Portable dental equipment: dental units and x-ray equipment.

Portable dental equipment makes it possible for clinicians to provide dental care to patients who are unable to travel to a traditional dental clinic. Nonambulatory, homebound, and institutionalized patients benefit greatly when portable equipment is used to address their dental treatment needs on-site. In recent years, more brands of portable equipment have been introduced to the market, some of which are quite sophisticated in terms of their design and uses.

Evaluation of an interferon-gamma release assay, T-SPOT.TB, in a population with a low prevalence of tuberculosis.

Setting: Great Lakes, Illinois, USA.

Objective: To compare the performance of an interferon-gamma release assay (T-SPOT.TB) and tuberculin skin test (TST) in a population with a low prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) that was predominantly US-born and not bacille Calmette-Guérin-vaccinated.

Efficiency of oral fluid collection devices in extracting antibodies.

Introduction: To facilitate diagnoses, this study determined the efficacy of commercial oral fluid collection devices for their ability to recover three human immunoglobulin isotypes; immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgG, and IgM.

Methods: The sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine antibody recovery from the following devices: (i) OraSure oral specimen collection device, (ii) saliva*sampler, (iii) ORALscreen collector, (iv) Dri-Angle, (v) no. 2 cotton roll, (vi) all-gauze sponges device, and (vii) DentaSwabs.

The anthrax vaccine: no new tricks for an old dog.

The original license for production of the anthrax vaccine, Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed (AVA), was issued in 1970. Since that time, over 8 million AVA immunizations have been administered to 2+ million individuals. In 2002, the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, reviewed the safety and efficacy of AVA.

An evaluation of replacement rates for posterior resin-based composite and amalgam restorations in U.S. Navy and marine corps recruits.

Background: Restoration replacement is a clinical concern that has not been studied among military personnel. The authors determined the prevalence of placement of posterior amalgam and resin-based composite restorations and the incidence of replacement among U.S.

Development and testing of a novel forward-deployable dental dressing.

The purpose of this study was to measure select properties of four temporary filling materials suitable for use in treating minor dental emergencies in the field. Specimens were made of each of the following four materials: intermediate restorative material, Fuji IX GP Fast, Ketac-Molar Quick, and the forward-deployable dental dressing recently developed by the Naval Institute for Dental and Biomedical Research. Twenty-fours hours after specimen fabrication, five properties (hardness, compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, flexural strength, and flexural modulus) were measured for each of the materials and compared using analysis of variance and Tukey-Kramer tests to determine whether significant differences existed among the materials (alpha = 0.

Measurement of select physical and mechanical properties of 3 machinable ceramic materials.

Objective: To measure select physical and mechanical properties of 3 machinable ceramic materials (IPS Empress CAD, Ivoclar Vivadent; Vitablocs Mark II, Vident; Paradigm C, 3M ESPE).

Method And Materials: The physical and mechanical properties tested were hardness (using Vickers hardness), flexural strength and modulus (with 3-point bending), fracture toughness (with Vickers hardness indentation), and coefficient of thermal expansion (using a thermomechanical analyzer). For each of the materials, 25 specimens were fabricated to test each property, except for coefficient of thermal expansion, where n = 5.

Estimation of nonpreventable dental emergencies in U.S. Marine Corps personnel.

Previous studies of military personnel have reported that 26% to 75% of dental emergencies cannot be prevented. The aims of this study were (1) to estimate the percentage of dental emergencies for which causative conditions were not indicated for urgent treatment on the previous annual dental examination (nonpreventable dental emergency) and (2) to estimate the rate of dental emergencies that can be expected if all urgent treatment is completed. This retrospective cohort study of Marine Corps recruits revealed that 58.

Comparison of chlorine and chloramine in the release of mercury from dental amalgam.

The purpose of this project was to compare the ability of chlorine (HOCl/OCl(-)) and monochloramine (NH(2)Cl) to mobilize mercury from dental amalgam. Two types of amalgam were used in this investigation: laboratory-prepared amalgam and samples obtained from dental-unit wastewater. For disinfectant exposure simulations, 0.

Design and evaluation of a filter-based chairside amalgam separation system.

This study evaluated the ability of a chairside filtration system to remove particulate-based mercury (Hg) from dental-unit wastewater. Prototypes of the chairside filtration system were designed and fabricated using reusable filter chambers with disposable filter elements. The system was installed in five dental operatories utilizing filter elements with nominal pore sizes of 50 microm, 15 microm, 1 microm, 0.

Rapid point-of-care test to detect broad ranges of protective antigen-specific immunoglobulin G concentrations in recipients of the U.S.-licensed anthrax vaccine.

Currently, there is no routine monitoring of an immune response to the anthrax vaccine. Simple on-site tests are needed to evaluate the antibody response of anthrax-vaccinated individuals in the Armed Forces and others at high risk. Using a prototype lateral flow assay (LFA) (R.

Dental classification and risk assessment prevention of dental morbidity in deployed military personnel. Consensus statements.

Because of the differences in definitions among authors as to what constitutes a "dental emergency", the attendees at the workshop discussed these definitions and arrived at a consensus.

U.S. Navy dental common access system emergency dental encounter module.

A component has been added to the Dental Common Access System that allows the identification and quantification of dental emergencies experienced by U.S. Navy and Marine Corps personnel.

