Marginal Adaptation of Class II composites and Liver transplant

Marginal adaptation of Class 2 adhesive restorations
Quint Int. May 2008

Objective: Control of microleakage represents a challenge for posterior composite restorations. The technique for composite placement may reduce microleakage. The null hypothesis of this in vitro study was that centripetal incremental insertion of composite resin would result in less microleakage than that obtained with the oblique incremental technique or bulk technique.

Method and Materials: Standardized Class 2 preparations were made in 60 caries-free extracted third molars and randomly assigned to 3 groups (n = 20): (1) oblique incremental insertion technique (control), (2) centripetal incremental insertion technique, and (3) bulk insertion. The teeth were restored with a total-etch adhesive and microhybrid composite resin. The specimens were isolated with nail varnish except for a 2-mm-wide area around the restoration and then thermocycled (1,000 thermal cycles, 5°C/55°C; 30-second dwell time). The specimens were immersed in an aqueous solution of 50% silver nitrate for 24 hours, followed by 8 hours of immersion in a photo-developing solution and subsequently evaluated for leakage. The microleakage scores (0 to 4) obtained from the occlusal and cervical walls were analyzed with median nonparametric tests (P < .05). Results: The null hypothesis was rejected. All techniques attained statistically similar dentin microleakage scores (P = .15). The centripetal insertion technique displayed significantly less microleakage than the oblique technique at the enamel margins (P = .04). Conclusion: None of the techniques eliminated marginal microleakage in Class 2 preparations. However, in occlusal areas, the centripetal technique performed significantly better than the other techniques. To know details of centripetal tech and get a copy of full paper CLICK HERE

What is the effect of method of curing composites on directional shrinkage ?

Shrinkage direction was not significantly affected by the orientation of the incoming curing light.

Dental Care extremely important after Liver Transplant

LIVER transplant patients will receive special dental care after their operations under a scheme to be launched by NHS Lothian.
The patients will receive dental assessments before and after their transplants and advice on how to avoid problems with their teeth.

Patients from the Lothians needing dental treatment that can't be provided by their local dentist will have their dental care co-ordinated through the dental unit at the city's Royal Infirmary.

Transplant patients are at risk of developing oral problems. The three-year initiative is being funded by the Scottish Government.

Dr Colwyn Jones, a consultant in dental public health for NHS Lothian, said: "NHS Lothian is committed to improving the dental health of everyone who lives in Lothian, and this funding will allow us to provide valuable help to people we know are at risk of subsequent problems with their teeth.

"Transplants are becoming more common and recipients of transplants have to be very careful around their health in general. We have to guard against infection as transplant patients are immuno-compromised."

The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh is home to the Scottish Liver Transplant Unit, which conducts between 50 and 60 transplants a year.

Here is a nice presentation thats a great stress buster, download and you will enjoy this fantastic narration.

Study of Canine helps understand human Evolution

ScienceDaily (June 26, 2008) — Measuring and testing the teeth of living primates could provide a window into the behavior of the earliest human ancestors, based on their fossilized remains. Research funded by the National Science Foundation and led by University of Arkansas anthropologist Michael Plavcan takes us one step closer to understanding the relationship between canine teeth, body size and the lives of primates.

In an article published in American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Plavcan and colleague Christopher B. Ruff of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine report on an initial examination of the function of the shape of canine teeth in primates. This is the first published comparative analysis of canine strength for primates. More here

Your Curing Light can Stunt Tumor Growth, Regrowing Pulp in Young Teeth

Regrowing Pulp in Young Teeth -Journal of Endodontics July 2008

Although contemporary nonsurgical endodontic procedures confer high degrees of clinical success , the root canal system is obturated with synthetic materials, preventing any of the advantages that might ensue by regeneration of a functional pulp-dentin complex. This is a particular problem when treating the necrotic but immature permanent tooth, where conventional treatment often leads to resolution of apical periodontitis, but the tooth remains susceptible to fracture as a result of interruption of apical and dentinal wall development. Thus, one alternative approach would be to develop and validate biologically based endodontic procedures designed to restore a functional pulp-dentin complex.

