Autonomic responses to dental procedures in pedodontic patients during a standard restoration session

Autonomic and behavioral responses to seven dental procedures were studied in 21 pedodontic patients aged six to 12. When mean pulse rate, pulse amplitude, absolute skin conductance, and skin-conductance responses were compared over all subjects, the injection of the local anesthetic consistently elicited the greatest response. In five patients where anesthesia was inadequate, painful high-speed drilling also elicited large responses. When autonomic responses were compared between high-anxious and low-anxious children, both groups showed similar transient responsiveness. High-anxious children showed a significantly higher basal level of sympathetic activity.

Effect of cutting speeds and a cavity liner on the pulpal response to Nobetec

The investigation was undertaken to determine the response to Nobetec, a modified zinc oxide-eugenol cement, widely used as a negative control material in pulpal studies, under conditions of high- and low-speed cavity preparation, with and without a cavity liner Dycal. The pulpal responses were evaluated at intervals of 2 days, 2 weeks and 8 weeks in the permanent maxillary and mandibular incisors in 26 vervet monkeys using labial Class V cavities prepared in 208 teeth. Nobetec was found to be more irritant to the dental pulp than Dycal although this difference was not statistically significant and the degree of irritation was low. The pulpal irritation caused by high- and low-speed cavity preparation was similar and choice of speed should be a matter of personal preference.

A thermographic study of heat distribution during ultra-speed cavity preparation

Thermography was employed to determine the pattern of heat generation, distribution and dissipation during ultra-high speed cavity preparation. Results indicate an increase in intrapulpal temperature during cutting procedures. No significant differences in the cooling effectiveness between air-water spray and air alone were found. Thermography appears to be an effective research tool for determining thermal changes.

[Animal experimental studies on the regeneration of controlled bone lesions in varying cooling preceedures]

Various controlled defects were inflicted under cooled conditions in the femur and humerus of sheep. Radiologic, histologic, and fluorescence microscopic examinations showed that an internally cooled fraise was advantageous. The positive effects, particularly in deeper areas of bone, were determined via quantitative analysis.

Effect of cooling techniques on temperature control and cutting rate for high-speed dental drills

This paper describes a series of tests conducted to determine the effectiveness of various cooling techniques used while preparing teeth for restoration. Comparisons are presented for four cooling techniques: air stream, air-water spray, water stream from a separate hand-held syringe, and water applied through a hollow bur. The comparisons were made in two ways, temperature control and influence on cutting rate. It was demonstrated that wet cooling techniques provided better temperature control than cooling with air and also improved the rate of material removal.

Investigation of variable factors in drilling bone

Experiments were conducted to investigate the pressures that are exerted on drills during the preparation of bone. Twenty operators used six different types of drills at high and low speeds to prepare standardized holes and slots in animal bone. The peak vertical forces exerted varied between 5.98 and 24.32 newtons (x = 12.45 newtons). The mean vertical forces varied between 4.22 and 18.93 newtons (x = 9.16 newtons). Spear point and twist drills were associated with significantly lower operating pressures and shorter operating times than round and fissure burs. These differences, however, were much less than the interoperator variations.