Medications as a risk factor for caries and periodontal disease.

Since our population is aging, patients will present to our offices with more medications than in the past. Although these medications may benefit their general health, they may adversely affect their dental health. Although most medications discussed increase the risk for caries and periodontal disease, a few may actually decrease the risk.

Effect of mechanical treatment on healing after third molar extraction.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of subgingival scaling and root planing on healing of the distal surface of second molars following extraction of third molars. Twenty-eight patients with contralateral erupted third molars and pocket depths greater than or equal to 3 mm on the distal surface of the second molars participated in this study. Measurements of supragingival bacterial plaque, bleeding on probing, pocket depth, and relative attachment level were performed at baseline and 2 months after treatment.

Correction of posterior crossbite.

Posterior crossbites, which can range from a single tooth to a bilateral constriction of the maxilla, can be detected easily on clinical exam. This article reviews the etiology, differential diagnosis and treatment of posterior crossbite. Several appliances and their uses are discussed.

Parents in the operatory.

Dentists who treat children must continually evaluate methods for managing patients. Psychological, physical and pharmacotherapeutic techniques have been described, reviewed and questioned in papers and presentations throughout the history of dentistry. This evaluation is important because it provides avenues for controversy and change, leading to improved patient care.

Impacted teeth: prophylactic extractions or not?

Pathologic changes related to impacted teeth are infrequent. However, considerable damage to bone and adjacent teeth may result if they do occur. Four patients are described in whom different circumstances existed with impacted teeth.

Operation of radiology departments in North American dental schools. A survey.

The technology is available for better diagnosis and detection of oral disease. But many dentists and their teaching colleagues are slow to recognize the benefits of these technological advancements.

An alternative to dental floss in a personal dental hygiene program.

The concept of gingival massage on maintaining the health of the gingiva may be of value as an adjunct in the periodontal maintenance phase of treatment. This study compared dental floss to a test product, a massage device, in a randomized population of 20 male and female subjects. Clinical measurements were taken at baseline, week 3, and week 6.

Role of electronic devices in diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders.

The role of electronic devices in the diagnosis of TMD raises the critical question of whether the clinician can gain diagnostically relevant information from them. This is of serious concern in view of the sparse, unreplicated and invalidated scientific evidence linking the use of such devices to TMD diagnosis and subsequent therapy. Until such time as scientific studies, using blinded evaluations to compare TMD patients and controls, demonstrate acceptable levels of reliability, validity, sensitivity and specificity, as well as positive and negative predictive values, the use of such devices will continue to have questionable diagnostic validity and, therefore, will continue to be considered experimental.

Dentin bonding system shelf life and bond strength.

The purpose of this study was to assess the shelf life of dentin bonding systems by means of bond strength testing. The systems evaluated were Mirage-Bond, All-Bond and Tenure. Specimens were tested immediately, and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 12 months after opening the kits.

Dental health of the Rendille and Samburu of the northern frontier district of Kenya.

Nomadic groups inhabiting the Kaisut desert region of Kenya were treated and studied during two successive trips. It was found that dental decay was relatively rare and advanced periodontal disease was present mostly in older patients. The mechanical action and contents of the locally available miswak stick (toothbrush tree) seem to play a significant role in control of dental diseases.

Adhesion of direct restorative materials.

The development of adhesive restorative systems has been a major focus in dentistry. Materials that can attach to tooth structure make it possible to take a far more conservative approach to restorative dentistry.

New horizons in periodontics. The challenge for diagnosis.

Contemporary periodontics offers successful treatment for most cases of periodontitis. The data analyzed in this paper suggest, however, that a large percentage of the population in our region suffers from established, overt periodontitis and does not receive periodontal therapy. Guidelines and the sensitivity and specificity of detection, using present-day clinical procedures of periodontal pocket probing and radiograph analysis, are described for the detection of patients with established, overt periodontitis.

DentLE. The dental learning environment: a prototype.

The State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine was awarded a 'Model Curriculum' grant through the USPHS Bureau of Health Professions Education. The award was provided in support of the School's ongoing effort to design a 'model electronic curriculum' for the health professions. The project's development is described from its grounding in critical thinking and problem solving to a discussion of its features including the organization of its knowledge base, the layout of its computer-based oral health record, and its navigation features.

Problem solving in overdenture therapy.

The use of overdentures and the advantages of such are widely documented. Among some of the disadvantages of this treatment modality are overcontour, encroachment of the interocclusal distance and frequency of repair. Listed under major disadvantages of overdentures has been increased incidence of caries, periodontal deterioration of abutment teeth and management of bony undercuts.

Regulation of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone receptor binding by heterologous and autologous receptor-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation.

Pancreatic cancers overexpress tyrosine kinase and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) receptor (LH-RHR)-mediated tyrosine phosphatase. LH-RHR is a 60-kDa protein. One of the substrates of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated tyrosine kinase activity and LH-RH- and somatostatin-stimulated tyrosine phosphatase activity is also a 60-kDa protein.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease.

The relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease was evaluated in 2,878 Pima Indians of the southwestern United States. Two independent measures of periodontal disease, probing attachment loss and radiographic bone loss, were used to compare prevalence and severity of periodontal disease in diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. In all age groups studied, subjects with diabetes had a higher prevalence of periodontal disease, indicating that diabetes may be a risk factor for periodontal disease.

Restriction endonuclease analysis of Eikenella corrodens.

Eikenella corrodens is a gram-negative facultative bacillus commonly found in the oral cavity. Although the role of E. corrodens in periodonititis is not clear, its isolation from extraoral infections attests to its pathogenic potential.