Dental Supplies Research Articles

Development of the Properties of Zinc Polycarboxylate Cement Used as a Basis for Dental Fillings Using Zink Oxide Nanoparticles Prepared by Green Chemistry Method

Most dental supplies don't seem to be much of a barrier against germ infiltration. Therefore, the filling must be done with perfect caution and high antimicrobial effectiveness. When dental erosion occurs due to germs that lead to caries, a dental filling is used, creating a small microscopic space between the dental filling and the root end infiltration. This allowed the tooth to be penetrated for the second time, which was the research problem. Adding two compounds to antibacterial fillers (zinc polycarboxylate cement) made them work better: Firstly, was zinc oxide (ZnO) that was made chemically, and secondly, was green ZnO nanoparticles that were made from orange peels and mixed with ZPCC in different amounts. The study was conducted on the formed nanocomposite using FTIR, UV-vis, FESEM, sitting time, and antibacterial measurements. The biological activity was tested using Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans.

Effect of Supply Chain Disruption in Dental Practice During Covid-19 Pandemic: An Indian Perspective

Disruption during Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the need for healthcare supply chain management in order to achieve effective delivery of health services. Though considerable efforts have been undertaken on managing the healthcare supply chain disruptions in India but there is a paucity of literature that documented the effect of supply chain disruptions in dental practices during a covid-19 pandemic. During a pandemic, the disruptions in production and distribution of dental products were seen in India. Indian dental market is largely dependent on imports and there is a scarcity of local production units. The main dental companies reported a significant decline in production during the first wave of Covid-19. The increase in demand for dental supplies was seen with a shutdown, shortage of labor, and scarcity of raw materials. Disruption rippled through the supply chain and this was caused by a large distortion in demand. This phenomenon led to the bullwhip effect. This bullwhip effect crisis led to increased costs in dental practices. Covid19 has shown a significant lack of resilience in the Indian dental healthcare supply chain. This study identified a few loopholes in the dental supply chain and suggested a way forward for managing the supply chain disruptions. It seems that there is a need for more comprehensive research on dental supply chain resilience from an Indian perspective to prevent disruptions, particularly in emergent situations.

Cross-sectional study of oral health care service, oral health beliefs and oral health care education of caregivers in nursing homes

ObjectivesTo assess oral care beliefs and oral hygiene procedures among nursing home personnel to identify strengths and weaknesses in managing oral care. MethodsA cross-sectional study in two nursing homes using an oral health care questionnaire including the Nursing Dental Coping Belief Scale. ResultsA total of 109 health personnel participated. Oral care was seldomly achieved twice a day and dental supplies were not guaranteed. Registered nurses found the oral health of residents more acceptable than did allied health personnel with less oral care education, who mostly delivered daily care. Conversely, nursing staff with oral care education had lower dental coping beliefs, suggesting a lack of self-reliance in controlling oral health outcomes. ConclusionDental supplies should be part of nursing care equipment. Educational programs could increase positive oral health beliefs and enhance the quality of care in these settings, particularly among those who are accountable for oral care.

'We had to take a hammer to get some roots out' - experiences, motivations and challenges among volunteer dentists: a qualitative study.

Objectives To address a gap in the literature by examining the experiences, motivations and challenges among volunteer dentists engaged in short-term missions to low- and middle-income countries.Methods In-depth interviews among volunteer dentists (n = 20) who had provided voluntary dental care in low- or middle-income countries within the preceding five years. Interviews lasted on average 55 minutes and were recorded, transcribed and analysed using NVivo. Routine debriefings complemented analysis. COREQ principles guided this research.Results Motivations to volunteer included: exposure to new dental challenges (enhancing competence); discovering a new setting (tourism); and enhancing the lives of clients (humanitarianism). Volunteers enjoyed undertaking new tasks and developing new skills, but were burdened by a high patient load, challenging clinical conditions, peri- and post-operative complications, and a concern that their work was not addressing root causes of inadequate access to basic dental care. Respondents recommended that more information regarding the vision, equipment status, armamentarium and dental supplies be made available pre-departure, and that more dental schools include training on global oral health. Such measures could facilitate volunteers' abilities to provide care while also enhancing their personal and professional development. Creating an appropriate, sizable and competent capacity-building programme for local dentists was described as essential.

Identification of various orthodontic materials as foreign bodies via panoramic radiography, cone beam computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonography: an in vitro study.

