International Journal of Dentistry

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of autoclave sterilization on the integrity and instruments’ fracture number after multiple uses and cyclic fatigue of the original WaveOne Gold (Dentsply Sirona Endodontics) compared to four replica-like instruments (TF4-Gold, Roll-Wave-Gold, W-File, and Micro-Gold). The instruments were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) before being used in root canal instrumentation (baseline). One hundred and fifty human molars, freshly extracted for orthodontic reasons or periodontal disease and with severe curvature (between 30° and 60°), were used. Fifty teeth were instrumented with 10 instruments from each group and were evaluated for integrity. After sterilization in an autoclave, the instruments were analyzed by SEM. This procedure was repeated twice more, totaling three rounds of instrumentation, sterilization, and SEM analysis. Ten unused instruments from each group were evaluated for resistance to cyclic fatigue in a static test using a motor and a device simulating a canal with a 60° curvature angle. The instruments were driven by the motor until separation, visually verified, and the time measured in seconds. Data were analyzed by Chi-square, one-way ANOVA, and Tukey analysis, considering a significance level of 5%. It was found that there was no statistically significant difference between the groups tested in the effect of sterilization on the number of uses. The SEM analysis showed distortions in the instruments after the 3rd use. There was a statistically significant difference in the cyclic fatigue test between the results of WaveOne Gold, TF4 Gold, and Roll Wave Gold compared to W File and Micro Gold () and a statistically significant difference between the W File and Micro Gold groups (). In conclusion, this study affirmed that WaveOne Gold, TF4-Gold, and Roll-Wave-Gold instruments exhibit comparable cyclic fatigue resistance. Besides, all examined instruments can be reliably employed for up to two cases.

Background. Several endodontic difficulty assessment forms are available to help dental students and general dentists estimate the difficulty of the case before initiating the endodontic treatment. Objectives. This study aimed to assess if the American Association of Endodontics (AAE) case difficulty assessment form affects the dental student’s perception of the difficulty encountered while performing root canal treatment (RCT). Materials and Methods. This was a cross-sectional online survey. After obtaining IRB approval, an electronic questionnaire was sent to dental students enrolled in the 4th and 5th years at King Saud University (KSU) and King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was divided into informed consent, demographic data, the use of the AAE case assessment form, RCT steps, diagnosis, local anesthesia administration, tooth isolation, and endodontic procedure. Results. A total of 195 dental students participated in the study. There were 101 (52%) females, and 139 (71%) were from KSAU-HS. A positive association was found between students who used the AAE assessment form and who did not with their ability to reach the correct diagnosis (), tooth isolation (), and endodontic procedure difficulty score (). Conclusion. The use of the AAE form by dental students enabled them to differentiate between complicated and uncomplicated cases, thus lowering the difficulty encountered during RCT.

Learning suturing skills is an important area of the undergraduate curriculum and ideally requires realistic and anatomically accurate surgical training models to prepare students for treating patients. Little is currently understood regarding which model might be perceived by students to be the best or which might most effectively facilitate their learning. The aim of this study was to compare four teaching models: a tabletop silicon dental model, a restricted access tabletop model, a traditional phantom head mounted model, and a Thiel cadaver. Student preferences were explored for each of the models. Following lecture and video-based teaching 67 fourth-year students attended a practical suturing teaching session followed by the second session more focused on the experience of cutting and suturing mucoperiosteal flaps. Forty-six students (67%) gave online anonymous feedback on the first session. The majority (95%) felt prepared to place a simple interrupted suture on a patient, and 88% felt confident to do so. Twenty-eight students (40%) provided feedback on the second session with 82% agreeing that they were prepared to cut a mucoperiosteal flap and 48% felt confident to do this for a patient. The cadaver model was rated as the best of the four models for both suturing and mucoperiosteal flap skills. These results support its use for teaching students to suturing and surgical skills. However, despite this teaching student-rated confidence to cut and suture flaps for a patient remains poor.

