Objectives: Glass ionomer cement (GIC) is routinely placed as a restorative material in dentistry. However, due to its poor physical properties, its use is limited to cases where the level of stress on restoration is minimal. Improved formulations of GIC have been developed to overcome these drawbacks. The purpose of this study was to evaluate flexural strength of a conventional GIC (Fuji IX) against a newly developed glass carbomer cement (GCP). Materials and Methods: For Fuji IX and GCP, a total of 80 blocks were prepared and divided into 16 groups (n = 5). These groups were further categorized according to the storage medium (artificial saliva and Vaseline) and time intervals (24 h and 1, 2, and 4 weeks). A 3-point bending test was carried out, and statistical analysis was done using ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests. Results: Fuji IX showed a mean flexural strength of 25.14 ± 13.02 versus 24.27 ± 12.57 MPa for GCP. There was no significant statistical difference between both materials when compared under storage media. Both materials showed the highest value for flexural strength at 2 weeks of storage and lowest at 4 weeks. Conclusion: The storage media do not affect the flexural strength of the specimens with reference to time. Time is the unique factor with relative influence on mean resistance to fracture. Further testing is required to evaluate the true potential of the newly developed GCP.

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The aim of this update was to evaluate the use of local and systemic antibiotics for the treatment of periodontal diseases. Due to the accumulation of bacteria in the form of dental plaque, the tissues and bone surrounding the teeth can become infected leading to periodontal diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis. The main purpose of periodontal therapy is to eliminate or control the undesired effects of these bacteria present in the oral cavity in the form of biofilms. The use of antibiotics in conjunction with mechanical instrumentation has been suggested for the successful treatment of periodontal diseases. PubMed and google scholar databases were used to search through the past 30 years of literature using selected search criteria “Periodontal diseases*[TW] AND (gingivitis*[TW] OR periodontitis*[TW] OR antibiotics*[TW])” to identify articles/book chapters discussing polymerization shrinkage and possible solutions. In total, 46 articles/book chapters met the criteria for inclusion in the literature review. It can be concluded that the use of antibiotics is justified in cases with rapid signs and symptoms of destruction of periodontal tissues. Hence, antibiotics are suggested in cases of aggressive periodontitis, periodontal abscess, necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, necrotizing ulcerative periodontitis and periodontitis that do not respond well to mechanical instrumentation alone. However, antibiotics may cause side effects and the bacteria may develop resistance, therefore dentists should keep in mind the adverse effects and benefits while prescribing antibiotics. Moreover, antibiotics should always be given as an adjunct to mechanical instrumentation and oral hygiene instructions to achieve successful outcome.

To assess the radiographic quality of root canal treatment (RCT) performed on single-rooted anterior teeth by undergraduate dental students of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU). Moreover, the study also aimed to assess the types of procedural errors encountered during root canal treatment and to compare the results between male and female students. MethodologyThe record of patients who visited the endodontic clinics at IAU between the years 2018 and 2021 was obtained from the medical records department. The inclusion criteria for the study involved: i) RCT performed on anterior teeth with a single root; ii) RCT performed by fourth, fifth, and sixth-year undergraduate dental students; and iii) availability of pre-operative and post-operative peri-apical radiographs. After the inclusion criteria, a total of 278 records were selected. The radiographs were accessed by two calibrated examiners for the length of the obturation, homogeneity, and taper. In addition, procedural errors such as the presence of a ledge, perforation, or fractured instruments were also observed. Analysis was done using the Chi-square test. ResultsA total of 139 teeth (50%) were found to have an adequate quality root canal treatment. Regarding the length of the obturation, 85.6% were considered acceptable, while 65.1% of the obturations had acceptable radiographic homogeneity. The acceptable taper was found in 71.9% of the obturations. Dental students who participated in this study demonstrated a low rate of procedural errors, with 4.7% ledge formation and 1% perforation. A statistically significant difference was found in the quality of root canal obturation (P = <0.001) performed by fourth, fifth, and sixth-year students. Moreover, a significant difference was also observed between maxillary and mandibular teeth (P= 0.032). ConclusionThe quality of RCT performed by undergraduate dental students demonstrated that improvements are required. The teaching methods used in the endodontic courses need to be developed and improved to ensure the best possible learning and treatment outcomes.