We evaluated the in vitro detection sensitivity of orthodontic materials (serving as foreign bodies) using panoramic radiography, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasonography. Five different orthodontic materials served as foreign bodies: titanium-molybdenum alloy wire (TMA; ORMCO, Orange, CA, USA; 0.017 × 0.025 in in cross-sectional dimensions and 1cm long); stainless steel bracket tooth #34 (American Orthodontics, Sheboygan, WI, USA); a monocrystalline, sapphire ceramic bracket tooth #34 (Skyortho Dental Supplies Medical, China); a polycrystalline alumina clear bracket, Damon clear bracket tooth #34 (ORMCO); and a 1 × 1 × 0.1cm polyurethane-based thermoplastic material, Invisalign clear aligner (Align Technology, San Jose, CA, USA). Panoramic radiography, CBCT, MRI, and ultrasonography were used, and four observers scored all findings independently. The TMA and stainless steel bracket were visualised in all fields by panoramic radiography and CBCT. The sapphire and Damon brackets were very clear on CBCT. The Invisalign in air was evident only on CBCT. MRI was unable to identify any material in muscle. Ultrasonography detected the TMA, sapphire bracket, and the Invisalign in muscle but only the TMA on bone. Panoramic radiography does not reveal nonmetallic orthodontic equipment in air and reveals them only poorly in muscle. CBCT was the optimal imaging modality for all materials in all fields except for the Invisalign in muscle and bone. CBCT was the only method that revealed the Invisalign in air. MRI and ultrasonography should be used to detect orthodontic materials in muscle.

Improving the bonding stability between resin cements and zirconia-based ceramic using different surface treatments.

To evaluate the effects of airborne-particle abrasion with alumina particles or silicamodified alumina particles on the bond strength between zirconia and conventional MDP-based (Ph; Panavia F 2.0, Kuraray) or self-adhesive (SA; RelyX U200, 3M ESPE) resin cements. Five surface treatments were evaluated: C = no surface treatment; AB = airborne-particle abrasion with alumina particles (BIO-ART Dental Supplies and Equipment); ABP = AB combined with MDP-based primer (Alloy Primer, Kuraray); SS = airborne-particle abrasion with silica-modified alumina particles (CoJet, 3M ESPE) combined with silane (RelyX Ceramic Primer, 3M ESPE); and SSP = SS combined with MDP-based primer. The surface roughness (Ra) of the airborne particle-abraded samples (n = 5) was measured by a contact profilometer (Mitutoyo Surftest SJ-401, Mitutoyo). Cylinders of the resin cements tested were bonded to the surface-treated zirconia. The microshear test was performed by the application of a load with a wire loop parallel to the adhesive interface until debonding of the resin cement cylinders. The microshear bond strength (μSBS) of the samples was measured before and after being subjected to thermocycling (TC; 5°C to 55°C, 60 seconds dwell time for 3,000 cycles; MSCT, Marcelo Nucci). One-way (Ra) and two-way (μSBS) analysis of variance followed by Tukey post hoc test (α = .05) were used. The SS (Ph: 12.6 MPa; Ph-TC: 6.37 MPa; SA: 11.8 MPa; SA-TC: 9.37) and SSP (Ph: 10.4 MPa; Ph-TC: 5.82 MPa; SA: 10.4 MPa; SA-TC: 10.0) surface treatments produced the highest surface roughness values (P < .001). The SS samples achieved the highest immediate bond strength for both resin cements. However, after TC, SA resin cement associated with any surface treatment produced the highest bond strength values. The self-adhesive resin cement promoted higher and more stable bond strength values when associated with a surface roughening method.

Structural characteristics of oral health services in Brazilian Primary Health Care.

This study aimed to describe the structure of oral health services in primary health care in Brazil with centers participating in the second cycle of the 'National Program for Improving Access and Quality of Primary Care' (PMAQ-AB), the largest health service evaluation program ever instituted in the country. This cross-sectional study evaluated 16,202 oral health services, regarding 22 pieces of dental equipment and 25 dental supplies. The presence of each piece of equipment/dental supply generated a score for services. The sum of these scores was compared among different regions in Brazil. Quantitative data were described by quartiles and categorical data by frequencies, using the SPSS, version 25. Most of the evaluated centers presented adequate equipment in good using conditions and sufficient dental supplies for primary oral health care. Data also showed a lack of some equipment, such as X-rays, bicarbonate jet, and ultrasound devices, while for dental supplies, a lack of amalgam (capsule and manual preparation), anesthesia without vasoconstrictors, and intracanal medication was found. The services presented a median of 14 pieces of equipment and 22 dental supplies. Of the Brazilian regions, the South presented the highest median, while the North and Northeast regions presented the lowest one. The oral health services presented dental offices with good availability of equipment and dental supplies to perform clinical activities. However, differences in the structure of services among the Brazilian regions was still observed.

