Plaque Removal Research Articles

Comparative Analysis of Plaque Removal and Wear between Electric–Mechanical and Bioelectric Toothbrushes

Effective oral care is important for maintaining a high quality of life. Therefore, plaque control can prevent the development and recurrence of periodontitis. Brushing with a toothbrush and toothpaste is a common way to remove plaque; however, excessive brushing or brushing with abrasive toothpaste can cause wear and tear on the dental crown. Hence, we aimed to quantitatively compare the plaque-removal efficiency and tooth wear of toothbrushes using the bioelectric effect (BE) with those of electric–mechanical toothbrushes. To generate the BE signal, an electronic circuit was developed and embedded in a toothbrush. Further, typodonts were coated with cultured artificial plaques and placed in a brushing simulator. A toothpaste slurry was applied, and the typodonts were eluted with tap water after brushing. The plaques of the typodonts were captured, and the images were quantified. For the tooth wear experiment, polymethyl methacrylate disk resin blocks were brushed twice a day, and the thickness of the samples was measured. Subsequently, statistical differences between the experimental toothbrushes and typical toothbrushes were analyzed. The BE toothbrush had a higher plaque-removal efficiency and could minimize tooth wear. This study suggests that the application of BE may be a new solution for oral care.

ИЗУЧЕНИЕ СТРУКТУРЫ ПОВЕРХНОСТИ ЭМАЛИ ЗУБОВ ПОСЛЕ ОБРАБОТКИ ВОЗДУШНО-ПОРОШКОВЫМИ СИСТЕМАМИ РАЗЛИЧНЫХ ПОКОЛЕНИЙ

Subject. Today, there are many different air-powder systems (APS) for professional oral hygiene (PAH). The problem of selecting a powder for performing PPGP is still relevant. Objectives. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of different air-powder systems on the structure of tooth enamel. Matodology. The study consisted of 2 parts: experimental and clinical-laboratory. The experimental part of the study consisted in the allocation of experimental groups, their subsequent processing depending on the active component of the UPP (sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, their mixture, glycine, trehalose) and study by scanning electron microscopy. Clinical and laboratory research is aimed at studying the time spent on the removal of soft pigmented plaque; the degree of cleaning of the tooth surface; the amount of powder required to perform PGPR; as well as the atomization of powder during the procedure; the traumatic effect of these systems on the structure of tooth enamel by interpreting the index of tooth sensitivity of L.Yu. Orekhova – S.B. Ulitovsky (TS-O-U index, %); and studying the average linear (Vas) velocity of blood flow in periodontal tissues using the method of Doppler ultrasound. Results. Powders with a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate have the greatest damaging effect on tooth enamel structure, and powders with trehalose and glycine have the least damaging effect. On the basis of clinical study it was revealed that powders based on trehalose and glycine have less damaging effect both on tooth enamel and periodontal tissues, which is confirmed by the index of tooth sensitivity of L.Yu. Orekhova – S.B. Ulitovsky and the results of ultrasound Dopplerography. Conclusions. The conducted research allows recommending therapeutic dentists, periodontists, as well as dental hygienists to use glycine- and trehalose-based UPDs in their clinical practice due to their effective, safe and ergonomic use.

Re Removal of a Commemorative Plaque for Safeguarding Reasons

This unopposed petition was for the removal of a commemorative plaque, installed without a faculty, on the windowsill of the south wall of the nave of the Grade II* listed church. In order to protect the privacy of any person affected by the judgment, the names of the church and the people involved were anonymised.

