In general, total protein and total antioxidant insaliva were increased with caries activity. Calcium concentrations in saliva were higher in caries-free children. In addition, calcium concentration increased with age. Thus, it can be concluded that a linear association exists between calcium concentration age and caries activity. More clinical and laboratory studies are needed to determine the exact relationship between the physicochemical properties of saliva such as flow rate, buffering capacity, pH, calcium level, total protein, total antioxidant status, and dental caries, age, and gender.

The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of two frequency apex locators, Root ZX (Morita, Kyoto, Japan) and Endex (Osada, Tokyo, Japan) in primary teeth with and without root resorption in vitro. For this study, 90 sound extracted primary teeth (60 molars and 30 incisors; 93 roots with visible resorption and 51 roots without) were selected. A total of 144 root canals were included. After access preparation, root canal lengths were measured visually. The teeth were embedded in an alginate model developed specifically for testing apex locators. Electronic length was determined with two different frequency apex locators, Root ZX (Morita, Kyoto, Japan) and Endex (Osada, Tokyo, Japan). Statistical evaluation was performed using Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon W tests (p < 0.05). Results revealed that both apex locator devices did not show similar values to visual length measurements with statistically significant differences in primary teeth with root resorption (p < 0.05). For the teeth without root resorption, Endex showed similar values to visual length measurements with no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05), but Root ZX values were different than visual length and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two apex locators considering the presence of root resorption. The two frequency apex locators can be recommended for use in root canal therapy for primary teeth with and without root resorption, only if electrical determination of root canal length is supported with other diagnostic measures.

Talon cusp is a developmental dental anomaly thought to arise as a result of evagination on the surface of a tooth crown before calcification has occurred. The etiology remains unknown. The incidence is 0.04-10%. Any tooth may have a talon cusp but most of the cases involve maxillary lateral incisors, with some instances of bilateral involvement. The anomaly has been reported to be rare in the mandible. This article reports four cases of talon cusp. The first and the second cases describe bilateral involvement of talon cusp on palatal surfaces of maxillary primary centrals; in the third case talon tubercle occurs on palatal surfaces of both maxillary permanent lateral incisors and the maxillary left central incisor and in the last case a talon cusp in the lingual surface of mandibular permanent lateral incisor.

To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first evaluation of cystatin C in the gingival disease mechanism in children. Our results showed that total saliva and GCF cystatin C levels were higher in PHC (P >0.05), but there was no correlation between cystatin C levels and IL-1beta or TNF-alpha levels in total saliva or GCF.

This in vitro study investigated the effect of use of three dentine bonding agents: Scotchbond Multi-Purpose Plus (3M Dental Products, St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A.), Syntac (Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein), Optibond Dual Cure (Kerr, Romulus, MI, U.S.A.) on microleakage and shear bond strength of a fissure sealant (Helioseal F, Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein) bonded to either dry or wet (saliva contaminated) enamels of primary teeth. Newly extracted 112 non-carious primary teeth were sectioned and embedded in resin blocks. Eight groups were formed for each test. Each group consisted of 14 specimens. Group 1 and 2: fissure sealant was applied directly to etched enamel in dry and wet condition, respectively; Group 3 and 4: fissure sealant was applied onto etched and Scotch-bond Multi-Purpose Plus treated enamel in dry and wet condition, respectively; Group 5 and 6: fissure sealant was applied onto etched and Syntac treated enamel in dry and wet condition, respectively; Group 7 and 8: fissure sealant was applied onto etched and Optibond Dual Cure treated enamel in dry and wet condition, respectively. The results revealed that the use of an enamel-dentine bonding agent under fissure sealant increased the bond strength and decreased the microleakage. The use of enamel-dentine bonding agents under sealant in moisture contaminated conditions gave better results than applying sealant alone onto non-contaminated teeth. Finally, Scotchbond Multi-Purpose Plus yielded the best results for both tests.