Purpose: To compare the clinical success of different forms of vital pulp therapy using various pulp-capping materials.

Methods: Two independent researchers selected relevant articles from databases, extracted data, evaluated bias risk, and performed meta-analysis. Among 337 studies retrieved, 21 with a total of 1,816 participants and 1,948 treated permanent teeth were eligible and selected for 17 types of comparison. Meta-analysis was conducted for only six of these 17 comparisons.

Results: Among the six comparisons, the success of direct pulp capping with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) was significantly higher than that using calcium hydroxide (relative risk = 1.21, 95% confidence interval = 1.02-1.42, P = 0.03). There was no significant difference in the success of direct pulp capping between mineral trioxide aggregate and biodentine, nor between partial pulpotomy and full pulpotomy for either type of pulp capping material.

Conclusion: The use of MTA for direct pulp capping appears to yield significantly better clinical success than the use of calcium hydroxide.

Purpose: This study investigated the relationship between periodontitis severity and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among Korean adults.

Methods: This retrospective study included 291 adults aged 20-59. Age, sex, dental visits during the past year, frequency of tooth brushing, number of teeth, and dental caries were designated as confounders, and their information was collected. The severity of periodontitis was dichotomized into no/mild and moderate/severe. OHRQoL was evaluated using the Korean version of the 14-item oral health impact profile (OHIP-14K). Logistic and negative binomial regression analyses were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) or incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: The prevalence, severity, and extent of oral impact according to total OHIP-14K score were significantly higher in patients with moderate/severe periodontitis than in those with no/mild periodontitis (P < 0.05). The adjusted regression model indicated that age, sex, number of teeth and severity of periodontitis (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.23-3.99) were significantly associated with the prevalence of impacts. Regarding the severity of impacts, sex, dental visits, and severity of periodontitis (IRR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.16-1.79) were significantly associated with OHRQoL. Regarding the extent of impacts, sex, and severity of periodontitis (IRR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.21-2.84) were significantly related to OHRQoL.

Conclusion: The severity of periodontitis is inversely related to the OHRQoL in Korean adults.

Purpose: This laboratory-based study evaluated the effects of sintering protocols, yttria content, and zirconia thickness on the optical properties of monolithic zirconia.

Methods: Three partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) materials, one monolayer (HT) and two multilayer (GE, FX) samples, with thicknesses of 0.5-1.5 mm were tested under conventional and speed sintering protocols. Translucency parameter (TP), color difference (ΔE₀₀), and spectral reflectance were measured using a spectrophotometer against standardized black and white backgrounds. Statistical analyses were performed using a one-way analysis of variance, Tukey’s post-hoc tests, and correlation analysis.

Results: The TP values decreased with increasing zirconia thickness; significant differences were observed between the sintering protocols. Speed sintering resulted in lower transparency in certain materials, particularly GE. Conversely, HT exhibited consistent optical properties across the sintering protocols. The ΔE₀₀ values for multilayer zirconia exceeded clinically acceptable thresholds, with greater variations observed for thicker specimens. Spectral reflectance curves were minimally influenced by the sintering protocol and thickness for monolayer zirconia, whereas they showed significant variations for multilayer zirconia.

Conclusion: The results indicate that sintering protocols and material composition significantly influence the optical properties of zirconia, underscoring the necessity of optimizing processing conditions to enhance both esthetic and functional performance in clinical applications.

Purpose: To investigate a novel method that uses a single impression, facilitated by additive technologies, to fabricate a metal post and core and metal coping.

Methods: Twenty-four human single-rooted teeth were divided into two groups—one for use with a conventional two-appointment method (CT group) and the other for a novel, one-appointment method (OA group). The CT group required separate impressions and cast models for the metal post and core and coping. In contrast, the OA group used a novel single-impression method to obtain both the metal post and core and metal coping. Silicone replica technique was used to assess marginal and internal adaptation of the copings in each group. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test (α = 0.05). Additionally, three-dimensional digital evaluation was used for comparison of teeth and coping internal areas.

Results: The mean marginal gap did not significantly differ between the CT group (83.77 ± 51.84 µm) and OA group (77.09 ± 31.65 µm) (P = 0.8835). However, the CT group had significantly larger internal gaps (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The findings suggest that it is feasible to fabricate a metal post and core and metal coping from a single impression.

Purpose: Oral hygiene is mainly maintained by mechanical plaque removal, but this is often inadequate in older adults. Isodecyl galactosides (ID-Gal) inhibits bacterial co-aggregation and could promote the maintenance and improvement of oral hygiene. In this study, the efficacy of ID-Gal-containing foam dentifrice in oral hygiene among older adults was evaluated.

