Currently available direct restoration materials have been developed to have improved optical properties to interact with light in the same manner as the natural tooth. The objective of this study was to investigate the fluorescence of different enamel resin composites. In the present study, nine brands of enamel composites were tested in vitro, some of which are cited by manufacturers as having color adjustment potential. Fluorescence spectra of the composite specimens and the human natural enamel were measured with a fluorescence spectrophotometer immediately after preparation and after 6 months. Qualitative data of the specimens were also collected. Statistical analyses were conducted by Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U nonparametric tests (p < 0.05). Almost all tested resin composites presented a significant decrease in the fluorescence values after a period of 6 months. There was no significant decrease in fluorescence in the case of Harmonize™ resin composite samples, which presented the lowest initial fluorescence values. The highest value in the reduction of the initial fluorescence intensity after 6 months (22.95%) was observed for the Charisma® specimens. Composites with a color adjustment did not perform significantly better than other composites in terms of reduction in fluorescence intensity.

Background: The esthetic proportion gauge developed by Chu is using a 78% recurring esthetic dental (RED) proportion and it is based on evaluating the size and proportion of frontal teeth chairside. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the validity of Chu’s device and to measure the correlation between the width and length of the frontal teeth, attempting to identify the application of the proportion gauge in Mureș county. Materials and methods: From the 142 selected patients, 73 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The height and width values of the participants’ teeth were measured with a digital caliper and evaluated with Chu’s esthetic proportion gauge. The measurements were then compared statistically. Results: The values obtained from the digital caliper measurements did not correlate with Chu’s proportion scale, and the results showed no significant differences between the two sides (p >0.05). Conclusions: In conclusion, the measured teeth ratios did not show a similarity with the predetermined esthetic proportion scale suggested by Chu.

Background: The most common dental materials are resin composite direct restorative materials and dentin adhesives, which are marketed with different techniques, application recommendations, and compositions, making it difficult to choose the most suitable material and method for different cases. The present study aimed to investigate mechanical properties of teeth restored with universal and bulk-fill composites, by using different dentin adhesives and techniques, under in vitro conditions. Material and methods: The study was carried out on freshly extracted premolar and molar teeth. After cavity preparation, the teeth were restored with conventional and bulk-fill resin composites, using different adhesive techniques. To assess the effect of the cavity preparation, the direct restoration, and the adhesive protocol on the tooth structure, a transillumination method and Vickers’ microhardness measurements were carried out. Results: The universal composite showed an average hardness of 55.35 HV at the occlusal level of the restoration, while the bulk-fill composite showed an average of 79.93 HV at the same level. A statistically significant difference was found between the hardness values of the two composites (p = 0.02). The transillumination test revealed micro-fissures in the tooth structure in the first phase after cavity preparation and also after polymerization. Conclusions: The bulk-fill composite showed higher hardness values than the universal composite. The tested dentin adhesives did not significantly affect the hardness of the dentin at the level of the adhesive interface. Fissures can appear in any phase of the direct restoration, after cavity preparation and polymerization.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic situation led to public health measures that forced patients to remain isolated and take steps to prevent the dissemination of the virus. Many of these patients were unable to attend to the dental services or delayed seeking dental care due to a lack of private services and concerns about the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, which in many cases complicated their situation. This case report describes the long-term clinical outcome of an endo-periodontal periapical lesion with associated bone defect of a maxillary central incisor in an esthetically demanding, systemically healthy patient, who neglected dental treatment during the pandemic outbreak. Treatment procedures included primary endodontic treatment of the periapical lesion and cause-related therapy aimed to control the infection in the rest of the mouth. Clinical examination at the 1-year recall revealed clinical attachment gain with shallow residual probing pocket depths and a slight increase in gingival recession. The esthetic appearance of the treated tooth was improved via a zirconia-ceramic crown. The present case report suggests that successful periodontal and esthetic results can be accomplished and maintained for at least 2 years after treatment of an apparently hopeless tooth with extremely compromised endoperiodontal conditions.