Objective. To evaluate the voids in root canal treatment of deciduous molar canals using three obturating materials and two obturation systems using micro‐CT. Study Design. Thirty freshly extracted deciduous molars were used in this study. The specimens were instrumented using a ProTaper Universal rotary instrument and randomly assigned into six groups (n = 5). Mesiobuccal root canals were obturated using Ca(OH)₂ and iodoform‐Ca(OH)₂ and ZOE cement. The materials were applied straight from the syringe up to the 2 mm coronal level of the apex. Subsequently, the Lentulo spiral and ultrasonic activation with endoactivator were used for obturation. All samples were scanned by micro‐CT with 9.1 μm isotropic voxel resolution. The voids in cross‐sectional images and 3D volumes of voids were measured. Differences among materials were statically evaluated (p < 0.05). Results. All study groups showed voids. Ca(OH)₂ and iodoform‐Ca(OH)₂ with ultrasonic activation produced fewer voids whereas the ZOE groups showed higher voids with statistical significance (p < 0.05). Conclusions. Ca(OH)₂ and iodoform‐Ca(OH)₂ with ultrasonic activation decrease void formation. Further studies should be done with other obturation techniques and materials for deciduous tooth root canal management.

Bone mineral density (BMD) is a critical indicator of skeletal health, and its assessment is particularly important in children born premature or with low birth weight (LBW), as these conditions are associated with altered bone development. The aim of this study was to compare the BMD values of premature and LBW children with those of normal term and normal birth weight children via fractal dimension (FD) analysis of panoramic radiographs. This study included a total of 60 panoramic radiography images of children aged 6–15 years. The study group consisted of children born premature (before 37 weeks) and with low birth weight (less than 2500 g). The control group consisted of children born at normal term with normal birth weights. In addition, body mass index (BMI), maternal age at birth, and frequency and duration of incubation were recorded. FD values were measured in three mandibular regions on panoramic images. Independent t-tests and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to compare FD values between groups. The correlations between parameters were evaluated using Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Comparison of the FD values revealed no significant differences between the study and control groups for ROI1 and ROI2 (p > 0.05). However, a statistically significant difference was detected in ROI3 (p < 0.05), with the study group exhibiting lower mean FD values (1.15 ± 0.14) than the control group (1.22 ± 0.08). There was no statistically significant difference in BMI values between the groups (p > 0.05). The frequency of incubation was significantly higher in the study group (50%) than in the control group (6.7%) (p < 0.05). Fractal dimension values of the trabecular structure in the dentate region of the mandible were decreased in premature birth and LBW children. Further controlled trials with larger sample sizes are required to validate and expand upon these findings. Not applicable.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of three-dimensional audio-visual distraction on reducing dental anxiety and pain perception in children with tell-show-do technique. Methods: 52 children aged 6-11 years were randomly divided into two groups (n=26). During restorative dental treatment, distraction was given to the study group by letting them watch cartoons with 3D virtual reality (VR) glasses, while tell-show-do technique was used in the control group. The anxiety levels of the children in both groups after dental treatment were measured with the Child Drawing: Hospital Scale (CD:H) and the Children`s Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS). Pulse rate measurements were made with pulse oximetry before, during and after the dental procedures. In addition, perception of pain was evaluated with the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the study and control groups in terms of anxiety levels, CFSS-DS scores, CD:H scores and pulse rate (P>0.05). Also, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of Wong Baker scores (P>0.05). Conclusions: Watching cartoons with 3D VR glasses did not show any superiority over tell-show-do technique in reducing anxiety and pain levels in children during dental restorative procedures. Keywords: Anxiety; Child Behavior; Drawing; Pain Perception; Virtual Reality

Objectives: The absolute necessity of a palatal injection for the extraction of primary maxillary molars has never been explored, despite the fact that it is widely known that children do not tolerate local anesthetic injections into the palatal tissue well. The aim of this study was to compare separately the perception of pain in the absence of palatal injection after anesthesia and maxillary primary molar tooth extraction using different anesthetic solutions and different post-anesthetic waiting times. Materials and methods: A single-blinded randomized controlled study was conducted in 78 participants (26 patients with palatal anesthesia (the control groups), and 26 patients with 5 min and 26 patients with 8 min post-anesthetic waiting time without palatal anesthesia (the study groups)). Subjective experiences of pain were evaluated separately after anesthesia and tooth extraction using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBS). Results: In terms of VAS scores obtained following administration of anesthesia, there was a statistically significant difference between the groups (p0.05). Conclusions: While the pain reported following administration of anesthesia was found to be higher in the groups receiving palatal anesthesia, no difference was found between the groups in the pain reported after tooth extraction. Clinical relevance: Extraction of maxillary primary molars is possible without palatal injection by injecting 4% articaine or 2% lidocaine into the buccal vestibule of the tooth with a waiting time of 5 or 8 min.

Purpose: Premature primary tooth loss in the primary and mixed dentition can cause malocclusion in the permanent dentition. Children with primary and mixed dentitions require space maintainers to avoid malocclusion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of parental awareness regarding the use of space maintainers, oral hygiene practices, and the significance of primary teeth. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, a questionnaire comprising 20 questions was utilized, encompassing four primary categories: 1) sociodemographic data, 2) parental awareness regarding oral hygiene habits, 3) recognition of the significance of primary teeth and the children's previous tooth extraction experience, and 4) parents’ knowledge level about the use of space maintainers. The survey was administered to 240 parents who have children aged between 2-15 years and who were both physically and psychologically healthy, literate in Turkish, and capable of completing a survey. Descriptive statistical analysis was employed to interpret the findings. Results: Despite the fact that 45% children lost primary teeth due to decay, trauma or other reasons, 40.9% of parents declared that they had no idea that early loss of primary teeth could damage permanent teeth. Additionally, only 35.8% of parents stated that they had knowledge of what a space maintainer is; it was found that those parents who were familiar with space maintainers also had a high level of knowledge about its use. Conclusions: It is concluded that there is a need to enhance parental awareness concerning the utilization of space maintainers as a preventive measure following the premature loss of primary teeth.