In dental applications, the contact between the metal implant and the receiving living tissue is made through the oxide layer on the implant surface, which allows the osseointegration process. In dentistry, the passive film formed on titanium seems to be more stable and protective than that formed on the Ti alloys, customarily used in other medical applications. Corrosion of titanium alloys in the mouth can result from the presence of a number of corrosive species, such as the hydrogen ion (H(+)), sulfide compounds (S(2-)), dissolved oxygen (O(2)) and Cl(-) and can result in the release of Ti(4+) ions that, in turn, brings about the reduction of alkaline phosphatase activity of osteoblastic cells. The present study reports a time-dependent electrochemical corrosion study of titanium in contact with the following biologically relevant solutions: (i) SBF (simulating the inorganic part of human plasma), (ii) SBF with added ovalbumin (a protein simulating the post-implant environment) and (iii) human plasma. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report on the corrosion of Ti in human plasma. The electrochemical measurements are based on electrochemical impedance spectrometry. Impedance spectra were interpreted on the basis of the equivalent-circuit approach and estimates of the time-variation of oxide film thickness and resistance were computed. Surface Raman spectroscopy was used to characterise the structure of as-anodised and corroded TiO(2) films: the effects of phosphate and organic incorporation were highlighted. EIS and surface Raman measurements have demonstrated that the corrosion resistance of the oxide films formed on Ti is strongly affected by the presence of biomolecules in the chloride- and phosphate-based aqueous solution. In particular, ovalbumin increases corrosion performance and human plasma is found to be remarkably more aggressive in comparison to SBF. These results suggest some caution in extrapolating corrosion results obtained in simulated biological fluids to the actual behaviour in vivo.

Summary. An open randomized controlled study involving two parallel treatment groups comprising 50 patients with Candida‐associated denture stomatitis was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of one application of 1 g of miconazole 55 mg/g denture lacquer in comparison with that of a commercially available miconazole 2% gel applied four times daily for 2 weeks. The results showed a pronounced reduction in the yeast scores and a reduction in the palatal erythema in both treatment groups, but there was no apparent difference between the efficacy of the two treatments. The results indicate that a single application of the denture lacquer (55 mg of miconazole) is safe and almost as effective as administration of gel four times a day for 2 weeks (3000 mg of miconazole). Zusammenfassung. Es wurde eine offene, randomisierte, kontrollierte Studie mit zwei parallelen Behandlungsgruppen, die 50 Patienten mit Candida‐assoziierter Prothesenstomatitis umfaßten, zur Bewertung der Wirksamkeit und Sicherheit der Einmalanwendung von 1 g Miconazol‐Prothesen‐Lack (55 mg Miconazol/g) im Vergleich zum kommerziell erhältlichen 2%igen Miconazol‐Gel bei täglich viermaliger Anwendung über zwei Wochen hinweg durchgeführt. Als Ergebnis zeigte sich eine deutliche Reduktion der Hefekeimzahlen und ein Rückgang des palatalen Erythems in beiden Behandlungsgruppen, jedoch war zwischen den Gruppen kein Unterschied zu erkennen. Die Ergebnisse belegen, daß die Einmalanwendung des Prothesen‐Lacks (55 mg Miconazol) sicher und so wirksam ist wie die Gelanwendung viermal täglich über zwei Wochen (3000 mg Miconazol).

Zr and Ti alloys are extensively used in the biomedical field owing to their optimal mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance. Fully ceramic implants based on zirconia are appealing with respect to the traditional Ti-based metallic ones for several reasons, such as: (i) improved aesthetic impact, (ii) better biocompatibility and (iii) better osteointegration. Nevertheless, fully ceramic implants exhibit serious mechanical and clinical drawbacks, chiefly brittleness and impossibility of post-implant position adjustments. In this paper we propose the novel approach of using a metal-based system, consisting of metallic Zr, for the bulk of the implant and an electrochemically grown zirconia coating, ensuring contact of the ceramic with the biological environment and isolation from the underlying metal. This solution combines the outstanding mechanical properties of the metal in the bulk with the optimal biochemical properties exclusively where they are needed: at the surface. The present paper-focussed on the electrochemical behaviour of the proposed system at the implant-wound and implant-growing bone interface-reports a time-dependent electrochemical corrosion study of zirconia-coated zirconium, performed in the following ways: (i) exposure and measurements in SBF (simulating the inorganic part of human plasma, relevant to wound chemistry), (ii) exposure and measurements in SBF with added glycine (the simplest, ubiquitous amino acid found in proteins), (iii) exposure in SBF with added glycine and measurements in SBF. Electrochemical impedance spectra were measured and interpreted with the equivalent-circuit approach, yielding estimates of the time-variation of the oxide film thickness and resistance were estimated. FT-IR, Surface Raman and VIS reflectance spectroscopies were used to characterise the surface before and after the exposure to SBF solutions. Spectroelectrochemical measurements revealed an higher corrosion resistance of the oxide films formed on Zr in the presence of glycine in the SBF matrix and a smoother electrode surface.

In this paper we describe the one-pot fabrication of hydroxyapatite (HA)-heparin composites by electrodeposition onto Ti substrates and their characterisation in terms of structure, morphology, heparin content and bioactivity. HA coatings are well known and widely applied osteointegration enhancers, but post-implant healing rate in dental applications is still suboptimal: e.g. coagulation control plays a key role and the incorporation of an anticoagulant is considered a highly desirable option. In this study, we have developed an improved, simple and robust growth procedure for single-phase, pure HA-heparin films of thickness 1/3 μm. HA-heparin, forming nanowires, has the ideal morphology for bone mineralisation. Staining assays revealed homogeneous incorporation of sizable amounts of heparin in the composite films. The bioactivities of the HA and HA-heparin coatings on Ti were compared by HeLa cell proliferation/viability tests and found to be enhanced by the presence of the anticoagulant.

The aim of this report is to analyze the clinical symptoms, ethologic factors, and prosthetic rehabilitation in a case of Combination Syndrome (CS). The treatment of CS can be conventional or surgical, with or without the bone reconstruction of maxilla. The correct prosthetic treatment helps this kind of patients to restore the physiologic occlusion plane to allow a correct masticatory and aesthetic function. Management of this kind of patients can be a challenge for a dental practitioner.