For more than 50 years, clinicians have evaluated biologically based methods to restore a functional pulp-dentin complex in teeth with necrotic root canal systems caused primarily by trauma or caries. Although case series from the 1960s–1970s in general were not successful in producing this outcome , it should be appreciated that they were performed without contemporary instruments or materials and without insight generated from the trauma or tissue engineering fields. More recent case reports, published during the last 15 years, have demonstrated that it is possible in humans to restore a functional pulp-dentin complex in the necrotic immature permanent tooth. Full paper here

Blue Light Used To Harden Tooth Fillings Stunts Tumor Growth

ScienceDaily (June 24, 2008) — A blue curing light used to harden dental fillings also may stunt tumor growth, Medical College of Georgia researchers say. "The light sends wavelengths of blue-violet light to the composite, which triggers hardening," says Alpesh Patel, a rising MCG School of Dentistry junior. "The light waves produce free radicals that activate the catalyst and speed up polymerization of the composite resin.

In oral cancer cells, though, those radicals cause damage that decreases cell growth and increases cell death." Mr. Patel, who has been working with Dr. Jill Lewis, associate professor of oral biology, Dr. Regina Messer, associate professor of oral rehabilitation and oral biology, and Dr. John Wataha, adjunct professor of oral rehabilitation and oral biology, studied 10 tumor-bearing mice, five treated with the light and five untreated. He exposed half the mice to the blue light for 90 seconds a day for 12 days. Then the tumors were extracted and each one was split into two sections. Half were used to create slides for tissue analysis, and half were frozen to prepare protein extracts.

Tissue analysis indicated an approximate 10 percent increase in cell suicide, or apoptosis, in the light-treated tumors. The frozen protein extracts revealed a nearly 80 percent decrease in cell growth in the light-treated tumors. "The decrease in cell growth, combined with increased apoptosis, helps explain why the tumors didn't grow as much because you have cells that aren't dividing and you have cells that are committing suicide," Mr. Patel says. More HERE

Australia Patient pulls his own tooth, June 25, 2008

A NSW man who has been on the dental waiting list since 2004 was in such excruciating pain that he took the extreme measure of pulling out one of his teeth.


For four years, Jeffrey Miners has survived on a daily cocktail of painkillers but four weeks ago, his excruciating gum pain was no longer bearable and he pulled out the tooth.

The 58-year-old, who has other complex health problems, has been on the NSW dental waiting list since 2004 and still has no date for his surgery despite urgently needing 13 teeth extracted.

Mr Miners said he also had to take painkillers, which made him feel "like a zombie", to deal with the pain from his damaged mouth and inflamed gums.

"And every day and night I'm waking up and I'm just sucking poison, and there are putrid smells. It is sickening," he said.

"I've had one filling done in a tooth, back in 2005, and that's in a seven-year wait."

Opposition health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner said it was outrageous that almost 160,000 people were still waiting for necessary dental treatment in NSW.

"Patients like Jeffrey Miners are waiting in pain and undertaking drastic action because Health Minister Reba Meagher has failed to give them appropriate dental care," Mrs Skinner said.
More about dentistry in Australia

Teeth And Jewelry Don't Mix

ScienceDaily (June 24, 2008) — Skin piercings might be the rage among teens, but researchers from Tel Aviv University have found good reasons to think twice about piercing one’s tongue or lip.

Dr. Liran Levin, a dentist from the Department of Oral Rehabilitation, School of Dental Medicine at Tel Aviv University has found that about 15 to 20 percent of teens with oral piercings are at high risk for both tooth fractures and gum disease. Resulting tooth fractures as well as periodontal problems, he says, can lead to anterior (front) tooth loss later in life.

High rates of fractures due to piercings are not found in other age groups, and cases of severe periodontal damage in teens without oral piercings are similarly rare, says Dr. Levin, who conducted the study with partners Dr. Yehuda Zadik and Dr. Tal Becker, both dentists in the Israeli Army.

Their initial study was done on 400 young adults aged 18-19, and the results were published in the well-known peer-reviewed journal Dental Traumatology in 2005. A new review by Drs. Levin and Zadik published in the American Dental Journal in late 2007 is the first and largest of its kind to document the risks and complications of oral piercings, drawing on research from multiple centers in America and across the world. More HERE

Growth hormore helps dental implants, Rubber dam Use in Endo

Growth Hormone helps faster placement of Dental implants


The use of the growth hormone in oral implantology has managed to regenerate the bone and hasten the integration between the bone base and the dental implant. The process allows to reduce from six months to two weeks the wait time to place the crown which replaces the lost tooth on the oral implant.

