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Silver nanoparticles (NNPs), alone or in combination with the bioadhesive Gantrez S-97, have demonstrated their efficacy against Streptococcus mutans; however, it is not known if this combination changes the color of teeth. The aim of this work was to measure the color changes occurring after the use of a Gantrez-NNP combination on enamel tooth blocks. Two study groups were randomly formed: enamel blocks brushed with a) the Gantrez-NNP combination and b) conventional toothpaste, for 1 minute once daily for 4 weeks, then rinsed with distilled water and placed in thymol solution. Color changes in the enamel blocks were measured using a Minolta colorimeter CR300. Analysis of mixed models was performed with R 2.10.1 at a 95%confidence level, using the nonlinear mixed effects (NLME) package. The results showed that there were no color changes over time, only a high luminosity equal in both groups. Our study showed that the use of the Gantrez-NNP combination is safe with respect to dental esthetics in the control of S. mutans.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors associated with candidiasis in chronic renal failure (CRF) and renal transplant (RT) patients. A cross-sectional study was made of 66 patients who were divided into 2 groups: group A (33 patients), RT patients, and group B (33 patients), who had been diagnosed with CRF. Data with respect to demographics, treatment type and duration, clinical laboratory results for blood leucocytes, oral hygiene, and diagnosis of oral candidiasis were collected. Risk factors associated with candidiasis were evaluated. Among the 66 patients, 21 showed microbiologic evidence of oral candidiasis; 12 of these were from the RT group and 9 were from the CRF patients. Children who were renally compromised (RT and CRF) presented a frequency of oral candidiasis of 31.82%, with no difference between study groups. C. albicans was the most frequently isolated species from RT and CRF patients. Duration of therapy and oral hygiene were the variables associated with the presence of oral candidiasis.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate pain perception rates in pediatric patients by comparing computerized injection device and traditional injection procedure. In a clinical trial, by using a crossover design, sixty-four patients were randomly assigned to receive, in consecutive sessions, dental anesthetic techniques with either traditional or computerized device. Visual Analogue Scale qualification and heart rate monitoring as physiologic indicator of pain response were used for the evaluation. Results showed that traditional syringe injections were more painful than computerized injection device (p