RESUMEN
Cocoa powder has been used widely as a soothing rich chocolate drink, in baking and medical purposes for centuries. It is a rich source of polyphenols. The study was conducted on 48 Albino rats, randomly allocated into 4 groups. The control group was considered as group I in which rats were given normal saline along with standard diet while rats in the experimental group II, III and IV were given low, medium and high dosage of cocoa extract respectively dissolved in water by oral gavage daily along with standard rat chow diet. A 3mm surgical excisional wound was created on both left and right buccal mucosa of rats of all four groups with the help of punch-biopsy procedure. Tissue samples were obtained by sacrificing the rats on 3rd, 7th and 14th day after the surgical procedure. Gene expression of Tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-alpha] was evaluated through Real Time PCR [qPCR] and levels were measured quantitatively. The study concluded that cocoa powder extract in high dosage did have a positive effect in modulating the pro-inflammatory cytokines by decreasing gene expression of TNF-alpha and reducing the inflammatory process
RESUMEN
The field of orthodontics has improved many folds since its advent in 1900 century. Orthodontic bonding to enamel surface has massively improved the control of clinician in an effort to settle teeth in an ideal occlusion. Amalgam fillings have been in use since the development of the field of dentistry. Orthodontist more often than not comes across amalgam as a surface to bond bracket in term of fixed orthodontic therapy. The strength of bond between orthodontic bracket and amalgam has to improve, in order to insure the most important phase of orthodontic treatment that is orthodontic bonding.The aim of this study was to compare mean shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets on sand-blasted versus diamond bur roughened amalgam surfaces.This randomized control trial was performed in the Department of Orthodontics, FMH College of Medicine and Dentistry Lahore. Sixty extracted human maxillary premolars and molars were used. They were randomly divided into two study groups of 30 teeth. In group-I, brackets were bonded to amalgam using sandblasting with 50 um alumina particles. In group-II, brackets were bonded after amalgam surface was roughened with a diamond bur. Brackets were debonded using AGS-J SHI-MADZU 5 KN universal testing machine with cross head speed of 1mm/min and shear bond strength was measured along with it.Shear bond strength of sandblasted group was higher than the diamond roughened group.In this in vitro study, it was concluded that the shear bond strength of sandblasted group on bonding stainless steel brackets to amalgam surface was significantly higher than that obtained with diamond bur roughening