Cost analysis of endodontic treatment in primary teeth: results from a randomized clinical trial.

This study compared the cost of endodontic treatment in primary teeth involving a technique that does not require root canal instrumentation using antibiotic paste (CTZ) with that of the instrumented technique using iodoform paste (GP). This study is part of a randomized, controlled, parallel arm, noninferiority, 1:1 allocation, blinded (patient) multioperator study of 52 primary incisors of children aged 3 to 6 years with caries lesion and pulp involvement. Each technique was performed according to the creators' descriptions. The cost was assessed by analyzing the costs of capital, dental supplies, and professional labor according to the time taken to perform the procedure and the CHEERS guidelines were used to report the cost assessment. Endodontic treatment with CTZ had a 58.33% lower execution cost than GP (US$6.73 and US$16.15, respectively). The t-test showed significant differences between groups regarding treatment time and total cost (p < 0.0001). The CTZ technique seems to be more economically viable than GP for endodontic treatment of primary teeth, requiring a shorter treatment time and lower costs.

Rational perspectives on risk and certainty for dentistry during the COVID-19 pandemic

Rational perspectives on risk and certainty for dentistry during the COVID-19 pandemic

Differences in dental hygienists’infection control awareness and re-user rate of disposable dental care supplies

Differences in dental hygienists’infection control awareness and re-user rate of disposable dental care supplies

Tools for inventory control of dental supplies of a municipal health department

Aim: Carry out a descriptive and organizational analysis of the Oral Health warehouse of the Municipal Health Department in a city in the South of Brazil in order to assist in its management. Methods: This case study is a descriptive and organizational analysis of the Oral Health warehouse of the Municipal Health Department. The Always Better Control (ABC) curve, and Vital Essential Desirable (VED) analysis and ABC-VED matrix was performed, in order to assist the warehouse’s management. The first stage was a descriptive situational analysis. In the second stage, the supplies were classified by the ABC curve and the VED analysis. Subsequently, the ABC-VED matrix was carried out. Results: Changes were made together with the local manager, such as organizing the products, labeling the items in the proper places and, carrying out the inventory more frequently (monthly). Furthermore, the method the first in, first out (FIFO) was applied. Of the 120 inputs, 13% corresponded to 65% of the expenditures (class A). In class B, close to 26% of the items accounted for 25% of the expenditures. Class C accounted for 10% of the costs and 61% of total materials. In the VED analysis, 19.2% of the items were classified as vital, and 62% and 19% as essential and desirable, respectively. In ABC-VED matrix, 23.3% (72%) belonged to category I, while 63% (25.6%) and 13% (2%) were classified in categories II and III, respectively. Conclusion: The use of inventory control tools granted a better storage of products and made it easier to find the items. The ABC curve, VED analysis and ABC-VED analysis allowed greater control, considering both cost and importance of supplies.

Is there a fair distribution of the structure of dental services in the capitals of the Brazilian Federative Units?

BackgroundBrazilian Primary Care Facilities (PCF) provide primary care and must offer dental services for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases. According to a logic of promoting equity, PCF should be better structured in less developed places and with higher need for oral health services.ObjectiveTo analyze the structure of dental caries services in the capitals of the Brazilian Federative Units and identify whether socioeconomic factors and caries (need) are predictors of the oral health services structure.MethodsThis is an ecological study with variables retrieved from different secondary databases, clustered for the level of the federative capitals. Descriptive thematic maps were prepared, and structural equations were analyzed to identify oral health service structure’s predictors (Alpha = 5%). Four models with different outcomes related to dental caries treatment were tested: 1) % of PCF with a fully equipped office; 2) % of PCF with sufficient instruments, and 3) % of PCF with sufficient supplies; 4) % of PCF with total structure.Results21.6% of the PCF of the Brazilian capitals had a fully equipped office; 46.9% had sufficient instruments, and 30.0% had sufficient supplies for caries prevention and treatment. The four models evidenced proper fit indexes. A correlation between socioeconomic factors and the structure of oral health services was only noted in model 3. The worse the socioeconomic conditions, the lower the availability of dental supplies (standard factor loading: 0.92, P = 0.012). Estimates of total, direct and indirect effects showed that dental caries experience observed in the Brazilian population by SB-Brasil in 2010 did not affect the outcomes investigated.ConclusionMaterial resources are not equitably distributed according to the socioeconomic conditions and oral health needs of the population of the Brazilian capitals, thus contributing to persistent oral health inequities in the country.

