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The main aim of prosthetic dentistry is restoring the form, function, comfort and appearance of the patient by the placement of a prosthesis replacing the missing teeth and contiguous tissues.1 Various prosthetic options for partially edentulous patients include an interim removable partial denture (RPD) to a cast partial denture, a fixed dental prosthesis (FDP), and a more implant-retained prosthesis. However, FDP and implant-retained prosthesis are not always feasible, particularly in patients with excessive residual ridge resorption and jaw defects due to trauma and / or surgical ablation. In such a situation, a dentist may resort to another option of fixed-RPD prosthesis, to restore the defective hard and soft tissues to achieve natural aesthetics, phonetics, comfort, and better hygiene. This hybrid prosthesis fulfils the objectives of the rehabilitation such as support, stability, and retention characteristics similar to a fixed prosthesis and aesthetics and hygiene maintenance of a removable prosthesis.2,3,4,5 Any prosthesis designed or fabricated should be based on the prosthetic principles of support, stability, retention, and preservation of remaining structures.1 From the patient's perspective, retention is one of the important factors for its acceptability. These retentive options range from simple bar and clip attachments to more sophisticated spark erosion overdentures.6,7 Spark erosion prosthesis is technique sensitive, bulky, and requires expensive equipment.6,7 On the other hand, precision attachments provide better vertical support and stimulation to the underlying tissue through intermittent vertical massage.8 Treatment with a hybrid denture is an affordable choice to fulfil the patient's aesthetic demands along with providing a good prognosis for the prosthesis and preservation of the remaining dentition. This article presents two case reports of prosthodontic rehabilitation of a patient with mandibular defects using an attachment-retained fixed-removable hybrid prosthesis.

BACKGROUND Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major microvascular complication of diabetes. It has a significant impact on the world’s health systems. Due to a rapid increase in disease burden globally, there arises the need for newer methods of early detection of DR to prevent various complications including total blindness. The association between periodontal problems and diabetes has been studied widely and a positive correlation has been found. Literature search revealed that no studies have been done so far comparing the oral hygiene status among type 2 diabetics with and without retinopathy, thus the purpose of the study was to compare oral hygiene status among type 2 diabetics with and without progressing diabetic retinopathy and thus look for any association between existing oral hygiene status and severity of diabetic retinopathy. METHODS Study was conducted on type 2 diabetic patients with and without progressing diabetic retinopathy visiting the Department of Opthalmology at the University Medical College. A thorough evaluation of oral hygiene status of patients participating in the study was done using OHI - S and Gingival Index. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference between the OHI - S and diabetic retinopathy, P value (0.522). The gingival index showed statistically significant relation with severity of diabetic retinopathy with P - value of 0.027. The intergroup comparison of the association between the mean OHI - S and GI scores and severity of diabetic retinopathy was found to be statistically insignificant P < 0.269 and P < 0.125. CONCLUSIONS There could be a plausible relationship between diabetic retinopathy and oral hygiene condition. Because of the regional variation in the oral hygiene condition further prospective studies on a large population are required to ascertain whether the existing oral hygiene status has a direct impact on the progression and severity of diabetic retinopathy. KEY WORDS Diabetic Retinopathy, Oral Hygiene, Periodontitis, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Oral Hygiene Index Simplified, Gingival Index

Background: Oral health as an integral part of general health. Rural population neglect oral health as they lack awareness on oral diseases and also due to inadequate availability of dental services. There is a very high prevalence of chronic inflammatory periodontal disease in the rural Indian population, which is left untreated. Hence, this cross-sectional survey was taken up in the rural area of Mangalore taluk, Karnataka, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out on 1312 participants aged 18 years and older. The prevalence of periodontal disease among the dental prosthetic and nonprosthetic wearers was assessed. The World Health Organization format was used to record the periodontal status and loss of attachment. Data collected were analyzed using chi-square test. P < 0.05 was considered as significant. Result: Of the 1312 included subjects, 520 were males (39.6%) and 792 were females (60.3%). Periodontal status showed that calculus was found to be high among all age groups. When the prevalence of periodontal disease was assessed among the prosthetic wearers, it was found that subjects wearing removable partial denture showed increased prevalence of periodontal pocket depth and attachment loss irrespective of age group, gender, and educational qualification. Conclusion: Lack of awareness among the individuals regarding periodontal diseases has been associated with consistently higher prevalence of periodontal diseases and treatment needs. Demographical studies need to be carried out at regular intervals, thus helping in planning the treatment needs nationwide for better oral health care in rural population.

