Danuta Nowakowska

Acrylic resins are the most commonly used materials in prosthetics and orthodontics until now. They have a well-documented history of use as biomaterials in the manufacturing of different types of dental appliances. The objective of this study was to describe the properties of acrylic resins and the processing methods used for these materials in dentistry. The review depicts the most important achievements in this area, indicating that the resin technology evolved in different directions. The mechanical and biological properties of acrylic resins were improved by the addition of mineral or natural fibers, and/or fillers, including nanofillers, as well as by poly(methyl methacrylate) surface modification. The presence of residual monomer was reduced as a result of postpolymerization activity. New types of acrylic resins were developed for processing Computer-Aided Design/Computer- Aided Manufacturing systems and three-dimensional printing.

Chlorhexidine-based products are often used in medicine and dentistry as dental hygiene and therapeutic products, especially by patients with various oral tissue diseases. However, these products have disadvantages, such as low stability, as well as discoloration of the teeth and dental reconstruction materials. The aim of this study was to create and evaluate experimental chlorhexidine (CHX) gels with anti-staining properties and to compare them with 3 commercially available products. For this study, 4 new formulations containing 1% CHX and different anti-staining agents were developed. The properties of these gels were compared with 3 commercial CHX-based dental products. The pH, viscosity, disintegration in water, and anti-staining properties were evaluated. The pH level of the 4 new CHX gels ranged from 5.92 to 6.33. The viscosity of the experimental gels was higher (85.7÷217.7 Pa∙s) than the commercial ones (11.6÷72.7 Pa∙s). Among the experimental formulations with 1% CHX, the formulation with 5% polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and 0.2% citric acid and the formulation with 1% citric acid were the most stable in terms of pH and viscosity. The disintegration times of the experimental gels were longer (50-70 min) as compared with the commercial products (approx. 20 min). These 2 CHX gels caused less color change of glass ionomer cements in black tea solution. To conclude, 2 new experimental dental gels based on 1% CHX, one with 1% citric acid and the second with 5% PVP and 0.2% citric acid, had the most favorable physicochemical properties. Further research is needed to evaluate their therapeutic potential in the treatment of diseases of the oral cavity.

Alginates are impression materials commonly used in prosthodontics and orthodontics. However, all these materials have some disadvantages, such as limited elasticity, tearing resistance and low dimensional stability. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of various water quantities and qualities on changes in the properties of alginates. Two alginates, Neocolloid and Tulip, were mixed with different volumes of water, water with calcium ions, or sparkling water with CO2. The dimensions, setting times, and hardness of the specimens were measured and Young's modulus was calculated. The significance of the difference between the mean values of different groups and the control group was assessed by Student's t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test. The dimensional stability changes of both alginate impression materials were statistically dependent on the quantity of water used for mixing. Sample storage over 24 h of samples prepared with +15% water led to 5.00% shrinkage for Neocolloid and 4.41% for Tulip. The setting times of Neocolloid and Tulip were significantly prolonged when the alginates were prepared with +15% water; the addition of calcium ions shortened the setting times of both alginates. Specimens mixed with the water containing Ca2+ ions were characterized by greater hardness and Young's modulus values when compared to the alginate mixed with distilled water. For mixing alginates, it is necessary to use the manufacturers' recommended mixing ratios between powder and water. To obtain the right setting time, hardness and elasticity, the application of distilled or demineralized water is advised.

Gingival margin retraction/displacement (GMR/D) is a commonly accepted procedure in restorative dentistry. Of the various retraction methods, the chemo-mechanical approach with retraction media and chemical retraction agents (ChRAs) is mostly used. Different local and/or systemic side effects were observed after “chemical attacks” from these retraction agents. Moreover, no consensus exists as to the compatibility of chemical agents with different impression materials. This paper reports the findings of in vivo and in vitro studies and we discuss the physico-chemical properties of chemical retraction agents, their undesirable clinical side effects, biological activity and compatibility with selected groups of elastomer impression materials.

PurposeThe compatibility of chemical gingival margin displacement agents with polyether impression materials has not been determined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the setting time of polyether impression elastomers after contact with conventional and experimental gingival displacement agents. Materials and MethodsThe study compared the setting time of two polyether impression materials: medium body (Impregum Penta Soft) and light body (Impregum Garant L DuoSoft) after contact with 10 gingival displacement agents, including 5 conventional astringents (10%, 20%, and 25% aluminum chloride, 25% aluminum sulfate, and 15.5% ferric sulfate) and 5 experimental adrenergics (0.1% and 0.01% HCl-epinephrine, 0.05% HCl-tetrahydrozoline, 0.05% HCl-oxymetazoline, and 10% HCl-phenylephrine). As many as 120 specimens (60 light body and 60 medium body) were mixed with 20 l of each of 10 gingival displacement agents, and the time to achieve maximum viscosity was measured with a viscometer. The setting times of these specimens were compared with the control group of 12 specimens, which were polymerized without contact with the displacement agents. The experiments were performed in two environments: 23 degrees C and 37 degrees C ( 0.1 degrees C). Individual and average polymerization time compatibility indices (PTCI) were calculated. Data were analyzed by 2-way ANOVA ( = 0.05). ResultsThe evaluated chemical displacement agents from both groups changed the setting time of light- and medium-body PE. The negative individual PTCI values achieved astringent (20% aluminum chloride) with two PE in both temperature environments. The average PTCI values of the experimental displacement agents at laboratory and intraoral temperatures were significantly higher than the conventional agents. ConclusionsThe present findings suggest that experimental retraction agents can be recommended clinically as gingival margin displacement agents with minimal effects on the setting time of medium- and light-body polyether impression materials; however, direct contact of chemical displacement agents and polyether impression materials can be avoided.

The study focused on the comparison between mechanical and computerized registration methods used by the two selected kinematic facebows. The material consisted of 35 women aged 18 to 35, studied using the Gerber Dynamic Facebow and the computerized ARCUSdigma II axiograph. To compare the devices the condylar path inclination (CPI) was recorded according to the Camper’s line, enabling the acquisition of easily comparable values based on which the devices were objectively and subjectively analyzed. Statistics was performed for the obtained data. The study showed that the values for the CPI registrated by the ARCUSdigma II are significantly higher than those obtained by using the Gerber Dynamic Facebow. The significant difference in the records of the CPI is most likely a result of the differences in the registration techniques assumptions. ARCUSdigma II provides the user with more diagnostic options than Gerber Dynamic Facebow. Mechanical facebow handling has a higher risk of hand-measuring errors in tracing procedure. Due to high discrepancy of achieved results from different systems the authors recommend to use articulator compatible with facebow whose measurement has been done.