Expression of beam hardening artifacts on horizontally stitched cone-beam computed tomography images.

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the expression of beam hardening artifacts generated by high atomic number materials in stitched cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images, compared to the traditional acquisition mode.

Materials And Methods: CBCT volumes were acquired using an acrylic resin phantom embedded with pairs of cylinders made from amalgam dental alloy, cobalt-chromium alloy, gutta-percha, titanium, and zirconium. These cylinders were placed within the overlapping zones of the stitching reconstruction area.

An ex vivo comparison of near-infrared Raman spectroscopy and cone beam computed tomography in the assessment of bone, dental hard tissues, and bone graft materials.

Objective: To evaluate the potential of near-infrared Raman spectroscopy (RS) in distinguishing between various types of bone, dental hard tissues, and bone graft materials, and to determine the correlation between pixel intensity values (PIVs) in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and Raman values.

Study Design: A thinly sliced section of mandible was utilized to evaluate cancellous and cortical bone. Extracted human teeth were used to prepare the enamel and dentin samples.

The association between temporomandibular disorders signs and symptoms, bruxism, and health variables: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: The study aimed to determine the associations between several important and potentially modifiable health variables and TMD signs and symptoms.

Methods: A total of 209 adult dental patients from two clinics completed surveys on demographics, self-reported awake and sleep bruxism, TMD signs and symptoms, stress, depression, chronic pain, and sleep quality. Correlations and regression analyses were used to identify associations between these health variables and TMD symptoms.

Retrospective evaluation of the success rate and factors associated with the stability of alveolar ridge orthodontic miniscrews: Pilot study.

Background: An uncommon location for placing miniscrews, used to provide anchorage control in various tooth movements, is the alveolar ridge. This study aimed to provide an evaluation of the success rate of alveolar ridge miniscrews and examine variables that might impact their success.

Methods: Charts for 295 patients who had miniscrews were screened.

Does the Outcome of Graft Materials at Dental Implant Sites Differ Between Patients With Normal and Compromised Bone Health?

The objective of this paper was to assess the outcome of bone graft material at alveolar bone augmentation sites combined with dental implants in postmenopausal women with compromised bone health by evaluating cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) scans at multiple time points.CBCT scans were analyzed on 55 postmenopausal women with compromised bone health status to determine the fate of alveolar bone augmentation. CBCT scans were taken immediately after surgery and 9 and 24 months postoperatively.

Daily Stress, Drinking Motives and Alcohol Co-Use with Other Drugs.

Recent evidence indicates that alcohol and other substance co-use, compared to alcohol-only use, might be more closely associated with negative reinforcement processes, and thus more likely during periods of increased stress. The present study examined this possibility by using data from an intensive longitudinal (daily) study of college student drinkers ( = 1461, 54% women). We also examined individual differences in coping and enhancement drinking motives as predictors of alcohol and other substance co-use.

One-Pot Synthesis of Bioinspired Peptide-Decorated Apatite Nanoparticles for Nanomedicine.

Hybrid organic-inorganic bio-inspired apatite nanoparticles (NPs) are attractive for biomedical applications and especially in nanomedicine. Unfortunately, their applications in nanomedicine are limited by their broad particle size distributions and uncontrolled drug loading due to their multistep synthesis process.  Besides, very few attempts at exposing bioactive peptides on apatite NPs are made.

Ridge mini-implants, a versatile biomechanical anchorage device whose success is significantly enhanced by splinting: a clinical report.

Objectives: This clinical report aims to highlight the factors affecting the clinical success of alveolar ridge mini-implants used for orthodontic anchorage and provide an overview of the biomechanical versatility of this miniscrew and steps involving the proper technique of its placement.

Methods: For this clinical report, charts for 295 patients who had temporary anchorage devices (TADs) were screened. Twenty patients [15 females and 5 males: mean age = 38.

Can convolutional neural networks identify external carotid artery calcifications?

Objective: We developed and evaluated the accuracy and reliability of a convolutional neural network (CNN) in detecting external carotid artery calcifications (ECACs) in cone beam computed tomography scans.

Study Design: Using TensorFlow, we developed a program to identify calcification in 427 cone beam computed tomography scans evaluated to determine the presence of ECACs. We compared the results to the findings of a human evaluator.

Evaluation of near-infrared Raman spectroscopy in the differentiation of cortical bone, trabecular bone, and Bio-Oss bone graft: an ex-vivo study.

Objective: We evaluated the ability of near-infrared Raman spectroscopy (near-IR RS) to differentiate among cortical bone, trabecular bone, and Bio-Oss, a bovinebone-based graft material.

Study Design: We obtained a thinly sliced section of the mandible to collect cortical and trabecular bone samples and placed compacted Bio-Oss bone graft into a partially edentulous mandible in a dry human skull to obtain a comparable Bio-Oss sample. We performed near-IR RS of the 3 samples and evaluated the resultant Raman spectra to evaluate their differences.

Ultrasound-derived mechanical stimulation of cell-laden collagen hydrogels for bone repair.

Cell therapy is emerging as an effective treatment strategy for many diseases. Here we describe a novel approach to bone tissue repair that combines hydrogel-based cell therapy with low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS), an FDA approved treatment for fracture repair. Bone marrow-derived stromal cells (BMSCs) have been encapsulated in type I collagen hydrogels and mechanically stimulated using LIPUS-derived acoustic radiation force (ARF).

