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The media-enhanced teaching techniques became popular in the last years because they stimulate the students' engagement and motivation. The educational movies uploaded on YouTube became nowadays a highly used resource for learning in the academic environment. We conducted an opinion survey among the students at the Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romania, about their agreement and interest in using educational movies as didactic tools, compared with the traditional teaching methods, and about the features they prefer in such materials. The study group included 170 students with average age 20.93 ± 2.751. Most students (91.2%) use didactic movies in their practical training; 77.6% think that the didactic movies from YouTube contain correct scientific information. 74.6% of the students like to learn using didactic movies, 39.7% of them appreciate the oral speech accompanied by PowerPoint Presentations and 46.6% like the oral speech accompanied by written explanations, with no significant differences between genders and age groups. The most popular features of the educational movies are: human narrator (94.7%), who speaks in Romanian (82.4%). The narrator’s speech must be accompanied by animated schemes with explanations (90.6%) and drawings (93.5%). The movie must have a clear structure, evolving from basic to complex (85.9%). The educational movies uploaded on YouTube are an adequate source of information for the dental students; the professionals in universities must survey better the scientific quality of such materials.

Last few years antibiotics resistance known a major problem that concerns the specialists in the dentistry field due to the improper usage of anti-infectious drugs. Administration of third generation quinolones, levofloxacin (Lev), in dental practice is preferred since has few nonhazardous adverse effects, is used once daily and can be successfully applied as intra-pocket films.This study investigated the possibility of preparing levofloxacin loaded layered double hydroxides nanoparticles in order to enhance antibiotic efficacy against oral pathogens. The nanoparticles obtained under optimal conditions were physico-chemically analyzed and intercalation efficiency was tested. The results of this work revealed that the use of these nanoparticles type levofloxacin loaded layered double hydroxides has the major advantage of prolonged release of the drug, thus allowing an increase of the period between administration and the diminution of side effects of the antibiotic. Further researches should focus on biocompatible properties and antibacterial effect as these nanomaterials supposed to be a sustainable drug delivery system. Keywords: nanoparticles, drug carriers, antibacterial properties, public health dentistry, oral infections

Digital scanners are currently use in various fields of dentistry such as prosthodontics, dental implantology, orthodontics, with a high degree of accuracy, mostly for replacing conventional impressions. The aim of the present study was to assess the accuracy (trueness and precision) of gingival margin measurements, on virtual models obtained by intraoral scanning, for precise diagnosis and treatment monitoring of periodontal disease. Three methods were compared for accuracy: clinical measurements using periodontal probes, digital intraoral scanning and measurements in MeshLab software and 2D digital measurements on intraoral photography taken during clinical measurements. Intraoral scanning was proved to be a reliable method for measuring the gingival level for diagnosis and clinical monitoring having a good accuracy as compared to the gold standard (clinical measurements).

Hypertonias, observed at stomatognatique level, pathologic expressions of striated musculature may have the opportunity of a large palette of therapeutical ways, so clasics as drugs therapy, and so well the modern therapy injection with botulinic toxin, type A Dysport. The choice upon the type of myorelaxation treatment proper to each case depends upon the severity of manifestations at muscular level, frequently a mixed therapy being the option of choice, based on the superposition of different treatment means. The use of botulinic toxin in the treatment of stomatognatic system dysfunctions is without the morphological impact quickly installed therapeutic effect and it has only short term effects.

Over the past decade, exploitation of antimicrobial effect of nanoparticles on viruses, fungi and bacteria, respectively have developed markedly. A close attention was received by the possibility of nanoparticles type drug delivery systems to limit the biofilm formation within the oral cavity due to their important properties such as delivery abilities, anti-adhesive and biocidal features. The major objective of this work was to obtain doxycycline-loaded chitosan nanoparticles and to analyze the properties of as prepared samples in order to prolong the antibiotic release. The synthesized nanoparticles had less than 100 nm using the classis or improved drug encapsulation technique in chitosan matrix. The study focused on the antimicrobial characteristic of nanoparticles for controlling oral infections.

