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Goal: The aim of this review is to summarize the in vitro and in vivo evidence on the performance of contemporary saliva substitutes in the treatment of xerostomia and hyposalivation caused by radiation therapy for head and neck malignancies.Methods: A literature search was conducted during July to September 2008 in PubMed, using the query terms "saliva substitute", "saliva substitute and xerostomia", "artificial saliva", and "artificial saliva and xerostomia"; for clinical studies, only studies in patients suffering from radiation-induced xerostomia have been included in the review.Results and Conclusion: Fifty-two studies met the inclusion criteria and were allotted either to the in vitro topics "viscosity", "lubrication", "wetting properties", "antimicrobial effects", and "enamel and dentin de- and remineralization", or to the in vivo topics "clinical acceptance" or "influence on plaque formation and oral mucosa and microflora". The findings suggest that there are significant differences in the performance of various saliva substitutes concerning the review parameters, yet indicate that further in vitro and in vivo studies on the properties of saliva substitutes are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statement of problem. Plaque on dentures may foster the occurrence of denture stomatitis and periodontal diseases in gingival tissues adjacent to partial dentures. Thus, it is beneficial for dental materials to have a low susceptibility to plaque adhesion.Purpose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of commonly used artificial teeth to adhesion of the oral bacterium Streptococcus mutans.Material and methods. Fifteen specimens each of 12 different artificial teeth were prepared by cutting standardized slabs from the buccal tooth surfaces. After normalizing size (round specimens, diameter of 5 mm, 2 mm thick), polishing (grinding paper, grain 1000 and 4000; universal polishing paste), and assessing surface roughness with a profilometric contact surface measurement device, specimens were incubated with Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10449 suspension for 2.5 hours at 37°C. A veneering composite resin (Sinfony) was used as a control. Adherent bacteria were quantified using a fluorometric assay (Resazurin reduction); relative fluorescence intensity correlates linearly with the number of adherent bacteria. Medians and 25%/75% percentiles were calculated, and statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Bonferroni-adjusted Mann-Whitney U test.Results. The highest values, indicating high adhesion of streptococci, were observed for filler-supplemented teeth with median relative fluorescence values ranging from 6356 to 18,770. Similar values were recorded for a double cross-linked resin tooth (6444). Significantly lowest values, ranging from 1173 to 3974, were found for unfilled PMMA acrylic resin teeth and acrylic resin teeth with an interpenetrating network (1436).Conclusions. Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that the adhesion of Streptococcus mutans to unfilled PMMA teeth and teeth with an interpenetrating network is lower than adhesion to artificial teeth supplemented with fillers or double cross-linked acrylic resin teeth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This in vitro study evaluated the fracture strength and marginal adaptation of fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) three-unit posterior fixed partial dentures (FPD). Two groups were compared: polyethylene-fiber-reinforced composites (PFRC; Connect/belle Glass) and glass-fiber-reinforced composites (GFRC; Fiberkor/Conquest Sculpture). Sixteen FPDs were fabricated per group and cemented on abutment teeth with composite cement. The FPDs were then subjected to thermocycling and mechanical loading (TCML) before loading to failure using a universal testing machine. The fractured FPDs were examined radiologically. Marginal adaptation was examined under SEM before and after TCML. A dye-penetration test was also conducted on eight FPDs of each group that were not subjected to the fracture test. There was no statistically significant difference between the median fracture strength of PFRC and GFRC (830 N and 884 N, respectively). Radiographs of all fractured FPDs showed that the composite veneering material was sheared off from the framework, but there was no damage to the framework itself. The marginal quality of the GFRC system was slightly better than the PFRC system. The authors cautioned that although the fracture strength and marginal adaptation are satisfactory, the in vitro results may not be transferred to clinical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract is presented for the article "Glass-fiber-reinforced-composite fixed partial dentures on dental implants."