MUSTANSIRIA DENTAL JOURNAL

Forty five mesial canals of extracted human mandibular molars were instrumented with ProFile ISO .06 nickel-titanium rotary instruments and obturated with lateral condensation using three different master cones: .06 tapered gutta-percha cone (groupI), .04 tapered gutta-percha cone (group II), .02 tapered gutta-percha cone (group III).
Zinc oxide eugenol sealer was used in all groups. After 48 hours in an incubator, the roots were coated with nail polish and were the submerged in methylene blue dye for 72 hours. The roots were then split longitudinally and the apical leakage measured and compared for each group. Although there was no statistical significant difference among groups (P>0.05), group (I) with .06 tapered gutta-percha master cone showed the lowest mean of dye penetration.

Abstract
This study was conducted on (716) subjects attending the dental department in one of the public clinics in Baghdad.
Information was collected from all subjects regarding their age, sex and chief compliant at the time of presentation. This was followed by clinical examination.
Chief complaint of the majority of patients was toothache (48.5%) and carious teeth without pain (15.5%). The need to extract teeth was seen in (8.4%), problems associated with tooth loss (6.8%), bleeding gum (5.2%), checkup 4.2% , scaling and polishing (3.2%) , mal aligned teeth (2.5%) , unidentified oral pain (2.4%) fractured anterior teeth (2.2%) and bad odour (1.1%).
Total number of female was greater than males. The majority of patients examined were in need of some type of treatment, which reflects the high prevalence of oral disease in this population

This study was designed to investigate the recurrence of aphthous ulcers among three groups of people in different ages, and to evaluate the most effective precipitating factors in developing recurrent aphthous ulcers RAU.
The results of this study showed that the stress, allergy, hormonal disturbances,
hematological deficiencies were the most predisposing factors on RAU .About (40-50%) of patients experience recurrences of the ulcers. Data recorded that RAU was more common in females than in males and RAU can begin in childhood, but the peak period for onset is the second decade of life; frequency and severity diminish with age.

Medical status of 679 subjects, who attended a dental department in one of the public clinics in Baghdad, was examined, significant medical histories were found in 133 (19.5%) of the subjects. They included diabetes mellitus (5.31%), hypertension (3.54%), and peptic ulcer (2.21%), adverse drug reactions (1.18%), neurological disease and (0.88%), and blood disorders (0.20%).

Pyogenic granuloma is a relatively common benign vascular lesion of the oral mucosa & skin whose exact cause is unknown. The study of the expression of cell adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 & VCAM-1) in oral pyogenic granuloma was performed.
Fifteen formalin- fixed, paraffin-embedded oral pyogenic granuloma were studied using LSAB/HRP immunohistochemical technique.
Mild to moderate expressions of cell adhesion molecules was demonstrated among different cell types of pyogenic granuloma suggesting that inflammatory response of gingival tissue against oral antigens (gram negative bacteria) may play a major role in inflammatory neovasculairization & hence pathogenesis of pyogenic granuloma .

Background: The osteoblast is characterized by its ability to synthesize a well
defined mineralized collagenous matrix, regulate the remodeling process by synthesizing local hormone, specific molecules and alkaline phosphatase enzyme .The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Sodium Fluoride administration in vivo on osteoblast cell.
Materials and methods: Fourteen pregnant Sprague- Dawley rats were used, 8 of them received 100ppm Fluoride, others did not received and considered as
controls. Bone biopsies from neonatal rat were studied histologically and
histochemically.
Results: Active proliferation of osteoblast and their progenitor cells with active localization of alkaline phosphatase in neonatal jaw bone treated with Sodium Fluoride.
Conclusion: under the condition of the present study, the Sodium Fluoride can be used successfully to enhance bone formation.

To assess the subjective image quality in digital panoramic radiograph, when the tube current level (mA) is reduced.
By Dimax 3 digital planmeca x-ray machine two digital panoramic projections can obtained for a dry skull , the first projections was performed at standard exposure setting , the tube current level (mA) was reduced in the second exposure by 25% ,50% , and 75% respectively . 10 observers evaluated both projections for the anatomical landmarks which are commonly appearing in the panoramic radiograph.
Radiographs taken at the reduced (mA) level of 75% had highly statistically
significant inferior score P<0.0001 for anatomical details.
At reduced tube current level (mA), radiographs had inferior subjective image quality, but a reduction in tube current level (mA) of approximately 50% is accepted.

