Selection of Appropriate Artificial Maxillary Central Incisor Size Using Dimensions of Hard Palate

To determine the ratio between width of hamular notches and maxillary central incisors' width at cervical, incisal and contact points. Cross–sectional descriptive study. Department of Prosthodontics, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry, Rawalpindi from Feb 2010 to Aug 2010. Impressions of the maxillary jaw of 125 subjects were made and casts were obtained. A precise caliper was used to make the measurement ofthe widths of the maxillary central incisors at three different levels; the incisal edge [IW], at the level of interdental contact points [ConW] and in the cervical region [CerW]. The hamular width [HW] was measured between the most mesial demarcation point of the left and the right hamular notches.The ratios between the hard palate width [HW] and maxillary central incisor widths at all the three levels [IW, ConW, CerW] were calculated.Data was analyzed using SPSS 16. Of the125 subjects, 52 [41.6%] were males and 73 [58.4%] were females while mean age of the subjects was 26.56 years. Ratios HW/CerW, HW/IW and HW/ConWwere calculated as 6.08+0.18mm, 5.9+0.17mm and 5.81+ 0.17mm. The HW can be used as a preliminary method for determining the width of the maxillary central incisor

Body mass index before and after provison of complete dentures

Good diet is essential for the development and maintenance of healthy teeth, but healthy teeth are important in enabling the consumption of a varied and healthy diet throughout the life cycle. Toot loss impairs chewing function and may result in the consumption of a limited diet of poor nutritional quality and may impact on diet-related quality of life. To be able to eat better is one of the main reasons for the provision of dental prostheses, the other reasons being aesthetics and speech. The objective of this study was to compare body mass index [BMI] of the patient before and after provision of complete denture therapy in a six months period. Seventy completely edentulous patients were included in this quasi-experimental study with age ranges between fifty five to sixty five years. Body Mass Index [BMI] was calculated at baseline, three and six month interval after provision of complete denture. Within the limitations of this study, no significant differences were found in BMI, before and after provision of complete denture

Tooth shade perceptibility of undergraduate students, house surgeons and postgraduate residents

The objective of the study was to assess the shade perception abilities of undergraduate students in comparison to house surgeons and postgraduate residents on the basis of their clinical experience and technical education and training received on tooth shade selection. For this, a cross-sectional comparative study was carried out on a sample of 80 subjects, equally divided into two groups: Group I included undergraduate students and Group II included graduates doing house job or postgraduate training. All subjects were randomly divided into two further groups: the ET-group, which received proper education and training in shade selection; the non-ET-group, which did not receive such education. A shade selection exercise was devised using two Vitapan Classical shade guides. The number of correct matches established the participant's score, which was used in data analysis through the Chi-square test. Only 10 participants scored the maximum of 4 points including 2 students of Group I [2.5%] and 8 postgraduate residents of Group II [10.0%]. All of them belonged to the ET-group, which was a significant finding [P<0.05]. It was concluded that clinical experience and technical education and training received enables the observer to perform better at shade selection

Efficacy of gluma desensitizer[TM] and duraphat[TM] in relieving dentinal hypersensitivity in non-carious cervical lesions

The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of Gluma Desensitizer[TM] and Duraphat[TM] in relieving dentinal hypersensitivity in non-carious cervical lesions by a randomized control trial. 196 patients having hypersensitive non-carious cervical lesions were divided into two groups. Gluma Desensitizer[TM] was applied to patients in Group A and Duraphat[TM] to patients ingroup B. Patient's pain response to compressed air was recorded on the visual analogue scale at baseline, 5 minutes, 7 days and 30 days after treatment. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 12. Comparison of sensitivity between the two treatment groups on application of compressed air showed a statistically significant difference. The results of this study showed that Gluma Desensitizer[TM] showed better results in relieving dentinal hypersensitivity than Duraphat[TM] in non-carious cervical lesions

Denture hygiene habits in complete denture wearers at Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry

To determine the denture hygiene in complete denture wearers and their relationship to age, gender, educational level and denture-wearing behavior. Cross-sectional comparative study. Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry Rawalpindi from July 2009 to February 2010. This study was conducted over 173 adults aged 55-85 years who were fitted with new or modified complete maxillary and mandibular acrylic prostheses. Denture hygiene levels were recorded by using Budtz-Jorgensen and Bertram criteria. The majority of participants [44.5%] reported cleaning their dentures with toothbrush and toothpaste, compared to less than 10% each who reported using sodium bicarbonate, sodium hypochlorite, or ordinary soap. Overnight denture removal found in 112 [64.73%] subjects, 109 [63.0%] immersed their dentures in water and only 3 [1.7%] immersed them in a chemical solution. Denture hygiene was rated as [Good] for 38 participants [21.96%], [Fair] for 78 [45.08%] and [Poor] for 57[32.94%]. The degree of denture hygiene was found to be significantly associated with gender, level of education, self-perception of halitosis, overnight removal of dentures and denture immersion habits [p<0.001]. Denture related problems were more frequently among patients with poor denture hygiene