ABSTRACT: Drug-influenced gingival enlargement is considered to be an important side effect related to the use of some medications and often produces important esthetic changes for patients, as well as clinical symptoms such as pain, bleeding, abnormal tooth movement and occlusion problems. Anticonvulsants, immunosuppressants and antihypertensive drugs have been reported as the main inducers of these periodontal disorders. This case report describes the 4-year clinical follow-up of a young patient with a history of excessive gingival enlargement as a consequence of drug therapy for epilepsy (phenytoin and phenobarbital); the nonsurgical periodontal treatment of the excessive gingival enlargement was associated with the replacement of the patient’s epilepsy medications with valproic acid. We conclude that intensive mechanical control of bacterial biofilms, instruction on oral hygiene guidelines and behaviors and the substitution of alternative anticonvulsant medications are the best way to control the drug-influenced gingival enlargement.

Resumo Introdução e objetivo: Ainda são escassos os estudos que avaliam com exatidão o sucesso do tratamento e retratamento endodônticos e quais as falhas que realmente impactam no desfecho dos mesmos. Determinar o índice e os fatores preditivos para o sucesso de tratamentos e retratamentos endodônticos, realizados por alunos de graduação com o mesmo nível de aprendizado. Materiais e métodos: Foram verificados os registros de proservação, com pelo menos 12 meses, dos tratamentos endodônticos realizados na Faculdade de Odontologia de Pelotas, analisando o sucesso ou o fracasso endodôntico, de acordo com critérios clínicos e radiográficos. As variáveis preditivas no resultado do sucesso do tratamento foram: dente, número de canais, coroa dentária, sintomas, diagnóstico da polpa e índice periapical radiográfico. As variáveis relacionadas ao tratamento foram: técnica de instrumentação, número de sessões e limite de instrumentação apical. Resultados: 136 tratamentos endodônticos foram realizados com um acompanhamento de, pelo menos, 12 meses. A avaliação mostrou que o sucesso endodôntico foi influenciado pelo número de sessões (P = 0,015), diagnóstico inicial e grupo dentário (P= 0.014). Também foi possível observar que, quanto maior o índice periapical radiográfico inicial, pior o prognóstico endodôntico (P < 0.001). Conclusão: O índice de sucesso do tratamento endodôntico foi de 96.7% para casos de polpa vital, 87.5% para os casos de necrose pulpar e 92.9% em retratamentos. Estes índices foram influenciados pelo dente tratado, diagnóstico inicial, índice periapical radiográfico inicial e pelo número de sessões utilizadas no tratamento.

Abstract Introduction and objective: There are still few studies that accurately address endodontic success and which failures actually impact the endodontic treatment outcome. Determine success rate and predictive factors for successful endodontic treatment and retreatment by undergraduate students of the same learning level. Materials and methods: The preservation records (12 months) of the endodontic treatments performed in the Faculty of Dentistry of Pelotas were verified, indicating the success or failure of the treatment. Predictive variables in the outcome of successful endodontic treatment or retreatment were: tooth, number of channels, dental crown, symptoms, pulp diagnosis, radiographic periapical index. The treatmentrelated variables were: instrumentation technique, number of sessions and apical instrumentation limit. Results: 136 endodontic treatments were performed with a follow-up of at least 12 months. The evaluation showed that endodontic success was influenced by the number of sessions (P = 0.015), initial diagnosis and dental group (P = 0.014). It was also observed that the higher the initial radiographic periapical index, the worse the endodontic prognosis (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The success rate of endodontic treatment was 96.7% for cases of vital pulp, 87.5% for cases of pulp necrosis and 92.9% for retreatments. These indices were influenced by type tooth, initial diagnosis, initial radiographic periapical index and the number of visits used in the treatment.

