Practica odontologica最新文献

Ludwig's angina es a bilateral gangrenous induration of the connective tissues of the neck and floor of the mouth. It causes rapid airway obstruction and affects the submandibular, sublingual and submental spaces. The main causes of infection are usually the second and third molars. In severe or difficult cases, an early surgical procedure is often necessary. According to our experience on this entity, as gathered in five years (16 cases), the process has a dental origin. Two deaths were reported. Most cases were treated with crystalline penicillin G, metronidazole, dicloxacillin or amykacin; tracheotomy was performed on 12 patients, four other cases were treated with controlled breathing. The authors suggest antibiotic therapy, early surgery when needed, with a careful monitoring of airway symptoms to lessen the need of tracheotomy and reduce the death rate. Ludwig's angina should by no means go unnoticed in its early stages; early diagnosis should always be considered.

Tooth growth and development involve complex biochemical and physiological processes. Some vitamins are required as coenzymes, but these molecules are also needed to synthesize specific proteins with structural or transport functions. Collagen synthesis is carried out by ascorbic acid interaction. Vitamin A induces calbindin synthesis. Collagen and calbindins are both involved in the mineralization and development of hard tissues. The formation, eruption and growth of teeth are also mediated by the interaction of several hormones.

Class III dentofacial deformities have been corrected by isolated orthodontic and/or surgical procedures, the facial a esthetics results of this approach are frequently less than optimal. The purpose of this article is to present our orthodontic-surgical approach, which has proved successful functional and esthetic results. Two representative cases are illustrated.

The most frequent options currently available for rehabilitation of patients requiring mandibular resection, are discussed. Accordingly, prostheses are designed depending on the surgical technique employed. The most common characteristics of the oral cavity are reviewed, as well as their involvement in mandibulectomized patients. Finally, the relationship that should exist between maxillofacial prostheses and the stomatological cares required by patients who are candidates for radio and/or chemotherapy is stressed.

In order to demonstrate the role of saliva with high concentration of urea and alkalinity, preventing dental caries in the uremic patients, 4 groups of children were studied: I healthy controls, II children with successful renal transplantation, III uremic children in dialysis and IV uremic children with conservative treatment. The results show a direct correlation between increase of saliva urea concentrations and decrease in saliva hydrogen ion concentration. Higher values of urea and more alkaline pH were found in children with uremia, with or without dialysis. Despite that there was not a statistically significant difference in the caries-lost-obturation index: 0.252 was found in the group of healthy controls and the lowest was 0.119, in the patients with uremia and dialysis. The results suggest that a protector role of saliva in uremic children is possible.

A wide variety of restoration materials for prosthetic odontology is now available to the dental surgeon, either of the covalent type (acrylic resins), metallic (alloys), ionic (porcelains), or a combination of them, as in the so-called composites, such as the composite resins, or as ceramics-metals mixtures. An example of the latter is a product called Miracle-Mix, a glass ionomere cement reinforced with an amalgam alloy. In those cases where the blend is done by a synterization process, the material is called Cermet. The above-listed alternatives clearly evidence day-to-day advances in odontology, with researchers and manufacturers engaged the world over in improving existing products or developing new ones to enrich the dentist's armamentarium. As a side effect of this constant renewal, those dentists who have failed to update their knowledge fall behind in their practice as they persist in using products they have known for years, and may be deceived by advertisements of too-often unreliable products. It is, therefore, important to be aware of available products and their latest improvements.