This advance has been the result of the research of the doctoral thesis "Growth hormone and osteointegration in the oral cavity" by Cecilia Vander Worf Úbeda, supervised by Professors Antonio Cutando Soriano and Gerardo Gómez Moreno (School of Odontology of the University of Granada, Spain).

"We must consider," says Cutando "That a dental impant is successful when it is possible to get a firm, stable and lasting joint between the bone substratum and the crown constructed on it, in which we call prosthetic restoration. That was the goal of this research work, which has also managed to improve the patients' quality of life reducing the wait period to receive a new tooth."

The Works were developed over three years with a methodology applied to 13 dogs, with the authorization of the Ethical Committee of the University of Granada.

Hastened biointegration

The research carried out by Cecilia Vander Worf obtained a good and fast biointegration, which consists of "the direct biochemical joint between the raw bone and the surface of the implant, demonstrable through electronic microscopy, irrespective of any mechanical joint mechanism".

Plan to Attend and send your students to ALL India IDA conference 21-23 Nov. 2008 at Belgaum It will be fun and learning



How to Deal with Tooth sensitivity during tooth whitening

Bleaching is the most conservative treatment for discolored teeth when compared with more invasive procedures, such as composites, veneers, or crowns, and offers a simple, cost-effective, and time-saving alternative. Bleaching vital and nonvital teeth is a well accepted, common procedure, and when used appropriately, is safe.^1,2 Patients have the option of bleaching at home or in the dental office. Both forms of bleaching can be associated with tooth and gingival sensitivity. This article will review the bleaching process and outline the management of bleaching-associated tooth and gingival sensitivity. Read Full article HERE

Accidental swallowing of an endodontic file
IEJ july 2008

This report again shows that doing endo without rubber dam can be dangerous and criminal offense if patient decides to sue you.

Aim To report the management of an iatrogenic incident in which an endodontic file was swallowed accidentally and passed into the gastrointestinal tract.

A 51-year-old male swallowed a 21 mm, size 30 endodontic file during root canal treatment without rubber dam. In the absence of clinical complications, the patient was reviewed with serial chest and abdominal radiographs, and stool tests for occult blood until the instrument was discharged at 3 days. This report discusses early differential diagnosis for locating foreign bodies and underlines the importance of serial radiographic evaluation for signs of foreign body migration.

Key learning points• The use of rubber dam is mandatory for patient safety during root canal treatment.

• Early location of an inhaled or ingested foreign body facilitates appropriate and timely treatment management and referral.

• When a foreign body passes into the gastrointestinal tract, clinical symptoms and signs should be monitored closely until it is excreted or removed.

• An endodontic file can pass through the gastrointestinal tract asymptomatically and apparently atraumatically within 3 days.

Comparison of radiographic and electronical working length determination on palatal and mesio-buccal root canals of extracted upper molars, Triple O, online June 2008

If you are doing endo and not using Electronic Apex Locator, its time for change, this study again proves that EAL is more accurate than radiographs.

Objective

The objective of this work was to compare the accuracy of working length determination of ProPex (Dentsply-Maillefer) electronic apex locator (EAL) to the radiographic method on extracted molars.
Study design
Root canal length was determined using the electronic apex locator and conventional radiographic method. Digital radiographs were taken and the distance between the tip of the file and the radiographic apex was measured. Mann-Whitney and χ2 tests were used for the statistical analysis.
Results

The average distance between the tip of the file and the radiographic apex in the mesio-buccal canals was 0.46 mm with the radiologic method, and 0.23 mm with EAL, and 0.43 mm and 0.31 mm in the palatal canals, respectively. The difference at the mesio-buccal canals was significant (Mann-Whitney test P = .048). The number of overextensions was higher in the EAL group.
Conclusion

The desired position of the file achieved by the EAL proved to be more accurate in the mesio-buccal canals than with the radiologic method alone.

Enjoy Monsoon.

Portland Cement for MTA and Tooth whitening in Malls

Can I use Portland Cement instead of MTA

MTA is needed for apexification but more than that it is being used for repairing perforations caused due to use of tapered instruments in Endodontics. Learn How to avoid Perforations

Here is an excellent write up and 25 papers on MTA to answer all your questions.

Today, it is well-established that MTA is nothing more than Portland cement plus bismuth oxide. However, due to the several classes of Portland cement It is impossible affirm that Portland cement that you will buy in the hardware shop will be the same used in the production of ProRoot MTA or MTA Angelus (see http://www.cement.org ;probably not but there are good chance that the results be quite similar even without sterilization. Please CLICK HERE to Download the papers attached.

