There is an overwhelming evidence for the involvement of the immune response in periodontal disease aetiopathogenesis. Although, this aspect has been studied extensively over the past two decades, the exact nature of that role await further clarification. So, the hypothesis that needs to be verified is by which mechanism(s) can participate in susceptibility of periodontal disease.

Interleukin - 2 (IL-2) is a key factor for the development of normal cell mediated immune response and it has been termed previously as T-cell growth factor. The present work aimed at measuring the IL-2 levels in the sera and gingival tissues from 24 patients with various stages of periodontal disease as well as from 12 control subjects utilizing ELISA technique.

The results showed that various levels of IL-2 can be measured locally in gingival tissues and sera from periodontally affected patients. However, screening of IL-2 concentrations in sera and gingival tissues showed negative correlation with severity of periodontal disease. The findings of the present work may lend support to the proposition of impaired immune mechanisms in periodontal disease especially in severely destructive or progressed entity.
Saudi Dental Journal 1994;6(SI)-Abstr.051:p56

Procedures aimed at preventing the spread of communicable diseases during dental treatment are constantly being evaluated by the dental health care workers (DCVVH) and their patients. The rationale and modes of sterilization and chemical disinfection in the dental clinics and laboratories are receiving increasing attention by all concerned organizations. At the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, we are developing an Infection Control Program that meets the standards of Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) and recommendations of Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as well. Staff members, interns and students positively participate in the program. The program broadly consists of seven concepts: aseptic techniques, patient's screening personal protection, instrument sterilization, surface disinfection, equipment asepsis and laboratory asepsis. A full discussion of the program's component and its enforcement will be presented.
Saudi Dental Journal 1994;6(SI)-Abstr.052:p57

The use of microbiological analysis for identification of periodontopathis organism as a monitor for successful periodontal therapy has been accepted recently. The present study was done to analyze the subgingival microflora after surgical treatment of severe adult periodontitis.

Twenty-eight patients participated in the study. They were selected to have modified Widman's flap surgery for at least three teeth having attachment loss more than 7mm. Clinical parameters including plaque index, gingival index and attachment level were recorded at one, three and six months after surgery. At the same visits bacterial plaque samples were obtained from preselected six sites in each patient. Samples were cultured on blood agar medium. Gram negative anaerobic colonies were subcultured in specific medium for identification of Black pigmented bacteroides and Actinobacillus - actinomycetemcomitan (Aa). Results revealed very low cultivable count of Aa in few pockets six months after surgery. Recovery of Black pigmented bacteroides were more frequently observed.
Saudi Dental Journal 1994;6(SI)-Abstr.053:p58

The study was carried out to compare the Vickers microhardness (VHN) of composite resin of different diameters (6mm and 10mm) prepared in a split mold. The 6mm and 10mm diameter composite resin samples were cured with the tip of a fiber optic light. Additional samples of the same size were cured with the same tip after a mirror or a lens accessory was mounted to it. All the specimens were cured for 40 seconds. The hardness was calculated for both top and bottom at the center and the periphery. The results showed that the hardness of the top surface was higher than the bottom surface in all the specimens. The hardness at the center was higher than that at the periphery. The mean hardness value for specimens cured with the light tip was higher than the hardness of specimens cured with either added accessory. The mirror or lens did not potentiate light but distributed the energy to a larger area resulting in less energy applied to the same small surface area, which reduced the hardness.
Saudi Dental Journal 1994;6(SI)-Abstr.054:p59

Caries affecting approximal surfaces of posterior teeth is often diagnosed, using bite-wing radiographs. Nevertheless, radiolucencies on such surfaces are not always indicative of clinical cavitation, a criterion for restorative intervention. The purpose of this work was therefore to determine the factors that influence the probability of cavitation of proximal radiolucent areas in premolars and molars. One hundred and eight posterior teeth with radiolucent areas extending for varying depths on their approximal surfaces were examined clinically, after cavity preparation on the carious adjacent tooth surfaces. When proximal radiolucency was confined to the outer half of enamel, there was no clinical cavitation, but when it extended to the amelodentinal junction, outer half of dentine or inner half of dentine, there was cavitation in 5.6%, 70.3% and 100% of cases, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that age, past caries experience (DMFT), tooth type or tooth surface had no influence on the probability of cavitation. It is therefore suggested that only the depth of proximal radiolucency in posterior teeth influences the probability of clinical cavitation and that a tooth with radiolucency confined to outer half of enamel should be managed by encouraging remineralization.
Saudi Dental Journal 1994;6(SI)-Abstr.055:p60