Metronidazole active molecules were intercalated in the inner space of MgAl layered double hydroxides by simple coprecipitation method. The new synthesized nanohybrid material and the pristine hydrotalcite were characterized by different techniques such as X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy verifying thus the incorporation of the antibiotic into the lamellar gallery of hydrotalcite type anionic clay. Studies regarding metronidazole controlled release from synthetic nanocomposite showed that the organic-inorganic nanohybrid structure can serve as drug controlled release system for a wide variety of antibiotics and other molecules used in dental medicine in order to maintain good public health dentistry.

Septicaemia is an important public health issue and a clinical challenge with a major impact on healthcare expenditure and resources. The present retrospective study was conducted over 127 patients registered during 2006-2015 for the area of Moldavia, Romania. In our study we are concerned about the serum electrolyte disturbances and acid-base status in patients with oral-maxillofacial and dental septicaemia. We measured serum levels of sodium, potassium, chloride, alkali reserve and pH. The prevalence of electrolyte disturbances was: 15.85% for sodium, 69.15% for potassium and 55.50% for chloride. Early recognition of acid-base status and serum electrolytes disturbances proves to be of great importance for clinical management since it signalizes the gravity of the disease and the increase of fatality rate, and is imperative to save the lives of patients with dental and oral-maxillofacial septicaemia.

Affections of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) can lead to imbalances and disfunctions named algodisfunctional syndrome. One of the affections that we will take into consideration in this study is the temporal-mandibular arthrosis, which is, in fact, the frequent pathology at this level, and to which we will measure the pain before and after the administration of the anti-inflammatory therapy: Etoricoxib vs. Dyclofenac.The important objective of this study is to investigate this type of drug treatment over TMJ. The class of drug called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)�so called to distinguish this class of drug from steroids, which have similar but additional effects�make NSAIDs one of frequently used drugs for the symptomatic treatment of many common conditions. Etoricoxib is clinically effective in the therapy of TMJ providing a magnitude of effect comparable to that of the maximum recommended daily dose of Diclofenac.

A new hybrid nanomaterial type vitamin C/ZnAl-hydrotalcite, acting as drug delivery system for ascorbic acid, was developed in order to use it for stimulating salivary secretion. The synthesis of this nanomaterial was achieved using a simple coprecipitation method for intercalation of ascorbate anions in the ZnAl-hydrotalcite gallery. The stability of vitamin C was significantly increased after its incorporation into the interlayer space. Structural and morphological characterization techniques revealed an alteration of the pristine nanomaterial type ZnAl-hydrotalcite when vitamin C was loaded in its matrix. Structural and morphological analysis showed that ascorbate anions were intercalated in the interlayer of ZnAl-hydrotalcite having no effect on the hydroxide lattice of hydrotalcite, so this new nanomaterial can be used for the intended purpose.

Anionic clay matrix acting as drug controlled release system have shown in last years a great potential for delivery of bioactive molecules and chemical therapeutics. This organic-inorganic nanohybrid system is high efficient offering an excellent protection of intercalated compounds from degradation. Compared to other nanoparticles used in medical area, anionic clays type layered double hydroxides have found to be biocompatible according to toxicological studies. Ampicillin containing MgAlLDHs and ZnAlLDH samples have been prepared following two routes: anion-exchange procedure and reconstruction from calcined layered double hydroxides. Solid samples have been characterized by FTIR and SEM-EDX highlighting the alteration of pristine LDHs structure when the antibiotic is introduced in the interlayer gallery.

In last few years, researchers focused on improvement of lifespan of dental mini-implants by coating them with nanopoarticles for a better osseo-integration, which also possesses antibacterial properties. Once their surface is coated with nanoparticles type silver dopped hydroxyapatite makes them durable and safe by a good integration into tissue and by preventing bacterial infections. It is well known that a particular problem with medical devices such as dental mini-implants is bacterial colonization. For this reason the use of nanoparticles coated mini-implants is a measure to prevent or to treat infections caused by microbial agents present in oral cavity. Our study considers the possibility of using silver doped hydroxyapatite thin films on titanium mini-implants as an osseo-integration and antibacterial component. Therefore several physic-chemical analyses were performed in order to determine their properties and to open new perspectives to develop nanoparticulated thin films as coatings for orthodontic mini-implants.

