A new phantom to evaluate the tissue dissolution ability of endodontic irrigants and activating devices

Objective@#The aim of this study was to introduce a gelatin/bovine serum albumin (BSA) tissue standard, which provides dissolution properties identical to those of biological tissues. Further, the study evaluated whether the utilization of endodontic activating devices led to enhanced phantom dissolution rates. @*Materials and Methods@#Bovine pulp tissue was obtained to determine a benchmark of tissue dissolution. The surface area and mass of samples were held constant while the ratio of gelatin and BSA were varied, ranging from 7.5% to 10% gelatin and 5% BSA. Each sample was placed in an individual test tube that was filled with an appropriate sodium hypochlorite solution for 1, 3, and 5 minutes, and then removed from the solution, blotted dry, and weighed again. The remaining tissue was calculated as the percent of initial tissue to determine the tissue dissolution rate. A radiopaque agent (sodium diatrizoate) and a fluorescent dye (methylene blue) were added to the phantom to allow easy quantification of phantom dissolution in a canal block model when activated using ultrasonic (EndoUltra) or sonic (EndoActivator) energy. @*Results@#The 9% gelatin + 5% BSA phantom showed statistically equivalent dissolution to bovine pulp tissue at all time intervals. Furthermore, the EndoUltra yielded significantly more phantom dissolution in the canal block than the EndoActivator or syringe irrigation. @*Conclusions@#Our phantom is comparable to biological tissue in terms of tissue dissolution and could be utilized for in vitro tests due to its injectability and detectability.

A new phantom to evaluate the tissue dissolution ability of endodontic irrigants and activating devices

Objective@#The aim of this study was to introduce a gelatin/bovine serum albumin (BSA) tissue standard, which provides dissolution properties identical to those of biological tissues. Further, the study evaluated whether the utilization of endodontic activating devices led to enhanced phantom dissolution rates. @*Materials and Methods@#Bovine pulp tissue was obtained to determine a benchmark of tissue dissolution. The surface area and mass of samples were held constant while the ratio of gelatin and BSA were varied, ranging from 7.5% to 10% gelatin and 5% BSA. Each sample was placed in an individual test tube that was filled with an appropriate sodium hypochlorite solution for 1, 3, and 5 minutes, and then removed from the solution, blotted dry, and weighed again. The remaining tissue was calculated as the percent of initial tissue to determine the tissue dissolution rate. A radiopaque agent (sodium diatrizoate) and a fluorescent dye (methylene blue) were added to the phantom to allow easy quantification of phantom dissolution in a canal block model when activated using ultrasonic (EndoUltra) or sonic (EndoActivator) energy. @*Results@#The 9% gelatin + 5% BSA phantom showed statistically equivalent dissolution to bovine pulp tissue at all time intervals. Furthermore, the EndoUltra yielded significantly more phantom dissolution in the canal block than the EndoActivator or syringe irrigation. @*Conclusions@#Our phantom is comparable to biological tissue in terms of tissue dissolution and could be utilized for in vitro tests due to its injectability and detectability.

Advancements in craniofacial prosthesis fabrication: A narrative review of holistic treatment

The treatment of craniofacial anomalies has been challenging as a result of technological shortcomings that could not provide a consistent protocol to perfectly restore patient-specific anatomy. In the past, wax-up and impression-based maneuvers were implemented to achieve this clinical end. However, with the advent of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology, a rapid and cost-effective workflow in prosthetic rehabilitation has taken the place of the outdated procedures. Because the use of implants is so profound in different facets of restorative dentistry, their placement for craniofacial prosthesis retention has also been widely popular and advantageous in a variety of clinical settings. This review aims to effectively describe the well-rounded and interdisciplinary practice of craniofacial prosthesis fabrication and retention by outlining fabrication, osseointegrated implant placement for prosthesis retention, a myriad of clinical examples in the craniofacial complex, and a glimpse of the future of bioengineering principles to restore bioactivity and physiology to the previously defected tissue.

Effects of incorporation of 2.5 and 5 wt% TiO₂ nanotubes on fracture toughness, flexural strength, and microhardness of denture base poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA)

PURPOSE: The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate, for the first time, the effects of addition of titania nanotubes (n-TiO2) to poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) on mechanical properties of PMMA denture base. MATERIALS AND METHODS: TiO2 nanotubes were prepared using alkaline hydrothermal process. Obtained nanotubes were assessed using FESEM-EDX, XRD, and FT-IR. For 3 experiments of this study (fracture toughness, three-point bending flexural strength, and Vickers microhardness), 135 specimens were prepared according to ISO 20795-1:2013 (n of each experiment=45). For each experiment, PMMA was mixed with 0% (control), 2.5 wt%, and 5 wt% nanotubes. From each TiO2:PMMA ratio, 15 specimens were fabricated for each experiment. Effects of n-TiO2 addition on 3 mechanical properties were assessed using Pearson, ANOVA, and Tukey tests. RESULTS: SEM images of n-TiO2 exhibited the presence of elongated tubular structures. The XRD pattern of synthesized n-TiO2 represented the anatase crystal phase of TiO2. Moderate to very strong significant positive correlations were observed between the concentration of n-TiO2 and each of the 3 physicomechanical properties of PMMA (Pearson's P value ≤.001, correlation coefficient ranging between 0.5 and 0.9). Flexural strength and hardness values of specimens modified with both 2.5 and 5 wt% n-TiO2 were significantly higher than those of control (P≤.001). Fracture toughness of samples reinforced with 5 wt% n-TiO2 (but not those of 2.5% n-TiO2) was higher than control (P=.002). CONCLUSION: Titania nanotubes were successfully introduced for the first time as a means of enhancing the hardness, flexural strength, and fracture toughness of denture base PMMA.

Development of polymer-coated glass slides as optical oligonucleotide microarrays

The microarray technology is in needed of cost-effective, low background noise and stable substrates for successful hybridization and analysis. In this research, we developed a three-dimentional stable and mechanically reliable microarray substrates by coating of two polymeric layers on standard microscope glass slides. For fabrication of these substrates, a thin film of oxidized agarose was prepared on the Poly-L-Lysine [PLL] coated glass slides. Unmodified oligonucleotide probes were spotted and immobilized on these double layered thin films by adsorption on the porous structure of the agarose film. Some of the aldehyde groups of the activated agarose linked covalently to PLL amine groups; on the other side, they bound to amino groups of adsorbed tail of biomolecules. These linkages were fixed by UV irradiation at 254 nm using a CL-1000 UV. These prepared substrates were compared to only agarose-coated and PLL-coated slides. Atomic Force Microscope [AFM] results demonstrated that agarose provided three-dimensional surface which had higher loading and bindig capacity for biomolecules than PLL-coated surface which had two-dimensional surface. The nano-indentation tests demonstrated the prepared double coating was more reliable and flexible for mechanical robotic spotting. In addition, the repeated indentation on different substrates showed uniformity of coatings. The stability of novel coating was sufficient for hybridization process. The signal-to-noise ratio in hybridization reactions performed on the agarose-PLL coated substrates increased two fold and four fold compared to agarose and PLL coated substrates, respectively. Finally, the agarose-PLL microarrays had the highest signal [2920] and lowest background signal [205] in hybridization, suggesting that the prepared slides are suitable in analyzing wide concentration range of analytes