Adjunctive Dental Procedures and Pain Assessment Among a Group of Patients Attending Dental University Hospital at King Saud University: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background/purpose A large percentage of people still experience discomfort and pain during dental visits, even with advancements in instrumental techniques that enable dentists to manage patients in a pain-free manner. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and levels of pain induced by various dental procedures, including adjunctive dental procedures. Material and methods A structured, custom-made questionnaire composed of 20 questions written in Arabic with accompanying pictures of instruments to simplify instrument identification for the patients was designed. The questionnaire was designed to investigate and determine the factors that cause pain and discomfort during dental procedures and was introduced to adult patients attending their dental appointments at the College of Dentistry. All data were collected using an online link that was distributed to patients attending dental clinics at the Dental University Hospital at King Saud University either through their mobile phones or the researcher's tablet. All data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results A total of 158 patients participated in the study. The findings revealed that 50% of participants experienced pain from mouth mirror retraction and 28.48% experienced pain from suction. Participants also reported that the most common instruments associated with pain were the ultrasonic scaler (88.57%) and the periodontal probe (87.88%). Conclusion The findings provided valuable insights into the prevalence of pain during dental procedures and the factors that may contribute to this experience. Adjunctive dental procedures appeared to be causing a high prevalence of pain that could be avoided if dentists/dental assistants were more aware of it. These findings may have important implications for dental practitioners looking to reduce pain and improve patient experience during the provision of dental care.

Push-Out Bond Strength of Endodontic Posts Cemented to Extracted Teeth: An In-Vitro Evaluation.

(1) Background: An ideal bond strength between endodontic posts and root canal dentin is essential for optimal retention and good prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the push-out bond strength (PBS) of prefabricated fiber and metal posts, luted with resin cement to natural dentin. (2) Methods: Extracted premolars with similar root dimensions were assigned into two groups of 30 each for the metal and fiber posts. Teeth were mounted in acrylic blocks exposing 2 mm of the coronal root. Teeth were subjected to endodontic treatment and post-space preparations. Two groups were further subdivided into three sub-groups (n = 10) according to the size of the posts (# 4, 5 and 6). Posts were cemented with resin cement. Specimens were sectioned into 4 mm slices and subjected to the PBS test. (3) Results: The mean PBS was similar for the metal and fiber posts bonded with resin cement, showing a statistically significant result. An increase in post size increased the bond strength initially, but a further increase in size did not show any marked difference. A total of 71.66% of tested specimens failed with the adhesive failure mode. (4) Conclusions: Metal posts showed slightly higher retention compared to the fiber posts, although the p-value was similar for both types. An increase in the size of posts showed increased retention. The most common mode of failure was adhesive failure between cement and dentin.