A 3D imaging system (C3D®), based on the principles of stereophotogrammetry, has been developed for use in the assessment of facial changes following orthognathic surgery. Patients’ perception of their facial appearance before and after orthognathic surgery has been evaluated us…
Dental handpieces (HP’s) are used during semi-critical and critical dental procedures that imply the HP must be sterile at the point of use. The aim of this study was to undertake a quantitative and qualitative analysis of dental HP contamination to inform the development of HP …
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a complex metabolic condition that results in hyperglycemia due to insulin deficiency (Daneman, 2006). Diabetes has a range of effects on almost every system in the body including the kidneys, the eyes, the cardiovascular system, the genito-uri…
Globally, several shortcomings of dental resin based composites (RBCs) remain. This may be related to problems associated with incomplete conversion (40-70%), polymerisation shrinkage (1-4% by volume) and the stress generated at the tooth/restoration interface. Additionally, the…
Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is a Portland cement (PC)-based endodontic material used for sealing root canals. This study investigated the effect of calcium sulphate additions for improving the undesirably-long setting time of MTA-like dental materials, whilst maintaining th…
The invention of dental resin based-composites (RBCs) has provided a broad range of materials for the restoration of load-bearing posterior teeth with excellent clinical results and adequate longevity. Currently, a lack of consensus exists among researchers regarding classificat…
The aim of this study was to explore the potential and challenges for e-learning in dental education using a case-study approach. The University of Birmingham, School of dentistry, e-learning platform “e-course”, was assessed at four stages. The attitudes of third year dental st…
This thesis has investigated the role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. A fluorometric assay was developed for the in vitro quantification of NET release and used to assess relative levels in chronic periodontitis patients, indicating…
Pocket/sulcular epithelium is the first line of defence to plaque bacteria and its potential role in periodontitis is investigated. This thesis describes the development of a model system, utilising an immortal epithelial cell line (H400) in order to investigate responses to per…
This research aimed to investigate the molecular regulation of odontoblast behaviour during primary, secondary and tertiary (reactionary and reparative) dentinogenesis. Using gene microarray analysis and sq-RT-PCR, evidence is presented that the changes in secretory activity of …
Tooth development is complex and dependent on epithelial-mesenchymal interactions involving key molecular signalling pathways. Preliminary data indicate that the pleiotropic growth factor adrenomedullin (ADM) is expressed during tooth development. Furthermore, in osteoblasts, ce…
The introduction of innovative filled methacrylate resin composites has revolutionised the field of aesthetic restorative dentistry and provided a clinically viable alternative to amalgam-based restorations. The mechano-physical properties and resultant clinical longevity of the…