The effectiveness of water jet flossing and interdental flossing for oral hygiene in orthodontic patients with fixed appliances: a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundOrthodontic treatment presents challenges with plaque accumulation around brackets, archwires, and elastics, leading to retained plaque and gingival inflammation. Conventional toothbrushing may not be enough, requiring additional oral hygiene aids like interproximal brushes, dental flosses, and water flossers. Limited research exists on comparing water flossing and interdental flossing in orthodontic patients. Therefore, this study aims to assess their effectiveness in maintaining oral hygiene during active orthodontic treatment.MethodsA single-blind, randomized, parallel clinical study recruited orthodontic patients with full-mouth brackets and archwires. Thirty participants were randomly assigned to either water jet flossing or interdental flossing groups. All participants were instructed to brush twice daily with a provided toothbrush and toothpaste and use the assigned intervention once daily at night. Clinical measures, including the Gingival Bleeding Index (BI), Plaque Index (PI), and Gingival Index (GI), were recorded at baseline and day 14. Descriptive statistics and statistical tests were performed using SPSS software.ResultsThe water jet flossing group demonstrated a slightly higher, albeit non-significant, benefit in plaque removal (median difference of 6.79%%, P = 0.279) and bleeding reduction (median difference of 5.21%%, P = 0.172) compared to the interdental flossing group after two weeks. Both groups showed significant reductions in gingival bleeding index and plaque index from baseline to the 2-week follow-up. The interdental flossing group had median mean percentage differences of 16.13%% (plaque index) and 23.57% (gingival bleeding index), while the water jet flossing group had median percentage differences of 21.87% (plaque index) and 32.29% (gingival bleeding index). No significant changes in gingival index grades were observed in either group.ConclusionBoth water jet flossing and interdental flossing were effective in reducing plaque accumulation and gingival bleeding among orthodontic patients. While no significant differences were found between the two methods, water jet flossing showed a potential advantage. Further research is needed to validate its effectiveness, assess long-term impact, and understand its benefits for orthodontic patients.

Erythritol powder airflow for the treatment of peri-implant mucositis: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Peri-implant mucositis is a biofilm-related, reversible inflammatory disease that can evolve into peri-implantitis if not adequately treated. The aim of the present randomized controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the efficacy of air-abrasive powder as compared to chlorhexidine (CHX) for the treatment of peri-implant mucositis, in terms of clinical and patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) and occurrence of peri-implantitis 12 months after treatment. In the control group, full-mouth calculus and plaque removal was performed with ultrasound and manual devices, and a 1.0% CHX gel was applied; in the test group, supra- and subgingival biofilm removal was performed using erythritol powder with a dedicated nozzle and calculus removal was performed with ultrasonic instruments if needed. Bleeding and plaque indexes, peri-implant probing depth and tissue level were measured at 1 week, and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment, while PROMs were evaluated up to 7 days after treatment. Among 80 included implants, 70 were analysed at 12 months follow-up (30 in the test group, 40 in the control group, and 20 subjects). Success rates (implant-level) in terms of bleeding index were significantly different between the test (96.7%) and control group (92.5%); as for PROMs, only taste sensation was significantly better in the test group. The test group was significantly correlated to the smallest changes in peri-implant probing depth between baseline and 3 months. The study showed that both treatment strategies are effective. This suggests that the use of air-abrasive powders could be used as an alternative biofilm removal method instead of adjunctive treatments with antiseptics.

Does Full-Mouth Disinfection Influence the Size of the Periodontal Inflammatory Burden and the Level of hsCRP?

To investigate the effect of full-mouth disinfection on the sizes of the periodontal wound and periodontal inflammatory burden and whether it leads to a decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. The study included 20 systemically healthy subjects (11 women and 9 men) 30 to 68 years old with localised or generalised periodontitis (stage III, grade C). The sizes of the periodontal wound and periodontal inflammatory burden were measured with the web application "Periodontalwound", which is based on measurements of average tooth cervices, as well as probing depths and bleeding on probing assessed at six sites around each tooth present in the oral cavity. The levels of hsCRP (high-sensitivity CRP) were measured with an immunochemical method. All three parameters were measured before initial treatment and 3 months after therapy. Full-mouth disinfection included removal of plaque and calculus with ultrasonic and hand instruments in one session. The results showed a statistically significant decrease in the size of the periodontal wound (p < 0.001), a statistically significant decrease in the size of periodontal inflammatory burden (p < 0.001), and a decrease in hsCRP levels 3 months after therapy. Full-mouth disinfection leads to a decrease in the periodontal wound and periodontal inflammatory burden size, as well as a decrease in the levels of hsCRP in patients with localised or generalised periodontitis (stage III, grade C).