Survey of the real-world re-use of disposable dental supplies in dental offices

Survey of the real-world re-use of disposable dental supplies in dental offices

The Effect of Gargling with Aqueous Extract of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) on the Oral Hygiene Status of Patients Wearing Fixed Orthodontic Appliance: A Clinical Study

Background: During the course of fixed orthodontic therapy, it is difficult to maintain high standard oral hygiene care by mechanical tooth cleaning only. Therefore, mouthwashes are commonly used as adjunct for mechanical tooth cleaning. Most of the mouthwashes are chemicals and have a wide range of side effects. Plant extracts have stood the test of time as safe inexpensive and available remedy for providing general health care. Objective: The present study attempted to evaluate the efficacy of gargling with aqueous extract of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) on the oral hygiene status of patients wearing fixed orthodontic appliances. Methods: Eleven male patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances were recruited in the study. All patients were given the same oral hygiene regimen during the study period. Clinical evaluation of OPI (orthodontic plaque index) and salivary streptococcus mutans count were recorded at the first activation visit (three weeks after placement of the orthodontic appliances) which considered the baseline visit and after one week of gargling with the extract. The data were statistically analyzed with SPSS (version 21) using Paired Samples t-test. Result: The results of the statistical analysis revealed that, there were highly significant reductions in both OPI and salivary streptococcus mutans count after one week gargling with aqueous extract of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). Conclusion: The present finding concluded that, aqueous extract of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) could be use as a promising ingredient in manufacturing mouthwashs and other dental supplies that contribute in maintaining good oral hygiene during the course of orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances.

The Effect of Gargling with Aqueous Extract of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) on the Oral Hygiene Status of Patients Wearing Fixed Orthodontic Appliance: A Clinical Study

Background: During the course of fixed orthodontic therapy, it is difficult to maintain high standard oral hygiene care by mechanical tooth cleaning only. Therefore, mouthwashes are commonly used as adjunct for mechanical tooth cleaning. Most of the mouthwashes are chemicals and have a wide range of side effects. Plant extracts have stood the test of time as safe inexpensive and available remedy for providing general health care. Objective: The present study attempted to evaluate the efficacy of gargling with aqueous extract of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) on the oral hygiene status of patients wearing fixed orthodontic appliances. Methods: Eleven male patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances were recruited in the study. All patients were given the same oral hygiene regimen during the study period. Clinical evaluation of OPI (orthodontic plaque index) and salivary streptococcus mutans count were recorded at the first activation visit (three weeks after placement of the orthodontic appliances) which considered the baseline visit and after one week of gargling with the extract. The data were statistically analyzed with SPSS (version 21) using Paired Samples t-test. Result: The results of the statistical analysis revealed that, there were highly significant reductions in both OPI and salivary streptococcus mutans count after one week gargling with aqueous extract of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). Conclusion: The present finding concluded that, aqueous extract of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) could be use as a promising ingredient in manufacturing mouthwashs and other dental supplies that contribute in maintaining good oral hygiene during the course of orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances.

Structural factors for public dental health services in Regional Health Care Network 13: an analysis of the Brazilian National Program for Improving Access and Quality of Primary Care

Abstract Introduction The Brazilian National Program for Improving Access and Quality of Primary Care aims to induce the institution of processes that expand the capacity of federal, state and municipal administrations and Primary Care teams to offer services that ensure greater access and quality. Objective To identify the characteristics of infrastructure for the dental health care of the health units from the Regional Health Care Network 13, from the perspective of a health evaluation. Material and method This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study in which is used the Module V database of the External Evaluation instrument of 156 health units of this region that participated of the 2nd cycle of the referred program, which discuss the modality of the health teams, structure and environment of the dental office, the hours of operation, equipment, instruments and dental supplies. Result In general, the oral health units of this study have dental offices with good structural conditions and sufficient equipment and supplies to carry out clinical activities, except those for dental prostheses, possibly due to the permanence of this service in secondary care. However, they point out that advances in access and coverage by oral health services are still necessary. Conclusion Although the theme includes other studies and reflections, the present work may contribute to discussions about the present condition, and it is recommended the active participation of all the actors involved in the care, in the search for the qualification of oral health services in this region.

