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This study investigated the effects of different surface treatments and a silane-containing adhesive on the repair bond strength between fresh and aged resin composites. A total of 140 composite specimens were prepared and aged for 24 h or 4 months. Each group was subdivided into seven subgroups (n = 10) depending on the surface treatment (no surface treatment (NT), sandblasting (SAND), or Sof-lex coarse disc (DISC)) in combination with the use of the silane-containing adhesive ScotchBond Universal Plus (SBU) or an adhesive without silane Prime&Bond Universal (P&B). The same composite was used for the repair as for the primary specimen. Specimens were dark stored in distilled water at 37 °C for 28 days. Shear bond strength was tested at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The Kruskal–Wallis test with Bonferroni's post-hoc adjustment (α = 0.05) and the Mann–Whitney U-test were used for the statistical analysis. The results are shown as the median with the interquartile range. The highest bond strength (MPa) was achieved after 24 h in the DISC+P&B (20.39(16.85–28.83)). In the fresh 24 h group, the SAND+P&B (12.25(8.28–15.05)) and DISC+SBU (18.37(15.16–21.29)) were statistically similar. In the 4-month groups, both adhesives and surface treatments performed similarly. The NT, SAND, and DISC groups without adhesives had the lowest bond strength. In the repair of fresh or aged composite, the silane-containing adhesive SBU was not superior to the adhesive without the silane (P&B). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate marginal integrity of restorations applied with preheated and non-preheated composite, flowable composite, sonically activated composite, and a new thermo-viscous bulk-fill composite using near-infrared technology for preheating, in class V cavities of human molars. Materials and Methods: Standardized cavities were prepared on the buccal surfaces of 60 human mandibular molars and restored with one of the following resin composite materials after application of an etch-and-rinse adhesive (Opti-Bond FL, Kerr): non-preheated or preheated conventional composite (Filtek Supreme XTE, 3M Oral Care), preheated thermo-viscous composite (VisCalor bulk, Voco), soncially activated composite (SonicFill 3, Kerr), or flowable composite (Filtek Supreme XTE Flowable, 3M Oral Care) applied in bulk or as a lining material using the snow-plow technique. After light curing and polishing, the percentage of continuous margins (PCM) of the restorations in enamel and dentin was assessed using SEM both before and after thermomechanical loading (TML). TML was carried out with 3000 thermal cycles (5°C-50°C) and a simultaneous mechanical stress application with 1.2 million load-cycles (1.7 Hz, 49 N) in a computer-controlled masticator. Non-parametric statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon, Kruskal- Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U-tests (2= 0.05). Results: All groups revealed a significant decline in marginal integrity after TML in both enamel and dentin. Although the flowable group in enamel and the snow-plow group in dentin showed the highest PCM before TML, the differences between the groups were compensated after TML. Conclusion: All of the tested composites and application methods showed similar marginal integrities after thermomechanical loading and can be recommended for clinical implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The education of Oral Health Professionals (OHPs) is variable across Europe and consequently, there is concern that research skills are not consistently or optimally integrated into European OHP curricula. The aim of this study is to investigate the perspectives of European OHP students regarding the inclusion of research in the undergraduate curriculum. Materials and Methods: A 21‐question online survey was administered to dental, dental hygiene, and dental hygiene and therapy students across Europe. Informed consent was obtained from participants and all responses remained confidential. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyse the data. Results: A total of 825 student responses to the survey from 33 European countries were eligible for inclusion. The results demonstrated that OHP students recognise the importance of research in the dental field and value the inclusion of research in the curriculum. Although students indicated that they are interested to learn more about research, the survey results also showed that students had neutral opinions towards the existing curriculum providing enough training about research. Conclusion: European OHP students agree on the need for an open and explicit research curriculum in OHP education. The development of a research domain within an open curriculum framework would help to harmonise the teaching and assessment of OHP research skills across Europe and ultimately improve graduating OHP's research skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]