A comparative study of conventional and Hall techniques of crown placement using finite element stress analysis.

Background: Hall technique of crown placement causes the changes in vertical occlusal dimension; the mode of settlement of which needs to be explored. Aim: To assess and compare the changing patterns of stress distribution following placement of stainless steel crowns on primary teeth by Hall and conventional techniques using a finite element model analysis. Materials and Methods: The clinical crown heights of primary molars restored with Hall and conventional techniques and opposing teeth in contact, vertical dimension changes in the primary canine area were measured using intraoral digital scan. T-scan was used to measure the changes in bite force while the finite element analysis was used to assess deformative changes on the 2nd, 5th, 10th, and 15th days. Results: The Hall technique of crown placement caused more stress distribution in the tooth supporting tissues that settled in 2 weeks as compared with conventional technique of crown placement in which settlement occurred in 2 days. Conclusion: The settling of vertical occlusal dimension as well as stress distribution in Hall technique probably takes place by intrusion of crowned tooth and opposing teeth in contact.

A comparative evaluation of pain perception following topical application of benzocaine gel, clove-papaya based anesthetic gel and precooling of the injection site before intraoral injections in children.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The topical anesthetic property of clove remains unexplored even though it has been widely used in dentistry since ages. Hence, the aim of the study was to compare the topical anesthetic efficiency of precooling with ice, clove-papaya based topical gel and benzocaine gel in pediatric patients. METHODOLOGY: Sixty healthy children aged 9-10 years who required local anesthetic injections for dental procedures were selected and divided into three groups with 20 patients each. In the first visit, written consent and intraoral screening of the patients were performed. In the second visit, the topical anesthetic agents were applied in the respective groups for 1 min and later local anesthetic injections were administered. Pain perception was evaluated using Sound, Eye, Motor Scale (SEM scale) and Wong Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFPRS), tabulated, and statistically analyzed. A. RESULTS: The test results demonstrated that benzocaine group has the highest mean WBFPRS score followed by clove-papaya group and then ice cone group. The ice group showed the least mean SEM scale score, followed by the benzocaine group and then clove-papaya group. However, the mean WBFPRS score and the mean SEM scale score did not show any statistically significant difference. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION: All the three topical anesthetic agents provided similar surface anesthesia in children. The newly introduced clove-papaya based topical anesthetic gel showed encouraging results, hence can be used as a potent topical anesthetic agent.