BackgroundTo evaluate the effect of Low Level Laser (LLL) application at the points of greatest pain in patients with chronic masticatory muscle pain.MethodsA total number of 30 (21 women, 9 men, with a mean age of 39.2) were selected after the diagnosis of MPDS according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorder (RDC/TMD). The patients were randomly divided into three groups; laser group I (n = 10); patients received the LLL at the point of greatest pain, laser group II (n = 10); patients received LLL at pre-established points in the effected muscles and placebo group (n = 10). LLL and placebo were applied three times per week, for a total of 12 sessions. Mandibular mobility was examined, masticator muscles tenderness were assessed and PPT values were obtained. Subjective pain levels were evaluated using VAS. The measurements performed before the treatment and after the completion of the therapy. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and frequency) Student’s t-test, Mann–Whitney U-test and paired-sample t-tests were used for analysis.ResultsIn both laser groups, there was a statically significant reduction in PPT values of the muscles, number of muscles without any pain on palpation increased significantly, mandibular movements’ ranges were improved. Laser group I demonstrated statistically better results than the Laser group II in all of the measured values. Plasebo group did not show any statistically difference in any of the measured values.ConclusionsLLLT can be accepted as an alternative treatment modality in the management of masticatory muscle pain and direct irradiation seems to effect better.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN31085, Date of registration 28/08/20145.

The stability of the bone-implant interface is required for the long-term favorable clinical outcome of implant-supported prosthetic rehabilitation. The implant failures that occur after the functional loading are mainly related to biomechanical factors. Micro movements and vibrations due to occlusal forces can lead to mechanical complications such as loosening of the screw and fractures of the abutment or implants. The aim of this study was to investigate the strain distributions in the connection areas of different implant-abutment connection systems under similar loading conditions. Five different implant-abutment connection designs from 5 different manufacturers were evaluated in this study. The investigation was performed with software using the finite element method. The geometrical modeling of the implant systems was done with CATIA virtual design software. The MSC NASTRAN solver and PATRAN postprocessing program were used to perform the linear static solution. According to the analysis, the implant-abutment connection system with external hexagonal connection showed the highest strain values, and the internal hexagonal implant-abutment connection system showed the lowest strain values. Conical + internal hexagonal and screw-in implant abutment connection interface is more successful than other systems in cases with increased vertical dimension, particularly in the posterior region.

BackgroundThe aims of this study were to examine whether patients’ psychosocial profiles influence the location of pain, and to identify the clinical and psychosocial predictors of high levels of pain-related disability in temporomandibular disorders (TMD) patients with chronic pain at least 6 months in duration.MethodsThe Research Diagnostic Criteria of TMD (RDC/TMD) data for Axis I and II were obtained for 104 consecutive patients seeking treatment.Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, Mann–Whitney U-test, chi-square test, One-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, and binary multiple logistic regression tests. Patients were classified into two groups according to Graded Chronic Pain Scale scores: Grade III and IV were scored for patients with high levels of pain-related disability, whereas Grade I and II were scored for patients with low disability.ResultsMuscle and joint pain were found in 64.9% and 31.8% of the patients, respectively, and 27.3% of the patients suffered from both muscle and joint pain.Psychosocial disability was found in 26% of patients. There were no statistically significant differences among the diagnostic subgroups with regards to the demographic, behavioral, psychological, and psychosocial characteristics. Patients with high levels of pain-related disability had significantly higher depression, somatization, pain intensity and jaw disability scores than those with low levels of pain-related disability.Patients with high levels of pain-related disability were more likely to have higher pain intensity, to report higher somatization symptoms and functional impairment, and were less likely to have joint pain than those with low levels of pain related disability.ConclusionIn conclusion, the Turkish version RDC/TMD, based on a dual axis system, may be used to screen chronic TMD patients at high-risk for pain-related disability who need comprehensive care treatment program.

Background:The aim was to collate and contrast patient concerns from a range of different head and neck cancer follow-up clinics around the world.Also, we sought to explore the relationship, if any, between responses to the patient concerns inventory (PCI) and overall quality of life (QOL). Methods: Nineteen units participated with intention of including 100 patients per site as close to a consecutive series as possible in order to minimize selection bias.Results: There were 2136 patients with a median total number of PCI items selected of 5 (2-10). "Fear of the cancer returning" (39%) and "dry mouth" (37%) were most common. Twenty-five percent (524) reported less than good QOL.Conclusion: There was considerable variation between units in the number of items selected and in overall QOL, even after allowing for case-mix variables.There was a strong progressive association between the number of PCI items and QOL. K E Y W O R D Shead and neck cancer, patient concerns inventory, patient prompt list, quality of life

