In order to reduce the loosening of dental implants, surface modification with hydroxyapatite (HA) coating has shown promising results. Therefore, in this present study, the sol-gel technique has been employed to form a tantalum and strontium ion-doped hybrid HA layer coating onto the titanium (Ti)-alloy substrate. In this study, the surface modification was completed by using 3% tantalum pent oxide (Ta₂O₅), 3% strontium (Sr), and a combination of 1.5% Ta₂O₅ and 1.5% Sr as additives, along with HA gel by spin coating technique. These additives played a prominent role in producing a porous structure layer coating and further cell growth. The MG63 cell culture assay results indicated that due to the incorporation of strontium ions along with tantalum embedded in HA, cell proliferation increased significantly after a 48 h study. Therefore, the present results, including microstructure, crystal structure, binding energy, and cell proliferation, showed that the additives 1.5% Ta₂O₅ and 1.5% Sr embedded in HA on the Ti–substrate had an optimized porous coating structure, which will enhance bone in-growth in surface-modified Ti-implants. This material had a proper porous morphology with a roughness profile, which may be suitable for tissue in-growth between a surface-modified textured implant and bone interface and could be applicable for dental implants.

Friction stir processing (FSP) is a microstructural modifying technique that uses the same principles as the friction stir welding technique. FSP technique can be employed on the same surface repeatedly as desiredand this repetition is called multi-pass friction stir processing (MFSP). The recent developments have shown that MFSP technique is very useful towards uniform dispersion of reinforcement particles during fabrication of surface composites. Some studies have also demonstrated that MFSP technique can be employed on welded joints as a way of improving the mechanical properties of the welded joints. This paper reports on the progress made in using the multi-pass friction stir processing (MFSP) technique in producing aluminium-based surface composites. It further looks at the progress made in using the MFSP on aluminium-based welded joints. An effort is made to identify the gap that requires some exploration for the better utilization and understanding of this technique

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a profound impact on people's daily lives, resulting in lifestyle changes, social distancing, isolation, as well as economic consequences. An evaluation of the effects of COVID-19 on oral health is necessary. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of fixed orthodontic treatment on periodontal health and quality of life in adult patients. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the study methodology was based on a questionnaire consisting of 20 items addressed to patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. The questions concerned the frequency and duration of toothbrushing, brushing techniques as well as the use of auxiliary means of oral hygiene, with the objective of drawing conclusions regarding the oral health of this patient population. Additionally, 5 items adapted from the Oral Health Impact Profile-5 (OHIP-5) were included, asking subjects how frequently they had experienced specific problems during orthodontic treatment. The oral health of adult patients undergoing orthodontic treatment was influenced by the technique, frequency and means of toothbrushing. During fixed orthodontic treatment, pathological changes in periodontal tissues were often observed (23.6-56.4%), along with other conditions influencing patients' quality of life (10.2-81.3%). Early diagnosis of periodontal conditions during orthodontic treatment is essential for treatment success. Orthodontists should instruct patients on appropriate oral hygiene practices and on detecting changes in periodontal status, as well as should recommend periodontal consultation when needed. Orthodontic treatment in adult patients, through esthetic and functional improvement, should lead to an improvement in psychosocial wellbeing and an increase in quality of life.

This paper reports ‘on the influence of multi-pass friction stir processing (MFSP) on AA6082/AA1050 dissimilar joints produced by friction stir welding (FSW) technique. The produced dissimilar joints were subjected to 1pass (1P), 2pass (2P), 3pass (3P), and 4pass (4P) friction stir processing (FSP) procedure. The microstructural analysis showed the decrease in grain size with an increase in number of FSP passes. However, the tensile properties showed inverse relations with the number of FSP passes and this was linked to the dissolution of strengthening precipitates. The fractographic analysis showed the presence of dimples on all the fractured surfaces and that is an indication ductile fracture. However, the fractured surface of the 4P specimen was characterized by the presence of dimples mixed with flat structures which indicates ductility mixed with brittleness. There was no major influence of the number’ of FSP passes on the microhardness of the AA6082/AA1050 joint.