Teeth provide the ability to chew a wide variety of foods of different textures and nutritional values. The aged grouped form with all their teeth extracted is a problem tends to worsen when no healthcare measures are taken. Healthcare measurements aimed at offering dental care to the entire population. This study evaluate the status of edentulous ridge and its association with, age, gender, dietary and nutritional factors education, and quality of life. Material and methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted on 299 subjects among the rural population of Mangalore Taluk.The study involved completion of a predesigned proforma.Statistical analysis of the data was done using the SPSS version 17.0. Chi square test was used for data analysis and the level of significance was p value < 0.05 Results:In the study, the sample was composed of 165 males and 135 females, with 152 of them being vegetarians and 147 with mixed diet. Type 3 and type 4 ridge was found predominantly among the mixed diet and among those with Secondary level of education.Type 4 ridge was found predominantly in both the arches among those, who lived aloneand predominantly among females in the mandibular edentulous arch. Conclusion: The study shows that the type of ridge is affected by demographic factors, diet and quality of life. It proves conclusively that there exists a significant decrease in the quality of ridge in illiterates, which necessitates creating awareness on the importance of the nutrition and the effect on oral health.

Context: Long-term retention of the restoration depends on strength and durability of the bond of the luting composite resin to the tooth and the porcelain substrates. Aims: This in vitro study was conducted to compare and evaluate the influence of hydrofluoric acid (HF) and acidulate phosphate fluoride (APF) gel-etched treatments on surface roughness and bond strength to dentin of a commercially available lithium disilicate ceramic (E-Max). Subjects and Methods: Sixty lithium disilicate ceramic disks measuring 5 mm in diameter and 2 mm thick were fabricated and divided into three groups: Group A (n = 24), Group B (n = 24), and Group C (n = 12) and were subdivided to Group A1, A2, and A3which were surface treated with 1.23% APF gel (pH = 3–4) at different time intervals 4, 7, and 10 min, respectively. Group B1, B2, and B3 were surface treated with 1% APF gel (pH = 1–2) at different time intervals 4, 7, and 10 min, respectively. Group C were surface treated with 9.6% HF (pH = 1–2) for 1 min. Morphological changes obtained with the surface treatments were analyzed using a surface profilometer. Statistical Analysis: All specimens were subjected to a tensile bond strength test using a tensometer, and the obtained data were statistically analyzed using Kruskal–Wallis test. Results: The surface roughness (μm) and bond strength (MPa) of lithium disilicate discs (samples) etched with 1.23% APF gel and 1% APF gel for 10 min and etched with 9.6% HF for 1 min showed no statistical significant difference among them. Conclusions: In this study, the lithium disilicate discs etched with 1.23% APF gel and 1% APF gel for 10 min showed similar surface roughness and bond strength to those etched with 9.6% HF for a minute.

Background: Removable partial dentures play a pivotal role in restoring the overall comfort of the patient. Every skilled professional constructs dentures with utmost care, even then some patients will still be dissatisfied with their new dentures. The aim of this study is to know the effectiveness of therapy by evaluating patient satisfaction with function, appearance, retention and stability and comfort of removable prosthesis and to relate the influence of age, gender and level of education with patient satisfaction.Materials and methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted among the rural population of Mangalore taluk. The study involved completion of a pre-designed proforma . Statistical analysis of the data was done using the chi square test with the p value of 70 and least in subjects of age group 21-30. Satisfaction with the functioning of the prosthesis was seen more in illiterates and least in graduates.Conclusion: No matter how skilled a professional is, the acceptance of the prosthesis plays a major role in its success. Besides rehabilitation the professional must also motivate the subjects and create positive attitude towards prosthetic acceptance.

The objectives of this investigation were to evaluate the oral status and tobacco use of subjects residing in rural areas to provide epidemiological data for planning oral health programs and to test a scale developed to rate oral status. A cross-sectional investigation was conducted among first-visit subjects visiting the out-patient dental clinics of two rural hospitals during a sixmonth period. Data were collected by interviews and clinical examinations. Criteria evaluated in the proposed scale were based on the status of the oral tissues in disease and health. Differences in proportions were compared using the Chi squared test and a p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The study population comprised 614 patients (43.6% male, 56.4% female) aged between four and 80. Only 1.6% subjects had an intact dentition while 17.9% presented with a healthy periodontium. Two hundred forty-five subjects had undergone prosthetic rehabilitation. Tobacco use was reported by 13.3% subjects and they accounted for 88% of the oro-mucosal lesions observed. Once daily tooth cleansing was reported by 68.2% subjects while 2.3% did not practice any oral hygiene measures. The scale used mirrored the subjects’ oral status accurately. To conclude, the poor oral status of this population was compounded by lack of awareness about the presence of oral disease. A renewed stress on implementation of oral health promotion strategies for rural populations seems critical in the present context and the proposed scale needs to be validated by studies on larger population groups.

