Assessment of Oral Hygiene in Patients Using Fixed and Removable Dentures Treated at the University Dental Clinic in Krakow.

Apart from local lesions, the presence of dental plaque may also have an effect on health, especially in people with general diseases. The aim of this project was to assess the oral hygiene of patients prosthetically treated at the Dental Prosthetics Clinic of the University Dental Clinic in Krakow (Poland) using fixed and removable dentures and to determine the demographic relationships and data related to the education of the respondents. The research material consisted of 120 patients who used fixed (group I) and removable (group II) restorations. Basic dental examinations and oral hygiene examinations were carried out with the use of the API (Approximal Plaque Index) and PI (Plaque Index) plaque indices. This study presents the percentage of respondents in terms of sex, place of residence, and education. The mean PI (Plaque Index) values were 46.73% (Group I) and 50.05% (Group II). (p = 0.4839). The mean values of API (Approximal Plaque Index) amounted to 65.14% (Group I) and 68.94% (Group II) (p = 0.4695). Patients using dentures showed insufficient oral hygiene, and the hygiene status of patients did not depend on the type of dentures used. The group that is most often treated with prosthetics is women with secondary education. The most numerous group of patients at the Dental Prosthetics Clinic are people living in large cities which results from easier access to health care.

The evaluation of the effect of carbon dioxide laser radiation on dentine tissue.

of this study was to analyze the effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) laser light on the structure and elemental composition of dentine. METHODS: The evaluation was conducted on samples from extracted teeth. The surface of the dentine was exposed to the radiation from a CTL 1401 CO2 laser (Centre of Laser Technology, Poland). The radiation and frequency parameters were as follows: group I with 5 W and 1 Hz, group II with 10 W and 1 Hz, group III with 5 W and 5 Hz, and group IV with 10 W and 5 Hz. The altered dentine structure was macroscopically and microscopically evaluated using a Nova NanoSEM 200 Scanning Electron Microscope (FEI Europe) with integrated microanalysis X-ray system for elemental analysis in points. RESULTS: There were significant differences between groups in the macro- and microstructure of laser defects. CONCLUSIONS: CO2 laser radiation causes irreversible, destructive changes in dentine. The structural dentine lesions developed under the influence of the CO2 laser radiation may hinder proper adhesion of bonding systems with the damaged tissue. Laser defects in the structure should be treated like defects of noncarious origin requiring preparation and filling with composite materials in accordance with the procedures.