[Comparison of the amount of alveolar bone loss and the number of remaining teeth in postmenopausal women with and without normal bone mass]

Despite decades of research, there is not a consensus on whether patients with osteoporosis/ osteopenia are at higher risk for jaw bone resorption, periodontitis and tooth loss or not. The purpose of this study was to compare alveolar bone resorption and the number of remaining teeth between postmenopausal women with normal bone mass and postmenopausal women with low bone mass. A total of 100 volunteer women, aged from 40 to 70, who presented at Shiraz Namazi Hospital for the diagnosis of osteoporosis were selected and divided into normal and osteoporotic/osteopenic groups. Parallel periapical radiographs were taken from first and second mandibular molars on both sides using radiology device Planmeca Intra Dentsply Rinn=0.32 [KVP=60 MA=8], Ekta speed Kodak film and were digitalized using scaner [Microtek Scanmaker I 800]. Values of alveolar bone resorption were determined by measuring the distance between CEJ and the lowest point of the crest in mesial and distal areas of the mandibular first and second molars and central incisor, using the software AutoCAD [2007] with an accuracy of 0.00mm. Panoramic radiographs were used to evaluate the number of missing teeth. To evaluate bone resorption and to compare the number of the missing teeth, t-test and Mann Whitney test were used respectively. Alveolar bone resorption and the number of the remaining teeth in the postmenopausal women with or without normal bone mass in the studied groups were not different significantly. In this study, no relation was found between the number of the missing teeth/alveolar bone resorption and bone mass in postmenopausal women

Effect of gravity and capillarity on human saliva penetration in coronally unsealed obturated root canals

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of gravity and capillarity on penetration of human salivary bacteria into the entire length of obturated root canals, and to demonstrate the dye penetration configuration. Fifty single-rooted premolars were decoronated, prepared to a standardized length of 15 mm, instrumented, and randomly divided into two groups [A and B] of 25 teeth each. Each group consisted of experimental [15 samples] and negative and positive controls [five samples each]. The experimental groups were obturated with gutta-percha and root canal sealer. The positive control groups were obturated with a single cone of gutta-percha and root canal sealer. The outer surfaces [except for the apical 2 mm] were covered with two layers of nail varnish. An apparatus containing Brain Heart Infusion broth was designed, in which the teeth were placed. The samples in Group A were placed upside down, while Group B was placed normally. The coronal portions of the samples were placed in contact with fresh saliva. The number of days required for bacteria to penetrate the entire length of canals was determined. The samples were then immersed in India ink to determine the dye penetration configuration. Data were analyzed using Student's Mest. The extent of dye penetration was significantly greater in Group B compared to Group A, and they were in a pattern rather than linear form. Gravity and capillarity insignificantly affected bacterial leakage. Although gravity and capillarity did not affect bacterial penetration when applied to the coronal access of endodon-tically treated teeth, it seems that they can promote penetration of India ink into the canal after the bacterial test on the same tooth