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Inflammatory paradental cysts (IPC) are frequently under-reported due to insufficient clinical details. Our case report describes a 45-year-old male with a complaint of discomfort in the right lower posterior region. Intra-oral examination revealed a partially erupted, mesioangularly impacted 48 without any dental caries. The radiograph revealed a well-circumscribed radiolucency around the distal root of the impacted mandibular third molar. Histopathology revealed odontogenic epithelium with an inflamed connective tissue wall. It was diagnosed as an IPC correlating the clinical and radiological findings. This case report describes the importance of clinical correlation to diagnose IPC., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Begum et al.)

The cranial and mandibular fragments of the medium-sized canid from the Early Pleistocene locality of Taurida cave (about 1.8-1.5 Ma) in Crimea are described and included in the hypodigm of the species Canis etruscus Forsyth Major, 1877, a common member of the Late Villafranchian fauna of the Circum-Mediterranean region. This species is reported for the first time from the Northern Black Sea region. The discovered evidence reinforce previous published idea regarding the periodically use of the Taurida cave by canids and other large predators as a den and shelter., (© 2024. Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.)

Background: Toothbrushing is the most commonly used method to physically remove dental plaque. However, there are many areas of the mouth that are difficult to reach with a toothbrush. The type of toothbrush is a critical factor influencing the effectiveness of oral care. The purpose of the study was to evaluate a toothbrush with a thin head, slender-neck and super-tapered bristles to target hard-to-reach areas in the oral cavity for reducing dental plaque and gingivitis., Methods: This crossover study included 58 adults aged 20 years and older. All participants were randomly assigned to use test and control toothbrushes (the latter had a normal head and round bristles) for two 4-week phases. Participants brushed their teeth twice daily in their habitual manner. At the start and end of each phase the Silness-Lӧe plaque index (PI), Lӧe -Silness gingival index (GI) and bleeding-on-probing index (BOP) were assessed and performed plaque fluorescence tests using quantitative light-induced fluorescence technology., Results: After using the test toothbrush, PI, GI and BOP decreased by 25%, 30% and 48%, respectively (P < 0.05). For the rearmost molars, PI, GI and BOP decreased by 18%, 26% and 47%, respectively (P < 0.05). For the implants, GI and BOP decreased by 31% and 57%, respectively (P < 0.05). The plaque fluorescence tests indicated that after using the test toothbrush, the dental plaque area for the anterior teeth and the simple plaque score for the rearmost molars decreased by 25% (P < 0.05) and 14% (P = 0.527), respectively., Conclusions: The test toothbrush was markedly better than the control toothbrush at reducing dental plaque and gingivitis. In particular, the test toothbrush produced an excellent reduction in dental plaque and gingivitis for the rearmost molars and the implants., Trial Registration: KCT0009669, retrospectively registered 02/08/2024., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Radix accessoria dentis are anatomical variations of the mandibular molars and identifying them radiographically can be challenging for the clinician, especially in specific areas such as endodontics. The objective this study was to determine the prevalence of radix accessoria dentis evaluated in cone-beam computed tomography in a northern Peruvian population. The study design was descriptive and cross-sectional. The sample consisted of 2640 permanent mandibular first and second molar teeth evaluated by cone beam tomography. Non-probabilistic convenience sampling was used. For the analysis of radix accesoria dentis , the axial and coronal views of the tomography were evaluated. Prevalence was evaluated according to sex and according to type of tooth and average length. The statistical analyses used were the chi-square test and Kruskal-Wallis H test to find the correlation of the variables. A prevalence of 2.5 % of radix accesoria dentis was determined. According to sex, radix accesoria dentis was present in 1.36 % in females and 1.14 % in males (p > 0.05). The tooth 4.6 obtained the highest prevalence with 1.33 % (p > 0.05) and the average length of radix accesoria dentis found was 9.27 mm (p > 0.05). The prevalence of the radix accesoria dentis evaluated in cone beam tomography in a northern Peruvian population is low. Sex does not influence its presentation. Mandibular first molars are the ones that present the greatest amount of this anatomical variation and the average length of the radix accesoria dentis is less than 10 mm., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: No conflict of interest of the authors If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

This study aimed to assess the impact of occlusal loading on secondary tooth eruption and to determine the extent to which altering the occlusal loading influences the magnitude of secondary eruption through an experimental rat model. The present sample consisted of 48 male Wistar rats. At the onset of the experiment, 24 rats were 4 weeks old (young rats) and 24 rats were 26 weeks old (adult). Within each age group, the rats were further divided into two equal subgroups (12 rats each), receiving either a soft- or hard-food diet for the 3-month duration of the experiment. The primary outcome was the tooth position changes relative to stable references in the coronal plane by evaluating the distance between the mandibular first molars and the inferior alveolar canal. Microcomputed tomography scans were taken from all rats at three standardized intervals over the 3-month study period. Descriptive statistics were calculated by age and diet over time, and the evolution of the outcomes were plotted by age and diet over time. Longitudinal data analysis via generalized estimating equations was performed to examine the effect of age, diet and time on the primary outcomes. Secondary tooth eruption was observed in all age groups (young and adult) regardless of diet consistency (soft or hard food). In young rats, the secondary eruption was greater in the animals fed a soft diet than those fed a hard diet. In adult rats, minimal difference in secondary tooth eruption were found between different diet consistencies. Occlusal loading influences secondary tooth eruption in teeth with an established occlusal contact. The quantity of eruption in growing rats is higher when occlusal loading is less, providing a certain amount of secondary tooth eruption occurs. This difference, however, is not evident in adult rats, at least during the given 3-month time frame., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Morphology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Aim: The aim is to evaluate the anatomical characteristics of mesiolingual and mesiobuccal canals in mandibular second molars particularly in terms of its exit direction, distance of confluence from the minor constriction, and the angle of confluence., Materials and Methods: The cone-beam computed tomography images of hundred mandibular second molars were analyzed. Endodontically treated teeth and those with anatomical variations such as C-shaped canal configuration were excluded from this study. The distance of the confluence from the minor constriction, angle of confluence, and the exit direction of the mesiobuccal and the mesiolingual canals were assessed. Data were analyzed using an independent t -test., Results: The course of the mesiobuccal and mesiolingual canals beyond the confluence was towards the center of the root. The average angle of confluence was 32.75°-35.28°. The average distance of confluence from the minor constriction was 2.19 to 2.68 mm. The mesiolingual canal was straighter whereas the mesiobuccal canal had a tortuous course. Considering the results of the present study, a new classification has been proposed for the root canal morphology of the mesial root of mandibular second molars., Conclusion: The variation in the morphology of mandibular second molars highlights that the mesiolingual canal presented a mild curvature through and beyond the confluence when compared to the mesiobuccal canal which exhibited a tortuous course through the confluence., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics.)

