Types of Lasers and Their Applications in Pediatric Dentistry Bahareh AbstractLaser technology has been recently introduced into the dental field with the idea to replace drilling. Having a less painful first dental experience by the use of modern instruments like laser can be an efficient preventive and therapeutic strategy in pediatric dentistry. Pedodontists need to learn the new less invasive technologies and adopt them in their routine practice. This study aimed to review the available types of lasers and their applications in pediatric dentistry. An electronic search was carried out in IranMedex, InterScience, Scopus, Science Direct, PubMed, ProQuest, Medline and Google Scholar databases to find relevant articles published from 2000 to 2014. Relevant textbooks were reviewed as well. Laser can be used as a suitable alternative to many conventional diagnostic and therapeutic dental procedures. It is especially efficient for caries detection and removal, pulp therapy, lowering the risk of infection, inflammation and swelling and reducing bleeding. On the other hand, due to minimal invasion, laser treatment is well tolerated by children. Improved patient cooperation leads to higher satisfaction of the parents, dentists and the children themselves.

Hard tissue lesion treatment in oral and maxillofacial has been challenging because of tissue complexities. This study aimed to investigate novel biopolymeric construct effects on the osteogenic differentiation potential of the dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) for introducing a cell copolymer bioimplant. A blended polycaprolactone (PCL)‐polyethylene oxide (PEO) was fabricated using electrospinning, simultaneously filled by β‐glycerophosphate (β‐GP). After that biocompatibility and release kinetics of the PCL‐PEO+β‐GP was evaluated and compared with PCL‐PEO and then the osteogenic differentiation potential of the DPSCs was examined while being cultured on the scaffolds and compared with those cultured on the culture plate. The results demonstrated that scaffolds have not any cytotoxicity and β‐GP can release in a long‐term manner. Alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium content were significantly increased in DPSCs while being cultured on the PCL‐PEO+β‐GP compared with the other groups. Runt‐related transcription factor 2, collagen type‐I, osteonectin, and osteocalcin (OSC) genes expression was upregulated in DPSCs cultured on the PCL‐PEO+β‐GP and was significantly higher than those cultured on the PCL‐PEO. Immunocytochemistry result also confirmed the positive effects of PCL‐PEO+β‐GP on the osteogenic differentiation of the DPSCs by presenting a higher OSC protein expression. According to the results, incorporation of the β‐GP in PCL‐PEO makes a better construct for osteogenic induction into the stem cells and it could be also considered as a great promising candidate for bone, oral, and maxillofacial tissue engineering applications.

The present study demonstrated no association between IL-2 (T-330G), IL-16 (T-295C), and IL-17 (A-7383G) genotypes and CP in an Iranian population.

Chronic periodontitis (CP) is a multifactorial disease and the most common type of periodontitis mainly caused by microbial plaque. Insufficient oral hygiene may initiate CP and it can be further modified and progressed by environmental and genetic susceptibilities. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between VDBP (rs7041 and rs4588) and (Taq 1-rs7975232 and Apa1-rs731236) SNPs of VDR gene receptor and susceptibility to CP in an Iranian population. Sixty nine cases with diagnosis of CP and 78 matched healthy controls engaged in this study. Three-milliliter peripheral blood samples were obtained for DNA isolation. Genotype analysis was performed using restriction fragment length polymorphism polymerase chain reaction (RFLP-PCR). Chi-squared test was used for distribution of genotypes analysis. 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR). Deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, multiple inheritance models, linkage disequilibrium and haplotype analysis were done. There was no significant association between genotype/phenotype of VDBP's SNPs (rs7041 and rs4588) and occurrence of chronic periodontitis (p value = 0.401) Moreover, no statistically significant association was found between chronic periodontitis and Taq1 (rs731236) (p value = 0.401) and Apa1 (rs7975232) (p value = 0.248). The analysis of alleles and genotypes' distribution between different severities of chronic periodontitis and healthy controls indicated a significant association between various severities of chronic periodontitis and Apa1 (rs7975232) (p value = 0.011) and VDBP's SNPs (rs7041 and rs4588) (p value = 0.038), whereas no statistically significant association was observed between various severities of chronic periodontitis and Taq1 (rs731236) (p value = 0.278). Our results suggest a significant association between severity of chronic periodontitis and Apa1 (rs7975232) and VDBP SNPs (rs7041 and rs4588). Sequencing studies on different populations may release other results due to the genetic and racial diversity.

