An In Vitro Study: Does Adding Iodine Potassium Iodide and Cetrimide to Calcium Hydroxide Paste Enhance Its Antimicrobial Effect Against Oral Biofilms?

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the antibiofilm effect of calcium hydroxide (CH), 0.5% iodine potassium iodide (IKI), and 0.5% cetrimide (CTR), alone and in combinations on one-week and three-week-old biofilms. Materials and methods Gingival plaque was collected, and biofilms were grown in vitro anaerobically. Biofilms were exposed to each of the three medicaments and their combinations for one day, one week, and two weeks. Proportions of dead and live bacteria in the biofilms were evaluated. Results The killing of bacteria by different medicaments in the three-week-old biofilm was lower than in the one-week-old biofilm (p<0.05). The efficacy of IKI and CTR in killing bacteria was weaker than that of CH, but the highest efficacy in killing was achieved when all three were combined (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the antibiofilm effect between a day's exposure to the mixture of the three medicaments and one or two weeks of treatment with CH alone (p>0.05). Conclusions Three-week-old biofilms are more resistant to medicaments than one-week-old biofilms. Combining IKI and CTR with CH resulted in a stronger antibiofilm effect than using CH alone. Mixing the three medicaments may enable obtaining the desired clinical effect in a shorter exposure time.

Salvadora persica's Biological Properties and Applications in Different Dental Specialties: A Narrative Review.

Salvadora persica is a tree that belongs to the salvadorecea family. It is also known as Miswak, which is a popular natural toothbrush that was used centuries ago in oral hygiene by Muslims in all parts of the world, especially in the Middle East. Numerous researchers highlighted the biological activity of this plant in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacology. The purpose of this article is to narratively review the biological properties of Salvadora persica. In addition, it expresses variant applications of this herb in different dental specialties. Materials and Methods. The search of the literature was based on PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar using keywords: Salvadora persica, S. persica, Miswak, Dentistry, and Dental. All relevant articles were reviewed to check if they would fit within the scope of this review, and then, the information was extracted. Results. Multiple biological effects of S. persica have been reported including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antibiofilm, antioxidant, and even antiulcer effects. Dental effects were discussed and presented. Conclusion. The wide biological range of Salvadora persica's effects is promising for dental and nondental fields and allows for an expanded clinical application that has otherwise not been discussed in the literature.

Anatomy of the accessory mental foramen in a Saudi subpopulation: A multicenter CBCT study.

AIM: The aim of this is to evaluate the prevalence and location of the accessory mental foramen (AMF) in a Saudi population using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). METHODOLOGY: CBCT data were retrieved from two dental facilities at two universities located in two different cities and filtered over a period of four years. The scans were aligned when the AMF was noticed, and then the size of both the AMF and mental foramen (MF), its location, and the distance from the AMF to the MF were recorded. The AMF measurements were compared between males and females and between the two sides of the mandible. RESULTS: In total, 603 CBCT scans were investigated. The percentage of scans with an AMF was 9.95% (n = 60), and AMFs were almost equally distributed on both sides. Only four cases (0.66%) of a second AMF were detected among the scans. The MFs on both sides were significantly larger in males than in females (P > 0.05), but they showed no differences in the sizes of the AMFs. The AMFs were most commonly located inferior and posterior to the MF. The distance between the MF and AMF ranged from 2.32 to 5 mm. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of the AMF in this Saudi population was 9.95%, and it was significantly more prevalent in males than in females. Its proximity to the MF makes it clinically important to conduct proper detailed planning prior to performing any procedure that might risk the vital structures.

Root canal morphology of maxillary second molars in a Saudi sub-population: A cone beam computed tomography study.

INTRODUCTION: Root morphology and canal anatomy of maxillary molars shows several complexities and variations. Knowledge of these is essential for successful endodontic treatment. This study aimed to investigate the morphology of the maxillary second molars in a Saudi Arabian sub-population in relation to gender, age, and nationality, as well as to analyze the anatomical symmetry between the left and right side in each individual. METHODOLOGY: 420 digitized cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were collected, of which 351 scans met the inclusion criteria. Number of roots and canals at three different levels of the root in each case was counted at all available sides and compared on the basis of the study variables. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: Most of the patients (n = 323, 92%) had three roots, while two roots (n = 23, 6.6%), four roots (n = 4, 1.1%), and one root (n = 1, 0.3%) were less frequently observed. A significant correlation between female patients and the presence of two canals, while male patients showed a higher correlation with the presence of four canals at all levels. There also was a correlation between Saudi participants and the presence of four canals at all levels. No significant correlation in symmetry between the left and right side root canal anatomy was found. There was an inverse relation between the number of canals and age. CONCLUSION: Considering the limitations in this study, it appears that the Saudi population is more likely to have three- and two-rooted maxillary second molars, with males and females showing greater tendencies to having three and two roots, respectively.