Structural and Chemical Characterization of Silica Spheres before and after Modification by Silanization for Trypsin Immobilization

In the last decades, silica particles of a variety of sizes and shapes have been characterized and chemically modified for several applications, from chromatographic separation to dental supplies. The present study proposes the use of aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTS) silanized silica particles to immobilize the proteolytic enzyme trypsin for the development of a bioreactor. The major advantage of the process is that it enables the polypeptides hydrolysis interruption simply by removing the silica particles from the reaction bottle. Silanized silica surfaces showed significant morphological changes at micro- and nanoscale level. Chemical characterization showed changes in elemental composition, chemical environment, and thermal degradation. Their application as supports for trypsin immobilization showed high immobilization efficiency at reduced immobilization times, combined with more acidic conditions. Indirect immobilization quantification by reversed-phase ultrafast high performance liquid chromatography proved to be a suitable approach due to its high linearity and sensitivity. Immobilized trypsin activities on nonmodified and silanized silica showed promising features (e.g., selective hydrolysis) for applications in proteins/peptides primary structure elucidation for proteomics. Silanized silica system produced some preferential targeting peptides, probably due to the hydrophobicity of the nanoenvironment conditioned by silanization.

Adaptation and validation of indicators concerning the sterilization process of supplies in Primary Health Care services.

OBJECTIVES: to adapt and validate, by expert consensus, a set of indicators used to assess the sterilization process of dental, medical and hospital supplies to be used in PHC services. METHOD: qualitative methodological study performed in two stages. The first stage included a focal group composed of experts to adapt the indicators to be used in PHC. In the second stage, the indicators were validated using a 4-point Likert scale, which was completed by judges. A Content Validity Index of ≥ 0.75 was considered to show approval of the indicators. RESULTS: the adaptations implemented by the focal group mainly referred to the physical structure, inclusion of dental care professionals, inclusion of chemical disinfection, and replacement of the hot air and moist heat sterilization methods. The validation stage resulted in an index of 0.96, which ranged from 0.90 to 1.00, for the components of the indicators. CONCLUSION: the judges considered the indicators after adaptation to be validated. Even though there may be differences among items processed around the world, there certainly are common characteristics, especially in countries with economic and cultural environments similar to Brazil. The inclusion of these indicators to assess the safety of healthcare supplies used in PHC services should be considered.

Analysis of the costs of treating dry socket

Background: Dry socket is a disturbance in the healing of tooth extraction, characterized by the absence of blood clot and persistence of intense pain. The aim of this study was to determine the costs of treating dry socket, as in Serbia, until now, there has been no adequate estimation of the expenses and cost structure for treating patients with dry socket. Material and Methods: The costs of treating dry socket were analyzed on the sample of 455 adults with confirmed diagnosis of dry socket. All the patients were treated at the Oral Surgery Department, Institute of Dental Medicine in Kragujevac, during 2012. Direct costs per patient, concerning the acquisition of medicines and medical supplies, as well as medical services, were recorded in accordance with the Blue Code Book of the National Health Insurance Fund. Results: Out of total 12.652 teeth extracted, 455patients (3.6%) were diagnosed with dry socket. Total direct cost for treating dry socket in 2012 was 1.298,58 ± 468.93 RSD per patient, of which 1.065,16 RSD ± 394.49 RSD (82.02%) was the total price of the service and 1. 298,58 ± 468.93 RSD (17.98%) was spent on dental supplies. Conclusion: The actual cost of treating dry socket in Serbia shows that there is a need for the implementation of the relevant preventive measures. Global economic crisis, worsens the constant lack of available resources in dental healthcare services. Dry socket, as one of the most frequent post-extraction complications, although quite harmless in terms of clinical prognosis represents substantial economic loss for Serbia.

Normas técnicas para o processo de esterilização de materiais em unidades de saúde: uma proposta da enfermagem

Objective: To organize a Technical Standard for the standardization of the sterilization process in Basic Health Units (BHU). Method: An exploratory and descriptive study for the construction of guidance on the sterilization process, developed in partnership with the Continuing Education Program in Health, University of the State of Santa Catarina - UDESC, which followed the ethical recommendations of Resolution 466 / 2012 of the National Research Ethics Commission. Results: It approaches issues related to the unidirectional material flow, standardization of the forms of cleaning and packaging, labeling, sterilization types, validation tests and record the sterilization process. Conclusions: The technical standard will form the basis for training new employees, minimizing public costs wrapped in reprocessing dental, medical and hospital supplies and ensuring better health quality to users of the Unified Health System (UHS).