Background: Edentulous patients seek treatment to restore their oral function and esthetics, so that they can eat and speak more easily and feel better about themselves. The dental prosthesis helps replacement of teeth and restores oral function and esthetics. For the success of the treatment and acceptance of the prosthesis, maintenance of the prosthesis by the patient is very important. The authors’ objective in this study was to analyze how selfcare practices in terms of oral hygiene habits, maintenance of dentures, type of prosthesis are affected by age, gender and education level. Materials and methods: The authors developed a written oral health questionnaire and administered it to 586 individuals in dental care centres in Mangalore, South India. They collected demographic information as well as data on oral hygiene practices and prosthetic status. The data was compared using Chi-squared test and the value of p

The importance of an accurately fitting fixed prosthesis or a removable prosthesis is essential for the success of the restoration. Ill-fitting prosthesis may cause mechanical failures of the prosthesis, implant systems, or biologic complications of the surrounding tissue. There are several causes related to improper seating of the prosthesis. Some of which can be corrected and the others need to be repeated. Hence the clinician must carefully evaluate the adaptation of the prosthesis using the clinical techniques and combination of the available materials and evaluation methods to optimize the fit of prosthesis. This article reviews the various clinical methods that have been suggested for evaluating the fit of the fixed and removable prosthesis.

Purpose: The study was conducted to evaluate the retentiveness of specifically formulated implant cements and compare its retentiveness with a commonly used noneugenol zinc oxide luting cement and also to assess the influence of abutment height on the retentiveness of these cements. Materials and Methods: A master stainless steel mold was used to mount snappy abutment-implant analog complex in acrylic resin. A total of six snappy abutments (Nobel Biocare®) of 4 mm and 5.5 mm height with their analogs were used. A total of 66 ceramill® Sintron metal copings fabricated using computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing system and divided into six groups (n = 11) according to the height (three 4 mm abutment and three 5.5 mm abutment). The cements that were compared were a Noneugenol zinc oxide provisional cement (Temp-BondTM NE), a Noneugenol temporary resin cement (Premier® Implant Cement) and a resin based acrylic urethane cement (Implalute® Implant Cement). After cementation samples were immersed in artificial saliva for 7 days and subjected to a pull-out test using a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. The load required to de-cement each coping was recorded and analyzed using one-way ANOVA, post hoc multiple comparison, and independent t-test. Results: Noneugenol temporary resin cement had the highest tensile strength followed by noneugenol zinc oxide cement and the least retentive strength was observed in resin-based acrylic urethane cement. Conclusion: The results suggest that noneugenol temporary resin cement may be considered as a better choice for cementation of implant prosthesis, as it has shown to have better mechanical properties.

Aim: This in vitro study was conducted to evaluate the retention of zirconia and cast metal copings luted to implant abutments using different luting agents. Subjects and Methods: Implant analogs were embedded in acrylic resin blocks, and titanium abutments were torqued at 35 N/cm onto the implant analogs. The samples were divided into two groups. Both Group A and B samples were then randomly divided into four groups each comprising specimens – Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, and Group 4. Copings were then cemented with resin modifies glass ionomer cement (GIC), GIC, zinc phosphate cement, and noneugenol zinc oxide cement, respectively. The cemented copings were subjected to tensile dislodgment forces using a crosshead speed of 5 mm/min. Results for the retention of the copings were statistically analyzed using factorial analysis of variance test. Results: Between the two copings, higher mean retention is recorded in zirconia compared to metal, and the difference between them is found to be statistically significant (P

Background: Oral health is always an inseparable part of general health and awareness plays a vital role in determining the oral health of individual. The estimation of treatment need is also an important requirement in oral health care planning. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out on 1312 participants aged 18 years and above. Sixteen Gram panchayats were selected by simple random sampling a house-to-house survey was conducted to determine the awareness toward replacement of teeth among the rural population of Mangalore Taluk, Karnataka State, India. The survey pro forma was designed to collect information regarding the demographic profile, educational status, occupation, teeth missing, whether replaced with artificial substitute, and reason for not replacing the missing teeth. Data collected were analyzed using Chi-squared test. P

OBJECTIVE The non teaching staff in dental college is indirectly a part of the community based oral health awareness programmes. They act as a link between the dentist and the general population. The objectives of the study is to assess the oral health awareness among non teaching staff in the institution and to utilize the data obtained as a training program for the non-teaching staff and as a baseline for further community based oral health awareness programmes. METHOD A written oral health questionnaire was developed and distributed to 150 non-teaching staff in a health institution. The data was analysed using SPSS-10 statistical software. RESULT and CONCLUSION The staff demonstrated reasonable knowledge, but some deficiencies were noted. The deficiencies in their knowledge could be addressed through the provision of appropriate training and engaging them in improving the oral health and quality of life.