A statistical method to evaluate dental classification systems used by military dental services.

Unlabelled: The aim of this research project was to develop a systematic approach to evaluate the effectiveness of dental classifications used by military dental services to predict dental emergencies.

Design: A retrospective cohort study of U.S.

Clinical user evaluation of field dental equipment under military deployment conditions.

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the clinical performance of a number of types of field (i.e., portable) dental equipment used under actual military deployment conditions.

Detection of anti-protective antigen salivary IgG antibodies in recipients of the US licensed anthrax vaccine.

The immune response of anthrax vaccine recipients is not routinely monitored. For field use, a noninvasive test would be beneficial to evaluate the antibody response of anthrax-vaccinated individuals working within a high-risk area of possible exposure. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether whole saliva can be used as a surrogate matrix for the detection of 83 kDa protective antigen (PA)-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG).

Statistical modeling of dental unit water bacterial test kit performance.

Objective: While it is important to monitor dental water quality, it is unclear whether in-office test kits provide bacterial counts comparable to the gold standard method (R2A). Studies were conducted on specimens with known bacterial concentrations, and from dental units, to evaluate test kit accuracy across a range of bacterial types and loads.

Methodology: Colony forming units (CFU) were counted for samples from each source, using R2A and two types of test kits, and conformity to Poisson distribution expectations was evaluated.

Current update on portable dental equipment.

The dental care needs of the elderly are increasing as their population grows. For some of the elderly (eg, the nonambulatory, homebound, institutionalized), accessing dental care is a problem because they are unable to visit a traditional dental clinic. In the past, dental care has been taken to the homebound or institutionalized elderly by dentists using portable dental equipment.

The impact of incomplete vaccination schedules on the magnitude and duration of protective antigen-specific IgG responses in recipients of the US licensed anthrax vaccine.

Using a cross-sectional analysis design, we measured serum anti-protective antigen (PA) concentrations in individuals receiving six or fewer US licensed anthrax vaccinations. Samples were collected from 363 individuals with a mean of 29.6+/-8.

Effect of humidity on the volumetric polymerization shrinkage of resin restorative materials.

This study measured the volumetric polymerization shrinkage of three resin restorative materials under ambient (that is, room) relative humidity conditions and compared it with shrinkage occurring under a higher humidity condition that simulated the oral cavity. Small, semi-spherical specimens of a compomer, microfill composite, and flowable microhybrid composite were formed and light-activated using a halogen photocuring unit. The volumetric polymerization shrinkage of 15 specimens of each product was measured using a drop shape analysis unit for the relative humidity level of the ambient room (58.

Mercury vapor levels in exhaust air from dental vacuum systems.

Objective: This study was undertaken to determine mercury (Hg) vapor levels in the air exhausted from dental vacuum systems.

Methodology: Hg vapor concentrations from the dental vacuum system exhaust ports of three dental clinics were measured utilizing the Jerome 431-X mercury vapor analyzer and the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) method ID-140 in units of ng Hg/m3. Air velocity measurements and temperatures were determined with a constant temperature thermal anemometer.

Evaluation of field dental equipment in a deployment environment.

Dental officers and technicians must have reliable, durable, well-performing field dental equipment to enable them to provide dental care to deployed troops in operational environments. Unfortunately, no organized program exists to test such equipment before its purchase and use in the field. This article presents the results of a project conducted by the Naval Institute for Dental and Biomedical Research and the Air Force Dental Evaluation and Consultation Service to evaluate commercially available field dental equipment through laboratory testing and clinical-user evaluations in theater.

Volumetric polymerization shrinkage of resin composites under simulated intraoral temperature and humidity conditions.

This study measured the volumetric shrinkage of resin composites polymerized under temperature and humidity conditions simulating the oral cavity and compared them to those occurring under ambient room conditions. Small, semispherical specimens of a microhybrid (Z100), microfill (Filtek A110) and flowable microhybrid (4 Seasons Flow) resin composite were manually formed and light activated for 40 seconds using a halogen light-curing unit (Spectrum Curing Light). The volumetric polymerization shrinkage of 10 specimens of each brand of resin composite was measured using a drop shape analysis unit (Drop Shape Analysis System, model DSA10 Mk2) under each of two temperature/relative humidity conditions: room conditions (22 +/- 2 degrees C and 60 +/- 5%) and those simulating intraoral conditions (35 degrees C and 92 +/- 5%).

Comparison of two video-imaging instruments for measuring volumetric shrinkage of dental resin composites.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to measure the polymerization shrinkage of three dental resin composites using two commercially available video-imaging devices to determine if the devices produced equivalent results.

Methods: Small, semi-spherical specimens of a microhybrid (Venus), microfill (Filtek A110), and flowable (Esthet*X Flow) resin composite were manually formed and light activated for 40s using a light-curing unit. The volumetric polymerization shrinkage of fifteen specimens of each brand of resin composite was measured using the AcuVol and the Drop Shape Analysis System model DSA10 Mk2 (DSAS) video-imaging devices.

Effect of iodine on mercury concentrations in dental-unit wastewater.

Objective: This study was undertaken to determine whether iodine used to control bacteria in dental unit waterlines could increase mercury concentrations in dental wastewater.

Methods: The study was conducted in four parts. Part 1.