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF METRONIDAZOLE GELS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE

Introduction : Metronidazole is one of the antimicrobial and antimicrobial that has been  widely used as antibacterial and antiprotozoal agent for treatment. Metronidazole is antimicrobial have been used as an adjuvant to mechanical plaque removal. Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that develops from dental plaque that affects periodontal supporting tissues. Many chemical agents that have been evaluated to determine their effect on plaque, gingivitis and periodontitis, one of which is metronidazole, has been successfully introduced and studied extensively. This literature review explains effectiveness of metronidazole gels in the management of periodontal disease. Review : Metronidazole (MTZ) is frequently used in the treatment for periodontal diseases since it can be against several Gram-negative anaerobic rods, the pathogenesis of periodontitis. It can be administered via oral and topical routes. However, the systemic adverse effects may in the oral cavity if used peroral. Hence, topical administration is preferable. The bacterial reservoirs not eliminated by conventional periodontal therapy can be further suppressed with the use of chemotherapeutic agents. Localized antimicrobial therapy, in particular, has evoked growing interest because of the site‑specific nature of periodontal infections, the higher concentration of anti‑microbial agent subgingivally and reduced side‑effects of systemic antibiotic use. Among the various locally delivered chemotherapeutic agents metronidazole, a has bactericidal action against anaerobes, such as Prevotela intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Fusobacterium species and spirochetes like Treponema denticola, Treponema vincentii, which are generally believed to be the main pathogens associated with periodontitis. Conclusion : Treatment of periodontal pockets with metronidazole gel in addition to scaling and root planning, provides a significant increase in reducing pocket depth and microbial count and effective in the treatment of periodontal disease.

Cross-angled versus flat-trim bristle tuft configurations in manual toothbrushes: A systematic review.

This systematic review synthesizes and evaluates the literature regarding the effect of manual toothbrushes (MTBs) with cross-angled bristle tufts (CA-TB) compared to flat-trim (FT-TB) configurations on plaque scores and parameters of gingival health in adult patients. PubMed-MEDLINE and Cochrane-CENTRAL databases were searched, from their insertion up to August 1st, 2023, to detect appropriate papers. Clinical trials involving adult patients without periodontitis who performed self-brushing were eligible for inclusion. Primary outcome parameters included plaque, bleeding, and gingival scores. Secondary outcomes encompassed signs of soft and hard tissue abnormalities. A descriptive analysis was conducted. When feasible, a meta-analysis was performed using either the 'fixed' or 'random effects' model, as appropriate. Nine eligible papers were retrieved, presenting 20 comparisons. There was considerable heterogeneity in the clinical and methodological design aspects of the included studies. In the descriptive analysis, eight out of 12 comparisons demonstrated a difference in plaque removal performance in favour of the CA-TB. However, data regarding bleeding and gingival index scores were inconclusive. A meta-analysis was performed on plaque, bleeding, and gingival index scores, including different indices used for scoring. The meta-analysis of short-term studies showed a medium effect statistically significant difference in the reduction of plaque scores in favour of the CA-TB (SMD = 0.75; 95% CI (0.51; 0.99)), but this was not substantiated in longer-term studies (SMD = -0.06; 95% CI(-0.44; 0.31)). No adverse events were described in any group. Within the limitations of the present study design, short-term evaluations, as assessed with various plaque indices, show a weak certainty in favour of the cross-angled toothbrush over the flat-trim toothbrush. However, based on longer-term evaluations, there is insufficient support due to the inconsistent outcomes of the analysis.

