This study aims to conduct a comparative evaluation of the accuracy, reliability, quality, and readability of chatbot-generated responses from five widely

Understanding the relationship between clinical anxiety and self-confidence in dental education is crucial for enhancing students’ perceptions of pro

Background/Aim: Dental treatment is typically performed under general anesthesia for children who have difficulty cooperating, as well as for those with mental or physical disabilities requiring special care. This study aims to categorize and evaluate the systemic disease or syndrome status, age, and gender of children who require dental treatment under general anesthesia. Materials and Methods: In this study, the ages, sexes, disabilities (if any), and systemic diseases of patients requiring dental treatment under general anesthesia (GA) between the ages of 1 and 15 were analyzed. The patients were categorized based on having difficulties cooperating or having mental or physical disabilities that require special care. Results: In this study, data from 1666 patients were examined. A total of 955 patients (57.32%) were male, while 711 (42.67%) were female. Overall, 232 (13.9%) patients with disabilities or systemic diseases visited the clinic, including 49 who had epilepsy (2.9%), the highest number among the systemic disease group. This finding was statistically significant in the 4–6 age group (p < 0.00). Conclusions: Among patients with special needs, epilepsy emerged as a disorder that requires the most dental treatment. We believe that providing dental treatment for children with neurological diseases, such as epilepsy, in a fully equipped operating room will be beneficial in managing complications that may arise during treatment.

Glass ionomer-based restorative materials are widely used in pediatric dentistry because of their chemical adhesion to tooth structure, ion-releasing capacity, and clinical handling advantages; however, their mechanical durability under simulated oral aging conditions remains a critical factor influencing long-term clinical performance. This in vitro study aimed to evaluate and compare the surface microhardness of three contemporary glass ionomer-based restorative materials—Beautifil Bulk Restorative, EQUIA Forte HT, and Fuji II LC—before and after thermocycling. A total of 90 disc-shaped specimens (10 mm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness) were prepared, with 30 samples allocated to each material group. Microhardness measurements were performed using the Vickers hardness test at baseline and after 10,000 thermocycling cycles between 5 °C and 55 °C to simulate intraoral aging. Results were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation, and statistical analyses were conducted using non-parametric tests. Thermocycling resulted in a statistically significant reduction in microhardness values for all tested materials (p < 0.05). Beautifil Bulk Restorative exhibited the highest microhardness values both before and after thermocycling, followed by Fuji II LC and EQUIA Forte HT, with significant differences observed among all groups (p < 0.001). Within the limitations of this study, Beautifil Bulk Restorative may be considered a favorable option for restorations in young permanent teeth, whereas EQUIA Forte HT, exhibiting lower microhardness values, may be more suitable for primary teeth, where physiological wear is expected.

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of restorative crown materials with different elastic moduli on stress distribution in dentin and supporting tissues of pulpotomized primary anterior teeth under multi-directional loading conditions using the three-dimensional finite element analysis method. Materials and Methods: A three-dimensional model of a maxillary primary central incisor was created based on anatomical data. A clinical pulpotomy scenario was simulated using mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and resin-modified glass ionomer cement. Three models were analyzed: healthy tooth (control), Bioflx crown, and prefabricated zirconia crown. Frontal, oblique, and vertical loads were applied to represent functional and traumatic conditions. von Mises and principal stress distributions in the crown, dentin, and supporting tissues were evaluated. Results: In the prefabricated zirconia crown group, higher von Mises stress values were observed under all loading conditions, with significant stress concentrations particularly in the cervical region. In contrast, the Bioflx crown group exhibited lower stress values and a more homogeneous stress distribution. While the stress patterns in the Bioflx group were found to be closer to those of the control group, more localized stress accumulation was observed in the zirconia crowns. No significant differences were observed between the groups in the bone tissue. Conclusions: The elastic modulus of restorative materials plays a decisive role in the stress transfer mechanism. It is believed that materials with dentin-like mechanical properties may provide a more balanced and physiological stress distribution. Multi-directional loading analysis highlights the importance of evaluating the biomechanical behavior of restorative materials under more realistic conditions. Further advanced experimental and clinical studies are needed to clinically validate these findings.

Background and aim: Accurate perioperative risk stratification is essential for patient safety in pediatric dental treatment under general anesthesia. We aim to evaluate the association between ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) Physical Status Classification and postoperative intensive care requirement in pediatric patients undergoing dental treatment under general anesthesia. Methods: In this retrospective study, the clinical records of 1003 children who underwent dental treatment under general anesthesia between June 2022 and June 2025 were evaluated. The patients’ age, gender, ASA classification, concomitant systemic diseases, and postoperative intensive care requirements were analyzed. The chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used for statistical evaluation, and results are expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The mean age of the patients was 5.78 ± 2.87 years, and 58.3% were male. All patients requiring postoperative intensive care were in the ASA II (34.7%) and ASA III (65.3%) groups, while no intensive care need was observed in the ASA I group (p < 0.001). The need for intensive care significantly increased, particularly in the presence of cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, congenital heart disease, and intellectual disability (p < 0.001). In addition, the mean age of children requiring intensive care was significantly higher (p < 0.001). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, ASA classification was significantly associated with postoperative intensive care requirement (OR = 180.73, 95% CI: 9.40–1922.49, p < 0.001), whereas age and gender were not independently associated. Furthermore, the interaction term between ASA and age (ASA × Age) was not statistically significant (p = 0.59). Conclusions: ASA classification was significantly associated with postoperative intensive care unit admission in pediatric patients undergoing dental treatment under general anesthesia and may contribute to perioperative risk assessment. The findings emphasize the need for early identification of high-risk children and support the integration of ASA classification into multidisciplinary preoperative planning to enhance patient safety and optimize postoperative resource utilization.