The main composition of MTA is approximately 80% of Portland cement plus 20% of bismuth oxide. Taking our poor country as instance; the clinical use of raw Portland cement has been desired by many colleagues as a low-cost alternative to MTA. Read MORE

From 18 till 20 September the European Society of Microscope Dentistry
is having its first European meeting in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
please take a look at our program on www.ESMD2008.org


Tooth Whitening Goes to Masses


Jim Valentine,founded WhiteSmileUSA with two fellow entrepreneurs in February 2007, describes the company as "one of the pioneers in this new industry segment" -- a segment that could generate $3 billion in sales this year.

WhiteSmileUSA now operates in 22 states. Soon, its technicians are expected to start working at some Wal-Mart locations, moving the company one step closer to its goal: "to bring professional-grade teeth whitening to the masses."
People who work in the kiosks generally aren't dentists or even dental hygienists, they're legally prohibited from working inside customers' mouths. As a result, they merely help prepare the mouthpieces, or trays, that contain the whitening agents and then hand them to the customers, who insert them.

Dentists typically charge $350 to $1,000 for teeth-whitening treatments in their offices. At-home kits provided by dentists usually cost $250 to $350.
Recently, at the Sam's Club on Sawmill Road, WhiteSmileUSA was offering a "double application" for $143.27. A "complete" package, which featured the double application as well as an "aftercare kit," was going for $173.15.

WhiteSmileUSA has served more than 30,000 customers, and none of them, he said, has encountered any problem other than teeth sensitivity and gum irritation, temporary side effects spelled out in the company's consent form. This is what company spokesman said when Dentists protested against such practice as being unethical.

Some states have filed suits and have ordered such kiosks to shut down, MORE HERE

Toothpaste Too Pricey For The Poor

Fluoride toothpaste is prohibitively expensive for the world's poorest people, according to a study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Globalization and Health. Researchers revealed that the poorest populations of developing countries have the least access to affordable toothpaste.

The team, which includes Ann Goldman of the School of Public Health and Health Services at the George Washington University in Washington D.C., Robert Yee and Christopher Holmgren of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre at Radboud University Medical Centre in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, and Habib Benzian of the FDI World Dental Federation compared the relative affordability of fluoride toothpaste in 48 countries. MORE HERE

Lingual Braces and Bacteremia after Tooth Brushing

Bacteremia Associated With Toothbrushing and Dental Extraction
Published in Circulation June 2008

Background—Antibiotic prophylaxis recommendations for the prevention of infective endocarditis are based in part on studies of bacteremia from dental procedures, but toothbrushing may pose a greater threat. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence, duration, nature, and magnitude of endocarditis-related bacteremia from single-tooth extraction and toothbrushing and to determine the impact of amoxicillin prophylaxis on single-tooth extraction.

Methods and Results—In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 290 subjects were randomized to (1) toothbrushing, (2) single-tooth extraction with amoxicillin prophylaxis, or (3) single-tooth extraction with identical placebo. Blood was drawn for bacterial culturing and identification at 6 time points before, during, and after these interventions. The focus of our analysis was on bacterial species reported to cause infective endocarditis. We identified 98 bacterial species, 32 of which are reported to cause endocarditis. Cumulative incidence of endocarditis-related bacteria from all 6 blood draws was 23%, 33%, and 60% for the toothbrushing, extraction-amoxicillin, and extraction-placebo groups, respectively (P<0.0001). style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusions—Although amoxicillin has a significant impact on bacteremia resulting from a single-tooth extraction, given the greater frequency for oral hygiene, toothbrushing may be a greater threat for individuals at risk for infective endocarditis.

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Choices for Replacing a lost tooth

According to a New York study, a tooth loss ignored for long could lead to an increased risk of loosing adjacent teeth also. The factor that plays a vital role in long term tooth problems after one tooth loss is, the method chosen for tooth replacement. Research shows that a choice of wrong tooth replacement techniques, could hasten the chain reaction of adjacent tooth loss as time passes.

Dr. David Scharf, a Board Certified Periodontist and Dental Implant Surgeon and a Clinical Assistant Professor at New York University College of Dentistry, says “Many times consumers will choose to replace a missing tooth with a removable partial denture because it is the least expensive option. In the long run however, removable partial dentures may be more costly due the loss of adjacent teeth and the need for future replacements. Many people opt to replace teeth with dental implants because they do not compromise the survival of the adjacent teeth.”
More here

Dental Treatment During Pregnancy ?

