospective survey of secondary care tooth wear referrals: demographics, reasons for concern and referral outcomes.

Aim: To provide a descriptive investigation of general dental practitioners' (GDPs) referrals to Glasgow Dental Hospital and School for management of tooth wear.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and twenty-four patient-referrals were reviewed over a 12 month period. A questionnaire was also completed by patients and three reviewing consultants to identify patient demographics, patient perception, consultant's diagnosis and referral outcome.

Curing of dental composites by use of InGaN light-emitting diodes.

A potential application of blue-light-emitting InGaN LED's as a polymerizing source for dental composite materials is described. We compared a basic LED device with a conventional curing light in vitro to determine the polymerization parameters and to examine the effect of the curing process on the physical properties of these materials. It was determined that an array of six LED's was able to set a range of composite materials more quickly than a conventional light source, with the cured compounds showing similar hardness and material shrinkage parameters but with a lower material temperature rise during the curing process using the array.

Development of fibre-optic confocal microscopy for detection and diagnosis of dental caries.

We report on the development of a fibre-optics-based confocal imaging system for the detection and potential diagnosis of early dental caries. A novel optical instrument, capable of recording axial profiles through caries lesions using single-mode optical fibres, has been developed. The practical study illustrates that miniature confocal devices based around single-mode optical fibres may provide additional diagnostic information for the general dental practitioner.

Exposure to nitrous oxide in a paediatric dental unit.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the 8-h time-weighted average (8-h TWA) exposure to nitrous oxide of dentists working in a paediatric dental unit, and to relate this to various operator, patient and environmental factors.

Methods: This prospective, open-label study monitored nitrous oxide levels using either a personal dosimeter or an electronic sensor worn by the operator. Information was recorded by three dental operators administering nitrous oxide/oxygen for inhalational sedation.

Removal of partially erupted third molars using an Erbium (Er):YAG laser: a randomised controlled clinical trial.

We compared Erbium (Er):YAG laser with a surgical bur for removal of partially erupted lower third molars. Patients were randomised to be treated by either laser or bur. A total of 42 patients (laser = 22; bur = 20) were treated.

The effect of dentine on fluorescence measurements of enamel lesions in vitro.

This study aimed to determine the contribution of the underlying dentine and the enamel-dentine junction to measurements of mineral loss from enamel recorded using quantitative light fluorescence (QLF). Sixteen square blocks (5 x 5 mm) were cut from the labial surfaces of extracted bovine incisor teeth. A dental drill was used to remove dentine and the enamel-dentine junction from half of each specimen.

Influence of Erbium:YAG laser energies on the microleakage of Class V resin-based composite restorations.

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of three Erbium:YAG laser energies on the microleakage of Class V resin-based composite restorations.

Materials And Methods: 60 extracted human premolar teeth stored in 0.12% thymol solution were randomly allocated to three groups.

The influence of three Erbium:YAG laser energies on the in vitro microleakage of Class V compomer resin restorations.

Objectives: To investigate the influence of three Erbium:YAG pulse energies (200 mJ, 240 mJ, and 300 mJ with a 100 mJ dentine finish) on the microleakage of Class V compomer restorations (Compoglass).

Design: In vitro study.

Sample And Methods: Sixty-one extracted human premolar teeth were randomly allocated to three groups (according to pulse energy).

Preliminary investigation of a novel carbon dioxide laser for applications in dentistry.

Background And Objective: A novel pulsed CO(2) laser was examined for its ability to ablate hard dental tissues.

Study Design/materials And Methods: Lased human enamel surfaces were viewed using light and scanning electron microscopy for evidence of adverse structural changes. In vitro shear bond strength tests were conducted on composite resin bonded to lased enamel surfaces and compared with conventionally prepared specimens.

Effect of HeNe and pulsed Nd:YAG laser irradiation on intradental nerve responses to mechanical stimulation of dentine.

Background And Objective: Our study aimed to determine how lasing affected intradental nerve responses to dentine stimulation. Study Design/Materials and Methods Intradental nerve activity was recorded from canine teeth of anaesthetised ferrets. Dentine exposed at the tip of the tooth was stimulated with a glass probe.

Dental materials: 1997 literature review.

