This study aimed to evaluate the effects of natural light conditions and ambient lighting levels changing at different times of the day on the accuracy and

Purpose: This in vitro study aimed to evaluate the effects of post material and cement type on the pull-out force of prefabricated glass-fiber, PEEK, and PEKK posts. Methods: Sixty extracted human mandibular premolars were prepared with standardized root canals and allocated into six groups (n = 10) according to post material (glass-fiber, PEEK, PEKK) and luting cement (resin or glass ionomer). PEEK and PEKK posts were CAD-CAM fabricated from prefabricated discs. All specimens underwent thermocycling (6000 cycles, 5–55 °C) prior to pull-out force testing on a universal testing machine, and failure modes were classified as adhesive, cohesive, or mixed. Because variance homogeneity was not satisfied, pull-out force values were logarithmically transformed (Log10) before two-way ANOVA and Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc analyses. Results: Post material (p = 0.026), cement type (p < 0.001), and their interaction (p = 0.012) significantly influenced pull-out force. Under resin cement, no statistically significant differences were detected among glass-fiber, PEEK, and PEKK posts. Under glass ionomer cement, PEEK and PEKK posts demonstrated significantly higher pull-out force than glass-fiber posts. The highest mean pull-out force was observed for glass-fiber posts luted with resin cement. The effect of post material on pull-out force was dependent on the luting cement. PEEK posts luted with resin cement showed no significant difference in pull-out force compared with conventional glass-fiber posts, supporting their potential as an alternative post material. Further studies are needed to evaluate the clinical performance of PEEK posts.

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the morphology of palatal rugae as a supplementary tool for age and gender determination in a Turkish population. A total of 102 maxillary plaster models (45 males, 57 females; aged 18–84 years) archived at Haci Bektas Veli University Faculty of Dentistry were examined. Palatal rugae were classified as straight, wavy, curved, circular, converging, and diverging. Rugae length was measured with a digital caliper. Data were statistically analyzed using chi-square and Spearman correlation tests. Inter-observer reliability was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient and Cohen’s Kappa statistics. A total of 695 rugae were analyzed (221 male, 474 female). The most common shapes were straight (35.3%) and wavy (23.5%). No significant differences were found in shape distribution according to gender (p=0.897) or side (p=0.317). Mean rugae length was 9.7 ± 3 mm in males and 9.3 ± 2.8 mm in females (p=0.084). A weak positive correlation was observed between age and rugae length (r=0.096; p=0.011). Inter-observer reliability was excellent for both size (intraclass correlation coefficient =0.90) and shape (κ=1.00). Palatal rugae morphology demonstrated stability and high observer agreement, supporting its use in forensic identification. However, rugae shape and size alone were insufficient indicators of age or gender. Palatal rugae should be considered as an auxiliary method alongside other forensic identification techniques.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the marginal adaptation of galvanoceramic inlay comparing two different ceramic inlays used in dental practice. Materials and methods: Class II inlay cavity was prepared on an ivorine mandibular left first molar and a metal master die was produced from stainless steel. Using electroforming machine, fifteen galvanoformed copings were produced firstly, and then galvanoceramic inlays were obtained by firing feldspathic porcelain on them. For comparison with ceramic inlays, two different groups were prepared from lithium disilicate and alumina ceramic. The absolute marginal discrepancy of galvanoformed copings and three different inlay restorations were measured onto the master die in described 16 different reference points by scanning electron microscope. Data obtained from the measurements were statistically analysed using paired t-test and one-way analyses of variance (α=.05). Results: The galvanoceramic inlays showed a significantly higher marginal discrepancy than other ceramic inlays (P<.001). The mean marginal discrepancy was 379±153µm for galvanoceramic inlays, whereas other inlays had marginal gaps under 200µm. Galvanoformed copings had lowest marginal gap, but the adaptation of these copings was failed after porcelain firing. Conclusion: Galvanoformed copings have superior marginal fit than other ceramic inlays, but the marginal gaps increased after porcelain firing and marginal adaptations became clinically unacceptable. Clinical usage of galvanoceramic inlays is questionable due to their marginal discrepancies.