Cyclic Fatigue Comparison of TruNatomy, Twisted File, and ProTaper Next Rotary Systems.

TruNatomy (TN; Dentsply Sirona, Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) is a newly released system that was not tested in any previous studies. The objective of this work is to evaluate cyclic fatigue resistance of the new file and compare it with the Twisted Files (TF) and ProTaper Next (PTN). Forty-five files were distributed into 3 groups: PTN X2 (size 25 and taper 0.06), TF (size 25 and taper 0.06), and TN prime file (size 26 and taper 0.04). Each group included 15 files. Lengths of all files were 25 mm. Cyclic fatigue testing was done using artificial stainless-steel canals with 60-degree curvature and 5 mm radius. Continuous rotation movement at 300 rpm was used until the file fractures. Time for file separation was recorded in seconds. The number of cycles to failure (NCF) mean and standard deviation for each group was calculated. For statistical analysis of data, ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison test were used. Mean and standard deviation (SD) of NCF were 259 ± 37.2, 521.67 ± 63.07 and 846.67 ± 37.16 for PTN, TF, and TN respectively. TN on average had significantly the highest NCF compared with PTN (p < 0.05) and TF (p < 0.05). TruNatomy file showed superior cyclic fatigue resistance. With its potential to preserve tooth structure, this file offers a good cyclic fatigue advantage. However, future studies are required to evaluate other properties of this file and to examine its clinical performance.

Quality Assessment of Randomized Clinical Trials Reporting in Endodontic Journals: An Observational Study from 2012 to 2017.

INTRODUCTION: Reports on randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are of critical importance because readers of research often do not access the full text. This study aimed to assess the reporting quality of RCTs in 2 leading endodontic journals. METHODS: Issues of 2 endodontic journals, the Journal of Endodontics and the International Journal of Endodontics, dated from 2012 to 2017 were hand searched to identify RCT reports. A 37-item checklist based on the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials statement was used to examine the completeness of RCT reporting. RESULTS: One hundred nine RCT reports were included in this study. The majority were published in the Journal of Endodontics (82%). The mean overall reporting quality score was 65.0% (95% confidence interval, 77.3-66.5). Most (80%-100%) RCTs clearly reported the author/contact details, trial design, participant characteristics, number of participants, and recruitment status as well as the study's intervention(s), objective(s), outcome(s), and conclusions. Conversely, only 56 of the 109 articles (51%) satisfactorily reported all 5 items related to the randomization method. Registration of reviews was not reported in any of the included abstracts. Most of the studies included in this analysis did not report their RCT registration (22%), funding (35%), or protocols (23%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the reporting quality of RCTs in endodontic journals requires further improvement. Better reporting of RCTs is particularly important for ensuring the reliability of research findings and ultimately promoting the practice of evidence-based dentistry. Optimal RCT reporting should be encouraged, preferably by complying with the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guidelines.

Micro-computed tomographic assessment of quality of obturation in the apical third with continuous wave vertical compaction and single match taper sized cone obturation techniques.

The aim of the present micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) analysis was to compare the quality of obturation in the apical third of the root with the warm vertical compaction (WVC) and single matching taper sized cone (SMTSC) techniques. Mesial roots of 16 freshly extracted mandibular first molar teeth (with a total of 32 canals) were used. Canals in each mesial root were shaped to a size F3 Protaper and were randomly assigned to either continuous wave vertical compaction or single match tapered size cone technique. Volume of voids and gaps in the obturated roots were measured using micro-CT scanning at 1, 3, and 5 mm from the apex of the root. There was no statistically significant difference in the volume of voids measured at 1 mm (p > 0.05), 3 mm (p > 0.05) and 5 mm (p > 0.05) filled with either WVC and SMTSC techniques. The quality of obturation in the apical third of the root with the WVC and SMTSC techniques is comparable. SCANNING 38:352-356, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.