Ellakwa AE, Shortall AC, Marquis PM. Influence of Different Techniques of Laboratory Construction on the Fracture Resistance of Fiber-Reinforced Composite (FRC) Bridges. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:001-013.

The objective of this anonymous postal survey was to assess the provision of dental prophylaxis by pediatric dentists in New England.

The questionnaire survey was sent by first class mail in September, 2001 to all 217 American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) members in active private practice in the six New England States of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. A self-addressed, stamped envelope was provided to facilitate the returned response.

The survey had a response rate of 70%. Most practitioners (93%) routinely recommended dental prophylaxis for their recall patients. The proportion of practitioners who considered the following indications for recommending dental prophylaxis was: plaque, stain, and/or calculus removal – 99%; caries prevention – 75%; prior to topical fluoride application - 82%; prior to sealant application - 58%; and for behavioral modification - 68%. Almost two thirds of the practitioners (62%) defined dental prophylaxis as referring to both rubber cup pumice prophylaxis as well as to toothbrush prophylaxis. However, only one in four practitioners (26%) had modified her/his clinical practice to substitute toothbrush prophylaxis in lieu of rubber cup pumice prophylaxis.

Pediatric dentists in New England routinely provide dental prophylaxis to their recall patients.

Nainar SMH, Redford-Badwal DA. Survey of Dental Prophylaxes Rendered by Pediatric Dentists in New England . J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:014-022.

This study aims to investigate the effect of various oral hygiene strategies on the symptoms of inflammation in neuromuscularly disabled patients and to define the optimum hygiene method.

Fifty-nine neuromuscularly disabled participants, suffering from cerebral palsy, were randomly divided into five groups as follows: Group M: manual toothbrush (n=14), Group E: electrically powered toothbrush (n=9), Group MC: manual toothbrush and chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) spray (n=13), Group EC: electrically powered toothbrush and CHX spray (n=9), and Group C: CHX spray (n=14). The oral hygiene applications were provided by the parents and staff. At baseline and after 21 days the plaque index (PI), the gingival index (GI), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were recorded.

In intra-group comparisons of the pre- and post-application scores, in all groups the PI and GI scores and BOP percentages, except in Group C, were found significantly different (p<0.05). There were significant differences among the post-application scores, between Group M and Group E and between Group C and Group E in PI scores; between Group C and Group E the difference in GI scores were found statistically significant (p<0.05).

Although all oral hygiene strategies reduced plaque and gingival inflammation, the results of our study suggested the electrically powered toothbrush could be more recommendable to neuromuscularly disabled people in these strategies, while the combined procedures appeared to be neither beneficial nor favorable.

Bozkurt FY, Fentoğlu Ö, Yetkin Z. The Comparison of Various Oral Hygiene Strategies in Neuromuscularly Disabled Individuals. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:023-031.

The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the microleakage at dentin margins of a flowable resin composite associated with an adhesive, either light cured separately or co-cured, in Class V cavities.

Twenty four recently extracted human molars were prepared with standardized boxshaped Class V cavities of 3.0 mm (mesial-distal), 2.0 mm (occlusal-gingival), and 2.0 mm depth with margins located on enamel and dentin/cementum on the buccal or lingual surfaces. The cavities were randomly assigned into three groups (n=8): Group I – Single Bond + Filtek Z250 (control); Group II – Single Bond + Filtek Flow (light cured separately) + Filtek Z250; and Group III – Single Bond + Filtek Flow co-cured (light cured simultaneously) + Filtek Z250. After being immersed in tap water for 24 h, the specimens were thermocycled (1000x, 5°-55°C, 30 sec dwell time) and immersed in a 0.5% basic fuchsine solution for 24 h. The restorations were sectioned longitudinally and gingival margins were evaluated for microleakage using a 0-4 scale. Data were subjected to the Kruskal-Wallis test at p<0.05.

A statistically significant difference at p = 0.0044 between Groups 1 and 3 and Groups 2 and 3 was observed. Although Group 2 performed slightly better than Group 1, no significant difference was observed.

The use of a flowable resin composite cured simultaneously with an adhesive yielded the worst results in this study. As no statistical differences were seen between Groups 1 and 2, the use of a flowable composite as a means of minimizing microleakage at dentin margins may be questioned.

Sensi LG, Marson FC, Monteiro S Jr., Baratieri LN, de Andrada MAC. Flowable Composites as “Filled Adhesives:” A Microleakage Study . J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:032-041.

Bayindir YZ, Yildiz M. Surface Hardness Properties of Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer Cements and Polyacid-Modified Composite Resins. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:042-049.

Schiff T, Solomon BE. An In Vivo Evaluation of the Diagnostic Quality Ultra-Speed Versus Insight Intraoral Dental Film. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:050-057.

Ardakani FE, Davari A, Goodarizpour D, et. al. Evaluation of the Diagnostic Advantage of Intraoral D and E Film for Detecting Interproximal Caries. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:058-070.

Evcil MS, Çolak M. The pH Changes of Four Different Root Canal Sealers After Mixing at Various Time Intervals in vitro. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:071-078.

Saglam AMS, Baysal V, Ceylan AM. Nickel and Cobalt Hypersensitive Reaction Before and After Orthodontic Therapy in Children. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:079-090.

Al Maghlouth A, Al Yousef Y, Al Bagieh N. Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Bacterial Aerosols. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:091-100.

Shay K. The Evolving Impact of Aging America on Dental Practice. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:101-110.

Breault LG, Lee SY, Mitchell NE. Fixed Prosthetics with a Connective Tissue and Alloplastic Bone Graft Ridge Augmentation: A Case Report. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:111-122.

Chandra RV, Pandurang P, Bhat KM. Labial Veneers in the Management of Desquamative Gingivitis: Report of a Case. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:122-132.

Wang WC, Vachiramon S, Vachiramon A, et. al. Treatment of Xerostomia in Prosthetic Patients Using Local Acupuncture Points on the Face. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:133-138.

Martins WD, Westphalen FH, Ditzel Westphalen VP, Souza PHC. Multiple Dentoalveolar Traumatic Lesions: Report of a Case and Proposition of Dental Polytrauma as a New Term. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:139-147.

Gündüz K, Çelenk P, Kayipmaz S . An Unusual Foreign Body (Suturing Needle) in the Tonsillar Region. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:148-154.

Mupparapu M, Arora S . Wireless Networking for the Dental Office: Current Wireless Standards and Security Protocols. J Contemp Dent Pract 2004 November;(5)4:155-162.