Search

Purpose To develop a reliable and valid instrument for the comprehensive assessment of patients’ burdens during dental impression making, the Burdens in Dental Impression Making Questionnaire, BiDIM-Q. Materials The item pool was generated in a convenience sample of 20 prosthodontic patients using semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The final instrument was tested in 145 consecutively recruited patients, and psychometric properties of the BiDIM-Q were determined. Four different impression materials were used according to the manufacturers’ instructions and indications: alginate, c-silicone, polyvinylsiloxane, and polyether. Results The final BiDIM-Q consisting of 12 items showed sufficient reliability, indicated by Cronbach's alpha of .82 and an average inter-item correlation of .29. Validity was supported by Pearson correlation coefficients for the correlation between the instrument's total score with the patients’ overall satisfaction rating ( r = .63), and by the correlation matrix for the correlations of the patients’ perceptions with the practitioners’ satisfaction ratings. Overall, patient perceived burdens were low with highest burdens observed when using polyether in partially dentate patients for pick-up impressions, while lowest burdens were reported when using c-silicone for impressions of edentulous jaws. Conclusion The BiDIM-Q is a reliable and valid tool for assessing patient-based process-related quality of care in dentistry allowing a deeper insight into patients’ perspective during dental impression making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Computerized Dentistry is the property of Quintessence Publishing Company Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this study was to implement the monthly FAO Penman-Monteith evapotranspiration estimation method in a GIS environment, given the importance of spatial estimation of the evapotranspiration in the rational management of water resources and also the lack of easily applicable methodology in GIS environment. In this context, a Python programming language script was developed for implementing monthly FAO Penman-Monteith evapotranspiration equation, in ESRI's ArcMap environment. This approach has the advantage of being independent of the type of geospatial data and can be applied in point, line and polygon data while at the same time being flexible and time saving without loss of accuracy. The methodology was applied using meteorological data of the 2011 irrigation period (March to September), acquired from the meteorological station located at the campus of Technological Educational Institute of Western Greece at Messolonghi (38 o 21’ 58” N; 21 o 28’ 41” E), with the results being very satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydronomic works (rivers and streams arrangement works) have as target the dissuasion of control of torrent effects (disintegration, erosion, sliding, crumbling etc), the stabilization of stream sides and the providing of flood protection. Additionally hydronomic works in downgraded hydrologic basins and river sides, except of the provided protection, contribute to the formation and evolution of along stream environments. For these reasons, hydronomic works, by nature, constitute significant protection-environmental works. This leads to their exclusion from the need for approval of environmental permissions. Hydronomic works and river restoration techniques are referred to a large variety of ecological, physical, spatial and management measures and practices. These are aimed at restoring the natural state and functioning of a natural system in support of biodiversity, recreation, flood safety and landscape development. By restoring natural conditions, hydronomic works improves the resilience of the river systems and provides the framework for the sustainable multifunctional use of estuaries, rivers and streams. Hydronomic works are an integral part of sustainable water management and is in direct support of the aims of the Water Framework Directive, and national and regional water management policies. In the present study the level of incorporation and the contribution of hydronomic works in natural environment is evaluated for the case of Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stone in the past decades has been the most widely used building material, highly tied to the natural environment. The stone walls, dams, warehouses, farmhouses, paving, etc., are remarkable stone constructions and functional creations. Stone as building material was originating from rocks in the near territory, resulting an absolute harmony with the natural environment. From a hydrological and hydrostatical point of view, many of the protective type stone structures (terraces, dams) had gaps in their main body for passage of the water, significantly reducing the hydrostatic loads and increasing their stability. Finally, stone constructions as terraces, gutters, benches and walls protect agricultural lands and increase the soil moisture making them productive. In the present paper the agrotechnical, constructional and hydrologic characteristics of stone structures in Epirus Greece are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amvrakikos Wetlands National Park is located in the North-West Greece. It is an area of high environmental importance, as it is characterized by a very rich biodiversity. Because of it's importance, the north part of the gulf is protected by Ramsar Convention and is part of the EU NATURA network. The adjacent plain of Arta (most of which is part of the land part of the park), hosts intensively cultivated, irrigated agricultural land and a number of food processing facilities and though it constitutes a major threat for this ecosystem.As water is plentiful and cheap, most farmers over-irrigate using water by the old open canal scheme that covers part of the plain and from numerous drillings most of which are illegal. The main pathways of agricultural pollutants (fertilizers, pesticides etc) are three rivers (Louros, Aracthos and Vovos) and three main draining canals (Salaoras, Fidokastrou and Neochoriou). This presentation, reviews information from several research works of the last 10 years which investigated the effects of agricultural activity to the coastal and the inland natural and rural landscape. Efforts that have been made (installation of measuring - alarming stations, educational sessions for farmers, de-nitrification programs etc) during the same period are also referred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FAO-AQUASTAT states that in Greece, about 70% of the available water resources are used for irrigation purposes. According to directive 2000/60/EC, action is needed to protect water in qualitative and quantitative terms. Among the several actions that are expected to contribute to the protection of water is the optimization of irrigation management. In this framework irrigation professionals are challenged to achieve maximum irrigation efficiency at scheme as well as at end-user (farm or landscape setup) level. Irrigation efficiency is a complex concept at upper levels as the losses of someone