This review of the published literature on dental materials for the year 1997 has been compiled by the Dental Materials Panel of UK. It continues a series of annual reviews started in 1973. Emphasis has been placed upon publications, which report upon the materials science or clinical performance of the materials.

Effects of pulsed Nd:YAG laser radiation on action potential conduction in nerve fibres inside teeth in vitro.

Objective: This study aimed to simulate the effects of lasing dentine on pulpal nerve function.

Methods: Rat spinal nerve roots were threaded through the prepared pulp canal of a 10 mm long tooth root segment which was mounted in a perspex bath. The protruding ends of the nerve were placed on platinum wire electrodes used to elicit and to record compound nerve action potentials (CAPs).

Dental materials: 1996 literature review. Part 2.

This critical review of the published literature on dental materials for the year 1996 has been compiled by the Dental Materials Panel of the UK. It continues the series of annual reviews started in 1973 and published in the Journal of Dentistry. Emphasis has been placed upon publications which report upon the materials science or clinical performance of the materials.

Dental materials: 1996 literature review.

This critical review of the published literature on dental materials for the year 1996 has been compiled by the Dental Materials Panel of the UK. It continues the series of annual reviews started in 1973 and published in the Journal of Dentistry. Emphasis has been placed upon publications which report upon the materials science or clinical performance of the materials.

Dental materials: 1995 literature review.

This critical review of the published literature on dental materials for the year 1995 has been compiled by the Dental Materials Panel of the United Kingdom. It continues the series of annual reviews started in 1973 and published in the Journal of Dentistry. Emphasis has been placed upon publications which report upon the materials science or clinical performance of the materials.

Effect of pulsed Nd:YAG laser radiation on action potential conduction in isolated mammalian spinal nerves.

Background And Objective: Dental lasers are claimed to produce analgesia, but the mechanisms and extent of any effects are uncertain. This study investigated the effects of lasing on nerve conduction in isolated nerves.

Study Design/materials And Methods: Pulsed Nd:YAG laser energy was applied to spinal nerves in vitro and effects were measured as attenuation of the compound action potential (CAP) evoked by electrical stimulation.

An evaluation of the Nd:YAG laser in periodontal pocket therapy.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the Nd:YAG laser energies of 50 and 80 mJ at 10 pulses per second (pps) were capable of improving the clinical parameters associated with periodontal disease. These energy settings were chosen as previous work indicated that higher values would damage root surfaces and that 80 mJ had an in-vitro bactericidal effect. Eighty periodontally affected sites in teeth scheduled for extraction from 11 patients with adult periodontitis were randomly placed in one of the following four treatment groups: 1.

The effect of an Nd-YAG pulsed laser on the cleaning of the root canal and the formation of a fused apical plug.

A Neodymium-yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd-YAG) pulsed laser was used in vitro to determine whether various laser energy levels from 0.75 W to 1.7 W at 15 pulses s(-1) (pps) were able to (i) remove debris from the walls of prepared root canals (ii) remove pulpal tissue from unprepared canals and (iii) create a fused apical plug from dentine chips, hydroxyapatite (HAP) or low-fusing dental porcelain.

A clinical study of pulsed Nd: YAG laser-induced pulpal analgesia.

The pulsed Nd: YAG laser is advocated as an alternative means of providing analgesia during routine dental procedures. Since the evidence to support this claim is mainly anecdotal, a clinical trial was carried out using an electric pulp tester (EPT) to measure the extent and duration of any analgesic effect induced by pulsed Nd: YAG laser treatment. A double-blind crossover experiment involving laser and sham treatments was used on 21 subjects.

An evaluation of the effects of an Nd:YAG laser on subgingival calculus, dentine and cementum. An in vitro study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Nd:YAG laser treatment on subgingival calculus, cementum and dentine, in vitro at different power settings and durations. The study included 2 experiments. In the 1st experiment, 32 extracted teeth with calculus were divided into 8 laser treatment groups.

Opto-thermal in vivo monitoring of sunscreens on skin.

Opto-thermal transient emission radiometry (OTTER) provides a convenient means for in vivo and in situ monitoring of human or animal skin properties and surface concentrations of topically applied substances, such as drugs and cosmetics. This is illustrated with measurements on the rates of disappearance from skin of a number of commercial sunscreen preparations. The break-up of the physical structure of creams on skin can also be monitored through dynamic phase change phenomena, induced by a laser pulse.