Zana Lila-Krasniqi

Background: The demand for natural, minimally invasive teeth whitening solutions has led to interest in products using natural abrasives. Zirconium, known for its abrasive properties, has been suggested as a potential whitening agent, but its efficacy compared to traditional methods is underexplored. This study aims to address this gap by evaluating zirconium powder at various concentrations as a novel approach to tooth whitening while preserving the enamel surface. Materials and Methods: Forty extracted mandibular teeth (twenty anterior, twenty posterior) were allocated into four groups and brushed for 2 min with zirconia toothpaste at one of the four concentrations. Color parameters (CIE Lab*), ΔE, and WID were measured before and after brushing using a spectrophotometer; surface roughness was assessed with a profilometer. Data were analyzed with paired tests and ANOVA/Kruskal–Wallis (p < 0.05). Results: All groups showed detectable color change (ΔE > 1.2); several exceeded clinical acceptability (ΔE ≥ 2.7). WID increased in all groups, with the largest gains at 2% zirconia for posterior teeth (+31.58) and 1% or 5% for anterior teeth (+21.07, +21.19). Surface roughness decreased significantly at 0.5% (p ≈ 0.002) and increased at 5% (p ≈ 0.002); no significant change occurred at 1% and 2%. Conclusions: Zirconia toothpaste at 1–2% offers the best balance between whitening efficacy and enamel preservation, while 5% increases roughness and 0.5% produces smaller whitening results.

Introduction: Down syndrome (DS), an easily recognized congenital disease, is associated with a high prevalence of dental anomalies. Therefore, special dental care is required.Case presentation: This case report described the minimally invasive prosthetic rehabilitation of a 31‐year‐old female patient with DS. Prompt diagnosis, consultation with physicians and family, and accurate medical history were needed, and relevant dental, medical, mental, and behavioral factors were considered. A minimally invasive treatment plan was decided after clinical examination, orthopantomography (OPG), and study model analysis. For the upper jaw, an over denture was constructed. For the lower jaw, a simple metal‐frame partial denture was made. This treatment plan was decided after considering the difficulty in dentist‐patient collaboration and a small maxilla with poor positioning of teeth and negative overbite and over jet.Conclusion: Considering different patient factors including patient cooperation, as well as the medical and dental conditions associated with DS, a minimally invasive prosthodontic treatment option was recommended.

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: 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.

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.