Different luting agents have an influence on the fracture resistance of Procera AllCeram copings.

Objectives:The study aimed to evaluate and compare the dental prosthetic status and treatment needs of adult population in Jizan, Saudi Arabia, in relation to the age.Materials and Methods:A total of 1779 people aged 35–74 years from 4 survey areas (Hay al matar, Mahata khams, Dara ut tawhid, and Suq ad dakhili) selected through convenient sampling, around Jizan University, were surveyed, using the WHO survey criteria, 1997.Statistical Analysis:Number and percentages were calculated, and univariate analysis was performed using Chi-square test at 5% level of significance.Results:Different forms of prosthesis were present among patients in the upper (19.9%) and lower (19%) arches, respectively. Prosthetic treatment need was recognized in subjects, 56.4% for the upper and 57.2% for the lower arches, respectively. The prosthetic status and treatment needs differed statistically with respect to age.Conclusion:More than half of the surveyed adult populations were in need of some or the other forms of prosthesis. This study provides data for an oral health-care provider program for Jizan.

Because Turkom-Cera demonstrated equal to or higher loads at fracture than currently accepted all-ceramic materials, it would seem to be acceptable for fabrication of anterior and posterior ceramic crowns.

Background Self-perceived health is an essential measure of health status and even a paramount predictor of mortality. So long as it is said that oral health (OH) and general health (GH) are mirrors to each other. This study sought to determine how Yemeni adults rate their OH and GH, whether such a self-rating influenced by some potential risk factors, and whether both ratings (OH and GH) are correlated. Methods A sample of 587 Yemeni dental patients aged 20 years and over were consecutively recruited. A structured interview form was used covering the following variables: age, gender, marital status, educational level, presence of dental prosthesis (DP), smoking and Qat chewing habits as independent variables, along with questions on “perceived oral health (POH)” and “perceived general health (PGH)” as dependent variables. The bivariate and multiple ordinal regression analyses were applied at P -value < 0.05. Results Most of participants were women (73.6%), and married (71.4%), and more than half of them were young adults (58.2%), with high educational levels (53.3%), and not having DP. Only 310 participants responded to the questions on smoking and Qat chewing habits. Of these, 88.5% were non-smokers and 62.1% were Qat non-chewers. Up to 50% of the participants reported their POH as poor or fair, while lower proportions of participants (17%) reported their PGH as such. Younger age (compared to elders), high education levels (compared to primary education) and being single (compared to married) significantly revealed better levels of POH, while high education levels and being females significantly revealed better levels of PGH. Smoking and Qat chewing habits were found to have no effect on the perception of POH or PGH. POH and PGH were found to be significantly correlated ( r = 0.486; P < 0.001). Conclusion Higher levels of oral health problems can be anticipated among patients who perceive poor general health, and vice versa. The age, marital status and education were independent determinants of POH, while the gender and education were independent determinants of PGH.

Aim:The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of different luting agents on the fracture strength of Turkom-Cera™ all-ceramic copings. Methods and Materials:Standardized metal dies were duplicated from a prepared maxillary first premolar tooth using non-precious metal alloy (Wiron 99). Thirty Turkom-Cera™ copings of 0.6 mm thickness were then fabricated. Three types of luting agents were used: zinc phosphate cement (Elite™), glass-ionomer cement (Fuji I™), and a dual-cured composite resin cement (Panavia F™). Ten copings were cemented with each type. All copings were cemented to their respective dies according to manufacturer's instructions and received a static load of 5 kg for ten minutes. After 24 hours of storage in distilled water at 37ºC, the copings were vertically loaded until fracture using an Instron Universal Testing Machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/minute. The mode of fracture was then determined.Results: Statistical analysis carried out using analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences in the compressive strength between the three groups (P<0.001). The mean fracture strength (in Newtons) of Turkom-Cera™ copings cemented with Elite™, Fuji I™, and Panavia F™ were 1537.4 N, 1294.4 N, and 2183.6 N, respectively. Conclusions:Luting agents have an influence on the fracture resistance of Turkom-Cera™ copings. Citation: AL-Makramani BMA, Razak AAA, Abu-Hassan MI. Effect of Luting Cements on the Compressive Strength of Turkom-Cera™ All-ceramic Copings. J Contemp Dent Pract 2008 February;(9)2:033-040. Abstract © Seer Publishing