Background: Endocrown in pediatric dentistry was rooted in the fundamental principles of preserving healthy dental tissues, leveraging contemporary adhesive methodologies., Aim: This research aimed on assessing and comparing the fracture resistance of pulpotomized primary molars when rehabilitated with zirconia crowns and two distinct types of endocrowns, namely E-Max and Brilliant Crios., Methods: The study involved thirty, anonymized, freshly extracted second primary molars that underwent pulpotomy. These teeth were then evenly divided into three groups, each consisting of ten specimens: the zirconia crown, the E-Max endocrown, and the Brilliant Crios endocrown groups. Post-pulpotomy, the teeth were prepared for their respective restorations. Subsequent to this preparation, the zirconia crowns, E-Max endocrowns, and Brilliant Crios endocrowns were secured. To evaluate the fracture resistance using a computer-controlled testing machine (Instron), a progressively increasing load was applied to each group until fracture occurred. The gathered data were then analyzed for outliers and subjected to normality testing using the Shapiro-Wilk and/or Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, with a significance threshold set at 0.05., Results: There was no statistically significant difference in fracture resistance of pulpotomized primary molars among lithium disilicate (E-Max) group (mean=1367.59N), Brilliant Crios group (mean=1349.73N) and zirconia group (mean=1240.82N)., Conclusion: Endocrowns can be considered a promising restoration for pulpotomized primary molars., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of L-PRF as a healing agent in the postoperative period of third molar extraction surgeries, as well as to investigate secondary effects, such as the reduction of pain, edema and other discomforts after the surgical intervention., Materials and Methods: The methodology adopted consisted of carrying out a systematic review of the literature, following the model outlined by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The inclusion criteria were previously established according to a systematic review protocol approved by the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under number CRD42023484679. In order to carry out a comprehensive search, a search in five databases was carried out, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Embase., Results: The search resulted in the selection of randomized controlled trials that conformed to the established criteria. Two authors independently screened the records and extracted the data. The assessment of bias was conducted according to the guidelines recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration, using version 2 of the Cochrane tool for assessing the risk of bias in randomized trials (RoB 2)., Conclusion: This study demonstrated that L-PRF stands out by providing direct benefits to healing, vascularization and tissue regeneration., Clinical Relevance: L-PRF plays an important role in reducing postoperative pain, edema, the incidence of alveolar osteitis and infections after third molar removal surgery, compared to patients who did not undergo the use of L-PRF., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Resin infiltration is a technique in which a low-viscosity resin penetrates the proximal carious lesions and stops caries progression., Aim: This study aimed to compare the progression of proximal enamel caries of primary molars following the application of resin infiltrant clinically and radiographically vs Tooth Mousse., Materials and Methods: This case-control split-mouth study evaluated 64 proximal surfaces of primary molars in 32 patients. Each patient had one pair of noncavitated proximal caries in two primary molars from different quadrants with radiographic evidence of enamel involvement. The carious lesions in each patient were randomly treated with resin infiltrant and Tooth Mousse. Progression of carious lesions was evaluated clinically and radiographically after 12 months. The two groups were compared by Fisher's exact test., Results: No caries progression was noted in the resin infiltrant group at 12 months, and all 32 surfaces (100%) showed cessation of caries. Four surfaces (12.5%) in the Tooth Mousse group showed caries progression. The two groups were not significantly different in this regard ( p = 0.242)., Conclusion: Resin infiltrant and Tooth Mousse were both effective in stopping the progression of proximal enamel caries of primary molars., How to Cite This Article: Baniebrahim G, Seraj B, Ghonche Z, et al. Clinical and Radiographic Progression of Proximal Enamel Caries of Primary Molars Following the Application of Resin Infiltrant vs Tooth Mousse. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2024;17(4):385-389., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: NoneConflict of interest: None, (Copyright © 2024; The Author(s).)

