Orthodontic Bonding to Unconventional Surfaces - A Review

The introduction of the acid etching bonding technique by Buonocore in 1955 has led to dramatic changes in dentistry. A decade later, Newman used this concept for the use of orthodontic adhesive to bond orthodontic brackets directly onto teeth. Over the past 40 years, continuous developments in dental material sciences and bioengineering resulted in modern orthodontic bonding systems and fixed appliances. Ceramics, resin composites, dental amalgams and acrylic resins are commonly used materials in restorative dentistry and prosthodontics. Most dental ceramic and metal ceramic crowns, bridges and veneers presently are made from different feldspathic porcelains containing 10 % to 20 % aluminium oxide. However, such restorations can also be made from high-aluminium porcelains and glass ceramics. Adhesive-porcelain interface failure is the predominant mode of bond failure in all groups. Conventional acid etching is ineffective in the preparation of porcelain surfaces for mechanical retention of brackets. The most reliable procedure for bonding orthodontic brackets to porcelain surfaces is through the surface treatment combinations of three methods: sandblasting, 9.6 % hydrofluoric acid treatment and silane coupling agent application. As more adults seek orthodontic treatment, we are often faced with the challenge of bonding to restorative materials other than porcelain. The goal throughout orthodontic treatment is to maintain the appliances securely attached to their original position until the end of treatment. However, the appliances should be easily removed without causing any permanent damage to tooth structure or permanent restorations, once the treatment has been concluded. This article reviews the materials and techniques used for bonding to surfaces of restorative materials, termed non-conventional surfaces in contrast to the conventional bonding to tooth enamel. Though this requires following a detailed procedure and using both safe and effective bonding materials, the result should be a reliable bond that does not compromise the integrity of the restorative surface.

Platelet Rich Fibrin and its Relevance in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Platelets have a major role to play in cessation of bleeding and hemostasis and the studies in the recent past have led to a better understanding in identifying their functions in regulation of immune response, wound healing, osteogenesis, and angiogenesis and is a subject of great interest. It has been proved that plalelets play a crucial role in the formation of blood clot and release growth factors, thereby promoting and maintaining the process of wound healing. Platelet rich fibrin (PRF) is product derived of platelets from one’s blood and when used either in its gel or liquid form, it enhances tissue repair. In the recent past, the PRF has been used extensively in various oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures successfully. We conducted a narrative review over the literature using electronic databases as; PUBMED, SCOPUS, Google Scholar studies involving data on platelet rich fibrin and its application in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. We reviewed the reference lists of included studies to find more relevant articles for additional evidence. It has been observed that PRF enhances the recovery and contributes to the post-operative healing and general well-being.

Bond efficacy of recycled orthodontic brackets: A comparative in vitro evaluation of two methods.

Context: Recycling of orthodontic brackets in developing orthodontic economies is an extremely common procedure. Bonding protocols and reliability of these brackets is, however, questionable, and still the subject of research. Aims: The aim was to evaluate and compare the shear bond strength of brackets recycled with sandblasting and silicoating. Materials and Methods: Ninety extracted human premolars were bonded with 0.022” SS brackets (American Orthodontics, Sheboygan USA) and then debonded. The debonded brackets were divided into three groups of 30 each. Group I: Sandblasting with 50‑μm aluminum oxide (control group) Group II: Sandblasting with 50‑μm aluminum oxide followed by metal primer application Group III: Silicoating with 30‑μm Cojet sand followed by silane application and rebonded with Transbond XT. The sandblasted brackets and silicoated brackets were viewed under the scanning electron microscope, immediately after surface conditioning before rebonding. The shear bond strength with each group was tested. Statistical Analysis Used: One‑way analysis of variance, post‑hoc Scheffe multiple comparison tests. Results: The results showed that sandblasting created more irregularities and deeper erosions while silica coating created superficial irregularities and shallow erosions.

Rhinosporidiosis of the Neck: A Rare Occurrence.

Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by a fungus Rhinosporidium seeberi, It frequently involves the nasopharynx and presents as a painless, friable, polypoidal growth hanging anterior to the nares or posteriorly into the pharynx. Th e lesions appear pink with minute white dots, which give it a strawberry-like appearance. Histopathologically, the organisms appear as sporangia containing large numbers of round or ovoid endospores. Several drugs have been tried, but Dapsone has proven to be most eff ective. In the present case, the lesion was seen on the anterior border of the mandible which is a very rare site for this infection. Th e growth was pedunculated and proliferative mimicking an aggressive lesion. On histology, also a rare fi nding of involvement of lymph nodes by the sporangia was noted.