Which Antibiotic Removes Smear Layer From Root Canals ?

Recent study shows that doxycycline is effective in removing the smear layer from the cervical and middle third of the root canal. The study was conducted in four groups comprising of G1- Doxycycline, G2- Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid + Sodium hypochlorite, G3- Doxycycline + Sodium hypochlorite, G4- Water.
Ref: Australian Endodontic Journal 
DOI 10.1111/j.1747-4477.2009.00191.x

Stem Cell Dentistry: Charismatic Regeneration

Stem cells are unspecialized cells which can renew themselves and give birth to various specialized cells (totipotent cells, pleuripotent cells, multipotent cells and progenitor cells) that constitute an embryo. They act as basic building blocks and have a potential to repair the damaged and regenerate new organs and tissues.


Stem cells of dental origin:
* Bone marrow stem cells
* Dentin pulp stem cells
* Periodontal ligament stem cells
* Cemetoblast like cells
* SHED(Stem cells of human exfoliated and deciduous teeth)
* Wisdom teeth

Major prospective uses of stem cells in dentistry:

Development of a new tooth
Primary teeth, wisdom tooth, jaw bones, periodontal ligament and pulp are used to regenerate an entire tooth, restore nerve cells damaged in Parkinson’s disease , correction of cleft palate and treatment of missing teeth replacing the removable dentures and implants. Eg -If a tooth is injured during an accident usually root canals are needed and the tooth dies, instead stem cell aided new pulp can be generated in a tooth.

Regenerative techniques for periodontal diseases
In the coming future, periodontium injectible gel will prove to be useful in the development of new periodontal tissues through guided tissue and bone regeneration techniques.
[Injectible gel is a mixture of ex-vivo cultured mesenchymal stem cells, ex-vivo cultured osteoblast like cells differentiated from mesenchymal stem cells and scaffold {human thrombin, platelet rich plasma and calcium chloride}]

Dentofacial orthopaedics
Mesenchymal stem cells provide a continuous supply of osteogenic cells (osteoblasts and chondroblasts) required for bone remodelling and fracture repair throughout adulthood. Therefore these cells play a significant role in the field of growth modification in orthodontics.


Fractures:
Especially delayed non union fractures.

Geno-dental interrelations:
Stem cells in the cervical loop of continuously growing mouse incisors shows that their maintenance and differentiation depends on genetic signal pathways (FGF –Fibroblast Growth Factor and Ectodysplastin)
They are used to correct defects caused by ectodermal dysplasia and cleidocranial dysplasia. 

About The Author:

Dr. Dipika Bumb; www.omrcafe.blogspot.com;
Contact email: drdipikabumb@gmail.com

Can Dental Implant Develop A Tactile Sensibility Of Its Own?

By evaluating patients to bite on copper foils it is concluded that dental implants develop ability to detect tactile sensations. This is known as osseoperception. Though much of this tactile sensing ability is attributed to the opposing natural tooth in early stages.
Ref: Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research, 
DOI 10.1111/j.1708-8208.2009.00252.x