Dentifrices. Part 3: Dentifrice Recommendations

This article, the third in a series about dentifrices, emphasizes the essential role of dentifrices in oral healthcare, highlighting their contributions beyond mechanical plaque removal to include plaque inhibition and delivery of therapeutic agents. Despite the sometimes-limited impact on mechanical plaque removal, the importance of fluoridated dentifrices, must not be underestimated. The article reviews the effectiveness and safety of dentifrices, including the challenges posed by subjective clinical indices and potential allergenic ingredients. It discusses the potential of innovative dentifrice formulations to improve compliance and oral health outcomes. Additionally, it emphasizes the critical role of dental care professionals in recommending dentifrices based on safety and effectiveness rather than cosmetic claims or cost. Through an analysis of the literature and clinical guidelines, this work aims to guide healthcare providers in making informed decisions about dentifrice recommendations for optimal oral health. CPD/Clinical Relevance: Dentifrices are complex formulations that need to be proven effective in (clinical) trials and be appreciated by end users.

Atherectomy – The Options, the Evidence, and When Should It Be Used

The use of atherectomy for peripheral vascular interventions (PVI) has increased exponentially and reached 18% of all PVI in the United States. The theoretical benefit on extensive arterial calcification relies on the concept of plaque modification and removal instead of displacement, as with other endovascular techniques. To date, there are no prospective studies comparing the different atherectomy technologies (directional, rotational, orbital, and laser). Moreover, most related prospective comparative studies have a small number of patients, and larger studies are single arm in patients with relatively mild to moderate disease burden. While available literature shows lower dissection risk and reduced bailout stenting, the superiority of this technology compared to other endovascular techniques has yet to be proven. Despite the lack of level 1 evidence to support its superiority, the lucrative reimbursement fueled the overuse of this technology as first-line therapy, particularly in office-based laboratories and ambulatory surgery centers. The use of atherectomy ought to be selective and complementary to other endovascular technologies, and individualized patient-level decision-making based on the practitioner’s preference and expertise is essential to selectively incorporate atherectomy in managing complex atherosclerotic lesions.

Periodontal Abscess Occurrence Post Wire Splint Therapy on Mobile Teeth

Tooth mobility is one of the cases of periodontal disease caused by the destruction of the bone that supports the teeth. Stabilization of loose teeth using splinting wire can be one of the treatment options. The use of splinting wire may increase plaque accumulation and is sometimes difficult to clean. Plaque accumulation will cause bacterial invasion into the surrounding tissues of the periodontal pockets which will eventually develop into an inflammatory process. As time goes by, connective tissue destruction and pus formation will occur which eventually leads to a periodontal abscess. Periodontal abscess is a localized accumulation of pus in the gingival wall of a periodontal socket with periodontal tissue destruction. The purpose of this case report is to report the incidence of periodontal abscess after wire splinting application in a case of tooth unsteadiness. A 76-year-old female patient came to RSGM with complaints of feeling uncomfortable because some of her teeth were loose. The complaint has been felt approximately 1 year ago. The complaint was accompanied by pain when used to eat and toothbrushing. Objective examination showed reddish gingiva, rounded interdentals, soft consistency, and unstippling texture on the labial and lingual side of teeth 33, 32, 31, 41, 42 and 43 with BOP (+) at all points. The patient's Oral Hygiene Index (OHI) was 2.16 and PI was 18.67%. Probing depth average was 3 mm, recession was 3 mm, and tooth decay was grade 2. Supportive examination showed horizontal bone destruction in the anterior region of the mandible. The first visit was carried out wire splinting on the lingual part of the loose tooth, at the time of control there was a periodontal abscess on the labial side so the splinting was moved to the labial side. The increase in socket depth and the appearance of periodontal abscesses are caused by plaque accumulation which eventually makes bacteria invade the periodontal tissue. Periodontal therapy really needs to pay attention to the patient's OHI, therefore plaque control and removal of bacterial deposits must be carried out by scaling and root planning regularly and carrying out other periodontal therapies such as curettage if tissue destruction is severe enough

