Aim. Accurate detection and diagnosis of dental caries is an integral part of achieving adequate comprehensive dental care. Furthermore, the high prevalence of caries and generally poor oral health in Saudi Arabia is a public health concern. In addition to necessary preventive programs and awareness initiatives, understanding diagnostic practices plays an important role in garnering broad background knowledge regarding the routine diagnostic means utilized by our targeted respondents. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the methods of caries detection among dental students and dental practitioners in Riyadh using a cross-sectional observational study design. Methods. The sample comprised 496 dental students, interns, postgraduate residents, general dental practitioners, specialists, and consultants from the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia. A survey was designed to assess caries detection methods, risk assessment practices, and knowledge of advanced diagnostic methods. The responses were correlated with demographic and educational variables. Regression models were used to predict associations. Results. 42.3% and 32.7% use sharp explorers in diagnosing caries always and most of the time, respectively. When conducting caries risk assessment practices, 64.4% was very likely to review the patient’s medical history and lifestyle. In terms of knowledge of advanced diagnostic methods, 47.8% know “much” to “very much” about FOTI. The knowledge of advanced caries diagnostic methods and practices of advanced diagnostic methods were significantly positively correlated (r = 0.388, ). Linear regression analysis indicated that higher experience (10+ years) was associated with higher knowledge regarding advanced caries diagnostic methods ( = 0.27, ). The mean rank for risk assessment practices was significantly lower in GPs compared to consultants . Conclusions. The use of traditional and invasive methods of caries detection is prevalent among our respondents, while the usage of advanced diagnostic methods is for the most part low. Therefore, we advocate for more minimally invasive approaches and as such encourage the practice and availability of advanced diagnostic methods.

Surface etching before cementation is a vital step that determines the clinical performance of ceramic restorations. Etching alters surface topography that contributes effective bonding between ceramic restoration and resin cement. This study aimed to compare etching techniques to determine the most effective etching method contributing the highest bond strength that helps in improving dental implants. Materials and methods: sixty discs of feldspathic ceramic measuring 10 mm diameter and 4 mm thickness were prepared. The 60 samples were divided into four equal groups based on the surface treatment technique used: group A: 9.6% hydrofluoric acid; group B: coarse diamond burs; group C: CO₂ laser; and group D: no treatment. Ceramic disc specimens were examined under a Scanning Electron microscope (SEM) after surface treatment to characterize their surface morphology. Further, the specimens were luted with a resin luting agent and incubated for 24 h at a temperature of 37 °C simulating the oral environment. After 24 h, shear bond strength (SBS) and the nature of bond failure was determined for each specimen using a universal Instron testing machine. Results: significant change in surface morphology was noticed on hydrofluoric acid treatment forming larger irregular roughness (4.83 ± 1.78 µm) with multiple patterns of grooves and pores compared to other groups. Further, the highest SBS value was measured on hydrofluoric acid etching that display the highest bond strength due to the high surface roughness. In conclusion, our findings report a strong association between the surface roughness and bond strength upon hydrofluoric acid compared to other methods. Further work in this direction will enhance the utility of the etching technique on the improvement of dental implants.

This manuscript is directed to assess patient awareness towards esthetic conservative dentistry. Raising the awareness of the community on preserving their overall dental health is the duty of all dental practitioners. Hence, there is a need for self-assessment amongst the population about when to seek esthetic treatment, whether it’s necessary, and most importantly, the treatment options available in the market is a crucial aspect. Not many studies have taken this into consideration. Therefore, this manuscript will contribute to increasing people’s awareness of esthetic conservative dentistry.Method: A cross-sectional study with a sample size of (n = 533) of any gender and age, excluding patients with mental illness or taking mental disorder medications, was conducted within Riyadh province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A closed-ended standard questionnaire was conducted; data from the completed questionnaires was entered into the SPSS version 25 (SPSS - IBM, Armonk, NY) statistical software to obtain descriptive as well as associative statistics.Results: Many people considered in the study showed outstanding results. All age groups show the highest significance related to the questioned items. On the other hand, other associative factors such as education level and salary also played an important role is showing the significance in relation to the items, we were curious to know about.Conclusion: People were not aware of the name conservative dentistry, though they were aware of many conservative modalities for treating different types of cases. It was also visible how well aware the study population was to obtain knowledge about available treatment options and when to perform the suitable procedure chosen by both the dentist and, most importantly, themselves