Assessing the Potential Association Between Microbes and Corrosion of Intra-Oral Metallic Alloy-Based Dental Appliances Through a Systematic Review of the Literature.

Objective: Systematic review assessing the association between oral microorganisms and corrosion of intra-oral metallic alloy-based dental appliances. Design: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched using keyword combinations such as microbes and oral and corrosion; microbes and dental and corrosion; microorganisms and oral and corrosion; microorganisms and dental and corrosion. Results: Out of 141 articles, only 25 satisfied the selection criteria. Lactobacillus reuteri, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus sobrinus, Streptococcus salivarius, sulfate-reducing bacteria, sulfate oxidizing bacteria, Veilonella, Actinomyces, Candida albicans were found to have a potential association with corrosion of intraoral metallic alloys such as stainless steel, titanium, nickel, cobalt-chromium, neodymium-iron-boron magnets, zirconia, amalgam, copper aluminum, and precious metal alloys. Conclusion: The included studies inferred an association between oral microorganisms and intra-oral metallic alloys-based dental appliances, although, it is vital to acknowledge that most studies in the review employed an in-vitro simulation of the intra-oral condition.

Is the Stability of a Standard Stable Reference Stable Enough?

The dogmatic approach of following the past principles has made many significant features of science go unnoticed and unquestioned. One such is the concept of immutability of the anterior contour of the sella turcica. For many decades, we have been using the anterior contour of sella turcica as a stable reference structure to study the growth of the craniofacial skeleton.1 This was based on the usage by Björk and Skieller. But on analyzing the various studies on the growth and disease of the pituitary gland and its influence on the size and morphology of sella turcica, it seems that the anterior contour of the sella turcica may not be a stable parameter of reference. This article is an attempt to throw light on the intricacies of the association between pituitary gland and sella turcica.

Aligners: the Invisible Corrector-A Boon or Bane.

The trend of clinical orthodontics has shown a palpable shift from conventional braces to innovative technologies like invisible aligners. Aligners are sequences of clear trays worn by patients to straighten their teeth. They were envisaged for the main purpose of esthetics, mainly directed toward self-conscious teenagers who otherwise would shy away from essential correction of malocclusion.

The Enigma behind Pituitary and Sella Turcica.

The pituitary gland's role as a functional matrix for sella turcica has not been suggested in orthodontic literature. This paper is an attempt to correlate the role of pituitary gland in the development of sella turcica. A case report of dwarfism associated with hypopituitarism is presented to highlight the above hypothesis.

Complete bilateral gemination of maxillary incisors with separate root canals.

Developmental anomalies in the hard tissue are seen frequently in dental practice. Gemination and fusion are the most commonly encountered anomalies, and distinction between the two is always challenging. Gemination, also called double tooth, is an anomaly exhibiting two joined crowns and usually a single root. It represents an incomplete attempt of a single tooth germ to split. It is considered multifactorial in etiology, with genetic and environmental causes. This paper discusses a rare example of bilateral gemination (prevalence 0.04%) of maxillary central incisors with completely separated roots. Multidisciplinary care ensured a successful esthetic and functional outcome.

Parry Romberg syndrome: A case report and discussion.

Parry Romberg syndrome is a rare disorder of unknown etiology, seen most commonly as an asymmetry of the face, rarely affecting the limbs. Trophic malfunction of sympathetic system has been proposed as a cause. The syndrome presents with characteristic skeletal, dental, and soft tissue changes in the affected half of the face, with or without neurological signs and symptoms. Imaging studies sometimes reveal lesions in the brain corresponding with the neurological defects. The disfiguring nature of the disease Results in psychological disturbance and communication disorders like speech defects, as also dental anomalies. The present article reports such a case of an 8-year-old girl who presented with mainly hard tissue changes, without neurological or intraoral soft tissue changes. There has to be prompt multi-disciplinary management of such cases keeping in mind development, aesthetics, speech, and masticatory function, along with symptomatic treatment of neurological deficits.

The crown angulations and inclinations in Dravidian population with normal occlusion.

BACKGROUND: There has always been a constant search for the definition of idealistic and realistic orthodontic treatment goals for different ethnic groups around the world. This study was hence devised to study the mesio-distal angulations and labio-lingual inclinations of the clinical crowns in Dravidian population with pleasing profiles and non-orthodontic normal occlusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty dental casts from a Dravidian sample (21.5 years) with Class I canine and molar relation; normal maxillo-mandibular relationship; well-aligned arches; with no dental anomaly, restorations or attrition; no history of previous orthodontic treatment, and exhibiting normal growth were studied. A custom-made tip-torque device was used to measure the crown angulations and inclinations. The arithmetic mean and standard deviations for each tooth type were compared with those of Andrew's Caucasian norms using Student's 't' test. RESULTS: The study group exhibited statistically significant decrease in crown angulation (mesial tip) and increased labial crown torque in both upper and lower anteriors. The lower anteriors exhibited distal crown tip while the posteriors were significantly tipped more mesially. All the posteriors demonstrated increased lingual crown torque. CONCLUSION: Tip and torque modifications are suggested for the fine finishing and easy retention of occlusion in Dravidians while using straight wire appliance.