In Romania, systematic information on the occurrence of oral diseases in children is scarce. The purpose of the present study was to describe the prevalence and the pattern of dental caries in schoolchildren, and to use the data to provide a baseline for planning and evaluation of oral health care. A national sample of children at grade 1 (n = 729) and grade 6 (n = 660) was chosen consistent with the WHO pathfinder principle. Clinical examinations were carried out according to the recording system for the Danish Municipal Dental Service and the following results were obtained. In children of grade 1 (7-yr-olds) the prevalence proportion of caries in primary teeth was 86% and in permanent teeth 39%. The mean caries indices were 11.4 defs and 1.3 DMFS. At grade 6 (12-yr-olds) the prevalence proportion of caries in primary teeth was 17% and in permanent teeth 90%. The mean caries experience was 0.8 defs and 6.5 DMFS, and a mean of 4.1 DMFT was observed. In both groups, the D-component of the caries index was dominant. The children were also classified by caries severity zone. At grade 1, 61% had a very severe pattern of caries in the primary teeth, i.e. caries in pits/fissures, proximal surfaces, smooth surfaces, and incisors. Forty-three percent of the children at grade 6 showed this pattern in permanent teeth. In Romanian schoolchildren the present level and pattern of dental caries are most severe and the implementation of oral health promotion and prevention at the community level is urgently needed.

Background and Objectives: This numerical analysis investigated the biomechanical behavior of the mandibular bone as a structure subjected to 0.5 N of orthodontic force during periodontal breakdown. Additionally, the suitability of the five most used failure criteria (Von Mises (VM), Tresca (T), maximum principal (S1), minimum principal (S3), and hydrostatic pressure (HP)) for the study of bone was assessed, and a single criterion was identified for the study of teeth and the surrounding periodontium (by performing correlations with other FEA studies). Materials and Methods: The finite element analysis (FEA) employed 405 simulations over eighty-one mandibular models with variable levels of bone loss (0–8 mm) and five orthodontic movements (intrusion, extrusion, tipping, rotation, and translation). For the numerical analysis of bone, the ductile failure criteria are suitable (T and VM are adequate for the study of bone), with Tresca being more suited. S1, S3, and HP criteria, due to their distinctive design dedicated to brittle materials and liquids/gas, only occasionally correctly described the bone stress distribution. Results: Only T and VM displayed a coherent and correlated gradual stress increase pattern for all five movements and levels of the periodontal breakdown. The quantitative values provided by T and VM were the highest (for each movement and level of bone loss) among all five criteria. The MHP (maximum physiological hydrostatic pressure) was exceeded in all simulations since the mandibular bone is anatomically less vascularized, and the ischemic risks are reduced. Only T and VM displayed a correlated (both qualitative and quantitative) stress increase for all five movements. Both T and VM displayed rotation and translation, closely followed by tipping, as stressful movements, while intrusion and extrusion were less stressful for the mandibular bone. Conclusions: Based on correlations with earlier numerical studies on the same models and boundary conditions, T seems better suited as a single unitary failure criterion for the study of teeth and the surrounding periodontium.

Magnification devices improve direct and indirect vision and precision being significantly higher in microscope use compared to the loupes. Dental loupes are the most commonly used devices for magnification, due to the more affordable prices and the ease of use without major changes in the working protocol and ergonomics. Loupes primary benefits reported refers to ergonomics and posture, restoration evaluation/detection and overall treatment quality. There are some disadvantages that limit the use of loupes among dentists: lack of fixed position (fine movements of the dentist's head disturb the image of the magnified operating field); the need to change the loupes to achieve different magnification. On the contrary, the use of a dental microscope require minimum adjustment and effort so as to reduce postural deviation while working. It has been more than 30 years since dental practitioners raised the issue of using dental operating microscopes (DOM) in restorative dentistry, identifying the benefits of magnification in diagnosis and treatment steps. The growth is evident in recent years, maybe because of the familiarity of dentists with dental microscopes which have already become implicit endowment for endodontic specialists. Fiber optic lighting is the key factor that complements the magnification offered by the microscope so that treatments can now be performed under increased safety conditions and in conditions of significantly higher quality than in the past. Since the beginning of the 2000s the principles of minimally invasive dentistry have been widely promoted in dentistry. These principles are major impetus for the use of microscope by dentists. Working with magnification leads dentists to be more conservative with dental tissues.

Among esthetic procedures, teeth whitening is a common and often used treatment for patients who seek good teeth appearance. We developed an experimental green tea extract and an experimental green tea gel for enamel restoring treatment after bleaching. We also tested the antibacterial and antifungal effect of the experimental extract against specific endodontic and cariogenic microorganisms. The green tea extract antibacterial action was determined by the disk-diffusion method using Peptostreptococcus anaerobius (ATCC27337), Corynebacterium xerosis (ATCC 373), Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 25175) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) strains. Enamel microstructure was investigated by SEM analysis, and surface details were revealed by AFM. The inhibition zones around the wells showed evident antimicrobial activity of the experimental extract. In the presence of Candida albicans (ATCC 10231), the extract showed no antifungal activity. The enamel’s surface roughness and hydroxyapatite prism aspects were the parameters followed throughout the study. The experimental green tea extract is efficient against some microorganisms commonly found in the oral cavity. However, the studied extract had no antifungal effect. The results show that after bleaching with the experimental gel, we obtained the best surface parameters, similar to healthy enamel.

Background Dentists are susceptible to musculoskeletal disorders due to prolonged static postures during dental treatments. Using a magnification tool like dental operating microscope (DOM) or the dental loupes may correct the operator's posture. Up until now, few studies have focused on preclinical dental students' posture when working with the DOM, while most of them have focused on the loupes. The aim of this study was to comparatively analyse the working posture of preclinical students during a dental restoration procedure, working with two different magnification methods. Materials and methods This study used a randomised cross‐over design in which seventeen third year students were randomly divided into three groups. The exclusion criteria were previous contact with magnification systems and previous clinical working experience. Each student prepared 3 Black class 1 cavities on artificial lower molars: first with no magnification, following dental loupes and DOM. They were video‐recorded throughout the preparation. Trunk, neck and upper‐arm position were evaluated using the Posture Assessment Instrument. Students completed a questionnaire on their subjective perception of the two magnification systems. Results The statistical analysis showed significant improvement of the working posture using magnification systems compared to direct vision. The biggest improvement was obtained through the use of DOM, followed by the dental loupes. Students perceived dental loupes as being the most comfortable and easy to adapt to. They reported being more focused when using DOM. Conclusions Both magnification systems had a positive impact on the working posture, DOM having the best results. Loupes showed better adaptability while DOM showed better concentration.