Pregnant women can safely undergo essential dental treatment and receive topical and local anesthetics at 13 to 21 weeks gestation, says a study published in the June 2008 issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association.

Although obstetricians generally consider dental care safe for pregnant women, supporting clinical trial evidence has been lacking. To address this issue, researchers compared safety outcomes from the Obstetrics and Periodontal Therapy Trial in which pregnant women received scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) and essential dental treatment (defined as treatment of moderate-to-severe or fractured or abscessed teeth). More here

Era of Digital Impressions ? JADA June 2008

Time to say good buy to Alginates and Silicones ? Digital impressions appear to be practical, and the concept is being perfected, but the need for further research is clear. Digital impressions eliminate some of the negative characteristics of conventional elastomer impressions, but proper soft-tissue management and isolation of tooth preparation margins still is necessary.
The relative cost of digital impressions to conventional elastomer impressions is related directly to the number of impressions made by specific practitioners per month, but a dentist must use a digital impression system for a significant amount of time to compensate for the cost of the device. Nevertheless, the acceptance of the digital impression concept is promising.
To take a Free Course on Digital impressions CLICK HERE

3M Unitek has entered into an agreement

3M Unitek has entered into an agreement to acquire TOP-Service für Lingualtechnik GmbH, for undisclosed terms. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter, subject to customary closing conditions.

TOP-Service für Lingualtechnik GmbH is a Germany-based orthodontic technology and services company offering the novel Incognito brand system, which is a digital lingual orthodontic solution.

As part of the deal, TOP will produce synergies with Lingualcare Inc., which was acquired by 3M Unitek in 2007 and sells lingual orthodontic solutions under the iBraces brand.

The addition of TOP expands 3M's digital orthodontic products offering into Europe and Asia.

Microimplants better than Head Gear ?

Comparative evaluation of micro-implant and headgear anchorage used with a pre-adjusted appliance system
The European Journal of Orthodontics 2008 30(3):283-287

The aim of this study was to compare and evaluate the anchorage effectiveness of using either micro-implants or extraoral headgear with the McLaughlin–Bennett–Trevisi (MBT) system.

Thirty young Chinese adults (14 males and 16 females) aged 18–22 years with anterior bimaxillary protrusion were divided randomly into two equal groups, treated with the MBT system anchored by either micro-implants or headgear. Nine measurements obtained before and after treatment from lateral cephalometric radiographs were assessed for the two groups, using the Mann–Whitney U test with {alpha} = 0.05 for statistical significance.

The maxillary incisors in the micro-implant group were significantly more retracted and intruded, while the lower incisors were more lingually inclined, than in the headgear group. The occlusal and mandibular planes were rotated more counterclockwise in the micro-implant group than in the headgear group. So why use headgear, Learn HERE how to Place Microimplants and see cases, Start using them today.

Now you watch this video on "A day in life of a dentist"


FDA Changes Position on Mercury Dental Fillings

For years, the FDA said amalgam fillings were safe. However, after a recent settlement with consumer advocacy groups such as Moms Against Mercury, the FDA now recognizes mercury's possible harmful effects on the following:

* pregnant women
* nursing women
* young children
* people with compromised immune systems
* people sensitive to mercury exposure
* unborn children

The FDA posted new information on its Web site about mercury amalgam's possible risks:

* "Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses."
* "Pregnant women and persons who may have a health condition that makes them more sensitive to mercury exposure, including individuals with existing high levels of mercury bioburden, should not avoid seeking dental care, but should discuss options with their health practitioner."

According to FDA spokeswoman Mary Peper Long, more than likely the FDA will not ban amalgam fillings. Instead, its new guidelines as of July 2009 may restrict the use of amalgam in some patients.

ADA position on Dental Amalgam lawsuit

Dental disease may foreshadow, worsen diabetes (every diabetic patient should see a dentist)
June 6, 2008

People with severe periodontal disease may be at increased risk for developing diabetes, while those with gum disease who are already diabetic have a harder time controlling blood sugar levels, researchers said.

People with type 2 diabetes can help control the disease by taking better care of their teeth and gums.That's the case dentists will make at the American Diabetes Association's annual meeting in San Francisco this weekend.