Resumen Introducción y objetivo: Todavía hay pocos estudios que aborden con precisión el éxito endodóntico y cuáles fracasos realmente impactan el resultado del tratamiento endodóntico. Determinar la tasa de éxito y los factores predictivos para el tratamiento y el retratamiento exitoso de endodoncia por estudiantes universitarios del mismo nivel de aprendizaje. Materiales y métodos: Se verificaron los registros de conservación (12 meses) de los tratamientos de endodoncia realizados en la Facultad de Odontología de Pelotas, lo que indica el éxito o el fracaso del tratamiento. Las variables predictivas en el resultado de un tratamiento o retratamiento endodóntico exitoso fueron: diente, número de canales, corona dental, síntomas, diagnóstico pulpar, índice periapical radiográfico. Las variables relacionadas con el tratamiento fueron: técnica de instrumentación, número de sesiones y límite de instrumentación apical. Resultados: se realizaron 136 tratamientos de endodoncia con un seguimiento de al menos 12 meses. La evaluación mostró que el éxito endodóntico estaba influenciado por el número de sesiones (P = 0.015), el diagnóstico inicial y el grupo dental (P = 0.014). También se observó que cuanto mayor es el índice periapical radiográfico inicial, peor es el pronóstico endodóntico (P <0.001). Conclusión: La tasa de éxito del tratamiento endodóntico fue del 96.7% para casos de pulpa vital, 87.5% para casos de necrosis pulpar y 92.9% para retratamientos. Estos índices fueron influenciados por el tipo de diente, el diagnóstico inicial, el índice periapical radiográfico inicial y el número de visitas utilizadas en el tratamiento.

ABSTRACT: Anticonvulsants are drugs that can modify the gingival tissues response to inflammatory processes in the presence of dental plaque, inducing gingival overgrowth. Preexisting gingival inflammation induced by dental plaque seems to be a favorable condition to the development and/or expression of gingival overgrowth. This study describes a case in which the use of phenytoin and phenobarbital anticonvulsant associated with the presence of dental plaque provided a large and severe extent of gingival alteration. We concluded that it was possible to achieve a good result in the patient with an intensive mechanical control of dental plaque, oral hygiene orientations and substitution of the drug for other alternative medication.

In this study, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate the adaptation of the first apical file after preflaring in mesiobuccal (MB) and mesiolingual (ML) canals of mandibular molars considering the tactile sensibility as a reference. The mesial canals (n = 22) of human mandibular molar teeth were used, and the first instrument to bind to the working length was determined after preflaring and crown-down shaping. Digital images of the root apex were acquired and a single examiner determined the contact of the file with the walls using Image J software. The results showed that the file was in contact in 47.83% and 31.71% in the MB and ML canals, respectively. When the apexes are fused, the average was 40.03%. A descriptive analysis showed that the first apical file did not touch all dentin walls in any of the samples.

OBJETIVO: Este estudo avaliou clinicamente a condição periodontal de pacientes portadores de contenção ortodôntica ântero-inferior fixa comparando com um grupo que nunca fez uso desse aparato ortodôntico. METODOLOGIA: Foram selecionados para o estudo 40 voluntários, estudantes de Odontologia, divididos em dois grupos. Grupo teste: 20 pacientes que fizeram uso de contenção ortodôntica fixa por mais de 2 anos; e grupo controle: 20 pacientes que nunca utilizaram qualquer tipo de contenção fixa. Os dentes ântero-inferiores envolvidos pela contenção no grupo teste, e de canino-a-canino no grupo controle, foram examinados segundo os seguintes parâmetros clínicos: Índice de placa (IP), sangramento à sondagem (SS), posição da margem gengival (PMG), nível de inserção clínica (NIC) e profundidade de sondagem (PS). RESULTADOS: Não foram observadas diferenças significantes entre os grupos para recessão gengival e sangramento à sondagem (P>0,05). Já para o nível de inserção clínica e profundidade de sondagem observaram-se diferenças significantes (P<0,05) em relação às faces proximais. Além disso, um maior acúmulo de placa (IP) foi detectado nas faces livres (P<0,05). CONCLUSÃO: A contenção ortodôntica ântero-inferior fixa influenciou negativamente a condição periodontal em relação aos índices IP, NIC e PS.