Advances in all-ceramic systems have established predictable means of providing metal-free aesthetic and biocompatible materials. These materials must have sufficient strength to be a practical treatment alternative for the fabrication of crowns and fixed partial dentures.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to compare the biaxial flexural strength of three core ceramic materials. Material and methodsThree groups of 10 disc-shaped specimens (16 mm diameter x 1.2 mm thickness - in accordance with ISO-6872, 1995) were made from the following ceramic materials: Turkom-Cera Fused Alumina [(Turkom-Ceramic (M) Sdn Bhd, Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia)], In-Ceram (Vita Zahnfabrik, Bad Säckingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) and Vitadur-N (Vita Zahnfabrik, Bad Säckingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany), which were sintered according to the manufacturer's recommendations. The specimens were subjected to biaxial flexural strength test in a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The definitive fracture load was recorded for each specimen and the biaxial flexural strength was calculated from an equation in accordance with ISO-6872. ResultsThe mean biaxial flexural strength values were: Turkom-Cera: 506.8±87.01 MPa, In-Ceram: 347.4±28.83 MPa and Vitadur-N: 128.7±12.72 MPa. The results were analyzed by the Levene's test and Dunnett's T3 post-hoc test (SPSS software V11.5.0 for Windows, SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA ) at a preset significance level of 5% because of unequal group variances (P<0.001). There was statistically significant difference between the three core ceramics (P<0.05). Turkom-Cera showed the highest biaxial flexural strength, followed by In-Ceram and Vitadur-N. ConclusionsTurkom-Cera core had significantly higher flexural strength than In-Ceram and Vitadur-N ceramic core materials.

Healthcare workers have reported a certain segment of geriatric patients that are suffering from abuse/neglect, which in turn has been associated with anxiety, depression, and helplessness in the individual. Family caregivers (blood relations), being the most common perpetrators of elder abuse and neglect (EAN), have also been shown to respond to sensitization if the type of EAN and the interventions are appropriate. This study was aimed to comparatively analyze the influence of intervention (psychotherapeutic sensitization of FCG) upon long-term (24 months) treatment maintenance and satisfaction in elderly neglected patients. One hundred and fifty patients (aged 41–80 years) suffering from elder neglect (EN) (self-confession) and their respective FCGs, fulfilling the study criteria, participated in this longitudinal 2-year study. The patients were randomly distributed (simple random, convenient) in two equal groups (75 each), namely Group (GP) A (control) and GP B (test). A standardized, complete denture treatment was initiated for all the participants. Both the FCGs and the patients of GP B were sensitized (psychotherapeutic education) for EN, while there was no such intervention in GP A. The influence of such intervention was measured for denture maintenance [denture plaque index (DPI) scores] and treatment satisfaction (10-point visual analog scale). Absolute/relative frequencies and means were major calculations during data analysis. Differences between the groups for any treatment compliance parameter was done through the unpaired t-test, while Karl Pearson’s test determined the level of relationship between variables (p-value < 0.05). Decrease in mean DPI scores (suggesting improvement) was seen among patients in GP A from 1 month (m = 2.92) to 24 months (m = 2.77). A negligible increase in DPI scores was observed among patients of GP B from 1 month (m = 1.38) to 24 months (m = 1.44). Differences in mean values between the two groups were statistically significant at 24-month intervals, while the relationship between the variables was nonsignificant. FCG sensitization through psychotherapeutic education shows a long-term positive influence on the treatment compliance (maintenance and satisfaction). Identifying the existence of EAN among geriatric patients, followed by psychotherapeutic education of FCGs is recommended for routine medical and dental long-duration treatment procedures.

Intermixing brands of additional silicone impression materials evaluated in this study did not affect the dimensional accuracy of obtained stone casts. This will help to minimize the wastage of materials due to lack of either light or putty consistency of the same brand of additional silicone impression material.