Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate sensibility threshold for interocclusal thickness in experienced and nonexperienced denture wearers after the insertion of new complete dentures.Materials and Methods. A total of 88 patients with complete dentures have participated in this study. The research was divided into two experimental groups, compared with the previous experience prosthetic dental treatment. The sensibility threshold for interocclusal thickness was measured with metal foil with 8 μm thickness and width of 8 mm, placed between the upper and lower incisor region. Statistical analysis was performed using standard software package BMDP (biomedical statistical package).Results. Results suggest that time of measurement affects the average values of the sensibility threshold for interocclusal thickness (F= 242.68,p= 0.0000). Gender appeared to be a significant factor when it interacted with time measurement resulting in differences in sensibility threshold for interocclusal thickness (gender:F= 9.84,p= 0.018;F= 4.83,p= 0.0003).Conclusion. The sensibility threshold for interocclusal thickness was the most important functional adaptation in patient with complete dentures. A unique trait of this indicator is the progressive reduction of initial values and a tendency to reestablish the stationary state in the fifteenth week after dentures is taken off.

BACKGROUND: There are a lot of factors influencing the efficiency of mastication; therefore there are also a lot of methods for testing this efficiency.OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to test the efficiency of mastication and evaluate it in the function of time, based on previous experience with the complete dentures.METHODS: A total of 88 patients (42 female, 46 male, mean age 52.2, SD = 5.76), complete dentures wearers, participated in this study. Masticatory functions were investigated by using the method of electromyography (EMG), analyzing electromyomasticatiogram. For testing the masticator efficiency, the further parameters of the masticatiogram were used: duration of the Standard Masticatory Task (SMT) (t), number of the masticatory cycles within the masticator arch (F) and maximal amplitude within the masticatory arch (F). All data were statistically analysed by using standard software package BMDP (bio-medical Statistical package). Parametric data have been tested using One Way Repeated Measurement of ANOVA test.RESULTS: The changes of the relation A/t are evident in different time intervals in both measured sides: F-DS-time of the measurement = 34.86, P = 0.0000; F-NDS- time of the measurement = 26.1, P = 0.0000. There are also differences of the masticatory index A/t between sexes in both, dominant and non-dominant side: F-DS-gender = 237.05, P = 0.0000; F-NDS-gender = 12.90, P = 0.004. Masticatory index (A/F) varies in time, from first to the sixth measurement in both sides: F-DS-time of the measurement = 32.36, P = 0.0000; F-NDS-time of the measurement = 30.53, P = 0.0000. The interaction of the time and gender was also important: F-DS-interaction = 6.95, P = 0.0000; F-NDS-interaction = 14.9, P = 0.0000.CONCLUSION: Masticator indexes are A/F, and A/t are a very important indicator of the masticatory efficiency and the level of the functional adaptation on complete dentures. Both masticator indexes show the same dynamics (reaching the stationary condition after the 15th week after getting new dentures). After the observing period, all examinee express the same degree of masticator efficiency known as functional adaptation. Patients with previous experience with complete dentures reach faster the stationary condition, compared with those non-experienced.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of dental cement materials for the prevention of bacterial growth, which can cause failure of fixed cementation. We developed an agar diffusion disk test in-house to evaluate the antibacterial properties of 3 commercially available dental cement materials (Ketac, Harvard FLB, and Panavia SA Universal Dual Resin cements) compared with a negative control. The materials were tested for the inhibition against Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 10449), Streptoccocus salivarius (ATCC 25975), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), and Lactobacilus acidophilus (ATCC 4356). The antimicrobial effectiveness of materials was expressed as the diameters of the inhibition zones around the disk. Overall, 240 specimens were tested. All cement materials showed antimicrobial effectiveness. Different microbial strains reacted differently to the different dental cements (all P<0.001). The bacterial strain of S. mutans showed the largest zones of inhibition of all cements, and E. faecalis was less susceptible. Statistically significant differences were observed when comparing different materials among each other (P<0.001). The fluoride-releasing material Panavia was significantly superior to the other 2 materials (P<0.001). Fluoride-releasing dental cements showed antimicrobial properties, showing resin cements having superior antimicrobial effects when compared with conventional glass ionomer or zinc phosphate cements.

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) is important for prevention of greater damages of the parts of the oro-facial system. There are early symptoms that can be used as predictors of TMD.AIM: The study aimed to assess the frequency of the symptoms of TMD among dental students.METHODS: Total number of 166 respondents, all undergraduate dental students, (84 female, 82 male), mean age 22, participated in this study. For the study, the questionnaire of Fonseca was used. There were ten questions to answer with: no, sometimes and yes. Fonseca-Clinical index classification is: 0-15 points, no TMD; 20-40 points, mild TMD; 45-65 points, moderate TMD and 70-100 points, severe TMD.RESULTS: Forty-six point four percentages of the students, had no symptoms of TMD, 44.6 % had mild TMD, 7.8% moderate TMD and only 1.2 % had severe TMD. By conventional criteria, there is not any statistical difference of the TMD between male and female (c2 = 1.133, p = 0.769).CONCLUSION: Fonseca questionnaire has its importance in the early diagnosis of TMD that can occur in the young population.

AIM: The study aimed to analyse differences in colourimetric parameters L*a*b*, depended on age.MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study were included 255 subjects with age interval from 20 to 49 years. The subjects were divided into three groups, as follows: in the younger group were 20 to 29 years of age, those in the middle group 30 to 39 years and older group 40 to 49 years. The overall number of analysed teeth in the intercanine sector of the maxilla was 2295. The colour of the teeth was measured using the spectrophotometer VITA Easyshade.RESULTS: The results for differences in the colourimetric parameters in relation with age were tested with Pearson Chi-square (c2). For c 2 = 572, 87 and df = 124 there was a statistical significant difference between the ages P < 0.001.CONCLUSION: In this study, it was concluded that the parameter L* - Lightness was decreasing when age increased. In the age group, 20 to 29 years L* was 83.2, whereas in the older group of this investigation; 40 to 49 years was 79.4. In the youngest group, the parameter a* was - 0.7, whereas with increasing of age this parameter was -0.5. The values for parameter b* from the youngest to the older group were from 21.7 to 23.9.

BACKGROUND: The aetiology of Temporomandibular disorder is multifactorial, and numerous studies have addressed that occlusion may be of great importance in the pathogenesis of Temporomandibular disorder.AIM: The aim of this study is to determine if any direct relationship exists between balanced occlusion and Temporomandibular disorder and to evaluate the differences between subjective balanced occlusion and measurements reported with T-scan III electronic system.MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 54 subjects were divided into three groups, selection based on anamnesis-responded to a Fonseca questionnaire and clinical measurements analysed with electronic system T-scan III. In the I study group were participants with fixed dentures with prosthetic ceramic restorations. In the II study group were symptomatic participants with TMD. In the third control group were healthy participants with full arch dentition that completed a subjective questionnaire that documented the absence of jaw pain, joint noise, locking and subjects without a history of TMD. The occlusal balance was reported subjectively through Fonseca questionnaire and compared with occlusion analysed with electronic system T-scan III.RESULTS: For attributive data were used percentage of the structure. Differences in P < 0.05 were considered significant. After distributing attributive data of occlusal balance subjectively reported and compared with measurements analysed with electronic system T-scan III were found significant difference P < 0.001 in all three groups.CONCLUSION: In our study, it was concluded that there were statistically significant differences of balanced occlusion in all three groups. Also it was concluded that subjective data are not exact with measurements reported with electronic device T-scan III.