Background: Tooth preparation is a fundamental technical skill in dentistry, demanding accuracy, careful attention to detail, and a comprehensive knowledge of dental anatomy. Pre-clinical training allows dental students to cultivate and enhance these abilities prior to conducting procedures on real patients. This research seeks to assess the quality of tooth preparation carried out by dental students in their pre-clinical training. Methods: A total of 221 artificial typodont teeth were used for simulated tooth preparations for a full contour ceramic crown by fourth-year pre-clinical dental students in a simulated dental environment (n=111 males and 110 females). Jaw models were mounted on phantom heads during the tooth preparation procedure. The tooth preparations were evaluated using standardized criteria, including 1.5– 2 mm lingual, facial, axial and occlusal reductions, 6– 10 degrees of axial wall taper, marginal integrity and surface smoothness. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results as either acceptable or unacceptable. Results: The majority of the students showed unacceptable occlusal reduction (89.6%). For axial reduction, the majority of students showed unacceptable results, recorded in 99.5% and 98.6% on the mesial and distal sides, respectively. Unacceptable facial and lingual reductions were noted in 93.7% and 77.4%, respectively. The taper angle on the mesial and distal sides was acceptable in 53.8% and 57.5%, respectively. About 56.6% of the dental students demonstrated acceptable marginal placement during preparation. Moreover, satisfactory finishing and rounded angles of the preparation were done by 68.3% and 58.4% of the students, respectively. Conclusion: The results revealed that most students achieved unsatisfactory results. This study underscores the importance of continuous assessment and tailored teaching strategies to enhance the quality of tooth preparation during pre-clinical training.

Background: Significant maxillary atrophy poses a considerable obstacle for oral restoration with standard dental implants because of insufficient bone supply. Zygomatic implants provide alternative treatments without a graft by being secured into the sturdy zygomatic bone, enabling support for prosthetic restoration. Thus, zygomatic implants were proposed in this case report as a substitute for costly and lengthy grafting techniques for rehabilitating patients with insufficient bone. Case Presentation: We describe a 62-year-old male who was diagnosed with maxillary atrophy and who underwent a rehabilitation protocol involving zygomatic implants. Two bilateral zygomatic implants were planned as free-hand surgical procedures because of the lack of a supporting structure to stabilize the surgical template. Prostheses were then placed after 48 hours, and a radiographic follow-up occurred at 24 months. Regular check-ups and proper oral hygiene were maintained. The clinical data and radiographs for the control treatment were obtained throughout the two years following treatment. Patients achieved functional and aesthetic rehabilitation with no major complications reported during the follow-up period. High levels of patient satisfaction and prosthetic function were observed. Conclusion: This case report highlights the effective rehabilitation of a severely atrophic maxilla using quad zygomatic implants, achieving immediate function and aesthetics with no major complications over two years. Compared with traditional bone grafting, the graftless approach is less invasive, leading to faster recovery and greater patient satisfaction.

Background: The objective of this study was to assess the quality of post and core restorations carried out by general dentists in the Hail region of Saudi Arabia using periapical radiographs. Additionally, the assessment included the examination of periapical lesions. Methods: A comprehensive analysis was conducted on 301 periapical digital radiographs to assess various factors including the type of post, type of coronal restoration, post length in relation to crown and root length, presence of any abnormalities in the post space, condition of the remaining gutta-percha (GP), gap between the end of the post and the GP, and the presence of apical lesions. Analysis was conducted to determine the frequency distribution and cross-tabulation of the variables. Results: Prefabricated metallic posts were most commonly used (62.1%), followed by metal posts which were found in 28.9% of the cases, and fiber posts which were used in 9.0% of the cases. The length of the posts in relation to the tooth were 2:1 in 32.6%, followed by 1:1 (27.9%) and 1:2 (23.6%). Parallel posts were used in 54.2% of cases, while the remaining 45.8% used tapered posts. Smooth posts were utilized in 77.1% of the cases, while serrated posts were utilized in 22.9%. Approximately 54.2% of the cases exhibited remaining GP of more than 5 mm, whereas 35.2% demonstrated adequate GP between 3– 5 mm and 8.0% with remaining GP less than 3 mm. According to the study’s findings, 65.1% of the samples under investigation had full coverage indirect restorations placed. Conclusion: It was found that the post and core procedures’ quality was comparable to earlier epidemiological studies. However, a significant proportion of posts were deemed to have poor technical quality, and apical periodontitis was seen in slightly more than one-third of the cases.