Although obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are well-known risk factors for type 2 diabetes, at molecular level, the oxidative stress is regarded as the primary contributor to the pathogenic process. Our work intends to evidence how the thinking models influence the way that medical practitioners understand the pathogenic mechanisms. Some research groups focused lately on the system’s dynamics and Complex Systems Theory. The living organisms as a complex system could be analyzed applying the network concept. Alternative methods for characterizing biological processes or phenomena based on feedback node structure have been developed [1].

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a chronic multifactorial pathology and a current and essential challenge for public health, with a negative impact on the geriatric patient’s quality of life. The pathophysiology is not fully known; therefore, no specific treatment has been found to date. The increase in the number of newly diagnosed cases of KOA is worrying, and it is essential to reduce the risk factors and detect those with a protective role in this context. The destructive effects of free radicals consist of the acceleration of chondrosenescence and apoptosis. Among other risk factors, the influence of redox imbalance on the homeostasis of the osteoarticular system is highlighted. The evolution of KOA can be correlated with oxidative stress markers or antioxidant status. These factors reveal the importance of maintaining a redox balance for the joints and the whole body’s health, emphasizing the importance of an individualized therapeutic approach based on antioxidant effects. This paper aims to present an updated picture of the implications of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in KOA from pathophysiological and biochemical perspectives, focusing on antioxidant systems that could establish the premises for appropriate treatment to restore the redox balance and improve the condition of patients with KOA.

An important aspect of orthodontic microimplants is represented by biocompatibility and avoidance of infection development at living tissue surrounding it. Therefore, nanotechnology has the ability to improve this issue by coating microimplants with metal oxides type nanomaterials possessing antimicrobial effect. Some features of advanced nanostructured materials used as implant coatings, such as composition, structure, specific surface area, porosity, shape and size are factors that make them suitable as antimicrobial agents. The present work deals with the structural and morphological studies of ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles used to combat oral diseases. Coating microimplants with nanosized titanium oxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) may improve conditions for osseointegration in accordance with preventing oral infection. These metal oxides nanopowders were synthesized using sol-gel method. Structural and morphological investigation were carried out by XRD and FTIR spectra, SEM-EDX and TEM images respectively. XRD and FTIR analyses confirmed metal oxides crystallization and metal oxide bonds. SEM-EDX and TEM features confirmed elemental composition of these nanoparticles and their textural characteristics such as shape, size, porosity and agglomeration degree.

Physical kinetic therapy is a branch of medicine that uses natural and artificial physical factors in therapeutic purpose. The great number of these factors determined the dissemination between special therapeutic branches depending on the agent used: kinetic therapy, aerosols, massage therapy, laser therapy etc. The methods of physical therapy used in dental medicine represented an unknown and underappreciated domain for a long time. The systematization of these methods was accomplished in Iasi.

Telemedicine or medical information exchanging from one site to another via electronic communication to improve a patient's health status offers new ways to deliver care, allows a remote diagnostic or a treatment plan. There is an increased trend towards the development of telemedicine because it is widely looked as a resource with the potential to revolutionize access to care. Major areas where telemedicine can be efficiently are: tele-consultation, tele-diagnostic, tele-treatment, tele-education, tele-training, tele-monitoring and tele-support. Some providers educate patients, offering clinical presentations of their capabilities. In cardiology tele-monitoring is very useful in patients with implantable devices. Beside of some incontestable advantage of telemedicine there are still many challenges and ethical issues to be solved. Sometimes so called “no touch” medicine can be risky, misleading and can generate wrong diagnostics and therapies. However telemedicine becomes part of our lives and its importance in health system's delivery will increase.