Dens invaginatus is not common, but it is an important anomaly. The availability of such data may alert the dental practitioner to anticipate the percentage of teeth having difficulties during endodontic treatment.

Aim:The study aimed to evaluate the effect of four in-office dental bleaching methods on shade change, color stability, patient satisfaction and postoperative sensitivity. Methods and Materials:Forty patients were randomly divided into four groups (n=10) according to the method of in-office bleaching used: Group A-35% hydrogen peroxide (HP); Group B-35% HP plus BriteSmile and a blue curing light; Group C-35% HP plus QuickSmile and an LED curing light; Group D-35% HP and a Zoom2 metal halide curing light. For all groups, there was only one session of bleaching with three 20-minute applications of bleaching gel. The shade was evaluated before bleaching, immediately after, and one month after treatment using a VITA Classical Shade Guide.Results: Immediately after bleaching there was a significant difference in color change between the four groups, with Group B having the best results. At one month there was no difference between the four groups. Immediate postoperative sensitivity was the least in Group A and the highest for Group B. Patients in Group B were the most satisfied with the outcome of the bleaching procedure. Conclusions:In general, the use of different lights for activation of an in-office bleaching agent did not affect the long-term results. Tooth sensitivity was mild and transient in the study. Patients were satisfied with in-office bleaching.Clinical Significance: Using light activation with in-office bleaching seems to increase the efficacy of treatment only for a short period of time.

The aim of this study was to investigate the stress level of medical and dental students at Kuwait University after a case-based integrated curriculum replaced the former subject-based curriculum. A modified version of the Dental Environment Stress questionnaire was used to measure possible stressors for both medical and dental students. The investigators administered the questionnaire for the first time in 2008, when Kuwait University medical and dental schools followed a subject-based curriculum (group A). The same questionnaire was administered for a second time in 2014, when both medical and dental schools had adopted a case-based integrated curriculum (group B). A total of 345 fifth- and sixth-year medical and dental students responded to the questionnaire (group A=187, group B=158), with an overall 83% response rate. The results showed that, for both the dental and medical students, changing to a case-based integrated curriculum raised the stress level for most of the stressors evaluated. "Inconsistency of feedback on work between different instructors," "difficulties in communicating with teaching staff," "amount of assigned class work," and "examinations and grades" were some of the statistically significant stressors for group B students. Female students reported higher levels of stress than male students in both groups. These results suggest that introducing stress management education into the case-based integrated dental and medical curricula could enhance students' psychological well-being.

Objective: To determine smoking prevalence and its effect on dental health attitudes and behavior among dental students in Jordan. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 314 dental students was conducted at Jordan University of Science and Technology. Subjects were surveyed using a modified version of the Hiroshima University Dental Behavior Inventory (HU-DBI) questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to study differences between male smokers and nonsmokers only. Results: The response rate was 83.7%, with 48% males and 52% females. The prevalence of smoking was 17.2%. Smoking was more prevalent among male students (31%) than female (4.3%). For male students, the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed 6 items that were different between smokers and nonsmokers. Nonsmokers tended to brush their teeth more often than smokers (OR 8.67, 95% CI 1.66–45.25); claimed that they had never been professionally taught how to brush their teeth (OR 11.15, 95% CI 1.89–65.67); believed that they spend too much time brushing their teeth (OR 12.24, 95% CI 2.0–75.05); were more concerned about having bad breath (OR 41.86, 95% CI 3.44–58.75) and were more concerned about the color of their gums (OR 8.04, 95% CI 1.55–41.84). Conclusions: Smoking prevalence among male dental students in Jordan was high, 7 times greater than for females. Male smokers and nonsmokers had different attitudes and oral health behaviors as indicated by the study survey.

Objectives: This study investigated the thresholds at which general dentists in Kuwait would restore approximal and occlusal carious lesions and examined the demographic characteristics of the dentists in relation to their decision making. Subjects and Methods: The study population consisted of a random sample of 185 general dentists practicing in the Ministry of Health of Kuwait. A survey questionnaire was administered. The questionnaire presented different stages and locations of carious lesions; the participants were asked to identify the stage at which a restoration is required under different conditions, the preparation technique, and their choice of restorative material. Results: For approximal carious lesions, 74 (40%) of the participants reported that they would restoratively intervene when the carious lesion reached the outer third of the dentin. A total of 91 (49.2%) reported the use of traditional class II restorations. For occlusal carious lesions, 128 (69.2%) said they would intervene when lesions reached the middle third of the dentin. 146 (78.9%) said they would remove the carious tissue only in their preparation. For both approximal and occlusal lesions, the participants preferred resin composite as the material for restoration. Conclusions: The respondents tended to delay restorative intervention until dentinal penetration of the caries. Resin restorative materials were used in conservatively prepared cavities. Participants chose a conservative approach for occlusal lesions but still believed in a traditional approach when it concerned approximal lesions. Experience, university dental education, and participation in continuous education courses were most significantly related to restorative treatment.