In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the latest generation of web-based tools such as podcasts. Podcasts are media files that can be distributed via the Internet and played on computers and handheld devices, including iPods or other digital audio players. The essence of podcasting is the creation of audio and/or video content for an audience that wants to listen to what they want, when they want, where they want, and how they want. With students now more mobile than ever, the idea of being able to access information without being linked to a certain physical location is very attractive. In the specific context of dental education, lectures and clinical procedures can be recorded by academic staff and distributed over the Internet to students as an audio or video podcast.

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Objectives Fluoride (F) releasing dental restoratives are promising to promote remineralization and combat caries. The objectives of this study were to develop nanocomposite containing calcium fluoride nanoparticles (nCaF2), and to investigate the long-term mechanical durability including wear, thermal-cycling and long-term water-aging behavior. Methods Two types of fillers were used: nCaF2 with a diameter of 53 nm, and glass particles of 1.4 μm. Four composites were fabricated with fillers of: (1) 0% nCaF2 + 65% glass; (2) 10% nCaF2 + 55% glass; (3) 20% nCaF2 + 45% glass; (4) 30% nCaF2 + 35% glass. Three commercial materials were also tested. Specimens were subjected to thermal-cycling between 5 °C and 60 °C for 105 cycles, three-body wear for 4×105 cycles, and water-aging for 2 years. Results After thermal-cycling, the nCaF2 nanocomposites had flexural strengths in the range of 100-150 MPa, five times higher than the 20-30 MPa for resin-modified glass ionomer (RMGI). The wear scar depth showed an increasing trend with increasing nCaF2 filler level. Wear of nCaF2 nanocomposites was within the range of wear for commercial controls. Water-aging decreased the strength of all materials. At 2 years, flexural strength was 94 MPa for nanocomposite with 10% nCaF2, 60 MPa with 20% nCaF2, and 48 MPa with 30% nCaF2. They are 3-6 fold higher than the 15 MPa for RMGI (p < 0.05). SEM revealed air bubbles and cracks in a RMGI, while composite control and nCaF2 nanocomposites appeared dense and solid. Significance Combining nCaF2 with glass particles yielded nanocomposites with long-term mechanical properties that were comparable to those of a commercial composite with little F release, and much better than those of RMGI controls. These strong long-term properties, together with their F release being comparable to RMGI as previously reported, indicate that the nCaF2 nanocomposites are promising for load-bearing and caries-inhibiting restorations.

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Objectives The objectives of this study were to develop a self-healing dental composite containing poly(urea-formaldehyde) (PUF) shells with triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) and N,N-dihydroxyethyl-p-toluidine (DHEPT) as healing liquid, and to investigate the mechanical properties of the composite and its self-healing efficacy after water-aging for 6 months. Methods PUF microspheres were synthesized encapsulating a TEGDMA-DHEPT healing liquid. Composite containing 30% of a resin matrix and 70% of glass fillers by mass was incorporated with 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% of microcapsules. A flexural test was used to measure flexural strength and elastic modulus. A single edge V-notched beam method was used to measure fracture toughness (KIC) and self-healing efficacy. Specimens were water-aged at 37 °C for 1 d to 6 months and then tested for self-healing. Fractured specimens were healed while being immersed in water to examine self-healing efficacy, in comparison with that in air. Results Incorporation of up to 7.5% of microcapsules into the resin composite achieved effective self-healing, without adverse effects on the virgin mechanical properties of the composite (p > 0.1). An excellent self-healing efficacy of 64%–77% recovery was obtained (mean ± sd; n = 6). Six months of water-aging did not decrease the self-healing efficacy compared to 1 d (p > 0.1). Exposure to water did not decrease the healing efficacy, compared to that healed in air (p > 0.1). Conclusions A composite was developed with excellent self-healing efficacy even while being immersed in water. The self-healing efficacy did not decrease with increasing water-aging time for 6 months. Clinical significance The novel self-healing composite may be promising for dental applications to heal cracks, resist fracture, and increase the durability and longevity.