To investigate the impact of common dental hygiene practices, including brushing with fluoridated toothpaste, on titanium implant surfaces with varying deg

This in vitro investigation evaluated the marginal fit of three pressable glass-ceramic onlay materials: a conventional monolithic lithium disilicate (IPS e.max Press, EM, ivoclar vivadent AG, Schaan, Liechtenstein) and two zirconia-reinforced glass-ceramics (Vita Ambria, VA, VITA Zahnfabrik, Bad Säckingen, Germany; Celtra Press, CP, Sirona Dentsply, Milford, CT, USA). A typodont maxillary first premolar was prepared for an intensive onlay design by a single operator using a milling surveyor. The master die was duplicated with silicone impressions to create 72 identical epoxy resin dies. Seventy-two onlays (n = 24 per material) were fabricated and adhesively cemented to their respective dies. Vertical marginal gaps were recorded under a stereo-electron microscope before and after thermomechanical loading (TML) in a chewing simulator. Data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc tests for intergroup comparisons and paired t-tests for pre- versus post-TML values. All groups showed a significant increase in marginal gap following TML. VA exhibited mean gaps of 46.41 µm before and 57.28 µm after loading (p = 0.001). EM demonstrated 41.16 µm before and 46.63 µm after TML (p = 0.002). CP showed 45.70 µm before and 55.99 µm after TML (p = 0.003). Among the three materials, EM maintained the most accurate marginal adaptation both before and after simulated chewing. Despite the increases, all post-loading values remained within the clinically acceptable threshold for marginal discrepancy. These findings indicated that thermomechanical fatigue adversely affected the marginal integrity of pressable glass-ceramic onlays, including zirconia-reinforced formulations. Nevertheless, zirconia-reinforced ceramics (VA and CP) achieved marginal gaps comparable to conventional lithium disilicate and remained within acceptable clinical limits. IPS e.max Press provided the best overall fit, suggesting it may offer superior long-term marginal stability for onlay restorations.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) has shown promise in improving the detection of proximal caries on dental radiographs; however, its educational value in enhancing undergraduate students’ independent radiographic interpretation remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of AI–assisted radiology training on undergraduate dental students’ diagnostic competence in assessing proximal caries extension when compared with conventional radiology training. Methods: This randomized experimental study included 82 undergraduate dental students. After completing a pre-test using 20 conventional bitewing radiographs, from which students evaluated three proximal surfaces per radiograph, students were randomly allocated to either conventional radiology training or AI-assisted training using Second Opinion ^® software. Both groups received a one-hour training session. A post-test using 20 conventional bitewing radiographs without AI assistance was conducted one day later, with students again evaluating three proximal surfaces per radiograph. Diagnostic performance was assessed using total exact-match scores (0–60) and absolute average error (0–5 scale). Completion time in minutes was also recorded for pre- and post-tests. Mixed-design ANOVA was used to evaluate group, time, and interaction effects (α = 0.05). Results: Seventy-nine students completed both tests, with 41 trained using AI assistance and 38 trained using conventional radiography. No significant differences were found between training groups or across time points (pre- and post-intervention, p > 0.05). However, absolute average errors increased significantly in the conventional group from pre- to post-test ( p < 0.05), indicating a greater deviation from the correct answers. Post-test completion time was significantly shorter in the AI group compared with the conventional group, and both groups demonstrated significant reductions in completion time from pre- to post-test ( p < 0.05). Conclusions: AI-assisted training did not significantly improve students’ diagnostic competency in proximal caries detection compared with conventional radiology training. However, AI training improved diagnostic efficiency, as indicated by the lower absolute average errors, and did not impair students’ independent radiographic interpretation when AI support was removed. AI may serve as a supportive adjunct in undergraduate dental education, particularly for improving efficiency and consistency in lesion depth estimation.