Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Introduction: One of the main objectives of endodontic therapy is to reduce microbes and remove inflamed pulpal tissue within the root canal system (RCS). This is accomplished through chemomechanical debridement of the RCS using hand and rotary instrumentation along with an antimicrobial irrigant. Today, the most commonly used irrigant is sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), often at concentrations toxic to human cells. The use of ozone as an endodontic irrigant is a novel technique that has been proven to be antimicrobial against several microorganisms. However, independent research is lacking on ozone’s efficacy against an established endodontic biofilm. If ozone’s efficacy against biofilms is confirmed, the use of toxic and potentially dangerous sodium hypochlorite could be replaced in some clinical situations (i.e., regeneration, immature teeth, resorption) with a safer and effective alternative. Objective: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the anti-biofilm activity of different concentrations of ozonated water compared to various concentrations of NaOCl against an established endodontic biofilm of Enterococcus faecalis in root canal treated teeth in vitro. Materials and Methods: The crowns of similarly sized, maxillary anterior teeth were removed, and the roots cut to a standard length (12 mm). All root canals were instrumented to a standard size. Specimens were sterilized and then inoculated with E. faecalis, which were allowed to grow for two weeks to form an established biofilm. There were six treatment groups: 1) 6% NaOCl; 2) 1.5% NaOCl; 3) 16µg/mL ozonated water; 4) 25µg/mL ozonated water; 5) 50µg/mL ozonated water, and 6) saline. Following treatment, samples were collected, plated, and incubated for two days. The number of CFU/mL were determined, and samples visualized using confocal imaging. The effect of treatment group on bacterial counts was made using one-way ANOVA followed by pair-wise comparisons. Null Hypothesis: Endodontically treated teeth irrigated with ozonated water will not demonstrate a statistically significant decrease in the E. faecalis biofilm compared to those treated with sodium hypochlorite Results: CFUs were converted to log10 and compared using Fisher’s Exact tests or one-way ANOVA followed by pair-wise tests. In all observations utilizing NaOCl irrigation, no colonies formed following treatment. The two NaOCl groups, with 0 CFU/mL, were significantly different than the other four groups (p=0.009). Saline showed a trend towards higher CFU/mL than 50 µg/ml O3 (p=0.068). None of the other comparisons approached statistical significance (p=0.453 25 µg/ml O3, p=0.606 16 µg/ml O3, p=0.999 25 µg/ml O3 vs 50 µg/ml O3, p=0.990 16 µg/ml O3 vs 50 µg/ml O3, p=1.000 16 µg/ml O3 vs 25 µg/ml O3). Confocal imaging helped illustrate effects of irrigation and confirm CFU findings. Conclusion: The results of this study failed to reject the null hypothesis. There was a statistically significant difference in the E. faecalis biofilm remaining in the groups treated with ozonated water compared to those treated with NaOCl. However, there was a trend towards higher CFU/mL in the saline group compared to the 50µg/mL ozonated water group. According to this finding, future studies should evaluate the effects of higher concentrations of ozonated water against an established E. faecalis biofilm. In addition, other follow-up studies might include ozonated water’s effect on human cells, such as the stem cells of the apical papilla that are so critical to the success of regenerative endodontic procedures. Due to university and laboratory closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this project was stopped short and an insufficient sample size did not allow for proper statistical power. Additional occasions should be run upon the university’s re-opening to allow for proper statistical power.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-24T19:22:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Miguel Munoz Perez.pdf: 2838722 bytes, checksum: 47bde0e445ce247501fdda653ceefbb2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-02-25 / The aim of this study was to evaluate with the finite element method (MEF), the stress distribution under simulated functional loading in different cavity preparations using the pulp chamber of an endodontically-treated second mandible left molar to observe the stability and retention of the Endocrown. Computer tomography data of the tooth was obtained to generate a 3D volumetric model. In this 3D digital tooth, different cavity preparations without (Wo) and with (W) cusp coverage were modeled and edited, as well as a restoration and luting layer. All cavity preparations with cusp coverage had a mesio-occlusal-distal extension. To obtain the Poisson ratio and the elastic modulus of the restorative material used in the MEF, ceramic specimens were subjected to flexural tests. The following groups were obtained according to the cavity preparation: intact tooth (control) [IT]; occlusal-distal extension [WoOD], mesioocclusal- distal extension [WoMOD]; with buccal cusp coverage [WB], with lingual cusps coverage [WL]; with coverage of all cusps [WT]; and remnant of 2 mm above of the