Objective: This study examines whether larger enamel prism diameters accommodate a greater enamel volume from the enamel-dentine junction (EDJ) to the outer-enamel surface (OES) in primate molars, and how prism size relates to enamel thickness and crown location., Design: We assessed variation in enamel prism diameter in relation to crown location and enamel thickness in catarrhine lower molars (n = 14 species) and one platyrrhine. Prism diameter and enamel thickness were recorded in four locations (lingual lateral; lingual cuspal; buccal cuspal; buccal lateral), using a buccal-lingual section through the centre of the mesial cusps. Ten prism diameter readings were collected at inner (near the EDJ), outer (near the OES) and middle (between the two locations) enamel for each location., Results: Mean prism diameter values for each species were similar (range: 4.06 µm to 5.81 µm). Prism diameter enlarged from inner to outer enamel, suggesting larger prisms help accommodate the increase in enamel volume from the EDJ to the OES. Average prism diameter does not associate with enamel thickness. Instead, cuspal positions had significantly smaller prism diameter at the EDJ than lateral positions, and larger prism sizes at the OES, leading to an overall similar prism diameter mean for all positions (Lingual lateral: 5.11 µm; Lingual cuspal: 5.04 µm; Buccal cuspal: 4.78 µm; Buccal lateral: 4.99 µm)., Conclusions: Our study revealed consistent average enamel prism diameters in various crown locations of lower primate molars, potentially contributing to the mechanical integrity and functional optimization of enamel in primates., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no competing interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Adaptive radiations are bursts in biodiversity that generate new evolutionary lineages and phenotypes. However, because they typically occur over millions of years, it is unclear how their macroevolutionary dynamics vary through time and among groups of organisms. Phyllostomid bats radiated extensively for diverse diets-from insects to vertebrates, fruit, nectar, and blood-and we use their molars as a model system to examine the dynamics of adaptive radiations. Three-dimensional shape analyses of lower molars of Noctilionoidea (Phyllostomidae and close relatives) indicate that different diet groups exhibit distinct morphotypes. Comparative analyses further reveal that phyllostomids are a striking example of a hierarchical radiation; phyllostomids' initial, higher-level diversification involved an "early burst" in molar morphological disparity as lineages invaded new diet-affiliated adaptive zones, followed by subsequent lower-level diversifications within adaptive zones involving less dramatic morphological changes. We posit that strong selective pressures related to initial shifts to derived diets may have freed molars from morpho-functional constraints associated with the ancestral molar morphotype. Then, lineages with derived diets (frugivores and nectarivores) diversified within broad adaptive zones, likely reflecting finer-scale niche partitioning. Importantly, the observed early burst pattern is only evident when examining molar traits that are strongly linked to diet, highlighting the value of ecomorphological traits in comparative studies. Our results support the hypothesis that adaptive radiations are commonly hierarchical and involve different tempos and modes at different phylogenetic levels, with early bursts being more common at higher levels., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Overerupted maxillary molars is common in adults, which can lead to insufficient intermaxillary vertical space ,great difficulty in prosthetic reconstruction ,and cause occlusal interference in movements.To reconstruct occlusal function, it is necessary to prepare enough space for prostheses. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of space-adjustment occlusal splint on overerupted maxillary molars by clinical and electromyographic signals analysis., Methods: Eighteen patients with overerupted maxillary molars were selected to wear space-adjustment occlusal splint suppressing overerupted maxillary molars for three months. Satisfaction was assessed by 5-point Likert; intermaxillary vertical space and the teeth transportation distance were measured in models; clinical periodontal status were evaluated by periodontal probing depth (PPT) and bleeding index (BI); electromyographic recordings of the masseter and anterior temporal muscles were monitored by Cranio-Mandibular K7 Evaluation System., Results: All the patients were satisfied with the treatment effect (Likert scale ≧ 4). The intermaxillary space in edentulous areas after treatment showed statistically significant increasing when compared with those before treatment. PPT and BI showed no significant difference. No statistically significant differences were found in electromyographic activity of anterior temporal muscles, while a reduction of muscle activity in masseter in the contralateral side were detected in post-treatment evaluations compared with pre-treatment at mandibular rest position., Conclusions: Space-adjustment occlusal splint is an efficient treatment option on overerupted maxillary molars by intruding the maxillary molar to obtain adequate intermaxillary space for prostheses., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The lack of knowledge of the relation of the maxillary sinus with the apexes of maxillary posterior teeth can lead to important complications during common dental procedures. This can be avoided using different imaging techniques, such as orthopantomography (OPG) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). The present study aims to compare the performance of OPG with CBCT in measuring the vertical distance of the apexes of posterior-superior teeth to the maxillary sinus., Methods: This study corresponded to a cross-sectional study. OPGs and CBCT scans were obtained from the same individuals, and the qualitative and quantitative vertical distance of the apexes in relation to the maxillary sinus was categorized and measured in mm., Results: A total of 28 pairs of OPGs and CBCT scans from the same patients were obtained. About 381 roots were analysed, which included 89 upper first premolars, 51 upper second premolars, 115 upper first molars, and 126 upper second molars. Projection/protrusion was observed with more frequency in molars, specially 1º molars in both OPG (n= 75, 65.2%) and CBCT (n= 31, 27%); however, 106 more cases (27.9%) were classified as projected in the OPG compared to CBCT (p < 0.05). When comparing the performance of the OPG and CBTC for analysing all roots qualitatively, there was a 57.8% agreement between both techniques. This difference was statistically significant (p <0.0001). Statistically significant differences were also observed when comparing the millimetric differences., Conclusion: This study showed that OPG is not an accurate technique to observe the relationship between the maxillary sinus and the apexes of the upper posterior teeth. In those cases where precision is required when performing dental procedures in this area, CBCT should be used. When not available, the clinicians should be aware of the limitations of the OPG and add other complementary techniques., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Objective: This study assessed the validity of dimensions in posterior dentition for sex estimation in forensic contexts., Design: A systematic review was established following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). After assessing the risk of bias and methodological quality with the QUADAS-2 system, the data were subjected to statistical tests for a meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy and I 2 to verify the heterogeneity., Results: The search resulted in 15 studies that underwent qualitative testing, all were selected for quantitative analysis. The papers included: the mesiodistal of the upper first molar, lower first molar, and upper second molar, and the buccolingual of the upper first molar and upper second molar. The results showed that sensitivity and specificity rates were lower with the mesiodistal diameter, with rates of 0.577 for the lower first molar, 0.674 for the upper first molar, and 0.698 for the upper second molar, while the rates were higher with the buccolingual diameter, with 0.724 for the upper first molar, and 0.743 for the upper second molar. The power to estimate sex is greater for males than for females. High heterogeneity was detected among the studies of almost all dimensions, except sensibility for the lower first molar and specificity for the upper second molar., Conclusions: None of the dimensions reached an accuracy of ≥80%, however, so they are not a reliable method for sex estimation in forensic practice., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Lingual nerve (LN) injury during surgical procedures in the third molar region warrants a detailed study of its common pathway and important variations. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze and compile the multiple anatomical variations of the LN for use in oral and maxillofacial surgery. It is anticipated that the results of the present meta-analysis may help to minimize the possible complications when performing procedures associated with this anatomical entity. Major online databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase were used to gather all relevant studies regarding the LN anatomy. The results were established based on a total of 1665 LNs. The pooled prevalence of the LN being located below the lingual/ alveolar crest was found to be 77.87% (95% CI: 0.00%-100.00%). The LN was located above the lingual/ alveolar crest in 8.21% (95% CI: 4.63%-12.89%) of examined nerves. The most common shape of the LN was established to be round with a prevalence of 40.96% (95% CI: 23.96%-59.06%), followed by oval at 37.98% (95% CI: 23.98%-53.02%) and flat at 25.16% (95% CI: 12.85%-39.77%). In conclusion, we believe that this is the most accurate and up-to-date study regarding the anatomy of the LN. The LN was found to be located below the lingual/alveolar crest in 77.87% of the cases. Furthermore, the LN was found to enter the tongue under the submandibular duct in 68.39% of the cases. Knowledge about the anatomy of the LN is crucial for numerous oral and maxillofacial procedures such as during the extraction of the third molar., (© 2023 American Association of Clinical Anatomists and British Association of Clinical Anatomists.)

Objective: Variation in enamel and dentine mineral concentration and total effective density can be reliably collected using Micro-CT scans. Both variables are suggested to reflect mechanical properties such as hardness and elastic modulus in dental tissues, meaning Micro-CT methods allow relative composition and mechanical properties to be collected non-destructively., Design: 16 lower molars from 16 Catarrhine primates were Micro-CT scanned alongside hydroxyapatite phantoms using standardized settings and methods to calculate mineral concentration and total effective density. Mineral concentration, total effective density and thickness of dentine and enamel were calculated for four cusps, representing each 'corner' of the tooth and four lateral crown positions (i.e., mesial, buccal, lingual and distal)., Results: The results show mean mineral concentration and total effective density values were higher in areas of thicker enamel, while the opposite was observed for dentine. Buccal positions had significantly higher mineral concentration and total effective density values than lingual areas. Cuspal positions had higher mean values than lateral enamel, for both dentine (mineral concentration cuspal: 1.26 g/cm 3 ; lateral: 1.20 g/cm 3 ) and enamel (mineral concentration cuspal: 2.31 g/cm 3 ; lateral: 2.25 g/cm 3 ). Mesial enamel had significantly lower values than other locations., Conclusions: These common patterns across Catarrhine taxa may be linked to functional adaptations related to optimization of mastication and tooth protection. Variation in mineral concentration and total effective density may also be associated with wear and fracture patterns, and can be used as baseline information to investigate the effect of diet, pathological changes and aging on teeth through time., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To study the clinical application effect of two kinds of implants in the upper and lower molars., Methods: A selection of 120 patients (134 teeth) who underwent implant treatment in the upper and lower molars in the army hospital of the Chinese people's liberation army from January 2018 to June 2019 were divided into an immediate group (using immediate implantation) and a delayed group (using delayed implantation) using a random number table 60 cases (60 teeth) in each group; differences in implant success rate, buccal keratinized gingival width before and after treatment, alveolar bone absorption, periodontal pocket depth, and gingival aesthetic indicators were compared between the two groups., Results: The gingival aesthetics effect of the immediate group was better than that of the delayed group on the whole and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05); after 12 months of restoration, the implantation success rate of the immediate group was 96.67%. The deferred group was 93.33%, and the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05)., Conclusion: Both delayed restoration and immediate implant restoration can achieve good results in implant restoration treatment in the maxillary and maxillary molars. However, immediate implantation has certain advantages in reducing the amount of alveolar bone absorption and maintaining the aesthetic effect of the gums., (© 2023 Yu J et al.)