Methods: Fifty-six subjects aged 65 years or older visited Tokushima University Hospital and were randomly assigned to interventions using ID-Gal-containing foam dentifrice applied to the dorsum of the tongue, or to controls using their usual dentifrice. Microbiological and clinical oral health parameters were evaluated before, and at 1 and 2 months after the intervention.

Results: The intervention group showed significant decreases in black pigment-producing bacteria on the dorsum of the tongue, Fusobacterium, and total bacterial counts on the mucosa below the denture base after 1 month. Additionally, the intervention group showed significant decrease in the Winkle Tongue Coating Index (WTCI) after 2 months.

Conclusion: ID-Gal-containing foam dentifrice decreased the number of bacteria by suppressing plaque formation and contributed to a reduction in the number of bacteria on the tongue and the WTCI. Collectively, these results suggest that ID-Gal-containing foam dentifrice is effective in maintaining and improving oral hygiene.

Purpose: To quantify plastic waste (PW) generated during undergraduate clinical care in a private university dental center in Peru.

Methods: This cross-sectional study quantified PW produced during a 19-day period by five clinical sections and one radiology section in relation to type of care (n = 7) and procedure (n = 21) in 40 dental units (DUs). PW was characterized by type, composition, number, and weight. Results were projected by year and analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test, with P < 0.05 indicating statistical significance.

Results: The projected annual PW was 4,254.9 ± 2,498.1 kg, 22.2 ± 18.5% of which comprised DU protective film. The mean number of pieces and weight of PW per patient was 18.6 ± 15.5 pieces and 126.7 ± 166.2 g; however, the values were higher for pediatric dentistry (25.3 pieces) and periodontics (278.9 g) (P ≤ 0.0002). PW was classified into 53 types, eg, pure composition (65.3%), gloves mainly (21.4%), sterilization packaging (10.6%), and standard dental bibs (9.8%), and by proportion by weight, eg, disposable aprons (31.3%), gloves (21.4%), and dental bibs (11.2%).

Conclusion: Pediatric dentistry and periodontics generated the most PW by amount and weight. PW comprised personal protective equipment, sterilization packaging, and dental protective film. These results highlight the need to decrease waste and increase awareness of efforts to reduce the adverse environmental effects of dental practice.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and biological properties of modified glass-ionomer cement (BIO-GIC) supplemented with chlorhexidine diacetate (CHX).

Methods: The BIO-GIC was originally a combining formulation of conventional glass-ionomer cement, chitosan, albumin and tricalcium phosphate. CHX was incorporated at various concentrations of 1.25%, 2%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%. Antimicrobial activity against certain microorganisms related to cariogenesis Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), Streptococcus sanguinis (S. sanguinis), and Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), was evaluated by microdilution test. One effective concentration of CHX was mixed with Penaeus merguiensis-Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein (Pmer-TCTP) and further conducted by biological tests including cell viability and mineralization in dental pulp.

Results: S. mutans were inhibited at 7.5% CHX-modified BIO-GIC, while S. sanguinis and E. faecalis showed no inhibition at any concentration. Cell viability significantly decreased with 7.5% CHX-modified BIO-GIC after 72 h. Dental pulp exposed to this group formed smaller and fewer calcium nodules but adding Pmer-TCTP reduced cell death and slightly enhanced mineralization.

Conclusion: 7.5% CHX-modified BIO-GIC shows potential for inhibiting S. mutans and having potential cell viability and mineralization in dental pulp cells.

Purpose: This study investigated effectiveness of a silicone mask fitter for reduction of composite particle leakage during removal of bonded attachments for clear aligners compared with a surgical mask and an N95 respirator.

Methods: Composite particles passing through masks were measured using a particle counter machine during removal of attachments bonded on a dentoform using a slow-speed handpiece. The samples were: Group 1: a surgical mask; Group 2: a surgical mask with a silicone mask fitter; and Group 3: an N95 respirator. The experiments were repeated six times per group. Differences among the groups were assessed using one-way analysis of variance and post hoc tests.

Results: The mean concentration of total composite particles behind the surgical mask with the silicone mask fitter was significantly lower than that behind a surgical mask alone (61.01 ± 13, 209.69 ± 66 particles/cubic foot (ft³)/min × 10³, respectively, P < 0.001), while there was not significantly different from the N95 respirator (12 ± 3 particles/ft³/min × 10³).

Conclusion: Use of a surgical mask alone was associated with significant leakage of composite dust. The effectiveness of the silicone mask fitter for preventing the entry of diffuse particles was comparable to that of the N95 respirator.

This study was conducted to clarify the usefulness of a newly developed occlusal force device. An arbitrary load was applied to the device 100 times, and the measured values were recorded. The loading and measured values were extremely close, and the error rate was fairly small. There was a close relationship between the occlusal force measured with a device based on the dental prescale and that measured using the new device. These results suggest that the newly developed device can measure and evaluate occlusal force with a degree of accuracy equivalent to the dental prescale.