Etidronate from Medicine to Endodontics: effects of different irrigation regimes on root dentin roughness

An increase in dentin roughness, associated with surface composition, contributes to bacterial adherence in recontaminations. Surface roughness is also important for micromechanical interlocking of dental materials to dentin, and understanding the characteristics of the surface is essential to obtain the adhesion of root canal sealers that have different physico-chemical characteristics. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), ethylenediaminetetraacetic (EDTA), etidronic (HEBP), and citric acid (CA) associated with different irrigation regimens on root dentin roughness. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-five root halves of anterior teeth were used. The root parts were sectioned in thirds, embedded in acrylic resin and polished to a standard surface roughness. Initially, the samples of each third were randomly assigned into 3 groups and treated as follows: G1 - saline solution (control); G2 - 5% NaOCl+18% HEBP mixed in equal parts; and G3 - 2.5% NaOCl. After initial measuments, the G3 samples were distributed into subgroups G4, G5 and G6, which were subjected to 17% EDTA, 10% CA and 9% HEBP, respectively. Following the new measuments, these groups received a final flush with 2.5% NaOCl, producing G7, G8 and G9. The dentin surface roughness (Ra) was determined before and after treatments using a profilometer. The Wilcoxon test (α<0.05) was used to compare the values before and after treatments, and the Friedman test (α<0.05) to detect any differences among root thirds. RESULTS: (i) NaOCl did not affect the surface roughness; (ii) there was a significant increase in roughness after the use of chelating agents (P<0.01); and (iii) only the G3 group showed a difference in surface roughness between apical third and other thirds of the teeth (P<0.0043). CONCLUSION: Only the irrigation regimens that used chelating agents altered the roughness of root dentin. .

Effects of risedronate on bone turnover markers in osteoporotic postmenopausal women: comparison of two protocols of treatment

Bisphosphonates are powerful agents able to prevent bone loss. The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of risedronate once a week [35 mg]-compared with risedronate 5 mg once daily in women with osteoporosis. A randomized, double-blind, active-controlled study enrolled 102 postmenopausal women aged 66.5_7.5 years with osteoporotic fractures. All women received risedronate during 6 months. Group 1 [G1, n=5 1] received risedronate 5 mg once daily and group 2 [G2, n=51] received 35 mg once a week. Serum alkaline phosphatase [ALP], bone alkaline phosphatase [bone ALP], serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen [CTX] were measured at baseline, 3 months and 6 months after treatment in the two groups. We noted no significant difference in markers between women of the 2 groups. After 3 months, bone ALP and CTX decreased [respectively-22.1%and-47.6%] in the 2 groups with no significant difference between them. After 6 months study, bone ALP and CTX decreased respectively by-46.5%and-62.9%with no statistically significant difference between study groups for bone markers. Our study found that treatment with once weekly risedronate 35 mg is able to decrease CTX and bone ALP compared with risedronate 5 mg once daily, in postmenopausal women with osteoporotic fractures. We didn't find adverse events with the 35 mg once-a-week dose group compared to the once-daily dose group. Based on these results, the effects of risedronate 35 mg once a week are similar in efficacy to daily dosing and may lead less adverse events than once-a-month dose. This therapeutic protocol may provide an alternative for patients who prefer once-a-week oral dosing