Introduction: This study was designed to examine the effects of addition of the combination of polymerized polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and zirconia (ZrO2) particles to heat cure PMMA resin on impact strength, surface hardness, and roughness. Methods: The 70% (w/w) of polymerized PMMA powder (particle size: 0.70mm) was mixed with 30% (w/w) of zirconia powder (ZrO2) (1mm) to produce PMMA-ZrO2 filler. Ninety acrylic specimens created were divided into three groups containing 0% wt (Control group), 2% wt, and 4% wt, PMMA-ZrO2 filler. Ten specimens were used for impact strength, surface hardness and roughness test, blindly. Data were analyzed via oneway ANOVA and the Tukey post hoc test using R 3.6.3. Results: There was statistically signific

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an evolving technology that has been used recently in a wide spectrum of applications. AIM: The objective is to evaluate the application of 3D printing in various neurosurgical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This pilot study was conducted in the neurosurgical hospital in Baghdad/Iraq between July 2018 and July 2019. An X, Y, and Z printer was used. The working team included neurosurgeons, biomedical engineers, and bio-technicians. The procedure starts with obtaining Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scan in particular protocols. The MRI, and CT or angiography images were imported into a 3D programmer for DICOM images called 3D slice where these files con

Deep beams are used in wide construction fields such as water tanks, foundations, and girders in multi-story buildings to provide certain areas free of columns. In practice it is quite often occurring to create web opening in deep beams to supply convenient passage of ventilation ducts, cable channels, gas and water pipes. Experimental studies of ten 10 deep beams were carried out, where two of them are control specimens without openings and eight with large web openings in the shear spans. The variables that have been adopted are the ratio of the shear span to the overall depth of the member cross-section, location and dimensions of the opening. Test results showed that there was a decrease in the load carrying capacity of deep bea

Deep beams are used in wide construction fields such as water tanks, foundations, and girders in multi-story buildings to provide certain areas free of columns. In practice it is quite often occurring to create web opening in deep beams to supply convenient passage of ventilation ducts, cable channels, gas and water pipes. Experimental studies of ten 10 deep beams were carried out, where two of them are control specimens without openings and eight with large web openings in the shear spans. The variables that have been adopted are the ratio of the shear span to the overall depth of the member cross-section, location and dimensions of the opening. Test results showed that there was a decrease in the load carrying capacity of deep bea

Background: The objective of this in vitro study was to evaluate the vertical marginal fit of crowns fabricated with ZrO2 CAD/CAM, before and after porcelain firing cycles and after glaze cycles. Materials and Methods: An acrylic resin model of a left maxillary first molar was prepared and duplicated to have Nickel-Chromium master die. Ten die stone dies were sent to the CAD/CAM (Amann Girrbach) for crowns fabrication. Marginal gaps along vertical planes were measured at four indentations at the (mid mesial, mid distal, mid buccal, mid palatal) before (Time 0) and after porcelain firing cycles (Time 1) and after glaze cycles (Time 2) using a light microscope at a magnification of ×100. One way ANOVA LSD tests were performed to determine wh

ABSTRACT Background: Bracket rebonding is a common problem in orthodontics which may result in many drawbacks. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of application of two enamel protective agents “Icon” and “ProSeal” on shear bond strength before and after rebonding of stainless steel orthodontic brackets using conventional orthodontic adhesive and to assess the site of bond failure. Materials and methods: Fifty sound extracted human upper first premolar teeth were selected and randomly divided into two equal groups; the first time bonding and the rebonding groups (n=30). Each group was subdivided into control, Icon and ProSeal subgroups. The enamel protective agents were applied after etching (precondi

A precise evaluation of caries excavation endpoint is essential in clinical and laboratory investigations. Caries invasion differentiates dentin into structurally altered layers. This study assessed these changes using Raman spectroscopy and Vickers microhardness. Ten permanent molars with occlusal and proximal carious lesions were assessed and compared at 130 points utilizing four Raman spectroscopic peaks: phosphate v1 at 960 cm−1, amide I (1650 cm−1), amide III (1235 cm−1) and the C-H bond of the pyrrolidine ring (1450 cm−1). The phosphate-to-amide I peak ratio and collagen integrity peak ratio (amide III: C-H bond) of carious zones were calculated and compared in both lesions. The former ratio was correlated to 130 Vicke