Investigating the Potential of Acacia nilotica-Enriched Glass Ionomer Cement: An Analysis of Antimicrobial Activity and Compressive Strength

Background According to existing literature, introducing natural antibacterial agents into glass ionomer cement (GIC) has been associated with potential negative impacts on their strength properties. Hence, this study aims to explore the antibacterial effectiveness of glass ionomer cement enriched with Acacia nilotica and subsequently assess its compressive strength characteristics. Aim The objective of the study is to assess the antimicrobial effectiveness and compressive strength of glass ionomer cement modified with Acacia nilotica. Materials and methods  The plant extract was incorporated into the conventional glass ionomer cement in three different proportions (powder GIC: extract: liquid GIC), divided into group I, group II, and group III with ratios of 2:1:1, 3:1:2, and 3:2:1 respectively. Additionally, a control group denoted as group IV was included without any modifications. Subsequently, the specimens were prepared, and their chemical structure was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), followed by testing for antimicrobial activity using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus. The assessment of compressive strength was conducted following ISO 9917-1:2007 standards, and the recorded values represent the maximum force the specimen could withstand before fracturing. Results The antimicrobial effectiveness against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus exhibited a notable increase in all modified specimens compared to the control group, with a significance level of p<0.05. Additionally, significant improvements in compressive strength were observed in group III (183.49±2.99) when compared to the remaining groups. The higher concentrations of the plant extract resulted in superior outcomes. Conclusion Therefore, the incorporation of Acacia nilotica into GIC shows promising potential as a restorative material. These investigations can provide valuable insights into the material's performance and durability, contributing to its potential application in dental restorations. Future research is needed to thoroughly investigate the bonding chemistry between Acacia nilotica and GIC, as well as to assess the extent of microleakage.

Evaluation of difficulty index of impacted mandibular third molar extractions

When compared to other teeth, third molars have a greater rate of impaction. Third molars that have been impacted are commonly encountered in dental practice, and it is the reason for complications in third molar surgery. The most commonly performed surgical procedure by dental practitioners is the third molar extraction. Despite a well-planned surgical approach, there are complications in lower third molar extractions. This study analyzes the expected difficulty during surgical removal of lower third molars that are impacted. This study analyzes the expected difficulty during the removal of impacted lower third molars by surgery. With the data from our dental institution database, the difficulty index by Pederson was used to evaluate the difficulty level of the extraction. Using SPSS, data were analyzed and results were obtained. Among impacted left mandibular third molars (38), minimal difficulty in 20.60% of the extractions, moderate difficulty in 29.58% of the extractions, and most difficulty in 2.77% of extractions were present. Among impacted right mandibular third molars (48), minimal difficulty in 18.80% of the extractions, moderate difficulty in 25.78% of the extractions, and most difficulty in 2.47% of extractions were present. According to our study, there is moderate difficulty in impacted lower third molar surgery, and it depends on factors such as systemic status and patient's age, periodontal condition, and complexity of tooth position in the dental arch.

Association of malocclusion and trauma in children: A retrospective study

Malocclusion is considered one of the most prevalent oral issues and it is considered one of the major risk factors for dental trauma. Dental trauma is a distressing experience for children, and they can have long-term physical, esthetic, and psychological effects. Hence, the main aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the association between dental trauma and malocclusion in children. Four hundred and fifty patients between the age of 8 and 17 years during March 1, 2020-February 31, 2021, with Ellis classes 1, 2, and 3 were included in the study. Association of type of fracture with gender and malocclusion was calculated using Chi-square test. In case of Ellis class 1 fracture, 9.1% of the patients had no malocclusion, 21.8% of them had crowding, 11% of them had spacing, and 21.8% of them had anterior protrusion. In case of Ellis class 2 fracture, 4.3% of them had no malocclusion, 6.4% of them had crowding, 2.8% of them had spacing, and 3.6% of them had anterior protrusion. In case of Ellis class 3 fracture, 2.7% of them had no malocclusion, 6.4% of them had crowding, 4.6% of them had spacing, and 4.6% had anterior protrusion. The results were not statistically significant. Children with anterior protrusion and anterior crowding are more prone to severe damage during traumatic dental injuries.

Antimicrobial Activity of Iodophor and Chlorhexidine in Surgical Preparation of Skin

An effective pre surgical Preparation is important step in preventing surgical wound contamination and post operative infection. Preparing a 100% sterile surgical environment is one of the biggest challenges of surgery. Since skin is the most common source of pathogen they make the skin preparation at the time of procedure critical. The most common skin preparation agents are iodophors and chlorhexidine. The aqueous based iodophors are, such as povidone iodine is one of the few products that can be safely used on mucous membrane. Iodophor and chlorhexidine are quick sustained and durable with broader spectrum anti microbial activity. These agents are ideal for longer open surgeries. There is a need for comparison of antimicrobial activity of iodophor and chlorhexidine. In surgical preparation of the skin. In this study we used iodophor and chlorhexidine to check their anti microbial activity in surgical preparation of skin. A square of area 10 sq cm was drawn on the surface of the skin on arm and divided into upper half and lower half.2 sterilised cotton swabs were taken and they were moistened with saline water. First swab was taken before applying the disinfectant and the second swab was taken 2 mins after applying the disinfectant. Both swabs were spread in the TSA agar. Total bacterial count was counted in the before and after swab. Iodine was used as disinfectant in 5 people and chlorhexidine was used as disinfectant in 5 people. Iodophor had a better activity against the micro organisms than that of the chlorhexidine.