Aim. The purpose of the present research was to examine the factors that lead to musculoskeletal disorders in dentists by assessing their posture using RULA method. Materials and Methods. In this cross-sectional study, 130 dentists (84 male and 46 female) participated. The posture of the subjects during their normal workload was recorded by using the RULA method, and the range of musculoskeletal pains by using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), and individual and professional data was assessed by a demographics questionnaire. All tests were performed at the P < 0.05 level. Results. Assessment of the physical status of the subjects showed that 82.8% of subjects were at high risk of musculoskeletal disorders. The majority of musculoskeletal pains were in the neck (55.9%) and the shoulder (43.8%). Moreover, 68.9% of the subjects had experienced pain at least once over the last year. Significant relationships were observed between musculoskeletal pain and daily work hours (P = 0.07) and number of patients (P = 0.02), but the pain was not significantly associated with BMI and experience. Conclusion. The present findings showed that unsuitable posture of dentists during work has a considerable effect on musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore, further investigation is required to avoid the detrimental effects of wrong posture.

The purpose of this study was to observe the basic morphology and determine the chemical composition of neodentinal bridges adjacent white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA) when used as a direct pulp capping material. The experimental procedures were performed on six intact dogs' teeth. The pulps were exposed and cavities were filled with WMTA. After 2 weeks, neodentinal bridge formation was evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) of cross-sections of the specimens and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) of the pulpal surfaces. Results of SEM observation showed that the most characteristic reaction of pulp cells was the intimate connection of cell processes and secreted extracellular fibres with the crystals of the pulp capping material. Results of EPMA indicated that the mineralisation of neodentinal bridge formation occurred progressively from the periphery to the central area. Based on these results, it appears that WMTA has the potential to be used as a direct pulp capping material during vital pulp therapy.

Context:Vital pulp therapy has been known as one of the treatment options to preserve pulp after being exposed by trauma or caries.Aim:To investigate human pulpal response to white and grey mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA, GMTA) and Dycal (MTA) as pulp capping agents.Setting and Design:Human volunteers were participated in this randomized clinical trial.Materials and Methods:This study was conducted on 90 intact first and second premolars of human maxillary and mandibular teeth. The teeth were randomly assigned into three groups of 30 each. Under local anesthesia, teeth were exposed and capped either with GMTA, WMTA, or Dycal. After 30, 60, and 90 days 10 teeth of each group were extracted and prepared for histologic observation.Statistical Analysis:Histopathologic data were analyzed by χ2, Kruskal Wallis and Mann Whitney tests.Results:the calcified bridge in teeth that were capped with GMTA was significantly thicker than Dycal at 30 and 60 days (P= 0.015 and P=0.002, respectively); whereas WMTA showed significantly thicker calcified bridge than Dycal at 90 days (P=0.02). In addition, GMTA specimens showed significantly less inflammation compared to Dycal samples at 90 days interval (P=0.019). No significant difference was found between GMTA and WMTA in terms of calcified bridge thickness and pulp inflammatory response to the capping materials (P>0.05).Conclusions:Based on the result of this study, both types of MTA can be suggested as the materials of choice for direct pulp capping procedure instead of Dycal as hard setting calcium hydroxide cement.

There have been many reports indicating the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of 3,4-dihydroxychalcones. We have designed and synthesized a rigid 3,4-dihydroxychalcone (RDHC) as a possible drug effecting inflammation and nociception. The analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated by formalin and hot-plate tests, respectively. The results showed that RDHC induced significant antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects (P < 0.01). Maximum analgesia (63.7%) was observed at 37.5 mg/kg in the first phase of the formalin test. The effect of RDHC was higher in the chronic phase (inflammation phase) of the formalin test (86.4%, P < 0.01). In addition, a significant analgesia (maximum possible effect; MPE = 30.1%) was observed in the hot plate test 45 min after injection of 37.5 mg/kg RDHC (P < 0.01). As a result of our findings, this new RDHC could be suggested for further pharmacological studies.

BACKGROUND Dental appearance is one of the most important determinants of facial attractiveness and has a key role in social interactions. This study aimed to assess the satisfaction with dental appearance and the factors influencing this satisfaction among the patients attending dental clinics in Kerman, Iran (2017). METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted on 329 patients who were attending dental clinics in Kerman. Data were collected by a questionnaire consisting of demographic information (gender, age, education level, smoking, economic condition) and 14 questions about dental aesthetics. The collected data was analysed in SPSS 22 and chi square test. The significance level was considered to be p<0.05. RESULTS Of the respondents, 52.3% (172) were female, 69.60% (229) were satisfied with their dental appearance, and 61.70% (203) preferred tooth whitening as the cosmetic treatment for improving dental appearance. The mean score of satisfaction with dental appearance was 9.77±3.42 from 14. There was a significant correlation between the economic condition and the mean satisfaction score. A significant correlation was also observed between gender and general satisfaction with dental appearance. Satisfaction score had a significant correlation with age, smoking, and economic condition. CONCLUSIONS Tooth whitening was the most preferred method for improving dental appearance. Older people were significantly less satisfied with their dental appearance and people with better economic conditions were significantly more satisfied with their dental appearance. To ensure patient satisfaction with cosmetic treatments, clinicians should gain a better understanding of patients' perceptions, desires, and apprehensions in regard to dental appearance.