Management of Ankyloglossia Using Conventional Surgical Technique: A Case Series

Periodontal plastic surgery is a more conservative and precise technique practised to create more functional and aesthetic results for the treatment of mucogingival problems. The presence of an aberrant frenum is one of the aetiological factors associated with the persistence of a midline diastema. Inadequate dental plaque removal, poor oral hygiene, bifid tongue, impaired speech, and mucogingival problems like recession and black triangles need more attention. Ankyloglossia, or tongue-tie, is a congenital anomaly with an abnormally short lingual frenulum. The aberrant frenum can be treated with surgical removal of the frenum using either frenectomy or frenotomy procedures. In the present case series, frenectomy was performed using a conventional scalpel technique for the treatment of tongue tie.

A Single Dose of Piperacillin Plus Tazobactam Gel as an Adjunct to Professional Mechanical Plaque Removal (PMPR) in Patients with Peri-Implant Mucositis: A 6-Month Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.

This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-masked clinical trial aimed to evaluate the clinical and microbiological efficacy of professional mechanical plaque removal (PMPR) with or without adjunctive application of piperacillin plus tazobactam gel in the treatment of peri-implant mucositis (PiM) for up to 6 months. The study included 31 patients with peri-implant mucositis (bleeding on probing (BoP) > 1 at at least one site at baseline, absence of peri-implant bone loss compared with a previous radiograph). After randomized assignment to test and control groups, patients received full-mouth supragingival scaling with or without piperacillin plus tazobactam gel. Clinical examination was performed at baseline and after 3 and 6 months, and a microbiological examination was performed at baseline and after 3 months. After six months, both treatment modalities resulted in significant reductions and improvements in clinical parameters at the implant sites. Neither study group achieved a complete resolution of PiM (i.e., BoP ≤ 1 per implant). The number of implants with BoP decreased statistically significantly between subsequent time points (p < 0.001) in both the test and the control group. Significant BoP differences (p = 0.039) were observed between groups at 6 months (difference to baseline) following therapy. Within the limitations of the present study, the single use of a slow-release, locally applied antibiotic combination of piperacillin and tazobactam gel, adjunctive to PMPR, showed an improvement in clinical variable of implants diagnosed with PiM. The adjunctive treatment resulted in higher BoP reduction when compared to the control, but no significant differences were observed regarding the changes in other clinical and microbiological parameters.

Evaluation of the efficacy of inter-dental brush and dental floss for peri-implant mucositis: A crossover randomized clinical trial.

To evaluate the most effective method for mechanical inter-dental plaque removal between inter-dental brushes (IDB) and dental floss (DF), in addition to toothbrushing in patients affected by peri-implant mucositis (PIM); to identify possible factors related to the patient or to the single implant-supported element that could influence plaque accumulation and inflammation of peri-implant tissues. Forty patients with PIM were recruited. They were randomly assigned to two different groups depending on inter-dental device used (IDB or DF). At baseline (T0), interproximal area (IA), interproximal emergence angle of the implant crown (A°) and manual dexterity (evaluated with Purdue Pegboard) have been recorded. At 14 days (T1), the inter-dental cleaning devices have been inverted between groups. After 14 days (T2), the Plaque Index (PI) and Gingival Index (GI) have been recorded. A questionnaire has been submitted to a patient for the analysis of preferences at T0, T1 and T2. Both inter-dental cleaning devices were effective in reducing PI and GI in the inter-dental area after 14 days of use. GI reduction was influenced by manual dexterity of the dominant hand. No significant differences were found for PI and GI at the variation of IA and A°. IDB was the most effective method for inter-dental plaque removal in all subjects regardless of their manual dexterity. DF seems to be more effective than IDB only in subjects with good dexterity.

