Biomedical subjects

N Claffey

Publications and source records attributed to N Claffey.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Comparative study of subgingival microbiological sampling techniques.

The presence of specific bacteria in subgingival plaque has been used as an indicator of active periodontal disease. The technique of subgingival sampling may conjecturally influence the identification and enumeration of microorganisms reported. In this study, paper point sampling and scaler sampling are compared. Subgingival samples using both methods were taken from three surfaces in each of 12 patients at the following time points: at each of two appointments one week apart before treatment and at each of two appointments 12 and 13 weeks following treatment. Microbiological analyses were undertaken to determine the total number of colony forming units, the proportions of suspected periodontal pathogens, and the number of spirochetes using phase contrast microscopy. Significantly higher numbers of colony forming units and spirochetes were found for paper point sampling both before and after treatment.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

New attachment and tissue regeneration.

In periodontology, the possibility of stimulating new connective tissue attachment to previously diseased root surfaces, and the regeneration of the supporting periodontal tissues destroyed by periodontitis have been under study for some years. This paper reviews the different experimental methods used to prepare root surfaces for optimal regeneration and attachment of periodontal tissues. The mechanisms of blood clot formation, adhesion to the root surface and wound maturation are considered, as are the future needs for research in this subject.

Epithelial Attachment↗

PubMed1991

Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis is associated with attachment loss.

Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG) has been generally considered as a gingivitis. However, clinical impressions suggest that periodontal attachment loss is one of the sequelae of the disease. This study was designed to investigate the extent of probing attachment loss detectable following resolution of the acute phase of the disease. 13 patients (3 male, 10 female) aged on average 22.7 years were studied. The presence of interdental soft tissue cratering was used to determine whether a site was previously affected by ANUG. ANUG sites were compared with other sites using a paired Student t-test (N = 13). Patient mean probing attachment level was greater for ANUG sites (2.2 +/- 0.9) than for the mean of all other sites (0.8 +/- 0.7). It is concluded that greater loss of probing attachment is associated with sites affected by ANUG than with other sites studied.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1991

Periodontal repair in dogs. Effect of heparin treatment of the root surface.

Studies on periodontal repair to denuded root surfaces have suggested that initial clot adhesion to the root surface may be important for the nature of subsequent healing. To study this hypothesis, circumferential periodontal defects, approximately 5 mm in vertical dimensions, were surgically created and immediately treated around the mandibular premolars in 4 beagle dogs. Prior to wound closure, the root surfaces were treated with either the anticoagulant heparin or with saline. Tissue blocks were obtained at sacrifice 4 weeks after surgery. Histometric analysis showed that connective tissue repair to the root surface averaged 50% of the defect height for heparin-treated teeth as compared to 95% for saline-treated teeth. Junctional epithelium amounted to an average of 33% of the defect height in heparin-treated teeth in contrast to 5% following saline treatment. It can be concluded that heparin treatment of the root surface compromises connective tissue repair, confirming clot adhesion as one prerequisite for connective tissue repair of periodontal defects.

Alveolar Bone Loss↗

PubMed1991

Decision making in periodontal therapy. The re-evaluation.

7 patients completed 2 years of observation following initial therapy. Triplicate probing measurements were used to identify sites with greater than or equal to 1 mm of probing attachment change between any 2 of the following time points; immediately pre-instrumentation; immediately post-instrumentation; 3 months; 12 months and 24 months. 24% of sites lost probing attachment directly due to instrumentation. 12% of sites lost probing attachment at 24 months compared to pre-instrumentation, but over 1/3 of these lost attachment at the time of instrumentation. 47 sites lost probing attachment from post-instrumentation to 24 months. 22 of these sites were shallow buccal or lingual sites and their attachment apparatus may have remodelled. The initially deeper of these sites displayed other clinical features more consistent with inflammatory periodontitis. Sites that initially gained probing attachment due to treatment but which later lost were identified. These sites may have had a reversal of the enhanced epithelial adaption. 17 other patients were monitored over a period of 3 1/2 years and sites losing probing attachment were identified using linear analysis of regression. The diagnostic predictability of clinical signs to reveal probing attachment loss at 3 1/2 years was calculated. In general, predictability values improved with increasing time interval. Increase in probing depth, particularly if combined with a high frequency of bleeding, showed the highest predictability. The effect of therapy on probing attachment levels should be considered in the identification of sites with probing attachment loss. Persistent bleeding, combined with high residual probing depths or increase in probing depth, may be a useful adjunct to probing attachment loss in identifying diseased sites.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Periodontal repair in dogs: effect of root surface treatment with stannous fluoride or citric acid on root resorption.

This study evaluated healing, with emphasis on root resorption, following root surface treatment with 1% aqueous stannous fluoride (SnF2), saturated citric acid (CA), or saline control (C) in conjunction with periodontal flap surgery. Supraalveolar periodontal defects were surgically created and immediately treated in the mandibular premolars in 6 beagle dogs. The defect height approximated 5 to 6 mm from the reduced alveolar bone to the cemento-enamel junction. Root treatments were rotated between experimental teeth within jaw quadrants and duplicated in left and right quadrants in the dogs. Flaps were raised to cover most of the crowns of the teeth and sutured. The dogs were sacrificed 12 weeks after surgery and tissue blocks with teeth and adjacent structures were processed for histometric analysis. SnF2-treated teeth healed with significantly longer junctional epithelium, less connective tissue repair to the root surface, and less bone regeneration than CA and C-treated teeth. New cementum formation was limited in all treatment groups. Root resorption was observed in almost all teeth exhibiting connective tissue repair, however to a lesser amount and not as frequent in SnF2 treated teeth due to limited connective tissue repair. No differences were found in amount and frequency of root resorption in CA and C-treated teeth. An inhibitory effect on root resorption of SnF2 could not be disclosed in this experiment, however, it may be concluded that CA treatment of the root surface in conjunction with reconstructive periodontal flap surgery does not seem to enhance root resorption.

Alveolar Process↗

PubMed1991

Fibrous hyperplasia of the gingiva in organ transplant patients.

Recent improvements in immunosuppressive therapy have improved the survival rate of post organ transplant patients. These developments have introduced a new group of medically compromised patients to the general dental practitioner. This paper reviews the medical and dental complications of organ transplant patients with special reference to heart transplant patients. A case report of the management of Cyclosporin A induced gingival hyperplasia in a post heart transplant patient is presented. Guidelines for dental management of heart transplant patients are suggested.

Adult↗