PURPOSE: This clinical study evaluated the periodontal status of patients with bonded retainers as compared to a non-treated control group. METHODS: Forty dental students were included in the sample and divided into the following two groups: 1) a test group of 20 subjects that, after orthodontic treatment, have been bonded retainer users for at least 2 years and 2) a control group of 20 patients that never experienced orthodontic treatment nor used any bonded retainer. The region associated with the retainer in the test group and the lower canine-to-canine region in the control group were examined according to the following clinical parameters: plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), gingival recession (GR), clinical attachment level (CAL) and probing depth (PD). RESULTS: No differences were observed for GR or BOP (P>0.05). In contrast, the test group showed higher values of CAL and PD at proximal sites when compared to controls (P<0.05). In addition, IP was significantly increased at buccal and lingual sites (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The placement of orthodontic bonded retainers negatively affected periodontal health, resulting in increased PI, PD and CAL.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the inflammatory response of dog's periapical tissues to 17% trisodium EDTA salt (pH 8.0) and 1% citric acid (pH 2.0). Saline was used as a control. Six adult dogs were used as the biological model of the study. The experimental units comprised 56 roots of mandibular molars (first and second) and premolars (first, second and third). After coronal opening, pulpectomy and root canal instrumentation were performed using the above-mentioned irrigating solutions. After 24 and 48 hours, the animals were euthanized and the teeth and their supporting tissues were removed and histologically processed. The sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and analyzed histopathologically with a light microscope at x100 magnification. The histological analysis focused on the occurrence of acute inflammatory response. The presence of swelling, vasodilatation and inflammatory cells were evaluated and the degree of inflammation was determined for each case. Data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test using the SPSS software with a confidence interval of 95% (p<0.05). 17% EDTA and 1% citric acid caused inflammatory responses in dog's periapical tissues with no significant differences to each other or to saline (control) at either the 24-hour (p=0.482) or 48-hour (p=0.377) periods. It may be concluded that the inflammatory response was of mild intensity for the tested substances.

O presente estudo avaliou a solubilidade da guta-percha em quatro solventes orgânicos empregados em endodontia. A solubilidade da guta-percha (Dentsply) foi testada em xilol, óleo de laranja, eucaliptol, clorofórmio e água destilada. Foram preparadas cento e cinqüenta amostras de guta-percha por meio de uma matriz metálica que foram divididas em cinco grupos para imersão nos diferentes solventes a serem testados e na água destilada (grupo controle) durante 2, 5 e 10 minutos. As médias da dissolução da guta-percha nos diferentes solventes foram obtidas pela diferença entre o peso inicial pré-imersão e o peso pós-imersão através de uma balança analítica digital (Gehaka - AG2000). Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente através da análise de variância (ANOVA) e comparações múltiplas com teste de Scheffe’s (p < 0,05). A melhor capacidade de solvência foi obtida com o xilol. Clorofórmio, óleo de laranja e eucaliptol apresentaram resultados semelhantes, e a água destilada não promoveu alterações na guta-percha.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the solubility of gutta-percha in four organic solvents used in endodontics. The solubility of gutta-percha (Dentsply) was assessed in xylol, orange oil, eucalyptol, chloroform and distilled water. A hundred and fifty samples of gutta-percha were prepared using a standardized stainless steel mould and divided into five groups for immersion in the different solvents tested and in distilled water (control group) for 2, 5 and 10 minutes. The means of gutta-percha dissolution in the solvents were obtained by the difference between the pre-immersion original weight and the post-immersion weight in a digital analytical scale (Gehaka - AG2000). Data were statistically analyzed by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and multiple comparisons with Scheffe’s test (p < 0.05). The best solvency capacity was obtained with xylol. Chloroform, orange oil and eucalyptol presented similar results, and distilled water did not promote alterations in the gutta-percha.

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the microhardness of two laboratory-processed composites (Artglass; belleGlass) and two direct placement composites (Filtek Z250; Alert), after aging in distilled water. Twenty cylinders (8 mm diameter; 2 mm height) per tested material were prepared and stored in 10 ml of distilled water. Five Knoop hardness measurements were made on the surface of the specimens with a Miniload Hardness Tester under a load of 50 g for 30 s at 10 min, 24 h, 30 and 90 days. Statistical analysis was perfomed using two-way ANOVA, followed by a SNK multiple comparison test (p < 0.05). The analysis showed statistically significant difference among hardness means recorded at the different aging time and the tested materials. It may be concluded that all materials presented hydrolytic degradation due to aging in aqueous environment.