The aim of this in vitro study was to determine the effect of the smear layer on apical and coronal leakage in root canals obturated with AH26 or RoekoSeal sealers. A total of 160 maxillary anterior teeth extracted for periodontal reasons were used. The root canals were prepared to a size #7 with ProFile.06 taper Series 29 rotary instruments in a crown-down manner. Eight groups were created by all possible combinations of three factors: smear layer (present/absent), leakage assessment (apical/coronal), and sealer used (AH26/RoekoSeal). All teeth were obturated using lateral condensation technique of gutta-percha. A fluid filtration method was used to test apical or coronal leakage. According to the results of this study, the smear (+) groups displayed higher apical and coronal leakage than those smear (-) groups for both root canal sealers (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in either apical or coronal leakage between RoekoSeal and AH26, regardless of the presence or absence of the smear layer (p > 0.05). However, apical leakage was significantly higher than coronal leakage for both root canal sealers used in this study (p < 0.05). Under the conditions of this study, the results indicate that removal of the smear layer has a positive effect in reducing apical and coronal leakage for both AH26 and RoekoSeal root canal sealers.

The significance of haptic and virtual reality (VR) has been acknowledged by eminent dental professionals and has transformed dental teaching in the modern dental world. With this novel technological concept, students can interact with digital simulation on the screen and learn treatment skills before transferring them to real situations. This is helpful for gaining skills confidence, revising exercises again and again without the waste of materials, and for student assessment controlled by a teacher or tutor. It is a promising technology to enhance dental education for the new era of post COVID-19 practice due to noncontact patient training environments. It can create a safe learning environment for the teacher and learner or participant. The prospect of this literature review is to highlight the significance and clinical applications of virtual reality and simulations in undergraduate dental education.

The clinical dentistry and endodontic procedures involve very technique-sensitive procedures, therefore exposing the operator to risks of causes not only damage to patients but also leads to malpractice. Among various disciplines of dentistry, endodontics-related cases witness the most frequently filed malpractice claims. This is due to the fact that the endodontic treatment procedures involve operative and surgical procedures, using a variety of medicaments and techniques. The endodontic procedural errors can be preoperative errors (such as incorrect diagnosis and misinterpretation), intraoperative errors including root canal and pulp chamber perforations, ledge formation leading to apical transportation or zipping, hypochlorite accidents, and fracture of instruments. More critically, failure to use rubber dam may result in inhalation or ingestion of endodontic instruments. Under such circumstances, the endodontist may have to face legal consequences. Due to the increased healthcare load and patients’ awareness, it is important to know the legal ramifications of adverse effects, failed restorations, or other complications, to avoid any legal ramifications of endodontic procedures and associated techniques. Therefore, precautions must be taken to prevent any postsurgical complications, patient complaints, and/or failures. For this purpose, the operator must consider ethical principles and adhere strictly to the standards of healthcare while performing the diagnosis and treatment. A referral toward a specialist or consultant endodontist is always an appreciable option and should be considered in the best interest of the patient. The aim of the article is to highlight various aspects of malpractice in clinical endodontics, and associated materials and challenges. In addition, commonly occurring operating errors during endodontic treatment, possible consequences, precautions, and management have been discussed.

Objectives: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the influence of different post lengths upon root fracture resistance.Methods: 78 maxillary central teeth with similar dimensions were mounted in acrylic blocks with artificial silicone periodontal ligaments. Combinations of post lengths of 6 mm (shorter than 1/1 clinical crown length), 9 mm (1/1 clinical crown length), and 12 mm (longer than 1/1 clinical crown length) made up 6 different groups consisting of 13 teeth each. The glass fiber posts (Snowpost) were cemented with Super-Bond C&B and Panavia F luting cement. Composite-resin cores were made with Clearfil PhotoCore. The specimens were tested in a universal test machine. The testing machine applied controlled loads to the core, 2 mm from its incisal edge, on the palatal side at an angle 135 degrees to the long axis of the root. The testing machine was set at a crosshead speed of 5mm per minute. All samples were loaded until failure.Results: There was no statistically significant difference between cements (P>.05). Posts shorter than clinical crown length, demonstrated root fracture under significantly lower loading forces (P<.05).Conclusion: Usage of posts shorter than clinical crowns should be avoided to eliminate clinical failure. (Eur J Dent 2008;2:23-28)