Kely Firmino Bruno

Microscopic evaluation of the effect of different storage media on the periodontal ligament of surgically extracted human teeth

The objective of this study was to microscopically evaluate the human periodontal ligament adhered to extracted teeth, after extra-alveolar period of 1 h using, as storage media, pasteurized milk (group I), chicken egg white (group II) and artificial saliva (group III). Forty intact premolars were selected, with indication of tooth extraction for orthodontic reasons. After the extraction of 30 teeth, they were maintained dried on a gauze at room temperature for 10 min, and then immersed in the selected storage media. After the established time, the teeth were washed with saline solution and placed in 10.0% buffered formalin. Ten teeth were extracted and immediately immersed in 10.0% neutral formalin (group IV). Thereafter, they were submitted to histological processing. After fixation and decalcification, the specimens were cut at the cervical, medium and apical thirds, inserted in paraffin and serially sectioned, with 6-mum thickness. They were stained by hematoxylin-eosin and analyzed under light microscopy. According to the results of quantitative analysis, there was no statistically significant difference in the number of cells per mm(2) between groups I, II and III. The qualitative analysis showed similar results in relation to the organization of collagen fibers and the number of cells in groups I and II, but group III displayed a higher disorganization of the collagen fibers and also a higher reduction in the number of cells. Based on these results, it was concluded that the quality of periodontal ligament was affected by the storage media, when compared with the control group. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of cells per mm(2) between the control group and groups I, II and III. There was no significant statistical difference in the number of cells per mm(2) between groups I, II and III.

Microbiological and microscopic analysis of the pulp of non-vital traumatized teeth with intact crowns

Objective: This study evaluated the presence of microorganisms and analyzed microscopically the pulp of 20 traumatized human teeth with intact crowns and clinical diagnosis of pulp necrosis, based on the association of at least three of the clinical criteria: crown discoloration, negative response to thermal and electric pulp vitality tests, positive response to vertical and horizontal percussion, pain on palpation or mobility. Material and Methods: Microbiological collection was performed from the root canals to evaluate the presence of microorganisms. The pulp samples were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H.E.) for histological evaluation of possible morphological alterations. Results: Analysis of results was performed by statistical tests (linear regression test and diagnostic analysis) and subjective analysis of the sections stained with H.E. and revealed that only 15% of the sample did not exhibit microbial development. The time elapsed between dental trauma and onset of endodontic intervention ranged from 15 days to 31 months; the percussion test presented high sensitivity (80%) for detection of microorganisms in the root canal of traumatized teeth; 3 teeth (15%) did not present pulp tissue, being characterized as complete autolysis; analysis of pulp samples was performed on the other 17 cases, among which 3 (15%) exhibited partial necrosis without possibility of repair and 14 presented complete necrosis; none of the clinical criteria employed for the diagnosis of pulp necrosis in traumatized teeth was pathognomonic. Conclusions: The present results allowed the following conclusions: with regard to microbiological findings, 85% of teeth presented microorganisms in the root canal, despite the presence of an intact crown. Concerning the microscopic findings, 100% of traumatized teeth presented pulp necrosis; the pulp vitality tests based on pulp response to heat, cold and vertical percussion were the most reliable to diagnose pulp necrosis in traumatized teeth.

Assessment of Oxygen Saturation in Dental Pulp of Permanent Teeth with Periodontal Disease

INTRODUCTION In individuals with periodontal disease, dental pulp status should be determined before a treatment plan is made. Pulse oximeters are promising diagnostic tools to evaluate pulp vascularization. This study used pulse oximetry to determine the level of oxygen saturation in dental pulp of intact permanent teeth with periodontal attachment loss (PAL) and gingival recession (GR) and to evaluate the correlation between periodontal disease and level of oxygen saturation in the pulp. METHODS This study included 67 anterior teeth of 35 patients; all teeth showed intact crowns, PAL, a periodontal pocket (PP), and GR. The teeth underwent periodontal examination, cold and electric pulp testing, and pulse oximetry measurements. The Pearson correlation coefficient and a linear regression coefficient were calculated to evaluate the degree of correlation between periodontal disease markers (PAL, PP, and GR) and the level of oxygen saturation in dental pulp. These tests also evaluated possible associations between oxygen saturation and cold and electric pulp testing. RESULTS PAL, PP, and GR had negative correlations with oxygen saturation in dental pulp. Conversely, no statistically significant association was found between oxygen saturation in dental pulp and the response to electric sensibility testing. CONCLUSIONS Oxygen saturation was lower in the pulp of permanent teeth with PAL, PP, and GR, indicating that periodontal disease correlates with the level of oxygen saturation in the pulp.

Temperature and curing time affect composite sorption and solubility.

Objective: This study evaluated the effect of temperature and curing time on composite sorption and solubility. Material and Methods: Seventy five specimens (8x2 mm) were prepared using a commercial composite resin (ICE, SDI). Three temperatures (10º C, 25º C and 60º C) and five curing times (5 s, 10 s, 20 s, 40 s and 60 s) were evaluated. The specimens were weighed on an analytical balance three times: A: before storage (M1); B: 7 days after storage (M2); C: 7 days after storage plus 1 day of drying (M3). The storage solution consisted of 75% alcohol/25% water. Sorption and solubility were calculated using these three weights and specimen dimensions. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U Tests (α=5%). Results: The results showed that time, temperature and their interaction influenced the sorption and solubility of the composite (p<0.05). At 60º C, the composite sorption showed an inverse relationship with the curing time (p<0.05). The composite cured for 5 s showed higher sorption for the 40 s or 60 s curing times when compared with all temperatures (p<0.05). Curing times of 20 s and 40 s showed similar sorption data for all temperatures (p>0.05). The 60º C composite temperature led to lower values of sorption for all curing times when compared with the 10º C temperature (p<0.05). The same results were found when comparing 10º C and 25º C (p<0.05), except that the 20 s and 40 s curing times behaved similarly (p>0.05). Solubility was similar at 40 s and 60 s for all temperatures (p>0.05), but was higher at 10º C than at 60º C for all curing times (p<0.05). When the composite was cured at 25º C, similar solubility values were found when comparing the 5 s and 10 s or 20 s and 40 s curing times (p>0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, higher temperatures or longer curing times led to lower sorption and solubility values for the composite tested; however, this trend was only significant in specific combinations of temperature and curing times.

Oxygen Saturation in the Dental Pulp of Maxillary Premolars in Different Age Groups - Part 1

The aim of this study was to determine oxygen saturation levels in the dental pulp of maxillary premolars in different age groups. A total of 120 human maxillary premolars with normal dental pulps were selected covering the following age groups: 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39 and 40-44 years (n=24 each group). Oxygen saturation was assessed using pulse oximetry. Analysis of variance was used to assess differences in oxygen saturation levels and Tukeys test was used to identify the age groups that differed from each other. Significance was set at 0.05. Mean oxygen saturation of 120 premolars was 86.20% considering all age groups. Significantly reduced levels were found in the oldest group compared to the other groups: 40 to 44 years - 80.00% vs. 89.71, 87.67, 88.71, and 84.80% for age groups 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39 years, respectively. The mean oxygen saturation levels were similar between 20 and 39 years of age (86.20%) in the whole sample, but reduced significantly in the 40-44-year age group, suggesting that older patients present lower oxygen saturation results even in the absence of pulp tissue injury.