Electron Spectroscopy For Chemical Analysis: Applications in the Biomedical Sciences
R. Michael Gendreau in Spectroscopy in the Biomedical Sciences, 1986
Relatively few publications have appeared describing the application of ESCA to materials problems in dentistry and orthopedics. This is surprising because bonding and interface problems are important to both fields and because metals and ceramics, commonly used materials in these fields, are both particularly amenable to study by ESCA. Dental-device bonding problems (porcelain-to-metal and polymer-to-enamel) have been studied in three publications.146-148 The nature of tooth enamel and chemical interactions with the enamel have also been addressed.149,150 Corrosion of metals used in orthopedic applications has been studied using ESCA after soaking in protein solutions151 and in implant situations.152 Finally, titanium surfaces have exhibited unique interfacial interactions with bone and have been the subject of preliminary ESCA investigations.153
The Role of Dentistry in Cardiovascular Health and General Well-Being
Stephen T. Sinatra, Mark C. Houston in Nutritional and Integrative Strategies in Cardiovascular Medicine, 2015
To appreciate why root-canaled teeth can be so dangerous, it is important to understand the process. A root canal is the removal of the pulpal tissue from the hollow tube within the root(s) of the tooth. This pulp is composed of nerves, blood, and lymphatic tissue. Dentists are taught to medicate the canal of the tooth during the root canal procedure to minimize the amount of bacteria left behind. The canal is usually packed with a latex material called gutta-percha, which supposedly seals off the canal. The underlying assumption is that the body will be able to tolerate a tooth that now contains a minimal amount of bacteria. The criteria for success are that a tooth does not hurt and that it appears normal on an x-ray. If it were just the pulp that was infected, a better outcome could be expected. However, the tooth’s dentin, the tooth material that surrounds the pulp, is composed of literally millions of tiny tubules. These tubules exist to transport nutrients to the entire tooth. Although we think of tooth enamel as a hard and impenetrable material, it is actually made up of thousands of microscopic tubules. In fact, the dentin comprises so many tubules that if the tubules in your small lower front tooth were laid out end to end, it is estimated that they would form a line approximately 3 miles long.
Case Investigation
Kevin L. Erskine, Erica J. Armstrong in Water-Related Death Investigation, 2021
Tooth enamel is formed at specific time frames during childhood. The amount of atmospheric radiocarbon determines the amount found within the tooth enamel. For teeth formed after 1965, radiocarbon testing was accurate in determining the date of birth within 1.5 years. Testing of enamel formed prior to 1965 was less accurate. Researchers used radiocarbon levels in the soft tissue to determine the year of death. Different than tooth enamel, soft tissues are always being formed and reformed, which means they are always changing based on changing environmental levels. Blood, fingernails, and hair are the most affective sources which are identical to atmospheric conditions. Thus, the levels in those tissues postmortem would indicate the year of death accurately within three years. In the absence of any future nuclear destinations, this technique will be useful for at least the next 10–20 years. Atmospheric radiocarbon is dispersed uniformly through the entire globe, so this testing should be accurate, regardless of its global location.2
Candida albicans Bgl2p, Ecm33p, and Als1p proteins are involved in adhesion to saliva-coated hydroxyapatite
Published in Journal of Oral Microbiology, 2021
Hoa Thanh Nguyen, Rouyu Zhang, Naoki Inokawa, Takahiro Oura, Xinyue Chen, Shun Iwatani, Kyoko Niimi, Masakazu Niimi, Ann Rachel Holmes, Richard David Cannon, Susumu Kajiwara
In the oral cavity, saliva has a number of functions. It contains antimicrobial factors such as lysozyme and histatins, and amylase to begin the breakdown of starch, but it also contains several nutrients that microorganisms can metabolize. Thus, saliva enables microbial colonization of the mouth and it has been reported that C. albicans can utilize salivary constituents for the growth and the colonization of tooth surfaces [10,11]. Salivary proteins adsorb to oral surfaces to form the acquired pellicle. The main component of tooth enamel is hydroxyapatite and the adsorption of salivary proteins to hydroxyapatite can promote microbial adhesion. Salivary basic proline-rich proteins (bPRPs) within the pellicle are thought to act as main receptors for the adherence of C. albicans [12,13].
Anti-biofilm activity of a novel pit and fissure self-adhesive sealant modified with metallic monomers
Published in Biofouling, 2020
Alexandra Rubin Cocco, Carlos Enrique Cuevas-Suárez, Yuan Liu, Rafael Guerra Lund, Evandro Piva, Geelsu Hwang
Traditional pit and fissure sealants have been used to prevent the invasion of microorganisms and plaque accumulation for patients with a high occlusal caries risk (Mickenautsch and Yengopal 2016). For instance, pit and fissure sealant with fluoride, the mainstay of caries prevention, reduce the demineralization of tooth enamel by enhancing its remineralization (Kühnisch et al. 2012). However, it does not offer complete disease protection since the antibacterial activity of fluoride compounds is limited (Featherstone and Doméjean 2012). In addition, it is necessary to improve the application of pit and fissure sealants to simplify clinical procedures (Han et al. 2007) or to avoid potential pitfalls, such as plaque accumulation on sealants (Papageorgiou et al. 2017). Therefore, the search for alternative anti-biofilm agents that can more effectively block biofilm formation and arrest progression of caries lesions on pit and fissure is warranted.
Dental caries prevalence in children with congenital heart disease – a systematic review
Published in Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, 2021
Essi Karikoski, Taisto Sarkola, My Blomqvist
Chronic disease with or without challenges in family functioning can also lead to a higher caries prevalence among children. Many factors may predispose children with CHD to develop caries during early childhood. Developmental enamel disturbances of the tooth enamel have been reported in children with CHD [7], and hypomineralization defects, in particular, make teeth more vulnerable to early childhood caries. Factors related with CHD management in children challenge caregivers directly or indirectly in maintaining child’s oral health. Heart failure related increased need of calories lead to frequent dietary intake including additional meals during night-time. Medications are often provided in conjunction with sweetened yoghurt or jam, and sweets may be used for motivational purposes. Recurrent infections in early childhood can lead to an increased need of fluids during night-time and the fluids used are occasionally sweetened as well [8]. Diuretics decreases the amount of saliva production [9] which increases the risk for caries as the saliva serves as an important buffer in neutralising the acid producing bacteria.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Calcium Phosphate
- Dentin
- Hydroxyapatite
- Tissue
- Cementum
- Tooth
- Crown
- Pulp
- Tooth Eruption
- REMineralisation of Teeth