ABSTRACT
Foreign bodies found in the maxillary sinus include tooth roots, burs, dental impression material, root-filling materials, dental implants, and needles. The purpose of this paper was to present an unusual case of a large foreign body of endodontic origin (root-filling material) removed from the maxillary sinus. A 45-year-old generally healthy male patient reported to the Department of Conservative Dentistry with Endodontics of the Medical University of Silesia, because of orbital and buccal pain on the right side of his face and headaches in the preceding 6 months. Those symptoms were associated with the end of endodontic treatment of teeth 14 and 16. Periapical X-rays, including of teeth 14 and 16, showed the presence of root canal filling with extrusion of endodontic obturation material beyond the apices of tooth 14. In the case of tooth 16, a completely filled palatal canal and incompletely filled buccal canals were found. There was also an irregular dimness at the upper edge of the X-ray image. Panoramic radiography and computed tomography demonstrated a foreign body in the right sinus. Sinus exploration was performed via a surgical procedure conducted using topical anesthesia. The root apices of tooth 14 were resected, and foreign substance was removed. The practitioner did not correctly recognize a complication that occurred during endodontic treatment, which resulted in extrusion of endodontic material beyond the root apices of tooth 14. This case emphasizes the potential impact that an involved maxillary sinus may have on endodontic therapy. Detailed diagnostic identification based on the medical interview, physical and histopathological examinations, and diagnostic imaging allowed rapid surgical intervention and prevented local and general complications. It is important to realize that the range of the periapical X-ray projection is not always sufficient.
ABSTRACT
Artificially induced demineralization of enamel is frequently used during laboratory tests, particularly in minimally invasive dentistry. The aim of this study was to analyze demineralization techniques of hard tooth tissue applicable in the research of materials in minimally invasive dentistry. The most important factor taken into consideration when designing a method is to make a model as closely similar to the natural environment of the human oral cavity as it is possible. In vitro models allow us to maintain stability and control over the environment and guarantee repeatability of the results. There are main models to produce dental caries outside of the body. The first model is chemical and it uses acids. It is simplified and reflects the actual environment of the oral cavity to a lesser degree. The second model is biological and it is more accurate as it uses microorganisms which build the dental plaque. Among in vitro protocols are also used pH-cycling models. Based on the available literature, it was found that bovine teeth and human teeth with demineralization diagnosed while still inside the oral cavity are the most frequently used kind of specimens in research conducted with use of the chemical model. Not a single case of use of the biological and pH-cycling models were found in the available literature related to the research of infiltrants in minimally invasive dentistry.
