Table of contents   

PREPAREDNESS TOWARDS BIOTERRORISM: A SURVEY AMONG POST GRADUATE STUDENTS AND FACULTY MEMBERS OF DENTAL COLLEGES OF DAVANGERE CITY, KARNATAKA   

Abstract: Background: Bioterrorism agents include bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microorganisms, as well as biotoxins produced by microorganisms, plants and animals that can kill or incapacitate. agents have the unique potential to make an environment more dangerous over time. If used for hostile purposes, any disease-causing microorganism could be considered a weapon. The dental profession could potentially play a significant role in the emergency response to a major bioterrorism attack.

Methodology: A cross sectional questionnaire based study was conducted among 363 dental post graduate students and teaching faculty members of 2 dental colleges in Davangere city, Karnataka to assess their preparedness towards bioterrorism. A prefaricated, validated questionnaire consisted of 15 questions assessing the objective of the study. The responses were tabulated as percentage of responses and inferential analysis was done using Chi Square test.

Results: Of the 363 subjects who participated in the study, 45.2%) were males and 54.2% were females. About 68% comprised of post graduate students and the rest 32% were faculty members. 75.2% of the respondents had come across the term ‘bioterrorism’ during their practice period. Only 25.3%  among the respondents were aware of the diseases that have a potential to spread from person to person. 65.8% were aware that inhalational form of anthrax is the most deadliest form of anthrax and only 25.3% could differentiate an upper respiratory tract infection from inhalational anthrax. 98% had not undertaken any training for dealing with bioterrorism event and 88.6% were interested to participate in training programs. 92.8% opined that dentists should be prepared for handling any such bioterrorism

Conclusion: The results of the present study revealed that the dental post graduate students and   the dental faculty members have deficiencies with respect to their knowledge, perceived ability to recognize and preparedness towards a bioterrorism event. This deficiency was more frequently observed among the faculty members than the post graduate students.

Keywords: Bioterrorism, dentist, knowledge, preparedness

MANAGEMENT OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS - A REVIEW   

Abstract: Children are entitled as the future of the society and we have to ensure their healthy growth and development. Children with special health care needs (SHCN), because of their disabilities affect the dental condition too. They have comparatively poor oral hygiene and high prevalence of dental caries and periodontal problems. Parents of special children generally do not pursue for dental treatment unless some emergency issues happen to the kid.  In earlier days emphasis was given on providing basic dental care to these special children, but recently, the dentistry has shown an enhanced interest in delivering overall oral health care to the mentally and/or physically-challenged children. The specialty of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry provides both primary and comprehensive, preventive and therapeutic oral health care to these special children. Special children needs to be rehabilitated inorder to help them in their supreme level of functioning, regularize their  life and spin-out their life expectancy.

Keywords: Special health care needs, Oro-dental health problems, Pediatric Dentist

INKJET PRINTING OF CERAMICS – A REVIEW   

Abstract: Ceramics have been used to fabricate a wide variety of restorations including inlays, onlays, implants, crowns and fixed partial dentures on account of their biocompatibility, wear resistance and better esthetics. The presently used subtractive manufacturing techniques remove material from raw ceramic blanks to form the restorations which leads to considerable wastage of ceramics.Additive manufacturing (AM) techniques may overcome such deficiencies through bottom-up processing approaches, where 3D objects are built up by adding layer-upon-layer of material. Additive manufacturing techniques that are of special interest to ceramics are stereo-lithography, 3D printing, laser sintering, laser melting and direct inkjet printing. This novel technique has great potential to produce, cost-efficiently, all-ceramic dental restorations at high accuracy and with a minimum of materials consumption.

Keywords: Ceramics, additive manufacturing, inkjet printing, piezoelectric

PLATELET RICH FIBRIN AND IMPLANTS: A REVIEW   

Abstract: Platelet rich fibrin (PRF) is a fibrin matrix in which platelet cytokines, growth factors and cells are trapped and may be released after a certain time and that can serve as a resorbable membrane. Choukroun and his associates were amongst the pioneers for using PRF protocol to improve bone healing in implant dentistry. Autologous PRF is considered to be a healing biomaterial, and presently, studies have shown its application in various disciplines of dentistry.

Keywords: Platelet rich fibrin, implant, fibrin, growth factors.

DISTALIZATION- A BOON   

Abstract: Maxillary molars needs to be frequently distalized in class II non extraction patients. Distalizing maxillary molars may be indicated for patients with minor skeletal discrepancies. In this review article, we discuss some of the appliances and modalities used for molar distalization. These informations were gathered from previous literature.

Keywords: Distallization, Class II malocclusion, skeletal discrepancies

REHABILITATION OF AN ENUCLEATED EYE WITH A CUSTOM MADE OCULAR PROSTHESIS – A CASE REPORT   

Abstract: Surgical procedures in the removal of an eye can be broadly classified as: Evisceration (where the contents of the globe are removed leaving the sclera intact), Enucleation (most common, where the entire eyeball is removed after severing the muscles and the optic nerve) and Exenteration (where the entire contents of the orbit including the eyelids and the surrounding tissues are removed). Treatment of such cases requires fabrication of an ocular prosthesis to restore a more normal facial appearance.

Keywords: Ocular prosthesis, custom made ocular prosthesis, enucleation

MODIFIED IMPRESSION TECHNIQUE FOR MANAGEMENT OF FLABBY RIDGE-A CASE REPORT   

Abstract: The presence of displaceable denture-bearing tissues often presents a difficulty when making complete dentures. Unless managed appropriately, such 'flabby ridges' adversely affect the support, retention and stability of complete dentures. Many impression techniques have been proposed to help overcome this difficulty. While these vary in approach, they are similar in their complexity, are often quite time-consuming to perform, and rely on materials not commonly in use in contemporary general dental practice. The purpose of this paper is to present a modified window technique for the impression of anterior maxillary flabby tissues for improved and controlled application of polyvinylsiloxane impression material.

Keywords: management of flabby ridge, modified window technique

Editorial