Organoid models provide powerful tools to study tissue biology and development in a dish. Presently, organoids have not yet been developed from mouse tooth. Here, we established tooth organoids (TOs) from early-postnatal mouse molar and incisor, which are long-term expandable, express dental epithelium stem cell (DESC) markers, and recapitulate key properties of the dental epithelium in a tooth-type-specific manner. TOs display in vitro differentiation capacity toward ameloblast-resembling cells, even more pronounced in assembloids in which dental mesenchymal (pulp) stem cells are combined with the organoid DESCs. Single-cell transcriptomics supports this developmental potential and reveals co-differentiation into junctional epithelium- and odontoblast-/cementoblast-like cells in the assembloids. Finally, TOs survive and show ameloblast-resembling differentiation also in vivo. The developed organoid models provide new tools to study mouse tooth-type-specific biology and development and gain deeper molecular and functional insights that may eventually help to achieve future human biological tooth repair and replacement., Competing Interests: Conflict of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Caries in their early stages cannot be properly classified using the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index because it does not record precavitated lesions. Thus, the caries assessment spectrum and treatment (CAST) index is a good alternative as it is equipped to record the whole range of dental illnesses and count restored teeth as healthy ones., Materials and Methods: The participants in this cross-sectional study included 300 children who were seven-to-eight years of age. We used the CAST index to assess the extent of caries in the deciduous and permanent molars of these children. For this, all the permanent and baby teeth, the primary and secondary permanent molars, as well as the first and second deciduous molars were examined to determine the prevalence of each carious stage. The correlation of the distribution of the CAST codes between the first and second molars, the second and first molars, the right and left sides of the dental bend, and the opposing jaws was analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, while the cut-off for statistical significance was a p-value of 0.05. The quantitative analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS Experiences Version 20 for Windows., Results: By comparing CAST codes in the right and left molars, we were able to observe how the development of caries in paired teeth might affect one another. The rank correlation value was found to be less than 0.5 only in the primary second molars (55/65 and 85/75), which were found exclusively in the deciduous first molars. Moreover, the r values for the neighboring deciduous and permanent molars were found to be below 0.3, i.e., 65/64 (0.497), 74/75 (0.327), and 84/85 (0.411), which indicated a weak connection between them. When comparing the teeth in different jaws, we found reasonable correlations (r = 0.33-0.49), with only 64/74 outliers (0.501)., Conclusions: We found that, in the examined population, there was a well-established correlation between the stages of caries development in the deciduous molars on the left side of the mouth., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Kumari et al.)

Objective: The study was conducted to investigate the thickness and height of the alveolar bone of individual teeth after slow maxillary expansion (SME) with quad helix or clear aligner appliances and hypothesized that there is no difference in buccal alveolar bone thickness or heights in patients treated by either quad helix or clear aligners., Material and Methods: This is a retrospective study; the records of 22 patients treated between December 2019 to April 2020 by dental arch expansion using either clear aligners or quad helix appliances were retrieved and studied. The results obtained through cone beam computed tomography (CBCTs) before and immediately after maxillary expansion (2 + 1 mm per side) were analyzed (11 in the Quad Helix group and 11 in the clear aligner). The data collected was analyzed using linear and angular measurements obtained through On-demand 3D App software. Furthermore, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 was used to present the findings by mean and standard deviations, and Scheffe's test was applied for comparing forces., Results: The results showed that the mean age of patients in the clear aligner group and Quad Helix was 16.27 ± 0.56 years and 15.5 ± 1.53 years, respectively. There was no difference in buccal alveolar bone thickness or heights in patients treated by either quad helix or clear aligners. This is due to the findings that suggest that there was a decrease in bone height and bone width when treated with a quad helix as compared to clear alignment., Conclusion: It can be concluded that the quad helix SME treatment affects alveolar bone integrity; therefore, clear aligners might be better for treating patients than the quad helix., (© 2023 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the presence of the second mesiobuccal (MB2) canal is related to volumetric differences on the adjacent canals of maxillary molars., Design: Forty-seven maxillary first and second molars with and without the MB2 canal were individually scanned using microcomputed tomography (micro-CT). The volume of each canal was measured by an evaluator with experience in micro-CT analysis. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was obtained. Multiple logistic regression and odds ratio was calculated. To compare the volume of canals in molars with and without MB2, the Mann-Whitney test was applied (α = 0.05)., Results: The intra-examiner reproducibility was almost perfect (ICC=0.97). Multiple logistic regression demonstrated that the volume of the mesiobuccal (MB1) canal can possibly act as a predictor of the presence of the MB2 canal. It was also found that the MB1 canal volume is larger in molars without the MB2 canal (p = 0.01). No statistically significant difference was observed in the adjacent canals (p > 0.05)., Conclusions: Despite the challenging detection of the presence of MB2 canals, clinicians should be aware that MB1 canals of reduced volume are highly suggestive of their presence., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction  Morphological changes or variations in the lower third molar can be of concern during the endodontic, orthodontic, or prosthetic intervention. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the morphological alterations in the roots and root canal of a mandibular third molar in Bhopal, Central India, on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Methodology CBCT scans of 277 mandibular molars, of both genders, between the ages of 18 and 60 years were assessed for the presence of root numbers, the configuration of the canal based on Vertucci's categorization, and a C-shaped canal. Scan results were analyzed for differences in canal configuration between the roots and topographical distribution. A chi-square test was applied to find any significant differences between the teeth at p 0.05. Results Scans analyzed for variations in the third molar had a mean age of 38.64 + 5.71 years. The majority (95.3%) of the molars had two roots, 1.5% had three roots, and 0.4% had five roots. The mesial side of double-rooted teeth predominantly had Type II canal configuration (67.0%), while it was Type I (79.2%) in the distal aspect of the root. C-shaped canals were detected in 21 teeth, and no significant topographical difference was noted in the CBCT images. Conclusion The majority of the current population showed two roots with the same number of canals in the studied tooth. CBCT can be used as a diagnostic aid in identifying the canal numbers and their configuration so as to render appropriate intervention and minimize subsequent failure., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Priyank et al.)

There are different descriptions of allometric relationships between important components of the mammalian skull. Craniofacial evolutionary allometry describes a pattern of increasing facial cranium in larger skulls. Another body of literature describes disproportionately larger teeth in smaller species or specimens, matching anecdotal observations with dental problems in dwarf breeds whose teeth appear "too large for their skulls." We test the scaling of tooth row length with body size and skull length in a data set comprising 114 domestic horses (representing 40 breeds) and in another data set of 316 domestic cattle (of >60 breeds). We demonstrate that smaller skulls have a relatively longer tooth row in both horses and cattle; larger specimens have relatively shorter tooth rows. Whereas in horses, larger skulls have a relatively longer diastema, the distance of the mesial maxillary premolar to the premaxilla was proportional to cranium length in cattle. While the reasons for these patterns remain to be detected, they support the hypothesis that tooth size might be less "evolvable," in terms of time required for changes, than body size. The pattern may affect (i) the selective breeding for dwarf breeds by setting minimum constraints for skull size, as described previously for domestic horses with the same data set; (ii) the susceptibility of small breeds for dental problems; and (iii) differences in chewing efficiency between breeds of different sizes. The findings support the existing concept that scaling of tooth to body size across taxa becomes more isometric the longer these taxa are separated in evolutionary time., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objectives: This study was conducted to elucidate the link of site-specific, tooth-related, and patient-associated factors with bleeding on pocket probing (BOPP) and the impact of scaling and root planing over these factors., Method and Materials: This cross-sectional study comprised of 50 untreated periodontitis patients and 50 periodontitis patients who had received scaling and root planing in the last 6 to 12 months and were on supportive periodontal therapy. Multilevel modeling was applied to data, with BOPP being the dichotomous outcome variable. Variables that revealed a significant association with BOPP in multilevel modeling were analyzed further to find the influence of the treatment group (untreated periodontitis and treated periodontitis) on the association between predictor variables and BOPP., Results: Odds ratio (OR) for BOPP in untreated periodontitis versus treated periodontitis was 1.493, and in molars versus anterior teeth this was 1.439. Untreated periodontitis had an OR of 3.500 compared to treated periodontitis, in anterior teeth with Plaque Index 0. This was 2.795 and 7.734 in treated periodontitis and 5.106 and 12.762 in untreated periodontitis at Plaque Index 1 and 2, respectively. Bleeding on marginal probing had an OR of 6.984 for BOPP. Bleeding on marginal probing negative sites had higher OR in untreated periodontitis irrespective of the probing pocket depth., Conclusion: Plaque control is more effective in controlling periodontal inflammation after scaling and root planing. The probability of BOPP in the absence of bleeding on marginal probing is higher in untreated patients. The scope of influence of marginal inflammation on periodontal inflammation in shallow pockets is more in untreated periodontitis as compared to treated periodontitis; however, the trend reverses in deep pockets.

