Effect of heat sterilization and chemical method of sterilization on the polyvinyl siloxane impression material. A comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Dental impression is a crucial part of the process of constructing a well-fitting prosthesis. In the clinical scenario, impressions can act as a vehicle for the transfer of bacteria and fungi. Therefore, an attempt was made to evaluate the dimensional accuracy of the newly introduced polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) impression material upon autoclaving and comparing it to the traditional means of chemical disinfection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional comparative in vitro study was conducted. Three groups were made for testing different sterilization methods. The sample size for the study was kept as 30 observations in each of the three groups. Test samples were prepared by making an impression of the die using the putty-wash technique. Statistical analysis was done by applying unpaired t-test, paired t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD). RESULTS: Initial mean of samples of group I were compared to A (actual measurement of metal ruled block = 24.960), a dimensional change of 1.6% was found. Similarly, in group II, a change of 1.59% was found and in group III the change was 1.7%. There was mean shrinkage of 24.557 mm in group I, 24.586 mm in group II, and 24.535 mm in group III and these changes were found statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Dimensional changes in the impression material after disinfection with 2% glutaraldehyde were considered high compared to autoclaving and, hence, it may not be advisable to disinfect this material with 2% glutaraldehyde.

Tumor markers in oral cancer: A review.

Tumor markers are the substances produced in response to the presence of cancer either by the body itself or by the cancer cells. These markers mostly are the proteins that are produced at a greater rate by the cancer cells. Increased levels of these substances can be detected in urine, blood, or body tissues of the patients with certain types of cancer. These markers are useful in differentiating primary or secondary tumors. In few noncancerous conditions, these markers are often found to be elevated. For these reasons, the knowledge regarding these biomarkers has increased tremendously. This article classifies the different types of tumor markers and implicates their role in some diseases.