Assessment of the readiness of restorations manufactured by CAD/CAM in terms of marginal fit (Part I).

Background: The master cast is the gold standard for the control and eventual adjustment of restorations produced by conventional procedures. Some digital workflow bypasses the master cast and relies completely on the precision of the CAD/CAM restoration.

Aim: To examine the reproducibility of the margins of CAD/CAM restorations generated from a single digital scan.

Tobacco use patterns and clinical outcomes in the T1D exchange.

Aims: This study examined associations between tobacco use and diabetes outcomes using the T1D Exchange Registry.

Methods: Adult participants (N = 933) completed standardized questionnaires including self-reported outcomes: past year serious hypoglycemic and diabetic ketoacidosis episodes, diabetes self-care, diabetes distress, and self-monitoring of blood glucose. Chart-extracted outcomes included HbA1c, nephrology and neuropathy diagnoses, and BMI.

Prosthodontic Rehabilitation of a Patient with Hypophosphatasia Using Dental Implants: A Case Report with Seven Years Follow-Up.

Hypophosphatasia is a rare metabolic inherited dento-osseous disorder. Although there is some available literature on various dental characteristics of hypophosphatasia patients, few reports focus on the effects of hypophosphatasia on the permanent dentition and prosthodontic rehabilitation, particularly in relation to the use of dental implants. This paper reports a case with hypophosphatasia and prosthodontic rehabilitation using dental implants with 7-year follow-up.

A daily level analysis of drinking to cope motivation and interpersonal stress.

Interpersonal stress is a commonly reported drinking-related problem and evidence indicates that it is associated with drinking to cope (DTC) motivation. The preponderance of evidence for DTC motivation as a risk factor for increased interpersonal stress, however, comes mainly from studies examining between-person associations. Findings suggest that individuals who commonly report drinking to cope with stress show higher average levels of drinking-related interpersonal problems.

Diabetes impairs periosteal progenitor regenerative potential.

Diabetics are at increased risk for fracture, and experience severely impaired skeletal healing characterized by delayed union or nonunion of the bone. The periosteum harbors osteochondral progenitors that can differentiate into chondrocytes and osteoblasts, and this connective tissue layer is required for efficient fracture healing. While bone marrow-derived stromal cells have been studied extensively in the context of diabetic skeletal repair and osteogenesis, the effect of diabetes on the periosteum and its ability to contribute to bone regeneration has not yet been explicitly evaluated.

Retention and wear of resin matrix attachments for implant overdentures.

Objectives: The aim of the present laboratory study was to investigate the retentive properties and the wear of three different resin matrix attachments for implant overdentures as well as to assess the effects of implant angulation.

Methods And Materials: Three attachment systems with either polyetheretherketone inserts (PEEK; Novaloc, Straumann, Basel, Switzerland), polyetherketoneketone inserts (PEKK; CM Loc, Cendres + Métaux, Biel, Switzerland) or nylon inserts (Locator R-Tx, Zest Dental Solutions, Escondido, California, USA) were evaluated. The patrices were connected to their implant analogues and fixed in a resin cast at implant angulations of 0° and 15°.

Systematic review of natural and miscellaneous agents, for the management of oral mucositis in cancer patients and clinical practice guidelines - part 2: honey, herbal compounds, saliva stimulants, probiotics, and miscellaneous agents.

Objective: To update the clinical practice guidelines for the management of oral mucositis (OM) that were developed by the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society of Oral Oncology (MASCC/ISOO). This part focuses on honey, herbal compounds, saliva stimulants, probiotics, and miscellaneous agents.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted by the Mucositis Study Group of MASCC/ISOO.

Systematic review of oral cryotherapy for the management of oral mucositis in cancer patients and clinical practice guidelines.

Purpose: To update the 2013 Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer/International Society of Oral Oncology (MASCC/ISOO) clinical practice guidelines on oral cryotherapy for the management of oral mucositis (OM) caused by cancer therapies.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted by the Mucositis Study Group of MASCC/ISOO. The evidence for each intervention for specific cancer treatment modalities was assigned a level of evidence (LoE).

Influence of Community-Based Dental Education on Practice Choice: Preliminary Data from East Carolina University.

Maldistribution of the dental workforce contributes to poor access to oral health care. Community-based dental education (CBDE) may help to address this problem by using experiential learning to encourage new dentists to practice in underserved areas. The East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine (East Carolina University SoDM) employs a multifaceted strategy, including CBDE, to increase the number of dentists practicing in underserved areas of North Carolina.

Continuing Challenges in Advancing Preclinical Science in Skeletal Cell-Based Therapies and Tissue Regeneration.

Cell-based therapies hold much promise for musculoskeletal medicine; however, this rapidly growing field faces a number of challenges. Few of these therapies have proven clinical benefit, and an insufficient regulatory environment has allowed for widespread clinical implementation without sufficient evidence of efficacy. The technical and biological complexity of cell-based therapies has contributed to difficulties with reproducibility and mechanistic clarity.

Clinical Factors Affecting the Accuracy of Guided Implant Surgery-A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objectives: To systematically review the current dental literature regarding clinical accuracy of guided implant surgery and to analyze the involved clinical factors.

Material And Methods: PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched. Meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis were performed.