Background: The mandibular second molars demonstrate variations on root and canal morphology. The aim of this study was to investigate all the root canal morphology of mandibular second molars and analyze the morphological variations in patients by gender and age in a Chinese population use CBCT imaging., Methods: Cone-beam computed tomographic images of 1200 bilateral mandibular second molars were obtained from 600 patients (300 females and 300 males) who required a preoperative assessment for implant surgery, surgical removal of impacted teeth, orthodontic treatment, surgery of maxillofacial tumour and cysts or LeFort I osteotomy. CBCT images were divided into 5 groups according to age: "15-24 years", "25-34 years", "35-44 years", "45-54 years" and "≥ 55 years"; and 2 groups by gender: "females" and "males". The following information were recorded: the number of roots and canals and their morphology, the frequency and configuration of C-shaped canals by gender, age and position (left and right). The chi-square test was used to analyse differences between groups. P value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: Of the 1200 teeth, 61% had two separate roots located mesiodistally, 35.6% had one C-shaped root. The 45.3% teeth had three canals in two-rooted mandibular second molars. The mesial root showed a Vertucci type II configuration in 28.9% cases followed by type IV(24.4%). While the distal root showed a significant higher prevalence of type I configuration in 95.6%. In the examined 1200 teeth, 430 teeth (35.8%) had C-shaped root canals. The prevalence of C-shaped root canal systems was significantly higher in females (42.5%) than in males (29.1%) (P = 0.000), and did not differ with age (P = 0.126). The 80.4% C-shaped canals were bilateral (P = 0.000) and did not differ with side (left and right) (P = 0.758)., Conclusions: The most commonly observed root morphology for the mandibular second molars was 2 separate roots with three canals.The prevalence of C-shaped root canal is 35.8% and is more higher in females than in males., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Normally root canal-treated teeth are covered with crowns to prevent fracture, which becomes challenging in cases where the tooth is extensively damaged. In such instances, various restorative methods such as post-core and endocrowns have been in use. The former methodology in recent times is being discouraged owing to impending tooth weakening. Due to this reason, an uncommon type of reconstruction, endocrowns are preferred. We carried out a comparative review of restorations for endodontically treated molars., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences.)

Background: Evidence-based information should be provided to clinicians to explain the effectiveness of hydrophilic and hydrophobic forms of resin based sealants (RBSs)., Aim: To assess and evaluate the retention and cariostatic effect of hydrophilic and hydrophobic RBSs in primary and/ or permanent teeth with at least a follow-up period of 3 months., Materials and Methods: Five databases were searched up to September 2021 for randomized and non-randomized clinical trials (RCTs and non-RCTs) that evaluated the retention and cariostatic effect of hydrophilic and hydrophobic RBSs. Two authors nominated the papers, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias., Results: By comparing the retention rate and caries incidence between groups, pooled-effect estimates of included articles were generated. After removing duplicates from the 2,810 titles found, only 1938 remained. Twelve of these were thoroughly examined. A total of 12 papers met the inclusion criteria in qualitative analysis: seven RCTs and five non-RCTs. Only ten studies were included in the meta-analysis: five RCTs and five non-RCTs. After 12 months of follow-up, no significant difference was found in the retention of hydrophilic and hydrophobic RBSs with and without a bonding agent. After 12 months of follow-up, no significant difference was found in the cariostatic effect of hydrophilic and hydrophobic RBSs., Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference in retention and the cariostatic impact was found between hydrophilic and hydrophobic RBSs., Competing Interests: None

The evolution of complex dentitions was a major innovation in mammals that facilitated the expansion into new dietary niches that imposed selection for tight form-function relationships. Teeth allow mammals to ingest and process food items by applying forces produced by a third-class lever system composed by the jaw adductors, the cranium, and the mandible. Physical laws determine changes in jaw adductor (biting) forces at different bite point locations along the mandible (outlever), thus individual teeth are expected to experience different mechanical regimes during feeding. If the mammal dentition exhibits functional adaptations to mandible feeding biomechanics, then teeth are expected to have evolved to develop mechanically-advantageous sizes, shapes, and positions. Here, we present bats as a model system to test this hypothesis and, more generally, for integrative studies of mammal dental diversity. We combine a field-collected dataset of bite forces along the tooth row with data on dental and mandible morphology across 30 bat species. We (1) describe, for the first time, bite force trends along the tooth row of bats, (2) use phylogenetic comparative methods to investigate relationships among bite force patterns, tooth and mandible morphology, and (3) hypothesize how these biting mechanics patterns may relate to the developmental processes controlling tooth formation. We find that bite force variation along the tooth row is consistent with predictions from lever mechanics models, with most species having the greatest bite force at the first lower molar. The cross-sectional shape of the mandible body is strongly associated with the position of maximum bite force along the tooth row, likely reflecting mandibular adaptations to varying stress patterns among species. Further, dental dietary adaptations seem to be related to bite force variation along molariform teeth, with insectivorous species exhibiting greater bite force more anteriorly, narrower teeth and mandibles, and frugivores/omnivores showing greater bite force more posteriorly, wider teeth and mandibles. As these craniodental traits are linked through development, dietary specialization appears to have shaped intrinsic mechanisms controlling traits relevant to feeding performance., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology.)

Aim: The aim of the study is to evaluate erbium laser efficiency in removing smear layer from mesial roots of mandibular first molars at different laser settings., Subjects and Methods: One hundred (100) mandibular first molars were selected. Ninety six (96) mesial roots were assigned to two experimental groups according to the laser wavelength applied: I. Er, Cr: YSGG and II. erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser system. Four samples were used as control group. Samples of each group were distributed into two subgroups (A and B), following specific irrigation protocol. Each subgroup was divided into four subcategories according to the applied power laser. Each subcategory consisted of six samples. Teeth were observed under scanning electron microscope., Statistical Analysis: Results were statistically analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney test (SPSS statistics software)., Results: No statistically significant difference was observed between experimental groups I and ΙΙ. However, statistically significant difference was found among subgroups IA and ΙB and ΙIA and ΙΙΒ. In every root third, groups IIA and ΙΙB had better outcomes but it was not statistically significant. There was no statistically significant difference among subcategories of Group I (ΙΑ 1-4 and ΙΒ 1-4 ) and Group ΙΙ (ΙΙΑ 1-4 and ΙΙΒ 1-4 )., Conclusion: Erbium laser with tested parameters did not completely remove the smear layer from the root canals. Chelating factors can contribute in the laser mechanism of smear layer removal from apical part of narrow and curved root canals., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Conservative Dentistry.)