Efficacy of an automatic electric toothbrush with nylon bristles in dental plaque removal: a cross-over randomized controlled trial

ObjectivesThe objective of this single-use, five-treatment, five-period, cross-over randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to compare the efficacy in dental plaque removal of a new Y-shaped automatic electric toothbrush (Y-brush) compared to a U-shaped automatic electric toothbrush (U-brush), a manual toothbrushing procedure (for 45 and 120 s), and no brushing (negative control).Materials and methodsEligible participants were volunteer students randomized to the treatments in the five periods of the study. The primary outcome measure was the reduction in full-mouth plaque score (FMPS) after brushing while the secondary outcome variable was a visual analogic scale (VAS) on subjective clean mouth sensation. Mixed models were performed for difference in FMPS and VAS.ResultsAfter brushing procedures, manual toothbrushing (120 s) showed a statistically significant reduction in FMPS than Y-brush (difference 36.9; 95%CI 29.6 to 44.1, p < 0.0001), U-brush (difference 42.3; 95%CI 35.1 to 49.6, p < 0.0001), manual brushing (45 s) (difference 13.8; 95%CI 6.5 to 21.1, p < 0.0001), and No brushing (difference 46.6; 95%CI 39.3 to 53.9, p < 0.0001). Y-brush was significantly more effective than No brushing (difference 9.8; 95%CI 2.5 to 17.0, p = 0.0030), while there was no significant difference compared to U- brush. Similar results were obtained for the differences in the Clean Mouth VAS.ConclusionsY-brush was significantly more effective than no brushing (negative control) in removing dental plaque. When compared to manual toothbrushing for both 45 and 120 s, however, Y-brush was less effective in dental plaque removal.Clinical relevanceModified design of automatic toothbrushing devices could improve plaque reduction, especially in patients with intellectual disabilities or motor difficulties.

Utilization of composite particles with customizable cross-linked lignin patches for dental cleansing

Lignin, a natural polyphenol polymer, is a biocompatible, cost-effective and accessible material. To fully utilize the benefits of lignin, it is crucial to transform its complex macromolecules into nanoscale particles in a single solvent. In this research, an assembly-mediated internal cross-linking method in single solvent was proposed to manufacture cross-linked lignin colloidal particles with nanoscale particle size controlled to be around 50 nm. Then, cross-linked lignin composite particles with a unique “patchy” structure for dental cleansing were obtained by rapidly grafting the cross-linked lignin colloidal particles onto the surface of silica microspheres through the bridging effect of silane coupling agent. The resulting composite particles have rivets with adjustable hardness, significantly lower than traditional abrasives like silica in both hardness and modulus. Through the group cleansing behavior of soft interlocking, a breakthrough has been achieved in the high solid content agglomeration friction mode of traditional abrasives, which effectively reduces tooth wear and exhibits an excellent plaque removal effect.

Mobile Application-Based Support for Periodontal Treatment Improves Clinical, Cognitive, and Psychomotor Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Trial Study.

This study aims to evaluate the clinical, cognitive, and psychomotor changes that emerged among patients with gingivitis and patients with periodontitis via mobile application assistance. Forty subjects were randomly and evenly distributed into test and control groups and were administered a professional mechanical plaque removal (PMPR) procedure. The clinical parameters examined were bleeding on probing (BoP), probing pocket depth (PPD), and the oral hygiene index (OHI-S). The test group was administered a mobile application intervention, namely PerioUICare, which provided users with continuous education and motivation and served as a daily dental hygiene reminder. The comparative results of the mean values of all parameters between the groups (inter-group) and within the groups (intra-group) after one- and three-month evaluations were analyzed. A one-month inter-group evaluation uncovered significant differences in the BoP, PPD, cognitive, and psychomotor scores of subjects with gingivitis and the BoP, OHI-S, cognitive, and psychomotor scores of subjects with periodontitis. A three-month inter-group evaluation revealed significant differences across all parameters except for PPD in subjects with periodontitis. The results of the intra-group comparison demonstrated statistically significant differences in all parameters in the test group but no significant differences in the cognitive and psychomotor scores of the control group. This study revealed that mobile application-based support for periodontal treatment can be considered effective.

