Light protection of fiber-reinforced strip using aluminum foil for the direct splinting technique.

The critical point of the clinical procedure of direct splinting is the placement of the fiber-reinforced strip, which has to be well adapted to tooth surfaces. This article describes the use of aluminum foil to cover and protect the fiber-reinforced strip from light polymerization during the direct splinting technique. The advantage of using aluminum foil is to prevent premature curing of the fiber-reinforced strip, which would necessitate repetition of the procedure. With this technique, the strip is gradually exposed and adapted to the lingual/palatal surfaces of the teeth and light cured, allowing for ample working time.

[Composite resin inlays and onlays]. / Hentheta kai epentheta apo synthete retine.

The establishment and development of composite resins has led to their use as a posterior restorative material. Although posterior composites have evolved considerably, both clinical studies and experience have confirmed that several problems still remain concerning their clinical properties and the relative complexity of handling the material. In order to resolve these problems, two different manufacturers have introduced composite resin systems for the fabrication of direct or indirect resin inlays and onlays which are cemented into the acid-etched preparation with a modified composite resin. Both systems are based on the same concept: the polymerization of the resin takes place out of the mouth in a special oven where a specific heat-curing procedure is followed. There is an essential difference between the two systems. When the direct resin system is used, the inlay is formed and partly light-cured into the tooth preparation, then it is removed for further polymerization. When the indirect system is used the procedure takes place in the lab where the inlay is formed on the die. This article presents both systems, the step-by-step procedure that has been followed in several clinical cases as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

[Discolorations: a new method of bleaching discolored vital teeth. (Preliminary study)]. / Odontikes dyschromies: prokatarktike melete mias methodou apochromatismou dontion me zonta polpho.

The demand for an acceptable appearance, including a natural and attractive smile, has nowadays a great effect on clinical practice. More patients than ever are requesting various types of cosmetic dentistry in order to improve their smile. The clinical practitioner has to deal with discolorations, particularly in the anterior region of the mouth. The most severe of these problems are caused by administration of tetracycline or other medicine during the period of mineralization. The usual treatment of these cases includes full crown restorations and more recently, direct or indirect veneers (porcelain or composite-resin veneers). As an alternative, the various techniques of bleaching consist the most conservative of all above treatments. For many year, their application gives effective solutions in many cases. This article describes both clinical and laboratory procedures of a new technique for bleaching discolored vital teeth. This technique uses a warming device to apply controlled heat to the bleaching solution which is placed on both labial and lingual surfaces of the teeth to be bleached. Special thermotrays are used for the placement of the solution according to the specifications of the manufacturer. This paper presents a preliminary study of the advantages and disadvantages of this bleaching method and gives an evaluation of the results from several clinical cases.

[Microleakage pattern around posterior composite resin restorations, combined with a ceramometallic cement (sandwich technique)]. / Ergasteriake melete tes oriakes mikrodieisdyses gyro apo apokatastaseis me synthetes retines opisthion kai keramometallike konia se koilotetes B omadas.

The purpose of this in vitro investigation was to examine the degree of microleakage in class II, MOD, posterior composite resin restorations, in the distal wall of which a layer of 1,5 mm of ceramometallic cement was condensed. Conventional MOD cavities were prepared using 330 and 56 tungsten carbide burs in 20 premolars extracted for orthodontic reasons. In the first group (10 specimens) the gingival floor was located in the enamel, above the cementoenamel junction and in the second group the gingival floor was located below the CEJ. In the mesial box, cervically, a layer of 1,5 mm of ceramometallic cement (Ketac Silver) was condensed and etched with orthophosphoric acid 37%, the cavity was filled with posterior composite resin (Heliomolar, Vivadent) and 24 hours later the specimens were polished using Sof-Lex discs and thermocycled between 4 degrees C and 60 degrees C for 50 cycles of 2 minutes each. The specimens were immersed for 2 hours in 2% basic fuchsin solution, washed, cleaned with acetate solution and split in two halves longitudinally in a mesiodistal direction, using a hard tissue microtome. From the detection of the degree of dye penetration we conclude that: a) In the cervical walls located in cementum, where cermet cement was condensed, minimal dye penetration was detected b) In the opposite side, where the composite resin existed on dentin-cementum, the dye penetration is more severe c) Dye penetration in cavities located in the enamel, is moderate in the areas where cermet cement existed d) No dye was detected in the interface between cermet cement and posterior composite, in most specimens.

[Effect of bonding agents in the degree of microleakage around posterior composite resin restorations]. / E epidrase ton sygkrolletikon paragonton sto bathmo tes oriakes mikrodieisdyses se apokatastaseis me synthetes retines opisthion.

The purpose of this in vitro study was to examine, by the dye technique, the microleakage pattern of two posterior composite resin materials, alone or combined with three commercially available dentin bonding agents. Composite resins used were P-30 (3M) and Heliomolar (Vivadent). The bonding agents were Gluma (Bayer), Scotch-bond LC (3M) and Dentin Adhesit (Vivadent). MOD cavities were prepared on extracted posterior teeth with a 330 tungsten carbide bur, in an airtor handpiece. The gingival floor of the mesial surface was located in the enamel above the CEJ and the distal gingival floor in the cementum below the CEJ. Specimens were thermocycled between 4 degrees and 60 degrees C for fifty cycles of two minutes each and imbibed for 10 hours in a 2% basic fuchsin solution and split in two halves. According to the results we obtained we came to the conclusion that: Both composite resins exhibited significant microleakage when they were used alone, without bonding agent. The gingival floor of the mesial surface (located in the enamel) exhibited in most specimens, less microleakage than the distal one. The use of bonding agents decreased but not eliminated the microleakage at the gingival floor of the cavities.