Different Patterns of Restoration Provision Between Initial Endodontic Treatment and Retreatment: A Retrospective Clinical Study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between type of endodontic treatment and choice of definitive restoration and to show the prevalence of endodontic treatment options according to patient age and type of tooth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected from the archive system of the School of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Athens, Greece. The sample included endodontically treated teeth being restored definitively at the time of data collection. RESULTS: Statistically significant difference was found regarding the type of restoration between initial endodontic treatments and retreatments (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Endodontic retreatment seemed to have a significant effect on the choice of definitive restoration of the tooth.

Marginal behaviour of self-etch adhesive/composite and combined amalgam-composite restorations.

The aim of this study was to compare the marginal and internal adaptation in self-etching adhesive (SEA)/composite restorations with combined amalgam-resin-based composite restorations in the proximal box with and without bonding agent beneath amalgam both before and after load-cycling. Class II restorations, were manufactured as following a) Bonding agent (Clearfil Liner Bond 2V, Kuraray) beneath amalgam (Tytin, SDS Kerr) and resin-based composite (Clearfil APX, Kuraray) with SEA, b) Amalgam without bonding agent and resin-based composite with SEA and c) Resin-based composite with SEA. Each group divided into two equal subgroups (n=8). Marginal and internal adaptation of first subgroup evaluated after 7-day water storage and of the second after load-cycling in chewing simulator for 1.2 x 10(6) cycles. Marginal and internal adaptation at cervical and amalgam-composite sites evaluated by videomicroscope and ranked as "excellent"/"non-excellent". Slices of restorations examined under optical microscope to determine the quality of bonding layer. Defects in cervical adaptation observed in the three restorative techniques examined prior loading. Amalgam-composite combination in proximal surface provided comparable marginal and internal adaptation results at cervical wall, to self-etching-composite combination. Portion (25-37.5%) of amalgam-resin-based composite interfaces in proximal box presented no perfect sealing. The application of bonding agent beneath amalgam resulted in relatively inferior cervical adaptation. Loading resulted in fewer excellent restorations in all three restorative techniques but not in a statistically significant level.

Assessing the reliability of a digital preparation assistant system used in dental education.

Use of a digital preparation assistant system may improve considerably the quality of preclinical dental education, provided the system works reliably. Thus, the purpose of this pilot study was to quantitatively assess the reliability of a new preclinical digital preparation assistant system (PREPassist, KaVo, Germany). The system was used to repeatedly scan four different unprepared and four different prepared teeth both with and without repositioning. Corresponding measurements were made to quantify accuracy, repeatability, and reproducibility. This was done by estimating the measurement error. Based on this estimation, respective limits of agreement were calculated. We used these ranges, along with assessments of the measurement's accuracy, to judge whether the results satisfy our expectations for clinically acceptable measurements. For preclinical laboratory instruction, the results indicate an acceptable accuracy (mean accuracy of 89 microm) of the measurements. This assessment applies as well to repeatability, given by the range of the respective limits of agreement (range <200 microm). However, in the case of reproducibility, the limits revealed discrepancies of practical importance (range >200 microm). Reproducibility of tooth repositioning in the available mounting device is unacceptable for preclinical laboratory instruction because of the observed range >200 microm. Thus, there is a need for the manufacture of new and more reliable mounting devices because reproducibility procedures are mostly encountered in preclinical instruction in restorative techniques. In contrast to reproducibility, accuracy and repeatability are acceptable for practical purposes. Balancing advantages and disadvantages, we conclude that, in general, the PREPassist system delivers reliable results.