could be the gains for someone else. At end-user level, irrigation audits which register and analyze information regarding water and soil characteristics, the design, installation and maintenance of the system, the available flow, the operating pressure, the application uniformity and the irrigation schedule provide a useful tool for system evaluation and maintenance, upgrade decisions. In the framework of the present work, selected case studies, part of an irrigation auditing initiative, which is in progress and will include 100 audits at the Regions of Epirus and Western Greece, are presented. Extended literature review was made in order to design the auditing procedures. Special fact sheets have been prepared and pilot audits were used in order to evaluate them and make final adjustments. The audits have been applied on a variety of agricultural irrigation systems (big guns, sprinklers bubblers, drip lines, emitters etc) as well as on sprinkler irrigation systems for landscaping setups (parks and athletic facilities). After each audit, a report is handed to farmers and irrigation managers. The report contains information regarding the findings and proposals for improvements. The majority of the systems that were audited up to now presented serious problems regarding design, construction, maintenance and management. The feedback was positive and most of them agreed to keep records regarding water savings data. It has to be noted that no relevant national legislation or official standard exist in Greece. In this framework, an objective of the initiative is to develop a practical auditing guide and make it available to relevant stakeholders and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Green spaces are indispensable for the urban ecosystem. Benefits coming form trees, parks, urban and peri-urban woods can be the mitigation of temperature, pollution decreasing, protection from water run-off and soil erosion, aesthetics increasing and quality of places, providing a place for recreation, education and learning. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) helps cities manage forestry projects efficiently and reduce management costs. This paper presents the development of a GIS application for urban forestry management. For developing the GIS application, Geoserver, PostGIS/PostgreSQL, OpenLayers, GDAL, PROJ.4, and Entity Framework 5.0 were used. Further ASP.NET MVC4 was used for developing the web site of the application. The GIS application that was developed is an independent window application, which run in every modern computer with no need to be connected to any other software. Such a GIS application must do, this one supports the authorities to choose appropriate measures for urban forest management, protection and utilization by connecting attribute to spatial data. Conclusively this GIS application is an appropriate tool for Municipality Administration Services in cooperation with researchers and concerned citizens, for contribution to a better management of urban forests, providing urban population with better living conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Statement of problem In existing published reports, some studies indicate the superiority of digital impression systems in terms of the marginal accuracy of ceramic restorations, whereas others show that the conventional method provides restorations with better marginal fit than fully digital fabrication. Which impression method provides the lowest mean values for marginal adaptation is inconclusive. The findings from those studies cannot be easily generalized, and in vivo studies that could provide valid and meaningful information are limited in the existing publications. Purpose The purpose of this study was to systematically review existing reports and evaluate the marginal fit of ceramic single-tooth restorations after either digital or conventional impression methods by combining the available evidence in a meta-analysis. Material and methods The search strategy for this systematic review of the publications was based on a Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) framework. For the statistical analysis, the mean marginal fit values of each study were extracted and categorized according to the impression method to calculate the mean value, together with the 95% confidence intervals (CI) of each category, and to evaluate the impact of each impression method on the marginal adaptation by comparing digital and conventional techniques separately for in vitro and in vivo studies. Results Twelve studies were included in the meta-analysis from the 63 identified records after database searching. For the in vitro studies, where ceramic restorations were fabricated after conventional impressions, the mean value of the marginal fit was 58.9 μm (95% CI: 41.1-76.7 μm), whereas after digital impressions, it was 63.3 μm (95% CI: 50.5-76.0 μm). In the in vivo studies, the mean marginal discrepancy of the restorations after digital impressions was 56.1 μm (95% CI: 46.3-65.8 μm), whereas after conventional impressions, it was 79.2 μm (95% CI: 59.6-98.9 μm) Conclusion No significant difference was observed regarding the marginal discrepancy of single-unit ceramic restorations fabricated after digital or conventional impressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the marginal adaptation of single-unit full-coverage lithium disilicate fixed dental restorations fabricated with the conventional heat-pressed technique and the digital CAD/CAM workflow., Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. Α study research was conducted in Medline via PubMed and Cochrane Library databases together with a hand search of studies published until June 2022. The search terms combined suitable MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms together with free text words in single or multiple conjunctions. A modified methodological index was used to assess the risk of bias of the included studies. A random effects model was applied to pool the effect estimates, and further assessment of the heterogeneity across studies was conducted using the Q test and the I2 metric. All statistical analyses were performed with RStudio software, version 4.1.2, using the 'meta' package., Results: The electronic search and hand search identified 51 articles. Eighteen articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review, 17 of which were in vitro studies and only 1 was an in vivo study. However, only 17 of the initial 18 articles could be included in the meta-analysis due to a lack of statistical data in one of the in vitro studies. Statistical analyses were conducted using the RStudio software program. Meta-analysis was performed with the random effects model (α = 0.05). No statistical difference was found between the two fabrication methods (P = 0.49)., Conclusions: Although the mean marginal adaptation of lithium disilicate single crowns was found to be better with the heat-pressed technique, there was no statistical significance with the CAD/CAM-fabricated restorations, and both resulted in a clinically acceptable result. Nonetheless, more clinical studies are needed for safer conclusions.

