The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the dentin bond strength of etch-and-rinse and self-etch adhesives to primary teeth. In this study, PubMed, ISI (all databases), Scopus, and Cochrane Database were searched according to the selected keywords up to May 11, 2016. The full texts of published articles that appeared to meet the primary criteria for inclusion in this study were obtained. Due to the variation in the methods used, the studies were divided into 2 groups: Group 1 - studies that evaluated the micro-tensile bond strengths (MTBSs) of two-step etch-and-rinse adhesives and two-step self-etch adhesives and Group 2 - studies that evaluated the MTBSs of two-step etch-and-rinse adhesives and one-step self-etch adhesives. The initial search yielded 1447 publications. After a methodological assessment, 8 publications were selected. The results of this study showed that the MTBS of the etch-and-rinse adhesives and the two-step self-etch adhesives were similar (P = 0.34), and both were significantly higher than that of the one-step self-etch adhesive (P = 0.001). This meta-analysis showed that the application of two-step self-etch adhesives performs well when used for primary dentin and can be used to save time in pediatric dentistry.

Introduction: Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) is a prevalent unpleasant condition which might affect quality of life. Laser therapy is one of the non-invasive treatments for dentin hypersensitivity. The aim of this umbrella review was to assess the effect of lasers on the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity by analyzing the previously published systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane, and ISI) were searched to identify relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses based on the keyword search strategy. Two independent reviewers carried out the selection of studies, extraction of data, and assessment of methodological quality. The actual overlap of primary studies was measured through the visual tool known as the citation matrix and three indices of % overlaps, covered area (CA), and corrected covered area (CCA). The reviews were appraised for methodological quality through A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR)-2, and the risk of bias was evaluated using the Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS) tool. Results: Following eliminating duplicates, a total of 2,768 articles were found, and of them, 9 systematic reviews met the inclusion criteria. Six of them included a meta-analysis as well. The actual overlap of primary studies was low. The AMSTAR 2 tool classified one systematic review as high quality, three as moderate quality, three as low quality, and the remaining two as critically low quality. The results of the included reviews generally showed that all types of lasers reduced dentin hypersensitivity compared to placebo/no treatment. Conclusion: Lasers are effective in treating dentin hypersensitivity.

This meta-analysis was carried out in order to assess the effects of xylitol-laced sweets on the accumulation of dental plaque biofilm. Using predetermined keywords, a systematic search was conducted using the original databases published until July 2024 on randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of xylitol-laced sweets on the accumulation of dental plaque. The random-effects model was used to obtain the 95% confidence intervals and the pooled weighted mean difference. A quantitative meta-analysis of 13 treatment arms of the included studies showed that xylitol-laced sweetssignificantly decreased the plaque index (PI) (WMD: −0.41, 95% CI: −0.62, −0.20, P < .001) and the quantity of plaque accumulation (WMD: −7.46 mg, 95% CI: −13.38, −1.53, P = .014) compared with thecontrol groups. The subgroup analysis showed that xylitol causes a greater decrease in plaque accumulation (PI and amount of plaque) in the dose of interventions ≤20 g compared to >20 g and also during the intervention <4 weeks compared to ≥4 weeks . In addition, the subgroup analysis shows a greater effect on PI reduction in those ≤ 18 years of age. Our findings show the potentially beneficial and significant effects of xylitol-laced sweets either in gummy or candy forms, on reducing plaque accumulation.

Background: Endodontically treated teeth need to be restored in a manner to provide protection for the remaining tooth structure but would also allow the restoration of esthetic and functional demands. Objectives: This study evaluates the clinical success rate of endodontically treated premolars restored with different techniques. Methods: In this study, 96 participants were included with indication of endodontic treatment of one maxillary or mandibular premolar. Only cases with premolars along with MOD Class II carious lesions and preserved cusp structure were recruited. After endodontic treatment subjects were randomly assigned to one of the following restoration methods: (1) composite restoration without any cusp reduction (2) Composite associated with a fiber reinforced composite (FRC) post (3) capping the buccal and lingual cusp and composite restoration. Subjects were recalled for the clinical and radiographical evaluations with modified USPHS criteria after three, six and 12 months. Results: During the evaluation period, all the three methods of restoration, achieved the Alpha degree in term of modified USPHS criteria. Conclusions: The clinical success rates of endodontically treated premolars restored with fiber posts and direct composite restorations, direct composite restorations with cusp capping and simple direct composite restoration were perfect after one year of follow-up evaluation. Keywords: Cusp Capping; Direct Composite Restoration; Endodontically Treated Premolar; FRC Post

Background. This in vitro study compared the wear response of natural enamel when opposed to hybrid and conventional dental ceramic materials under both abrasive and erosive conditions. Methods. Eighty enamel specimens were prepared from bovine central incisors and divided into five groups based on the antagonist material used. Each group consisted of 16 specimens, with antagonists fabricated from four different aesthetic CAD/CAM block materials: VITA Enamic (VE), Lava Ultimate (LU), Lava Plus (LP), and VITA Mark II (VM), alongside natural enamel as a control. The specimens underwent 100000 wear cycles (49 N/2 Hz) under non-erosive and erosive conditions, simulating clinical scenarios. Enamel wear was quantified through weight loss measurements. Statistical analysis was conducted using two-way ANOVA and post hoc Games-Howell test, with a significance level set at α=0.05. Results. The study demonstrated significant variations in enamel wear when opposed to different dental ceramic materials under both erosive and non-erosive conditions (P<0.001 for both). The VM group exhibited the highest mean enamel wear across varying pH conditions (P=0.0104 and P=0.0900). Statistically significant differences in enamel weight loss were observed among all five groups under non-erosive conditions. However, erosive wear rates differed significantly between nearly all groups, except for comparisons between LU and VE (P=0.271) and LP and VM (P=0.180). Notably, mean enamel wear values were higher when specimens were exposed to acetic acid compared to non-erosive conditions (P<0.001 for all groups). Conclusion. Despite advancements in hybrid ceramic manufacturing, natural enamel wear remains significantly lower when opposed to these materials compared to conventional ceramics. Hybrid ceramics exhibited reduced wear potential compared to feldspathic and zirconia ceramics, underscoring their clinical relevance.