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NeoMTA is a commercially available tricalcium silicate‐based cement intended for contact with pulp and periradicular tissues. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the outcomes of non‐surgical root canal treatments with NeoMTA obturations. Patients were treated in a private endodontic practice between 2015 and 2018. All cases, including initial treatments and retreatments, were either fully obturated with NeoMTA, or using gutta‐percha with NeoMTA as an endodontic sealer. Outcomes were assessed using follow‐up examination data with digital periapical radiographs with a minimum of a 1‐year recall. Teeth were classified based on the clinical examination as: healed/healing (success), or non‐healed (failure). 265 teeth were included with an average follow‐up time of 1.3 years. The overall success rate was 91.7%. Only the presence of a pre‐operative periapical radiolucency was found to significantly affect success. Comparison of obturation techniques demonstrated no effect on outcomes. NeoMTA is suitable for endodontic obturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental anxiety remains a pervasive barrier to dental treatment for many individuals, including college-age patients. In this article, the author reviews dental anxiety and examines the usefulness of assessment instruments for identifying dental anxiety. Using 2 unique assessment instruments, he examines the prevalence of dental anxiety in his university dental clinic's patient population. The 2 assessment instruments were determined to be equally effective in identifying anxious dental patients. Both instruments revealed that the average patient surveyed had low-to-mild dental anxiety. The results of this survey concur with those of previous studies of college-populations. (Contains 1 note.)

Scleroderma Is a chronic connective tissue disease generally classified as an autoimmune rheumatic disease. Symptoms may include thickening of the skin, calcifications, Raynaud syndrome, and esophageal problems. Invasive cervical resorption is an aggressive form of external resorption localized in the cervical part of the tooth. Its etiology remains uncertain. This case report describes invasive cervical resorption affecting 4 teeth in a 44-year-old woman with scleroderma and speculates on the possible relationships between these disease entities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although several recent studies have gauged the participation of US dental schools and dental students in international volunteer programs, no study of US dentists' international dental volunteer activities has been published to date. The goal of this study was to quantify that participation and explore dentists' motivation for service. A web-based survey was developed, and, in August 2018, a hyperlink to the web-based survey consisting of 12 questions was sent to 19,679 US dentists whose names and contact information were collected from a commercially obtained email list. All respondents were volunteers, and no compensation was offered. Of the 19,679 potential respondents contacted via email, 1295 (6.6%) participated in the survey. Some respondents did not answer all the survey questions. A majority (79.2%) were 51 years or older, and 41.9% of respondents reported having participated in volunteer dental activities outside the United States. Of those dentists, 99.6% reported having had positive experiences, and 98.8% reported that they would recommend this activity to other dentists. Among the respondents, 27.4% reported having volunteered more than once, and 12.1% reported that they volunteered regularly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioceramic materials are at the forefront of modern dentistry. Bioactive bioceramic endodontic materials promote pulpal and periapical tissue healing and are easy to use. Dentists can choose among many endodontic materials, depending on their needs. This article highlights the major differences among commercially available bioactive tricalcium silicate bioceramics, commonly known as mineral trioxide aggregate materials, to enable dentists to make appropriate decisions in the selection of these materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Two important aspects of the dental operating microscope (DOM) that factor into its overall effectiveness are resolution and depth of field. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the resolution and depth of field of DOMs from three well-known manufacturers using standardized test targets., Materials and Methods: A resolution test, using the 1951 USAF Hi-Resolution Target (Edmund Optics, Barrington, NJ), and a depth of field test, using the Depth of Field Target 5-15 (Edmund Optics, Barrington, NJ), were performed by two calibrated observers. Three DOM systems such as Seiler IQ (Seiler Instrument Inc., St. Louis, USA), Global G-Series 6 step (Global Surgical Corp., St. Louis, USA), and Zeiss Extaro 300 (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Oberkochen, Germany) were used to compare the resolution and depth of field., Results: The Zeiss Extaro 300 showed the highest maximum resolution and maximum DOF (64 lp/mm and 17mm, respectively). The Seiler IQ showed the lowest maximum resolution and maximum DOF (35.9 lp/mm and 11 mm, respectively)., Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the Zeiss Extaro 300 was superior in terms of resolution and depth of field as compared to the other two DOMs., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Journal of Conservative Dentistry.)

Identifying and accessing all pulp canals is particularly challenging in the endodontic treatment of teeth with atypical canal configurations. This report describes the nonsurgical endodontic treatment of a maxillary first premolar with three root canals. The prevalence of this unusual morphology is reviewed and suggestions are offered to help dentists identify and treat such teeth. This case reminds dentists to be alert for variations in the root canal anatomy of maxillary first premolars.