This study describes dental caries data and fluorosis in seven municipalities in the Sorocaba region, S o Paulo State, Brazil, comparing those with fluoridated as opposed to non-fluoridated water. Criteria were those proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO, 1997), adapted by the School of Public Health, University of S o Paulo. The sample was selected at random, without replacement, and was calculated by age, accepting a design error of 2 and a sampling loss of 20% (n = 96 per age). There were six trained examiners, with accepted agreement percentage above 89% for all variables. In the Sorocaba region, the dmft index in 5 year-old children was 3.1, and 37.6% were caries-free (DMFT = 0). At age 12, 32.3% were caries-free (DMFT = 0), and the DMFT index in the region was 2.6, thus characterizing the area as having a low prevalence of caries. In areas with fluoridated water, the proportion of caries-free children at 12 years was higher than in those without fluoridated water (p = 0.019), and the DMFT was lower (p = 0.001). Prevalence of fluorosis at age 12 was 12.7% in the Sorocaba area and did not pose a public health problem according to the community fluorosis index (CFI).

This study assessed oral health conditions through clinical examination and self-perception. The sample consisted of 112 subjects 60 years of age or older in Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil, divided into two groups: G1, with dental insurance (n = 55) and G2, without dental insurance (n = 57). Clinical examinations were conducted according to WHO guidelines. Data on self-perceived oral health were collected using the GOHAI (Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index). DMFT was 29.13, higher in G1 (p = 0.0091). Mean number of teeth currently present in both groups was 7.63, higher in G2 (p = 0.0131). Periodontal conditions showed a high percentage of null sextants (70.3%), where CPI revealed higher prevalence for calculus and PIP for pockets up to 3mm. The percentage of edentulous subjects was 45.5%, higher in G1 (p = 0.0142). Among edentulous subjects, 69.6% wore complete upper dentures and 42.9% complete lower dentures. Mean GOHAI was 33.61, qualifying self-perceived oral health status as positive, and the only difference was in the physical dimension, where G2 showed higher values (p = 0.0154). Self-perceived oral health was considered satisfactory, but this was not confirmed by clinical data from the two groups.

In this study, the effects of acupuncture in comparison with flat occlusal plane appliance were evaluated in patient with myogenic temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD). The sample consisted of 40 women with TMD and unbalanced energy predominance of Yang Liver Ascension, selected using the Renying and Cunkou pulses, randomly divided into two groups: acupuncture and splint. The effect of treatments on the masseter and anterior temporal muscles was evaluated after 4 weeks of treatment, by means of electromyographic activity (root mean square) and pain pressure threshold. Pain intensity was measured using the visual analog scale, and range of mouth opening was evaluated using a millimeter ruler. All evaluations were performed at the beginning and end of the treatment. Visual analog scale score was reduced equally in the two groups (p < 0001), and the increase in range of mouth opening was significant in both groups. A significant difference was detected only in pain pressure threshold of the left masseter in the acupuncture group (p < 0.05). Only root mean square in the at rest position of the right temporal muscle diminished in the final stage of the splint group (p < 0.05). Both treatments reduced the pain intensity of myogenic TMD in the short term and may be considered strategies for control of chronic pain related to TMD.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD), recognized as the most common conditions of chronic orofacial pain, have a multifactorial etiology. Acupuncture can help to relieve the pain and discomfort associated with these conditions, because it can rebalance the energy (Qi) circulating in the meridians. The aim of the study was to verify the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating the pain; mouth opening limitation, and energy circulating in the meridians of patients with TMD of muscular or mixed origin. This was a controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trial conducted at the Piracicaba Dental School (FOP/Unicamp), in Piracicaba SP, Brazil. The Treatment Group received acupuncture with real penetration of the needle, and the Placebo Group received a sham treatment without needle penetration. The acupoints used were: ST6, ST7, SI18, GV20, GB20, BL10, and LI4, during treatment performed for four weekly sessions. The TMD and mouth opening were evaluated according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC). The measurements of the energy at the meridians were performed by the Ryodoraku method, before and after acupuncture in all of the sessions in both groups. The results showed no decrease in pain in the Treatment Group when compared with the Placebo Group (p = 0.2261). There was no increase in the oral opening limit in the Treatment Group compared with the Placebo Group (p > 0.05). Regarding the energy levels, after acupuncture, there was a decrease in Yang energy in all sessions (p < 0.05), in both groups, however, only real acupuncture was effective in maintaining the Yin energy average throughout the four sessions, with significant difference between groups (p = 0.0198). In conclusion, volunteers with TMD presented a pattern of energy deficiency and the most prevalent imbalance patterns identified were in the meridians coupled to the kidney and bladder, and in the Shao Yin (heart/kidney) and Shao Yang (triple energizer/gall bladder) energetic planes. The acupuncture points used were equally effective in reducing pain in both groups; increasing the unassisted mouth opening limitation without pain in the Treatment Group, and were also effective in preserving the Yin energy in the Treatment Group. The Yang energy decreased equally in both groups.

The aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of dental caries, edentulism, and use of and need for complete dental prostheses in adults and the elderly in Rio Claro, São Paulo State, Brazil. The total sample included 202 subjects, 101 elderly (64 to 75 year-olds) and 101 adults (35 to 44 year-olds), who were examined by four examiners according to who criteria. Edentulism was 74.25% in the elderly and 8.91% in adults, and present teeth rates were 3.19 and 22.10, respectively. In the elderly and adults, DMFT was 31.09 and 22.86, respectively. MT was the major component of the DMFT index in the elderly group (92.64%), as compared to FT in the adult group (57%), followed by MT (40.54%). complete upper and lower dental prostheses were needed by only 1% of the adults; however, 48.5% of the elderly required complete upper prostheses and 45.5% complete lower prostheses. the data suggest that preventive and educational programs are needed for both the elderly group and adults in order for adults to enjoy good oral health when they reach old age.

O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a relação entre tipo de escola, como medida de condição sócio-econômica e a prevalência de cárie em pré-escolares e escolares de Rio Claro, São Paulo, com água fluoretada. Os dados obtidos são secundários e a amostra foi de 888 escolares de 5 a 12 anos dos ensinos público e particular. A experiência de cárie foi medida por meio dos índices ceod e CPOD ¹, além do Índice de Cuidados. Empregou-se os testes qui-quadrado e Mann-Whitney com significância de 5%. Aos cinco anos, o ceod foi de 2,50 e 42,20% não apresentaram experiência de cárie. Aos 12 anos, o CPOD foi de 2,70 e 28,90% estavam livres de cárie. A prevalência de cárie nas crianças de escolas públicas foi maior do que nas particulares, sendo respectivamente de 74,50 e 61,20% (p < 0,0001), assim como os índices ceod e CPOD (p < 0,05). O Índice de Cuidados foi maior nas crianças do ensino particular (71,20%) do que nas do ensino público (52,80%). Encontrou-se uma maior experiência de cárie nos escolares do ensino público e assim a variável tipo de escola foi sensível para discriminar diferentes condições de saúde bucal, sugerindo-se que outras variáveis também sejam avaliadas.

Verificou-se a experiência da cárie dentária em adolescentes de 15 a 19 anos, considerando-se prevalência e severidade da doença, segundo idade, gênero, etnia e fluoretação das águas. Foi um estudo transversal realizado com dados do levantamento epidemiológico do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, 2002, no qual 1.825 adolescentes foram examinados em seus domicílios, por 132 cirurgiões-dentistas em 35 municípios. Utilizaram-se os testes qui-quadrado, Kruskal-Wallis e Mann-Whitney (alfa= 5%). Com o SiC Index, definiu-se um terço dos indivíduos com maior experiência de cárie. O índice CPO-D foi 6,44 (dp = 4,60) e o SiC Index 11,68. O percentual de livres de cárie foi 9,6%. Não houve diferença entre o CPO-D dos municípios com e sem fluoretação, entretanto houve maior porcentagem de livres de cárie nos municípios com água fluoretada. O gênero masculino teve pior condição em relação à cárie que o gênero feminino. Os não-brancos tiveram maior percentual de dentes cariados e perdidos que os brancos. Sugere-se, portanto, a ênfase em estratégias que possam atenuar os danos causados pela progressão da doença, especialmente no grupo com maior experiência de cárie dentária.

In the last few years, the demand has increased for research on polymeric materials, which can be used as substitutes for injured tissues and organs or to improve their regeneration. In this work, we studied poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) membranes, a resorbable biomaterial, which were either dense or had different pore diameters (less than 45 microm, between 180 and 250 microm, and between 250 and 350 microm), in relation to stimulation of cell adhesion, growth, and differentiation in vitro. We used Vero cells, a fibroblastic cell line, as the biological model of investigation. We found that cells attached slowly to all PLLA membranes studied. On the other hand, once the adhesion occurs, the cells are able to grow and differentiate on the different polymers. The cells grew to form a confluent monolayer and were capable of producing collagen Type IV and fibronectin on different PLLA membranes. This behavior indicates that cells try to create a better environment to stimulate their growth. This also indicates that Vero cells alter their differentiation pattern once they are producing extracellular matrix molecules related to epithelial differentiation.