Design and manufacturing of customized implants prior to surgery are described in this study. Implant shape and functional requirements are established by digital data based on CT scans and mirroring operations. The design process of customized mandible prosthesis is illustrated as well as its manufacturing process (direct metal laser sintering) and dimensional control. Laser sintering process and its constraints for the production of customized implants in titanium alloy (Ti–6Al–4V) with complex geometry and internal structures are reported. Important parameters and restrictions in the production of complex parts, including support structures, maximum overhanging angle and internal structure are also described.

The mechanical control of supragingival biofilm is accepted as one of the most important measures to treat and prevent dental caries and periodontal diseases. Nevertheless, maintaining dental surfaces biofilm-free is not an easy task. In this regard, chemical agents, mainly in the form of mouthwashes, have been studied to help overcome the difficulties involved in the mechanical control of biofilm. The aim of this paper was to discuss proposals for the teaching of supragingival chemical control (SCC) in order to improve dentists' knowledge regarding this clinical issue. Firstly, the literature regarding the efficacy of antiseptics is presented, clearly showing that chemical agents are clinically effective in the reduction of biofilm and gingival inflammation when used as adjuvant agents to mechanical control. Thus, it is suggested that the content related to SCC be included in the curricular grid of dental schools. Secondly, some essential topics are recommended to be included in the teaching of SCC as follows: skills and competencies expected of a graduate dentist regarding SCC; how to include this content in the curricular grid; teaching-learning tools and techniques to be employed; and program content.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association among menopause, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and periodontal attachment loss (PAL). METHODS: Three hundred twenty-eight women (40 to 69 years old) who participated in a previous oral survey in South Brazil were included. Women who reported not having their monthly menstrual cycles for >or=12 months were classified as postmenopausal. Postmenopausal women were categorized according to HRT. Women with >or=30% teeth with PAL >or=5 mm were classified as having periodontitis. The data were analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression model and adjusted for age, smoking, socioeconomic status, and dental care. RESULTS: The prevalence of periodontitis was significantly greater among postmenopausal women not using HRT (HRT-) than among premenopausal women (64.4% versus 46.3%; P = 0.005). Similarly, the multivariable analysis demonstrated a significantly higher chance of having periodontitis in postmenopausal HRT- women than in premenopausal women (odds ratio [OR], 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1 to 4.0). In contrast, no significant differences were observed in the prevalence of periodontitis between postmenopausal women using HRT (HRT+) and premenopausal women (48.8% versus 46.3%; P = 0.77). After adjusting for cofactors, postmenopausal HRT+ women did not have a greater likelihood of having periodontitis than premenopausal women (OR, 1.2; 95% CI: 0.6 to 2.5). No significant differences in tooth loss were observed among the study groups after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Postmenopausal HRT- women had a greater chance of having periodontitis than premenopausal women. In contrast, postmenopausal HRT+ women and premenopausal women had similar periodontal status. HRT may have a beneficial effect on periodontal health.

We utilize a kinetic approach to the problem of wave propagation in dusty plasmas, taking into account the variation of the charge of the dust particles due to inelastic collisions with electrons and ions. The components of the dielectric tensor are written in terms of a finite and an infinite series, containing all effects of harmonics and Larmor radius. The formulation is quite general and valid for the whole range of frequencies above the plasma frequency of the dust particles, which are assumed motionless. The formulation is employed to the study of electrostatic waves propagating along the direction of the ambient magnetic field, in the case for which ions and electrons are described by bi-Maxwellian distributions. The results obtained in a numerical analysis corroborate previous analysis, about the important role played by the dust charge variation, particularly on the imaginary part of the dispersion relation, and about the very minor role played in the case of electrostatic waves by some additional terms appearing in the components of the dielectric tensor, which are entirely due to the occurrence of the dust charge variation.