João Paulo De Carli

The effect of laser and botulinum toxin in the treatment of myofascial pain and mouth opening: A randomized clinical trial☆☆☆★★★

This study conducted a randomized clinical trial in 15 patients, who sought care at the Dental Clinic of the University of Passo Fundo, in order to compare the use of low-level laser and botulinum toxin in the treatment of myofascial pain and whether they alter the mouth opening of patients with temporomandibular disorder. The patients were divided into two groups: the Laser group received low-level GaAlAs laser, 100mW of power at a wavelength of 830nm in continuous light emission; and the Toxin group received 30U of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) in the first session, and 15U after fifteen days. The assessments were performed by measuring pain with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and mouth opening with a digital caliper. Data were submitted to Students t test at 5% significance level. Regarding pain symptoms, the results indicate that groups treated with laser and toxin registered 7U in VAS, at day 5 the scores were 4.75 and 4.86U, respectively. The laser worked faster (day 12) at 2.75U, and the group treated with BTX-A registered 2.86U at day 30. Both therapies investigated were effective in reducing pain, but the effect of low-level laser was faster than the use of BTX-A. Both treatments showed no statistically significant improvement in mouth opening.

Prevalence of dental caries in patients with intellectual disabilities from the Association of Exceptional Children’s Parents and Friends of Southern Brazil

Objective This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and severity of dental caries, missing and restored teeth (DMFT) and the efficiency of oral health programs for patients with intellectual disabilities, from age 11 to 38, who attended at the Association of Exceptional Children’s Parents and Friends (APAE) in Passo Fundo, southern Brazil. Methods The prevalence of dental caries was assessed by DMFT in 109 patients. The mean and standard deviation were evaluated by One-way ANOVA with 5% significance level. Results 47 of the evaluated students were female and 62 male, with moderate mental disability, Down syndrome, cerebral paralysis and epilepsy. The DMFT average was 3.93 for 11-14 years, 3.47 for 15-19 years, 4.74 for 20-30 years and 5.68 for the group 31-40 years. There were no significant differences among the DMFT index, gender and intellectual disability for the groups. Conclusion Patients had acceptable oral hygiene within their limitations, suggesting that prevention and dental care program developed in APAEPF/RS could be used as a model for health care for patients with intellectual disabilities in other institutions and other cities. Indexing terms: Dental auxiliaries. Dental staff. Oral health. Professional competence.

Peri-implant assessment via cone beam computed tomography and digital periapical radiography: an ex vivo study

OBJECTIVES: This research evaluated detail registration in peri-implant bone using two different cone beam computer tomography systems and a digital periapical radiograph. METHODS: Three different image acquisition protocols were established for each cone beam computer tomography apparatus, and three clinical situations were simulated in an ex vivo fresh pig mandible: buccal bone defect, peri-implant bone defect, and bone contact. Data were subjected to two analyses: quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative analyses involved a comparison of real specimen measures using a digital caliper in three regions of the preserved buccal bone – A, B and E (control group) – to cone beam computer tomography images obtained with different protocols (kp1, kp2, kp3, ip1, ip2, and ip3). In the qualitative analyses, the ability to register peri-implant details via tomography and digital periapical radiography was verified, as indicated by twelve evaluators. Data were analyzed with ANOVA and Tukey’s test (α=0.05). RESULTS: The quantitative assessment showed means statistically equal to those of the control group under the following conditions: buccal bone defect B and E with kp1 and ip1, peri-implant bone defect E with kp2 and kp3, and bone contact A with kp1, kp2, kp3, and ip2. Qualitatively, only bone contacts were significantly different among the assessments, and the p3 results differed from the p1 and p2 results. The other results were statistically equivalent. CONCLUSIONS: The registration of peri-implant details was influenced by the image acquisition protocol, although metal artifacts were produced in all situations. The evaluators preferred the Kodak 9000 3D cone beam computer tomography in most cases. The evaluators identified buccal bone defects better with cone beam computer tomography and identified peri-implant bone defects better with digital periapical radiography.

Osseointegration of machined and anodized implants under the influence of nicotine

Objective The objective of this experimental study was to evaluate, through bone densitometry, the performance of two factors that may influence the osseointegration process: nicotine and superficial texturization of the implants. Methods Nineteen New Zealand rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were randomly distributed in two groups (test and control), in which 38 implants were placed. 19 machined implants (flat) 3.75 mm of diameter by 6.0 mm length were placed at the right tibia of the animals and, at the left tibia, 19 anodized implants (Vulcano(r)) with the same dimensions. Subcutaneous injections of nicotine 3ml/day/kg, three times a day were administered in group, group control also received, three times a day, subcutaneous solution of NaCl (3ml/day/kg), for 8 weeks. After this period, the densitometry analysis was performed. Results Considering the optical density (pixels), there were no statistical significant differences between the types of implants (p = 0.135) as well as between groups (p=0.590). Conclusion The nicotine inside the experimental conditions used in this study and the superficial texturization of the implants indicated that they were not influencing bone density.

Clinical Correlation of Oral Candidosis and Oral Lichen Planus

Lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory mucocutaneous disease of unclear aetiology. The disease often affects the oral mucosa and may manifest many clinical characteristics, being classified as typical and atypical forms. More importantly, lichen planus has the potential for malignant transformation. Candidosis is the most common disease in the mouth, Candida albicans being the main organism found. Candida sp. may secondarily infect oral lesions such as leukoplakia, oral lichen planus and squamous cell carcinoma. Patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) frequently present Candida infection. Superimposed candidosis lesions can interfere on the diagnosis of OLP, because the organism Candida albicans can change the reticular pattern characteristic of OLP. So, the aim of this chapter is to review the literature on the association of candidosis and oral lichen planus.

Evaluation of cellular proliferative activity in patients with oral lichen planus and hepatitis C through AgNOR method.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the cellular proliferative potential of oral lichen planus (OLP) lesions from patients without hepatitis C virus (HCV) by means of AgNOR method, as well as the cellular proliferative potential of the normal oral mucosa from patients with HCV, treated or untreated by interferon and ribavirin. A cross-sectional study was developed to investigate four groups: 10 HCV+ patients without clinical signs of OLP who had never been treated for HCV infection - Group 1; 10 HCV+ patients that were under interferon and ribavirin treatment - Group 2; 15 patients with reticular OLP lesions histopathologically confirmed, without HCV - Group 3; and 15 blood donors without HCV infection and no clinical signs of OLP GROUP 4 Control Group. The cytological material of all groups was collected by the liquid-based cytology technique. Then, the sedimented material from each patient was filled with the Nucleolar Organizer Regions impregnation by silver method (AgNOR). The count of NORs was performed on 100 epithelial cell nuclei per patient using the Image Tool(tm) software. The Tukey HSD test was used to compare the median value of NORs among the groups and showed that the oral mucosa of HCV+ patients previously treated with anti-HCV drugs (GROUP 2), presented a higher average number of NORs in relation to others (p<0.05). The anti-HCV treatment may be related to increased cell proliferation of oral mucosa, indicating a possible relationship between OLP and HCV+ patients treated with interferon and ribavirin.