Background: This study is an effort to find the appropriate edge profile and surface treatment during repair of the fractured dentures, which can provide long-lasting results and can prevent the recurrence of the fracture. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the transverse strength of butt versus bevel edge profile with surface treatment and reinforced with glass fibers using autopolymerizing acrylic resin and to compare the samples surface treated with ethyl acetate and reinforced with glass fibers on butt and bevel edge profile. Materials and Methods: This study consisted of a sample size of 105, wherein 15 unfractured heat polymerizing acrylic resin samples were used as a control, 45 repaired samples of bevel edge profile, and 45 repaired samples of butt edge profile. These samples were further subdivided into groups and repaired using autopolymerizing acrylic resin, glass fiber-reinforced autopolymerizing acrylic resin, and with glass fiber-reinforced autopolymerizing resin surface treated with ethyl acetate, respectively. The repaired samples were tested for transverse strength on an Instron testing apparatus. The P value set at 0.05. Analysis was done using analysis of variance and Tukey's honest significant difference test. Transverse strength of samples, repaired after ethyl acetate surface treatment, was higher when compared to untreated samples (P = 0.001). Transverse strength of samples, repaired with ethyl acetate surface treatment and glass fiber reinforcement material, was the highest (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Ethyl acetate surface-treated bevel edge profile acrylic strips repaired using glass fiber-reinforced autopolymerizing acrylic resin showed greater transverse strength.

Posterior denture teeth wear faster than the anterior teeth, causing occlusal prematurities and loss of vertical dimension of occlusion. The loss of vertical dimension of occlusion lays more stress on the anterior alveolar ridge, which in turn increases the rate of residual ridge resorption and causes loss of alveolar ridge height in the anterior segment and compromises esthetics. Hence it is important for the clinician to choose acrylic resin teeth with high wear resistance. The objective of the study is to investigate and compare the wear resistance of three different commercially available acrylic resin denture teeth. 60 specimens were tested for wear resistance in terms of loss of weight and loss in volume on a wear and friction monitor for 5,000 cycle wear periods (total of 10,000 cycles) under a 0.20 kg load. Statistical analysis used: The findings were analyzed using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey HSD test. Comparison of weight loss and volume loss between Surana ultradent, Premadent and Dentek showed highly significant difference, Surana ultraddent having better wear resistance. Surana ultradent acrylic resin denture had highest wear resistance amongst the three groups of tested samples.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to identify the existence of gingival biotypes in a sample of periodontally healthy volunteers and correlate the prevalence of different gingival biotypes of upper anteriors, in accordance with age, gender. Methodology: 145 subjects (79 males and 66 females) with age groups of 20-35 years, 36-50 years were included in this study.Probe transparency method was adopted to assess the biotype at the midfacial aspect of the maxillary incisors and the canines bilaterally. Results: The association of age and gingival biotype was not significant .Study showed that thick biotype decreased with advancing age.The association of sex and gingival biotype was not significant in relation to 11,12,21and 22 but significant in relation to 13 and 23. Among the female subjects, the prevalence of thick biotype in relation to 11, 12, 21and 22 was less than males, whereas in relation to 13 and 23 the prevalence of thick biotype was high in females. Conclusion: These findings can be utilized for determining the gingival biotype and response of gingiva to dental operative procedures. Clinical Relevance to Interdisciplinary Dentistry Gingival biotype can affect the results of periodontal therapy, root coverage procedures, and implant placement. Thus it becomes necessary for a clinician to know the gingival biotype and carry out the treatment procedures.

Although a lot of importance is given to infection control in the dental clinic, it is usually overlooked in the laboratory. This article reviews the various issues of infection control in the dental, especially the prosthodontic laboratory.

Proximal tooth surfaces that bear a parallel relationship to one another must either be found or be created. More often they should be created in the patients mouth. Past literatures show that several attempts have been made to achieve parallel guiding planes. in the patients mouth. However, they are met with limited success. This article describes a predictable method of achieving parallel guiding planes in the patients' mouth.