This Study was done to compare between the digital and conventional panoramic
radiography in the estimation of the distance between the crest of alveolar bone to the
floor of maxillary sinus for proper dental implant in the posterior region of maxilla.
Twenty patients were selected, they need multiple implants in different posterior
edentulous regions of the maxilla, in the period from (January 2006-April 2006), 11
were males and 9 females of age between (37-52). All the patients were sending for digital and conventional panoramic radiographic examination. Comparison was done for the two types of radiographs with tracing chart readings of Friadent system for the measurement of implant length.
The study shows that obvious differences between the digital and conventional panoramic radiography in comparison to tracing chart, while no differences were
detected between the digital panoramic radiographs and the tracing chart.
The study reported that the digital panoramic radiography is more accurate in estimation of proper bone measurement than conventional radiographs for precise dental implant selection.

Destructive forms of periodontal disease can occur in children & adolescents.
Proximal caries, gingival inflammation & loss of lamina dura are risk factors in
development of alveolar bone loss. This study aims to determine the effect of
proximal caries with loss of contact of primary molars on interdental hard tissues
using a modified bitewing digital imaging technique .One hundred Iraqi children
(7&8 years old) of both sexes were included in this study, half of them having proximal caries in their primary molars & served as study group & the other half served as control. The results showed a significant increase in marginal & interproximal alveolar bone crest height in study group with male predominance. Loss of lamina dura & irregular crestal bone appearance was also evident around primary molars with proximal caries. Non significant relationship was found between gingival inflammation & interdental hard tissues. The results indicated that proximal caries with loss of contact play an important role in development of incipient periodontal disease in children.

The aim of this study is to confirm the ability of digital panoramic (program 20 sinus projections) in detection of maxillary sinus disease.
The represented of radiopaque mass at the floor of maxillary sinus of a dry skull was compared in digitalWater\'s and panoramic (programs 20 sinus) projections.
The mass with a diameter of 10mm situated on the floor of the maxillary sinus.
The radiopaque mass was shown better by digital panoramic (program 20 sinus projection), while the digitalWater\'s projection was less effective.
the digital panoramic (program 20 sinus projections) proved more effective in detection masses on the floor of maxillary sinus than digital Water\'s projection where it\'s not clearly detected due to superimposition of maxillary molar teeth

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the plasma antioxidant status in patients with periodontitis using serum albumin concentration as a criterion index. .
Materials and methods: This study was conducted on 20 individuals (10 healthy control and 10 with chronic periodontitis). Serum albumin level was detected by the bromcresol green albumin (BCG) colorimetric method.
Results: Patients with periodontitis had a significant decrease in the level of serum albumin than that of the healthy subjects (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The result of the present study demonstrated decreased level of serum albumin in patients with periodontitis, which indicates decreased antioxidant activity in patients with periodontitis on comparison with the healthy individuals.

Background: The aim of this study was to asses the gingival changes in children with Acute Lymphoplastic Leukemia (ALL) before and after treatment.
Material and method: The sample consist of (15) children with ALL (the age range was 7-13 years with an average of 10 years of age). They were newly diagnosed.
The patients were examined three times: 1st visit , before starting with
chemotherapy (day 0) , 2nd visit , after 15 days from using chemotherapy (day15) , 3rd visit after 30 days from using chemotherapy ( day 30 ) .
The examination included clinical parameters namely plaque index
(PL.I),gingival index (G.I), assessment of gingival enlargement , collection of gingival cervicular fluid (G.C.F) , bleeding point index and Hematological
parameters namely : white blood cells count (WBC count),platelets count and hemoglobin level in blood (HB).
Result: There was significant difference (decrease) occurred in G I and point index ( p < 0.05 ) in day 30 in compare to day 0. The intimate correlation of clinical parameter correlation of clinical parameter (C P) in day 0 was with systemic factor while in day 30, was with local factor (plaque)
Conclusion: There was a significant improvement in gingival health status in day 30 compared to day 0 , the intimate correlation of ( CP ) in day 0 was with systemic factor but in day 30 was with local factor with less extend to systemic factor.

Background: Nutritional status is the mirror image of health and one of its most
accurate indicators. Normal salivary gland functions are essential for maintenance
of oral health. Salivary flow rate and composition which could be influenced by
nutritional status. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of nutritional
status on Streptococcus mutans and their relations to dental caries.
Materials and methods: Stimulated saliva was collected from 28 children with an age 6 years old. Those randomly selected children were divided into wellnourished and chronic malnourished children according to their age, weight and
height indicators. Dental caries examination of primary teeth was assayed
following the criteria of WHO. Microbiological assessment of Streptococcus mutans was done after measuring the salivary flow rate.
Results: No significant differences were found between well-nourished and chronic
malnourished children in caries experience. Chronic malnourished children had a significant lower salivary flow rate and higher mean counts of salivary Streptococcus mutans than that of well-nourished children. Significant correlations were found between nutritional status with flow rate and Streptococcus mutans.
Conclusion: Early identification of malnourished children will lower the prevalence of dental caries and enhance their quality of life.