Objectives: The main objective of the study was to compare the dimensional ridge changes and the histological composition after the use of an allograft or xenograft and a resorbable membrane in ridge preservation in molar sites and to evaluate the influence of bone plate thickness on dimensional changes and the need of lateral sinus augmentation following ridge preservation., Materials and Methods: Twenty-four patients in need of maxillary or mandibular first or second molar extraction and subsequent implant placement were included and randomly assigned to a group; allograft or xenograft, plus a collagen membrane. Cone-beam computed tomographies were obtained after molar extraction and after 5 months. A bone sample was harvested at the time of implant placement and analyzed by histomorphometry., Results: Bone ridge was reduced significantly. Major changes in width occurred at 1 mm from the bone crest (-2.93 ± 2.28 mm) (p = .0002), while in height, the greatest reduction occurred at the buccal area (-1.97 ± 2.21 mm) (p = .0006). However, differences between groups were not significant. Thicker buccal bone plates exhibited less bone remodeling, while histologically, both biomaterials resulted in similar tissue composition. The resulting available bone height in the implant site measured 7.30 ± 3.53 mm initially and 6.8 ± 3.61 mm after 5 months which allowed implant placement without the need for lateral sinus augmentation in all cases. Still, 55% of the preserved areas needed transcrestal sinus lift., Conclusion: Ridge preservation in molar sites using a mineralized allograft or xenograft provides similar dimensional and histomorphometrical results after 5 months., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

This study presents the dental remains discovered at Manot Cave (MC), Western Galilee, Israel. The cave contains evidence for human occupation during the Early Upper Paleolithic period (46-33 ka) mainly of Early Ahmarian (∼46-42 ka) and Levantine Aurignacian (∼38-34 ka) cultural levels. Six teeth (three deciduous and three permanent) were found at the site, of which four could be thoroughly analyzed. The morphology of the teeth was qualitatively described and analyzed using traditional and geometric morphometric methods. A large comparative sample was used in order to assess the morphological affiliation of the Manot specimens with other Homo groups. The results provided equivocal signals: the upper first premolar (MC-9 P 3 ) is probably modern human; the upper deciduous second molar (MC-10 dm 2 ) and the upper second permanent molar (MC-8 M 2 ) might be modern humans; the lower second deciduous molar (MC-7 dm 2 ) might be Neanderthal. Owing to the small sample size and the almost total lack of distinctive characteristics, our outcome could not supply conclusive evidence to address the question of whether Manot Aurignacian population came from Europe or descended from the local Ahmarian population., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Assessment of teeth to estimate age in the living as well as the dead is well documented in the literature. Though applied in conjunction with other parameters in Gustafson's technique, attrition of teeth solely is an underexplored indicator for age estimation mainly in India. Most of the studies using attrition of teeth have been conducted in bioarchaeology, and in populations where studies are being conducted in forensic contexts, the results are debatable. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of age estimation using the Average Stage of Attrition (ASA) method by Li and Ji in adults of the Dakshina Kannada region., Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed the degree of attrition in both maxillary and mandibular first and second molars of 136 adults of Dakshina Kannada origin (age range: 20-70 years) according to the 10 stages given by Li and Ji to derive population-specific linear regression equations., Results: Univariate analysis of prediction of age with attrition showed a significant association of attrition score with age, stratified by sex, arch as well as in total (p-value <0.001) with a standard error of estimate of 9.231 years. The estimated age was within ±5 years of the actual age in 44.2% of the females and 50.0% of the males. A comparative review of 23 studies done to estimate age from attrition score clinically is documented in the manuscript., Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that evaluation of tooth wear by the Average Stage of Attrition (ASA) method can be used as a non-invasive means to aid in the determination of age in adults of Dakshina Kannada origin. Although the error increases with age, this method provides a measurable means of seriation into older and younger categories., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2021 Lewis et al.)

Purpose: Currently, mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) apexification is recommended as the preferred treatment for permanent anterior immature necrotic teeth. Apexification treatment does not enable further development and maturation of the teeth, resulting in short roots with thin root canal walls, that often are prone to cervical fractures. This study presents the regenerative endodontic procedure (REP) as an alternative treatment for immature necrotic molars with apical periodontitis or a chronic apical abscess. REP enables periapical healing as well as root lengthening and widening of the dentinal root canal walls., Case Series Results: Six immature first molars teeth (five mandibular, one maxillary) with apical periodontitis or chronic apical abscess were treated with REP. Patients underwent periodic follow-up visits every 3 months the first year and twice a year thereafter. The final clinical examination revealed no symptoms, no gingival pockets, and no sensitivity to percussion. Cold sensitivity tests were negative. Radiographs revealed full periapical healing in all the treated molars, remarkable root lengthening, and dentinal wall thickening., Conclusion: REP with PRF is feasible and may have some advantages over MTA apexification since it facilitates root elongation, dentinal thickening of the root canals walls, and narrowing of the apical foramen.

Purpose: The goal was to study the effects of early cervical headgear treatment on maxillary and mandibular dental arch area, shape and interarch dimensions., Methods: The total study group comprised 67 children aged 7.6 years (standard deviation 0.3) with Angle class II malocclusion collected between 1992 and 1996. The children were randomly divided into two groups of equal size. In the first group, cervical headgear treatment was started immediately and undertaken for 2 years. The remaining patients served as untreated controls. Dental casts were taken and scanned at the beginning of treatment (T0) and at the 2‑year (T1) and 4‑year follow-up (T2). Three-dimensional landmarks describing the positions of maxillary and mandibular incisors, canines, first and second premolars and first molars were used to calculate and visualize the maxillary and mandibular dental arch area and shape using the polynomial equation y = Ax 6  + Bx 2 ., Results: Significant changes in the shape and area of both maxillary and mandibular dental arches were induced with cervical headgear. The headgear increased dental arch area, sagittal dimensions at the mid-sagittal line and transversal dimensions at all of the measured levels in both dental arches compared to the control group., Conclusions: Cervical headgear is an effective treatment device to gain space in both dental arches. Furthermore, when used as an early phase treatment, relapse is relatively small compared to the gained space.

The aim of the study was to determine the content of: Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn in the impacted third molars and a fragment of covering bone. Patients were divided according to following criteria: place of residence, age, gender, anatomical location of the removed tooth. Content of Cd, Pb, and Mn in the samples increases with age of the patient. The content of Cd and Pb in the tooth and bone was higher in patients living in Wroclaw. Residents of the Wroclaw had higher Cu content in the teeth, while they had a lower content in the jawbone. In contrast to Cd and Pb, an average of 68% higher concentration of Zn in the jawbone than in the tooth was noted. The content of Cr in tooth was lower by 33% than in the mandible bone and, similarly to the content of Ni, it decreased with age. In women, the Fe content in bone of the jaw was higher than in the removed tooth. The presence of Pb and Cd aggregates is confirmed in all hard tissues of the tooth and bone, in contrast to bioelements which show a stronger tendency to aggregate, essentially within the dentine.