Background. Understanding the correlation between temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) parameters and various occlusal features can play a significant role in diagnosing and treating occlusal problems and their potential consequences on TMD. Objectives. To investigate the relationship of occlusal features and some of the TMD parameters. Study Design and Sampling. The current cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 TMD patients seeking dental treatment at different dental centers in Baghdad city, aged 18–35 years. All participants underwent assessment for occlusal features, which were molar and canine classifications, overjet, posterior buccal or lingual crossbites, and overbites, and TMD parameters (muscle pain, TMJ pain, and clicking) using the Chi-square test for statistical analysis. Results. Regarding molar classification, there were strong positive correlations between subjects with TMD and having different molar classifications (class I, II, and III) bilaterally or unilaterally; furthermore, there were strong positive correlations between subjects with TMD and having different canine classifications. Moreover, there were significant correlations between subjects with increased, normal, or decreased overjet and the TMD parameters. In addition, there were weak positive correlations between TMD occurrence and buccal or lingual posterior crossbite. On the other hand, there were significant correlations between subjects with a decreased overbite and the presence of TMD parameters. Conclusion. TMD had a multifactorial background rather than dependability on a specific molar or canine classification type. There was also a correlation between overjet and TMD muscle pain, while decreased overbite was correlated to muscle and TMJ pain. Conversely, there is no vital correlation between posterior buccal or lingual crossbite occurrence and TMD parameters.

Objectives. This study aimed to determine the influence of coating material thickness on the attraction force of dental magnetic attachment (DMA). Materials and Methods. An in vitro experimental design was implemented using DMA as samples coated with different material types including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and glass ionomer varnish. DMA consists of keeper and assembly. The coating material was applied to DMA in two ways, on the assembly only and both the keeper and assembly. The thickness of each coated DMA was measured with a digital micrometer, and analysis was subsequently conducted with a universal testing machine to evaluate potential alterations in magnetic attraction force. Comparison was made between the attraction force of both the coated and uncoated DMA serving as a control specimen. Result. The thickness of the coating material applied to both the keeper and assembly was 25 μm, while PTFE and varnish coating on the assembly alone was estimated as 12 and 10 μm, respectively. The magnetic attraction force of the uncoated DMA was 613.63 gf. Following coating, the magnetic attraction force decreased by 34.02–79.45 gf. The ANOVA test indicated that the decrease in magnetic attraction observed across both types of coating material and technique did not show significant differences. Conclusion. The thickness and type of coating material had no significant effect on magnetic attraction.

Background and Objective. Following tooth extraction, socket healing leads to bone remodeling, which generally results in significant local anatomical changes in the height and width of the residual alveolar ridge. This study aimed to compare dimensional changes through histological and histomorphometric evaluation of newly formed bone and residual graft particles. Materials and Methods. We worked on 14 single-root or premolar teeth with fused roots with an indication for the preservation of the alveolar ridge and the subsequent placement of a dental implant. The techniques performed in the study were the Bartee technique for the preservation of the alveolar crest in seven teeth that presented a good amount of the remaining bone tissue (minimum 4 mm in the apical–coronal direction) or that had a buccal or lingual/palatine wall defect (group A) and the Bio-Col alveolar preservation technique (group B), in seven teeth that presented an intact alveolus (four remaining walls). Xenograft was used in both groups. Results: Morphometric evaluation of group A (Bartee technique) and group B (Bio-Col technique) showed 11.48% and 13.24% of reabsorption in the vertical direction () and 21.95% and 20.55% in the horizontal direction, respectively (). At 6 months of healing, the histomorphometric evaluation showed 31.10% new bone formation and 28.09% residual particles in group A, 13.24% new bone formation (), and 20.55% residual particles for group B (). There were no statistically significant differences in dimensional changes between both groups. Conclusions. The Bartee and Bio-Col alveolar ridge preservation technique combined with a xenograft provides dimensional stability, counteracting the physiological resorption process and ensuring the stability of the surrounding tissues. Therefore, both techniques represent a predictable option for dental implant placement at 6 months of healing.