No abstract

No abstract

A modified mercury dilatometer is described where any change in the volume of the sample is registered every 0.5 s as a change of the mercury height in the capillary, which is measured electronically instead of by the naked eye. The device is relatively low in cost and enables measurements to be made on samples regardless of their shape or size. Four different light-curing dental materials - Amelogen (Ultradent Dental Products, South Jordan, UT, USA), Z250 (3M/ESPE, Minneapolis, MN, USA), Permaflo (Ultradent) and Filtec flow (3M/ESPE) - were initially tested. From the results it was concluded that with this modified dilatometer reproducible measurements, with a measurement error (residual standard deviation) of less than 0.027% and an average coefficient of variation of less than 1.22%, could be obtained. Thus, the instrument is particularly suitable for the study of light-curing dental resins.

No abstract

Objective:The purpose of the study was to design and evaluate novel functional chitosan hydrogels (chitosan-H-propolis, chitosan-H-propolis-nystatin and chitosan-H-nystatin) by using the chitosan-H polymer as “dual function restorative materials”.Materials and Methods:The nystatin/antioxidant carrier gel was prepared by dispersion of the corresponding component in glycerol and 3% acetic acid with 5% chitosan gelling agent was then added to the dispersion with continuous mixing. The natural bio-adhesive functionalized chitosan hydrogels were combined with built in drug delivery system and bio-actives such as propolis in order to increase the dentin bond strength capacity and maintain therapeutic properties of the alternative drug delivery system. The surface morphology, release behaviors (physiological pH and also in acidic conditions), stability of nystatin:antioxidant:chitosan and the effect of the hydrogels on the shear bond strength of dentin were also evaluated.Statistical Analysis Used:Non-parametric ANOVA test was used to asses significance of higher shear bond values than dentine treated or not treated with phosphoric acid.Results:The release of both nystatin and propolis confer the added benefit of dual action of a functional therapeutic delivery when comparing the newly designed chitosan-based hydrogel restorative materials to commercially available nystatin alone. Neither the release of nystatin nor the antioxidant stability was affected by storage. Chitosan-H, chitosan-propolis, chitosan-nystatin and chitosan-nystatin-propolis treated dentine gives significantly (P < 0.05) higher shear bond values (P < 0.05) than dentine treated or not treated with phosphoric acid.Conclusion:The added benefits of their unique functionality involve increased dentin adhesive bond strengths (after 24 h and after 6 months) and positive influence on the nystatin release. Nystatin was a model therapeutic agent, evaluating the concept of using functional materials as carriers for pro-drugs as well as displaying a certain degree of defence mechanism for free radical damage of the novel functional drug delivery. Overall, there was an insignificant relapse in the shear bond strength after 6 months.