Background and Objectives: The goal of this study was to assess the validity of the Romanian version of the Index of Dental Anxiety and Fear (IDAF-4C⁺⁾ questionnaire. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on a convenience sample of past patients and their acquaintances through an online questionnaire administered on the Google Forms platform between May 2021 and September 2022. The sections of the survey were demographic characteristics, the dental anxiety scale questionnaire, the IDAF-4C⁺ questionnaire, a single question about dental fear, and previous dental treatments. Results: In total, 239 participants were included in the study, and the mean age was 37. The IDAF-4C questionnaire had good internal validity (Cronbach alpha was 0.945). The IDAF-4C had good convergent validity, and it was positively correlated with the dental anxiety scale (r = 0.825, p < 0.001) and the question about the fear of going to the dentist (r = 0.738, p < 0.001). The questionnaire had good reliability, and the intraclass correlation was 0.985. Lower levels of dental anxiety were associated with scaling, orthodontic treatment, and dental implants. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted after the removal of the first question from the phobia module, and residual covariance was added between items four and nine of the stimulus module, showing a good fit for the retained questions of the IDAF-4C⁺, grouped by module. Conclusions: The Romanian version of the IDAF-4C⁺ showed acceptable psychometric properties.

The study aimed to test the validity and reliability of the Romanian version of short form of Fear of Dental Pain questionnaire (s-FDPQ), modified by adding an item about dental implant insertion. Material and methods: The design of the study was cross-sectional. Data were collected through an online questionnaire completed by university students, administered from January to March 2024. The survey included information about past dental treatments, the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS), and items of s-FDPQ. Results: 186 participants were included in the study. The Romanian version of the modified s-FDPQ had a good reliability Sperman-Brown coefficient is 0.878, and Cronbach alpha is 0.92. The questionnaire had a good convergent validity, with all items being moderately correlated with the DAS score. The one-factor model was tested and has a good fit according to the confirmatory factor analysis. The participants were afraid of pain mostly regarding having a wisdom tooth extracted or a dental implant inserted. A statistically significant higher fear of dental pain was observed in those who did not previously have a root canal treatment (p=0.008) and in those who had dental implants in the past (p=0.046). Those attending regular dental check-ups had lower levels of fear of dental pain. Conclusion: The Romanian version of s-FDPQ, modified by adding a question about dental implant insertion, has good reliability and validity. Fear of dental pain seemed to be influenced by features of dental procedures and previous dental experience.

The success of orthodontic therapy depends on the effective, continuous application of forces to teeth. Therefore, an essential element of the treatment is the adhesion between the bracket and enamel. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of bracket base design and bonding system on shear bond strength. The study was conducted on eighty extracted premolars which were randomly divided into four groups of twenty teeth each, using two types of metal brackets (80-gauge mesh and anchor pylons base design) and two types of bonding systems (conventional and self-etching). The combination of bracket and bonding system resulted in four distinct configurations of bracket bonding, with each configuration tested on twenty teeth. Shear bond strength testing was performed using a Laryee Universal Testing Machine. The obtained values were statistically analyzed. Slightly higher shear bond strength values were recorded for brackets with anchor pylons bonded using the conventional bonding system (13.32 ± 4.20 N/mm²), whereas the lowest values were recorded for the same bracket base design bonded with the self-etching system (11.10 ± 4.50 N/mm²). Nevertheless, ANOVA test did not reveal statistically significant differences between the two bracket types or between the two bonding techniques in terms of shear bond strength and force values and no significant interaction effects were observed. Considering the obtained results, several additional factors must be taken into account when evaluating the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets.

Background/Objectives: This “in silico” study investigated the biomechanical behavior of fixed orthodontic systems by analyzing the forces generated by Ni–Ti archwires and their effects on the dento-maxillary system (DMS). The objectives were to estimate force levels for 0.012″, 0.014″, and 0.016″ archwires and to evaluate the resulting stress distribution, displacement and deformation, including the influence of dental malpositions such as infraposition and linguoposition on force transmission. Methods: A three-dimensional (3D) patient-specific model of the DMS was developed and finite element analysis (FEM) was performed. Orthodontic forces were determined analytically based on archwire deformation and applied as equivalent force systems at the bracket level. The analysis was performed under simplified assumptions, including linear elastic material behavior and the absence of bracket–archwire friction. Results: The results indicated a direct relationship between archwire diameter and force magnitude. Increased diameter was associated with higher stress, displacement and deformation values. Simulated infraposition and linguoposition produced localized variations in stress distribution, highlighting the influence of tooth position on biomechanical response. Conclusions: Within the limitations of the simplified analytical and numerical model, archwire diameter plays a significant role in determining force magnitude and stress distribution in orthodontic systems. The findings provide a comparative framework for understanding force transmission, although the results should be interpreted as theoretical estimates under idealized conditions rather than direct predictors of clinical behavior.

Background/Objectives: The aim of the study is to examine the association between self-reported physical activity and mental well-being. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between 2023 and 2025. The participants were second-year dental students. Data collected included general demographic characteristics, assessment of mental well-being by the WHO-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5), level of physical activity by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and type of physical activity. Results: Three hundred seventy-two second-year dental students were included in the study. The median WHO-5 percentage score was 56. From the study sample, 42.2% (n = 157) of dental students had a WHO-5 percentage score below 50, indicating a poor mental well-being. The majority of students had a high level of physical activity (n = 206; 55.4%). By linear regression analysis adjusted for sex, age, smoking status, academic cohort year and BMI (Body Mass Index), it was observed that sitting time and female sex were significant negative predictors of WHO-5 score, whereas moderate-intensity physical activity (registered by moderate MET score of IPAQ) was a significant positive predictor of it. Also, students who regularly practiced sports had higher WHO-5 scores (median 60 vs. 52, p = 0.002). Conclusions: The results of the study suggest that mental well-being is positively associated with moderate physical activity and negatively associated with sitting time. Prospective studies are recommended to increase knowledge of physical activity as an intervention for increasing the level of mental well-being in this population.