People with periodontal disease are twice as likely to have insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes, as those without it, said George Taylor, associate professor of dentistry at the University of Michigan. Aggressively fighting the gum disease reduces blood sugar levels, which if untreated put patients at greater risk for kidney disease and death, he said.

"Just as periodontal disease makes diabetes worse, the reverse also appears to be true, with improvements in periodontal disease benefiting diabetes control," said Dr. Taylor. "We conducted an NIH-funded, randomized clinical trial in 46 people with type 2 diabetes and, 15 months after routine periodontal treatment, found a statistically significant reduction of 0.67% in A1C levels," said Dr. Taylor.


Children Who Grind Their Teeth Are More Likely To Have Problems In School

ScienceDaily (Jun. 10, 2008) — Tooth grinding has an association with pre-school performance when withdrawn behavior is present, according to a research abstract that will be presented on June 10 at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS).

The study focused on 1,956 pre-schoolers, whose low-income parents completed a questionnaire that included frequency of tooth grinding during sleep.

According to the results, 36.8 percent of pre-schoolers were reported to grind their teeth one or more times per week, and 6.7 percent reported this behavior four or more times per week. Further, as the frequency of children's tooth grinding during sleep increased, parents were more likely to endorse that their child is withdrawn, doesn't get involved with others, and that pre-school adjustment was worse. More HERE

India Needs more Dentists ?

India Needs 200 000 more dentists ?

New Delhi, April 3,2008 (IANS) India is setting up 60 new medical colleges and 225 nursing colleges in public-private partnership to tide over its current acute shortage of doctors, nurses, dentists and paramedics, a Planning Commission report has said.

It also said that the 'only way' to meet the crunch is to open the medical education sector 'completely for private sector participation and companies being allowed to establish medical and dental colleges just as they have been allowed to open nursing colleges'.

The report, released Wednesday by Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia, said that India faces a shortage of about 600,000 doctors, one million nurses, 200,000 dental surgeons and large numbers of paramedical staff.
Currently, professional colleges churn out about 30,000 doctors a year, apart from 20,000 dentists and 45,000 nurses.

Now what is going to happen in India, all villages will get dentists ? NO, what is more likely that cities will have 1 to 10 Ratio of dentist to population. To get more insight on this topic email to gurudental@yahoo.com, write your views also.
For full news HERE

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Using Periodontal Ligament Regeneration To Save Teeth- Future is exciting
Source: Agnes Berendsen Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research

Teeth may fall out as a result of inflammation and subsequent destruction of the tissues supporting the teeth. Dutch researcher Agnes Berendsen has investigated a possible solution to this problem. At the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), she has studied the regeneration of the periodontal ligament by use of tissue engineering. The 3D in vitro model she has developed appears to be promising for regenerating periodontal ligament and may also prove valuable for restoring tendons and ligaments elsewhere in the body. FULL NEWS HERE
Another article on the same issue is published in J of Perio Res june 2008 issue Title "Cementum–periodontal ligament complex regeneration using the cell sheet technique" The article concludes
that the multilayered temperature-responsive culture system can be used as a novel strategy for periodontal regeneration. The human periodontal ligament cell sheet technique may be applicable for regeneration of the clinical periodontal ligament–cementum complex. Read full details here


A quantitative analysis of coconut water: a new storage media for avulsed teeth in Triple O Feb 2008 issue
Velayutham Gopikrishna,Toby Thomas,Deivanayagam Kandaswamy from MeenakshiAmmal Dental college, Chennai

Objective The purpose of this study was to use a Collagenase-Dispase assay to investigate the potential of a new storage media, coconut water, in maintaining viable periodontal ligament (PDL) cells on simulated avulsed teeth.

Study design Fifty freshly extracted human teeth were divided into 3 experimental groups and 2 control groups. The positive and negative controls corresponded to 0 minutes and an 8-hour dry time, respectively. The experimental teeth were stored dry for 30 minutes and then immersed in 1 of the 3 media: coconut water (CW), Hank’s balanced salt solution (HBSS), and milk. The teeth were then treated with Dispase grade II and Collagenase for 30 minutes. The number of viable PDL cells were counted with a hemocytometer and analyzed.

Results Statistical analysis demonstrated that CW kept significantly more PDL cells viable compared to either HBSS or milk.

Conclusion Within the parameters of this study, it appears that CW may be better alternative to HBSS or milk in terms of maintaining PDL cell viability after avulsion and storage.