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Maxillofacial prostheses are usually fabricated on the models obtained following the impression procedures. Disadvantages of conventional impression techniques used in production of facial prosthesis are deformation of soft tissues caused by impression material and disturbance of the patient due to. Additionally production of prosthesis by conventional methods takes longer time. Recently, rapid prototyping techniques have been developed for extraoral prosthesis in order to reduce these disadvantages of conventional methods. Rapid prototyping technique has the potential to simplify the procedure and decrease the laboratory work required. It eliminates the need for measurement impression procedures and preparation of wax model to be performed by prosthodontists themselves In the near future this technology will become a standard for fabricating maxillofacial prostheses.

Background The inherent colour change in maxillofacial silicone elastomers becomes perceptible 6–12 months after fabrication. Determining the factors that accelerate the degradation of the prosthesis can help the clinicians increase its life span. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the effect of time passage, processing temperature, and molding-stone colour on the colour change of maxillofacial silicone elastomers after darkroom storage for 6000 h. Methods A total of ten study molds, each incorporating ten specimen gaps were fabricated using five different colors of dental stones. The gaps were filled with coloured Cosmesil M511 maxillofacial silicone elastomer. Five of the study molds, one of each stone color, were processed at room temperature (25 °C) for 24 h while the remainder were vulcanized at 100 °C for 1 h. Two stainless-steel molds were also fabricated to obtain a total of twenty control-group specimens of the same dimensions that were processed under the same conditions as the study molds. Colour measurements of the vulcanized silicone samples were performed using a Konica Minolta spectrophotometer. Initial measurements were obtained after the blocks were removed from the molds and the final measurements were recorded 6000 h after storage in the dark at 25 °C and 40% relative humidity. The CIEDE2000 colour-difference formula was used to measure the changes in the colour. One-way and two-way ANOVA, and an independent-sample t-test were used for statistical assessments. Results For every group, the colour change exceeded the perceptible thresholds. Thus, either the vulcanization temperature or the colour of the molding stone has a significant effect on the colour change over time. Those samples vulcanized in green and white molding stones at 100 °C exhibited a significantly higher ∆L*, ∆a*, and ∆b* values relative to the samples vulcanized at room temperature. Conclusion The molding-stone colour and vulcanization temperature both affect the degree of colour change after storage in a dark environment. The L*, a*, and b* values for the maxillofacial silicone elastomers are influenced by the direction of the increase or decrease according to the selected colour. This effect varies as the temperature increases.

BackgroundColour degradation is a major problem in maxillofacial silicone elastomers. Recent studies have focused on colour stability and the mechanical properties of the silicone elastomers. A colour match is also essential for the acceptance of the prosthesis by the patient. The aim of this study is to assess the colour degradation of the silicone elastomer after being moulded in different colours of dental stones at two different vulcanization temperatures.MethodsFive different colours of dental stones were used to fabricate a total of 120 silicone blocks using a Cosmesil M511 maxillofacial silicone elastomer. Vulcanization was completed at two different temperatures (25 and 100° Celsius). Colour measurements were obtained with a Conica Minolta spectrophotometer. The CIEDE2000 formula was used to calculate the colour differences (∆E00). Two-way ANOVA, one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni corrected post-hoc p values and independent samples t-test were used for the statistical analyses.ResultsHigh temperature vulcanization causes lightening of the maxillofacial silicone elastomers without regard to the dental stone colour (p = 0.001). Specimens moulded in green stone lightened least at room temperature (p = 0.999). Compared to the control group, at high temperature, all specimens moulded in coloured dental stones darkened significantly (p < 0.001 for white, blue and yellow; p = 0.006 for green; p = 0.045 for reddish-brown). In the high temperature group, the shift to a green chroma was significant in the white, yellow and green dental stones groups (p = 0.001, p = 0.002, p < 0.001, respectively). The mean b* of the high temperature control group was higher than that of the room temperature control group (p < 0.001). The only ∆E00 score lower than the perceptibility threshold for dental materials (∆E00 = 1.30) was between the room temperature control group and the room temperature green dental stone group (∆E00 = 0.96).ConclusionsGreen and blue dental stones cause less colour degradation in silicone elastomers. Reddish-brown dental stones cause the most colour degradation in silicone elastomers. At 100 °C, the colour of the silicone elastomer lightens and yellows even if the elastomer is vulcanized in a stainless steel mould. White, yellow and reddish-brown dental stones make the silicone elastomer appear more yellow even if the elastomer is vulcanized at room temperature.