High-Dose-Rate Yttrium-90 Episcleral Plaque Brachytherapy for Iris and Iridociliary Melanoma

PurposeTo describe a pilot study on the use of single-session, high-dose-rate, FDA-cleared, yttrium-90 (90Y) plaque brachytherapy for iris and iridociliary melanoma. DesignA single-center, clinical case series. ParticipantsSix consecutive patients were included in this study. Each was diagnosed with an iris or iridociliary melanoma based on clinical examination with or without biopsy. MethodsEach tumor was staged according to AJCC criteria and received 90Y eye plaque brachytherapy. The main variables were tumor size, patient age, sex, and method of diagnosis (clinical or biopsy). Surgical techniques, treatment durations, and ocular side effects were recorded. Local control was defined as a lack of tumor growth or regression determined by clinical examinations, including slit-lamp and gonio photography, as well as high-frequency ultrasound measurements. Toxicity parameters included acute and short-term corneal/scleral change, anterior segment inflammation, and cataract progression. ResultsHigh-dose-rate 90Y plaque brachytherapy was used to treat small (AJCC cT1) category melanomas. Single-surgery high-dose-rate irradiations were performed under anesthesia. Due to short treatment durations, high-dose-rate 90Y did not require the additional procedures used for low-dose-rate plaque (e.g., sutures, amniotic membrane epicorneal buffering, Gunderson flaps, and second surgeries for plaque removal). Only conjunctival recession was used to avoid normal tissue irradiation. high-dose-rate 90Y treatment durations averaged 8.8 minutes (median 7.9, range 5.8-12.9). High-dose-rate 90Y brachytherapy was associated with no periorbital, corneal (Descemet’s folds), and/or conjunctival edema. There was no acute or short-term anterior uveitis, secondary cataract, scleropathy, radiation retinopathy, maculopathy, or optic neuropathy. Follow-up was a mean of 16.0 (range 12 to 24) months. Evidence of local control included a lack of expansion of tumor borders (n=6, 100%), darkening and/or atrophy of the tumor surface (n=5/6, 83%), and a mean 24.5% reduction in ultrasonographically measured tumor thickness. There were no cases of metastatic disease. ConclusionHigh-dose-rate 90Y brachytherapy allowed for single-surgery, minimally invasive, outpatient irradiation of iris and iridociliary melanomas.

Brachytherapy Plaque Removal in Office

Brachytherapy Plaque Removal in Office

Efficacy of an Electric Toothbrush With Monitor in Dental Plaque Removal: A Crossover Randomized Controlled Trial.

Plaque control is very important in the treatment of periodontitis. However, plaque is difficult to remove because one cannot see one's own oral cavity. The purpose of this study was to verify the plaque removal effect of a prototype device that has a built-in image sensor in the head of an electric toothbrush, enabling the user to brush while checking the condition of the tooth surface on a monitor in real time and to assess their sense of use. The subjects were 10 fifth-year students from the Graduate School of Dental Science, Fukuoka Dental College, Fukuoka, Japan. The subjects were divided into those who used electric toothbrushes while having the condition of the tooth surface checked with a monitor (monitor group) and those without a monitor (non-monitor group). O'Leary plaque control records before and after brushing and the brushing time were measured, and questionnaires were given to the subjects after brushing. Scaling and professional tooth cleaning were performed after completing the questionnaire. One week later, subjects were switched to the opposite group and had the same measurements and questionnaires. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare both groups before and after the examination at a 5% significance level. The monitor group had significantly better plaque removal than the non-monitor group. In addition, the monitor group spent significantly more time brushing than the control group. Brushing while monitoring oral conditions in real time using an electric toothbrush with a built-in image sensor showed that significantly better plaque removal can be achieved with a longer brushing time.