Objective: The main aim of this present systematic review is to ascertain whether a conservative endodontic cavity (ConsAC) has a better fracture resistance than a traditional access cavity (TradAC) in endodontically treated molars., Materials and Methods: Three independent reviewers researched without limits in multiple engines: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, ResearchGate, EBSCOhost, Wiley Online Library, and Google Scholar, in addition to reference and hand search. Articles were chosen according to a certain inclusion and exclusion criteria, which, in brief, are in vitro studies assessing the fracture resistance difference between ConsAC and TradAC performed on extracted sound human molar teeth. A quality assessment criteria was produced to evaluate the chosen articles and categorized them according to their risk of bias into low, moderate and high., Results: Out of a total of 105 studies, which were obtained from seven different search engines, only eight in vitro studies were included after eliminating the duplicates followed by the application of the eligibility criteria. Five of the articles showed low risk of bias while the others revealed a moderate risk of bias., Conclusion: To sum up, there is insufficient evidence to give a final decision whether ConsAC is more advantageous than TradAC in terms of fracture resistance and further studies regarding this topic are needed., Competing Interests: All authors declare no financial or other conflicts of interest., (© 2021 Saeed et al.)

Objective: The aim: To study the odontoglific and odometometric parameters of molar crowns of the upper and lower jaws in males and females., Patients and Methods: Materials and methods: To achieve the aim of the research was used odontoglyphic, odometometric and statistical methods of research., Results: Results: We have found that male molars of the upper jaw are characterized by approximately the same ratio between the vestibular-palatal and mesial-distal diameters of the crown, so the teeth are square-formed. For female large angular teeth of the upper jaw the predominance of vestibular-palatal over mesial-distal diameters of the crown is characteristic, which results in an oval form of the teeth. On having analyzed the forms of the third lower molars, it can be affirmed that for this group of teeth various variational forms of crowns, from three- to five-tuber forms, are characteristic. Vestibular-lingual and mesio-distal sizes also vary according to the type of odontoglific pattern of occlusal crown surface., Conclusion: Conclusions: We consider it expedient to take into account the abovementioned characteristics of the masticatory surface of molars of the upper and lower jaws of male and female persons for the creation of qualitative orthopedic structures that would fully restore the masticatory function.

Background: The information of the association between residual alveolar bone height and mucosal thickening is sparse. This study aimed to explore the effect of maxillary molar periodontal status on sinus mucosal thickening using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)., Methods: One hundred ninety-four CBCT images were evaluated for the following parameters: age, sex, alveolar bone loss, maximum mucosal thickness (maxMT), minimum residual alveolar bone height (minRABH), and vertical infrabony pockets. The presence of mucosal thickening (maxMT > 2 mm) of the maxillary sinus was recorded. The parameters that could influence the dimensions of the maxillary sinus membrane were assessed. The data were analyzed using logistic regression, and multivariate linear regression with the significant level at α = 0.05., Results: Mucosal thickening was present in 32% of the analyzed CBCT images and increased in frequency as the periodontal status of the corresponding molar progressed from mild (2.6%) to moderate (14.9%) to severe (75.5%). Mucosal thickness was significantly increased in cases of moderate (odds ratio = 5.73, P < 0.05) and severe (odds ratio = 82.06, P < 0.001) alveolar bone loss. Multivariate linear regression revealed that alveolar bone loss and minRABH had a statistically significant influence on maxMT (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Alveolar bone loss and minRABH were significantly associated with mucosal thickening of the maxillary sinus., (© 2020 American Academy of Periodontology.)

Introduction: The purpose of the study is to assess the vertical and horizontal relationship between the roots of maxillary posterior teeth and neighboring structures like the floor of the maxillary sinus and cortical plates using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)., Method and Materials: 100 CBCT scans of the patients from the Indian population were analyzed. Vertical and horizontal relationship between the roots of maxillary posterior teeth and the floor of the maxillary sinus was divided into 4 types and 3 types, respectively. Distances between the root apices and the floor of the maxillary sinus and cortical plate was measured for each root and results were formulated., Results: In total 365 teeth were assessed, 185 first molar and 180 second molar. It was found that the roots of first molar and second molar usually had type 2 (root apices in close contact with the floor of maxillary sinus) and type 3 (roots projecting laterally into the sinus, but its apices are outside the sinus border) vertical relationship respectively with the floor of maxillary sinus. The deepest portion of the floor of the maxillary sinus was most commonly seen projecting between buccal and palatal roots. The mean distance between the cortical plate and root was highest for the distobuccal root of second molar i.e., 1.20 mm SD = 0.97., Conclusion: The distobuccal root of the first molar and mesiobuccal root of the second molar are closest to the sinus floor, hence clinician should be extra cautious while working on these roots during endodontic or surgical procedures in the Indian population., Competing Interests: None

Objectives: This study explores variation and trends in first molar enamel thickness and daily enamel secretion rates over a 2000 year period in Britain., Methods: Permanent first molars (n = 89) from the Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Medieval periods, as well as modern-day Britain, were analyzed using standard histological methods. Relative enamel thickness (RET) and linear measurements of cuspal and lateral thickness were calculated for mesial cusps. Daily secretion rates (DSRs) were calculated for inner, mid, and outer enamel regions in both cuspal and lateral enamel. Significant differences and trends were identified between samples using nonparametric statistical tests., Results: Enamel thickness differed between some populations, but no temporal trends were identified. Early Anglo-Saxon molars had significantly thinner RET than both Late Anglo-Saxon (p < .00) and Medieval (p < .00) molars. Lateral enamel from the Roman molars was significantly thinner than the modern-day sample (p = .04). In contrast, a significant slowing trend in DSRs was observed across the more ancient to modern-day samples in every measured region except the mid-lateral enamel region., Discussion: This study presents the first evidence for a gradual slowing in the daily rate that enamel is secreted in molars over the past 2000 years in Britain. However, this trend was not matched by consistent or significant positive or negative shifts in enamel thickness. These findings suggest that modern human molars of similar enamel thickness, from different modern and ancient populations, formed at different rates., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Eruption sequestrum (ES) is a single or even multiple, small whitish calcified masses found within the soft tissue of the opercula overlying the crown of erupting permanent molars of children. We herein report a well-documented case of ES, offering a review of published cases in the English literature. An otherwise healthy 6-year-old girl was seen for routine dental examination. A fragment of hard whitish tissue was observed in the gingiva overlying the erupting lower first permanent molar, which showed radiographic appearance of a faint round radiopacity above and separated from the occlusal surface of the related tooth. The patient was submitted to an excisional biopsy, and gross examination showed a hardened whitish fragment surrounded by gingival mucosa. Microscopic examination revealed odontogenic epithelium in association with chronic inflammatory infiltrate and small blood vessels in the connective tissue. Small concentric basophilic calcifications, round osteodentin, and pulp-like structures were also observed. The microscopic evaluation of additional cases of ES may improve the understanding of this uncommon inflamed odontogenic hamartoma.

