Introduction:The identification of human skeletal remains plays a crucial role in forensic investigation and its accuracy depends on the available parts of the skeleton. The mandible is the hardest and strongest bone of the skull, which exhibits a high degree of sexual dimorphism and helps to identify the sex in human remains. The aim of this study was to develop discriminant function to determine sex from the mandibular radiographs in a South Indian (Visakhapatnam) population.Materials and Methods:This retrospective study consisted of 384 (192 males and 192 females) digital orthopantomographs (OPGs) divided into five groups according to age. Ten mandibular variables were measured using Planmeca Romexis software. The data were tabulated and subjected to discriminant function analyses using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version 20.0) package.Results:All the parameters showed a significant sexual dimorphism (P < 0.001) except for the gonial angle. An overall accuracy of 75.8% was achieved and coronoid height (CrH) was the single best parameter providing an accuracy of 74.1%.Conclusion:All the mandibular variables except for the gonial angle (GA) were found to be reliable in determining the sex in South Indians for forensic purposes.

Objective: To compare and evaluate the shear bond strength of recycled orthodontic brackets using different methods. Materials & Method:A total of 50 extracted premolars and 50 metal brackets with a slot configuration of 0.022"x0.028" were used. All samples were divided into 5 groups with 10 samples each. Each group was further divided into 2 groups which were control group and experimental group. Experimental group was further subdivided into four recycle sub-groups. Tooth surface were prepared for bonding then brackets were bonded. The specimens were tested on Universal Testing Machine for shear bond strength. The force producing bond failure was recorded in Newtons (N) and converted into megapascals (Mpa).Result: Shear bond strength of control group was maximum among all recycled groups. Shear bond strength of recycled brackets bonded with silane coupling agent and recycled with flaming, electropolishing, sandblasting and ultrasonic cleaning was equivalent to the control group. Brackets recycled with flaming and sandblasting had less shear bond strength as compared to control group. Brackets recycled with flaming and electropolishing were having the least shear bond strength. Conclusion:Brackets recycled with flaming, ultra sonic scaling, electropolishing and treated with silane coupling agent was recorded with highest shear bond strength. Sandblasting of metal brackets to remove composite residue, had insignificant effect on the shear bond strength. Hence sandblasting should be considered as viable, time saving and convenient method of recycling.

Objective: To evaluate the shear bond strength of stainless steel brackets bonded with fluoride-releasing composite resins, comparing effect of adhesion booster and conventional primer. Materials & Method:Sixty extracted premolars were subjected to bracket bonding with fluoride-releasing composite resin; which were bonded by randomly divided into two groups of bonding agents: Group 1-conventional primer as control group, Group 2-adhesion booster. After bonding, the samples were thermocycled (500 cycles) at 5ºC and 55ºC temperatures. After 48 hours they were subjected to shear bond strength testing in occluso-gingival direction, using an MTS 810 Universal Testing Machine with load speed of 0.5 mm/min.Result: Mean shear bond strength was significantly more in samples bonded with adhesion booster (14.792±3.805 Mpa) as compared to conventional primers (11.327±4.047 Mpa). There was statistically significant difference in shear bond strength between the groups (p=0.001). Conclusion:The use of the adhesion booster significantly increased the bond strength of bracket bonded with fluoride-releasing composite.

Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the influence of the two adhesion boosters (assure universal bonding resin and enhance adhesion booster) on the shear bond strengths of indirectly bonded lingual brackets. Materials and Methods: A total of 120 extracted human teeth were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 40), each group contained equal number of anterior and posterior teeth (anterior = 20, posterior = 20), and their lingual surfaces were etched by using 37% phosphoric acid. The bracket was bonded indirectly without using adhesion booster in group 1 (control group). In group 2, the adhesion booster A (enhance adhesion booster) and adhesion booster B (assure universal bonding resin) in group 3 were applied, respectively, before the bonding. The universal testing machine was used to measure the maximum bond strength. Student’s t-test followed by the one-way analysis of variance was used to compare shear bond strength among the groups. Results: The shear bond strength was found to be highest in group 3, followed by group 2, and it was least in controls. There were highly significant differences statistically in shear bond strength among the groups 1, 2, and 3 ( P = .001). Conclusion: Shear bond strength was admissible in all the groups. The application of the assure universal bonding resin significantly increased the bond strength of lingual brackets in indirect bonding.