Objective: To describe the clinical procedures of complete denture set fabrication in three appointments., Background: Simplified approaches have proven not to be inferior to conventional ones in terms of quality, patient satisfaction and masticatory ability., Materials and Methods: The patient was a 77-year-old edentulous adult with mobility impairment seeking dental rehabilitation in a small number of appointments due to commuting difficulties., Results: A set of complete dentures was delivered within three appointments. The second appointment was dedicated to set-up trial due to the patient's aesthetic demands., Conclusion: Under certain circumstances and after a thorough study of each case, dental clinicians may propose the fabrication of complete dentures in a three-appointment protocol incorporating a set-up trial session., (© 2023 The Authors. Gerodontology published by Gerodontology Association and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the influence of the characteristics of intraoral scan bodies (ISBs) on the accuracy of intraoral scanning., Materials and Methods: An electronic search was conducted through PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus and Cochrane Library, up to March 2023. The literature search intended to retrieve all relevant clinical and in vitro studies about the effect that the various properties of ISBs may have on the accuracy (trueness and precision) of intraoral scanning. Only publications in English language were selected with animal studies, case reports, case series, technique presentation articles and expert opinions being excluded., Results: A total of 28 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review. They were published between 2019 and 2023 and were all in vitro studies. Among the parameters described, the scan body material, position, geometry, height, diameter, and fixation torque were evaluated. The most common materials used for ISBs were polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and titanium alloys. The diameter and position of ISBs seemed to affect the trueness of implant impressions. Subgingival implant position and decreased ISB height affected negatively the trueness of scanning. Geometrical characteristics of ISBs also affect the implant impression accuracy, especially the bevel location and the types of designing modifications., Conclusions: The characteristics of the currently used ISBs vary widely and the available scientific evidence is not yet conclusive about the optimal design of ISB. The implant impression accuracy achieved by any of the studied parameters is encouraging. Clinical studies are however necessary for more concrete conclusions., Clinical Significance: ISBs play a vital role in the digital workflow and influence significantly the accuracy and fit of implant restorations. More clinical trials are needed in order to conclude to the optimal characteristics of ISBs which would further enhance the success of the restorations., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: To determine the effect of lifetime maxillofacial changes on dental implants placed in adults, analyze the clinical implications of these changes, identify prognostic factors, and offer possible solutions., Overview: The relationship between implant placement and maxillofacial changes, occurring during not only the active growth period but also the entire span of adulthood, has not been extensively examined. Vertical differences between implants and adjacent teeth due to the ankylotic behavior of the former might be observed at any age and endanger restoration biologically, functionally, and esthetically. Regarding interproximal contacts, firm contact loss may occur within a few months after restoration, resulting in food impaction. Many prognostic factors have been reported, but most do not exhibit a statistically significant association with implant infraocclusion and interproximal contact loss. Incorporation of alternative solutions, accurate treatment planning, strict recall protocols, and retrievability of implant-supported restorations can facilitate efficient management of complications., Conclusion: Maxillomandibular changes throughout adulthood may lead to complications such as implant infraocclusion and interproximal contact loss. Rehabilitation of edentulism should be characterized by well-designed and flexible treatment plans to resolve long-term complications efficiently. Further long-term clinical studies are needed to identify other risk factors., Clinical Significance: Treatment plans for implant therapy should be reconsidered for adults. Careful patient monitoring and early intervention are essential for securing treatment outcomes., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Purpose: To assess clinical performance of bar-retained implant overdentures (IOs) with distally placed ERA attachments on four implants, and patient satisfaction after a follow-up period of 5 years in a convenience selection of 15 patients., Materials and Methods: Bar-retained IOs with distally placed ERA attachments were placed and clinically monitored. Encountered complications during a 5-year follow-up period were recorded; and a modified OHIP-14 questionnaire was used to assess patient satisfaction., Results: Implant and restoration survival rates of 97.5% and 100%, respectively, were recorded. The most common maintenance requirement was the replacement of ERA retentive elements. A high degree of patient satisfaction was reported., Conclusions: The proposed IO design is a reliable clinical treatment protocol associated with a high degree of patient satisfaction and minor prosthetic complications.