Introduction: Fused root variations of the root canal system increase the complexity of the inner root canal system anatomy. The aim of the present study was to determine, in in vivo conditions, the proportion of periapical lesions in association with endodontically treated maxillary and mandibular molars with fused roots presenting previous root canal treatment by assessing preexisting data via cone-beam computed tomographic volumes., Methods: A total of 1160 CBCT scans with an overall sample of 20,836 teeth were screened. A global count of 3701 maxillary molars and mandibular second molars were included in the study. The Cohen kappa test and interclass correlation coefficient tested the intra- and interrater reliability, respectively. The percentage of periapical lesions associated with molars with or without root fusion was determined. Proportions were expressed with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The z test for proportions was used to analyze differences between subgroups, and an odds ratio was calculated in order to understand the association between periapical lesions and root configuration., Results: Fused molars presented a prevalence of periapical lesions in endodontically treated teeth of 74.0% (95% CI, 65.2%-82.8%), whereas nonfused molars had a proportion of periapical lesions in root canal-treated teeth of 69.5% (95% CI, 65.2%-73.8%; P > .05). Endodontically treated molars with fused roots presented with 1.3 higher odds of being associated with periapical lesions than endodontically treated molars with nonfused roots., Conclusions: A tendency of a higher proportion of periapical lesions was found in the fused rooted molars with a history of root canal treatment when compared with nonfused teeth; however, no statistically significant difference was noted., (Copyright © 2020 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pulpal calcifications can present problems in endodontic treatment. This micro-CT study examined the removal of calcifications by a multisonic cleaning system in uninstrumented mandibular molar distal canals. The teeth were accessed and distal canals located and their patency ensured. Micro-CT images were obtained, and 15 teeth with distal canal calcifications were selected. The volume of distal canals and calcifications were calculated from the micro-CT images before and after cleaning with the GentleWave system. Calcifications were observed in all thirds of the canals. Attached and free calcification were detected. Root canal volumes were slightly increased after GentleWave treatment, whereas the calcifications were completely or partially removed in all canals. Mean reduction percentage of calcification was 86.4 ± 3.9%, in individual canals from 60% to 100%. Calcifications in the distal canals of mandibular molars could be partially or completely removed by the multisonic cleaning system without instrumentation., (© 2019 Australian Society of Endodontology Inc.)

Objective: In the present study, we compared the in vitro osteogenic and dentinogenic potential of pulp cells from incisors and molars., Design: Primary pulp cultures were established from DSPP-Cerulean/DMP1-Cherry and BSP-GFPtpz reporter mouse lines and processed for various assays., Results: Our results showed marked differences in dentinogenic and osteogenic potentials of primary cultures from unerupted molars and incisors isolated from 5 to 7 days old pups. While primary cultures from both incisors and molars differentiated into odontoblasts and osteoblasts, cultures from molars differentiated into more DSPP-Cerulean + cells (∼5.5 %) compared to incisor cultures (∼0.7 %) at Day 14 and appear to be more committed to the odontogenic lineage. On the other hand, cultures from incisors show more differentiation into BSP-GFPtpz + cells (∼25 %) compared to molar cultures (∼16 %) and were more committed to the osteogenic lineage. Data were analyzed by Student's t-test and statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05., Conclusion: Since in the dental pulp, MSCs are the primary source of progenitors capable of giving rise to osteoblasts and odontoblasts, our results provide evidence for differences in the commitment of MSCs in molars and incisors to the odontogenic and osteogenic lineages, respectively., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Fissures on the occlusal surface of equine cheek teeth are commonly encountered during oral examination. Generally, their presence is considered abnormal but their aetiopathogenesis and clinical impact on pulp disease is still undetermined. The aims of this research were to study the extent of occlusal cheek teeth fissures using high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (μCT) imaging and their histological characteristics. Twenty-seven teeth (of 15 horses) were scanned using μCT imaging to analyse fissure extent. Histological examination of a subset of teeth (n=7) was performed. Forty-three type 1 fissures (35 type 1a, eight type 1b) were identified. The mean length of the fissure of type 1a and type 1b on the occlusal surface was 3.47+/-1.60mm and 13.64+/-7.40mm, respectively. Their mean depth was 13.22+/-10.76mm and 7.42+/-6.42mm, respectively. Potential risk factors associated with fissure depth were identified using a multivariable mixed model The location of the fissure and Triadan number were significantly associated with fissure depth. Fissures could be identified on histological sections with the presence of organic material inside the fissure, microorganisms in the continuation of the fissure extending into the dentinal tubules and the presence of reactionary dentine. This study suggests that fissures can provide a pathway for microorganisms to enter the dentinal tubules, potentially resulting in local pulpal inflammation. It appears that in healthy teeth, vital odontoblasts react by producing reactionary (tertiary) dentin, which lacks patent tubules and thus provides a proper seal., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of lithium disilicate endocrowns compared to prefabricated zirconia crown used for restoring pulpotomized primary molars, on their Fracture Resistance and to compare the loads to failure these different ceramic restorations with previously reported posterior occlusal forces., Methods: Twenty mandibular left second primary molars were randomly distributed into two groups (n = 10 in each group) the zirconia Crown (Nusmile zr.) Group (G1) and the lithium disilicate (IPS e.max Press) Endocrown Group (G2). In all groups pulpotomy procedure was done before preparation then each sample was prepared based on their allocated restoration, both zirconia crown (Nusmile zr.) and endocrown (IPS e.max Press) were cemented by dual-cure resin cement. All samples were loaded to failure using a universal testing machine (Instron, USA), and the compressive force was applied. The data were analysed using one-way (ANOVA) and Tukey's post hoc significance difference tests. Differences were considered significant at (p< 0.05)., Results: Group zirconia crown (G1) showed significantly higher fracture strength than Group (G2) lithium disilicate endocrown (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: The zirconia crown showed higher fracture resistance than lithium disilicate endocrown. However, both tested zirconia crown and lithium disilicate endocrown withstood the application of axial occlusal forces greater than the reference values for posterior occlusal loads., (Copyright: © 2019 Yasmine El Makawi, Nagwa Khattab.)

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the transportation of the mesiobuccal canal of maxillary molars following root canal preparation with HyFlex CM (HCM) and Edge Taper Platinum (ETP) rotary systems and stainless steel (SS) hand files using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)., Materials and Methods: This in-vitro study was performed on 48 maxillary molars in three groups of 16. The teeth were mounted in acrylic blocks, and root canals were prepared using HCM in group 1 (up to #30/0.06), ETP in group 2 (up to F3/0.06), and SS hand files in group 3 (up to #30). CBCT scans were taken before and after root canal preparation. The amount of canal transportation was measured at 0, 3, 6, and 9mm from the apex. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests., Results: The difference in canal transportation at 0 and 6mm from the apex was significant between the HCM and ETP groups (P=0.031 and 0.023) but none of the systems showed any significant difference with hand files at 0-and 6-mm levels (P=0.10, 0.56, 0.22, and 0.50), respectively. At 3mm from the apex, no significant difference was noted among the groups (P=0.30). At the 9-mm level, the amount of canal transportation was not significantly different between HCM and ETP (P=0.83) but they showed significant differences with hand files (P<0.001)., Conclusion: ETP and HCM caused less canal transportation at the curvature of the mesiobuccal canal of maxillary molars compared to hand files. ETP showed superior efficacy in root canal preparation compared to HCM., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT None declared, (Copyright© Dental Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.)