cement-enamel junction [Rm]. All groups were subjected to a 200 N loading in the Ansys Workbench v12 software and the stress distribution was analyzed by Rankine principal stresses criteria. "None" experimental group simulated stress distribution as the "IT". "WoOD" showed lowest stress levels at the internal angles. Stress levels were higher at internal angles for "W" and "WoMOD". No difference was observed between the other groups when compared to "Wo" and "W" with "MOD" extension. Within the limits of this in vitro study, it was concluded that the presence of a proximal wall was an important biomechanical factor for the remaining dental tissue and that the cusps coverage did not show any advantages for the stress distribution when compared to the more conservative cavity preparations. / O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar pelo método de elementos finitos (MEF) a distribuição de tensões em diferentes preparos cavitários que utilizaram a câmara pulpar disponível de um dente molar desvitalizado para a estabilidade e retenção de restauração “Endocrown”, submetida à simulação de forças oclusais funcionais. A tomografia computadorizada de uma mandíbula foi digitalmente reconstruída resultando num modelo 3D. Deste modelo foi extraída apenas a parte correspondente ao dente 37. Neste dente digital 3D, diferentes preparos cavitários sem e com envolvimento das cúspides foram modelados e editados, bem como uma restauração e camada de cimento. Todos os modelos com envolvimento das cúspides tiveram uma extensão mesio-ocluso-distal (MOD). Para a obtenção do coeficiente de Poisson e módulo de elasticidade do material restaurador utilizados no MEF, uma cerâmica foi submetida a teste de resistência à flexão. Foram obtidos os seguintes grupos: DH, dente hígido (controle); dois grupos sem envolvimento das cúspides, SeOD (extensão ocluso-distal) e SeMOD (extensão mésio-ocluso-distal); três grupos com envolvimento das cúspides, CeV (envolvimento das cúspides vestibulares), CeL (envolvimento das cúspides linguais) e CeT (envolvimento de todas as cúspides); e RM, remanescente de 2 mm acima do limite esmalte–cimento (LEC). Todos os grupos foram submetidos à simulação de uma carga de 200 N, no software Ansys Workbench v12, avaliando a distribuição de tensões principais de Rankine geradas nos preparos. As simulações demonstraram que os melhores resultados foram obtidos no grupo SeOD. Os resultados dos outros grupos apresentaram leve diferença, sendo muito próximos os resultados obtidos entre preparos cavitários sem e com envolvimento de cúspides, de extensão MOD. Com base nos resultados obtidos, pôde-se concluir que a presença de uma parede proximal é importante fator para beneficiar a biomecânica do remanescente dental, e que o envolvimento cuspídeo não forneceu um melhor prognóstico da situação quando comparando a preparos cavitários mais conservadores.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Accurate determination of working length during endodontic therapy is a crucial step in achieving a predictable outcome. This is determined by the use of electronic apex locators, tactile perception, and knowledge of average tooth lengths and/or dental radiography whether digital or conventional is utilized. It is the aim of this study to determine if there is a difference between Schick digital radiography and Kodak Insight conventional film in accurately determining working lengths when modifying exposure time and source-film/sensor distance. Twelve teeth with size 15 K-flex files at varying known lengths from the anatomical apex were mounted in a resin-plaster mix to simulate bone density. Each tooth was radiographed while varying the source-film/sensor distance and exposure 122 time. Four dental professionals examined the images and films independently. Ten images and 10 films were selected at random and re-examined to determine each examiner?s repeatability. The error in working length was calculated as the observed value minus the known working length for each tooth type. A mixed-effects, full-factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) model was used to model the error in working length. Included in the ANOVA model were fixed effects for type of image, distance, exposure time, and all two-way and three-way interactions. The repeatability of each examiner for each film type was assessed by estimating the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). The repeatability of each examiner on digital film was good with ICCs ranging from 0.67 to 1.0. Repeatability on the conventional film was poor with ICCs varying from -0.29 to 0.55.We found there was an overall difference between the conventional and digital films (p < 0.001). After adjusting for the effects of distance and exposure time, the error in the working length from the digital image was 0.1 mm shorter (95% CI: 0.06, 0.14) than the error in the working length from the film image. There was no difference among distances (p = 0.999) nor exposure time (p = 0.158) for film or images. Based on the results of our study we conclude that although there is a statistically significant difference, there is no clinically significant difference between digital radiography and conventional film when exposure time and source-film/sensor distance are adjusted.