Background The etiology of gingival overgrowth due to cyclosporine A (CsA) is still unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the possible role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) on extra-cellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis when treated with different levels of CsA and its difference between fetal and adult human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). Methods Each group of cells (adult and fetal) was cultured in 40 wells that consisted of four different CsA treatment concentrations. Every 10 wells were treated with 0, 50, 100, and 150 ng/mL of CsA which makes a total of 80 wells. Supernatants of every well were used to determine the concentration of MMPs and TIMPs using the Elisa kits from Boster, CA, USA. Results MMP-1 level increased with the treatment of CsA when treated with 50 and 150 ng/mL of CsA (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04) as TIMP-1 decreased (p < 0.0001) in adult group; while in the fetal group, TIMP-1 level increased with treatment of 150 ng/mL (p < 0.0001). MMP-2 level increased in both adult and fetal groups (p < 0.0001). MMP-3 level decreased in adult group (p < 0.0001) but went up in fetal HGFs (p = 0.01) when treated with 150 ng/mL CsA. TIMP-2 level increased in all wells significantly when treated with CsA (p < 0.0001). The study showed that CsA affects secretion of MMPs and TIMPs. MMP-1 increment and TIMP-1 decrement were observed, which indicate more degradation of ECM. This may be due to single donor use in this study. TIMP-2 and MMP-2 were both more active when treated with CsA which may be due to the gelatinase activity of them and that in CsA gingival overgrowth. There was more inflammation rather than fibrosis.

Background: Dental caries is one of the most common diseases during childhood. Saliva can modulate the process of decay, as a rich source of host factors. It has been shown that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is secreted more in the saliva of individuals with active caries. No study has addressed the relationship between TNF-α levels and age or compared children's immune response at different age groups and during adolescence. Objectives: The present study aimed at evaluating the pro-inflammatory cytokine level of TNF-α in saliva and its association with caries in different age groups of children and adolescents. Methods: In this case-control study, 128 children and adolescents were divided to four age groups of 32. In each group, half of the individuals had no decay (control group) and the other half had > 4 decayed teeth (case group). Overall, 5 mL of non-stimulated saliva was spitted in sterile tubes for 15 minutes. Furthermore, 1 mL of each sample was centrifuged for five minutes at 12000 rpm. Salivary level of TNF-α was measured using the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) standard kit. Results: A total of 79 children were studied. The mean TNF-α levels in the case group was 35.20 ± 16.23 Pg/mL and in the control group, this was 26.20 ± 6.25 Pg/mL (P value = 0.001). The mean TNF-α level was significantly higher in the age group of six to 12 years than the age group of 13 to 18 years (P value = 0.01). Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that decay plays an important role in increasing cytokine TNF-α in non-stimulatory saliva, there is no confirming evidence of the direct effect of age on immune function yet.

Background: Gingival Overgrowth (GO) is a well documented and unwanted side effect that occurs mainly as a result of certain antiseizure, phenytoin. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of phenytoin on proliferation and production of IL1β and PGE2 in cultured human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) of children and adults. Materials and Methods: Normal HGFs were obtained from 4 healthy children and 4 adult and then were cultured with phenytoin (20 mg/ml). MTT test was used to evaluate the proliferation and ELISA to determine the level of IL1β and PGE2 production by HGFs. Analysis of proliferation were assessed by Independent T-Test and ANOVA analysis was used to assess the level of IL1β and PGE2 production with an a error level less than 0.05. Results: The proliferation of HGF was not affected significantly by phenytoin in both cultured fibroblast sources (P > 0.05). Phenytoin induced a significantly higher formation of IL1β and PGE2 in child's HGFs as compared to adult's HGFs (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results suggest that different inflammatory responses and cytokine formation by child's and adult's HGFs are the probable key elements that cause different reactions of phenytoin therapy. More advanced and systematic studies are needed to verify these findings.

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