Pulp vitality test is crucial in monitoring the state of health of dental pulp, especially after traumatic injuries. The traditional pulp testing methods such as thermal and electric pulp testing methods depend on the innervation and often yield false positive and negative response. The newer pulp testing devices, some of which are still under development stage, detect the blood supply of the pulp, through light absorption and reflection, are considered to be more accurate and non-invasive. The article attempts to discuss issues related to pulp vitality testing in clinical endodontic practice and describes the principle on which these newer pulp testing devices are based and its mode of working.

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The purpose of this in vitro study on extracted teeth was to evaluate and compare the ability of maleic acid in different concentrations, NaOCl and EDTA in the removal of smear layer formed along the root canal walls after chemomechanical preparation. Sixty freshly extracted teeth human maxillary incisors were divided into six groups and root canals were prepared with step back technique, using different solutions; namely, 5%,7%, 10% and 15% maleic acid,5.25% NaOCl and 17%EDTA.The teeth were then split and the canal surfaces were viewed under SEM for removal of smear layer. The results showed that NaOCl failed to remove the smear layer. Smear removing ability of maleic acid was significantly better than EDTA.

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The study was undertaken to evaluate the optimal method of enhancing the wire-composite bond strength of dental splints using different wire surface treatments. Further, a comparison of bond strength of the wire-composite resin interface with commonly used composite materials for dental splints was also attempted. The study sample consisted of 360 bovine mandibular incisors embedded in acrylic resin which were utilized as bonding surfaces for evaluation of the bond strength of the wire-composite interface when using light activated composite resin (Gluma) and chemically activated composite resin (Rely-a-bond) with both flexible (0.016” round, 0.017” X 0.025” rectangular) and rigid (0.036” round) stainless steel wires. The results of the study indicated that sandblasting the portions of the stainless steel wires embedded in composite resin enhanced the strength of the wire-composite bond for both the types of composite materials. The use of metal primer on stainless steel wires either separately or in combination with sandblasting had lower wire-composite interface bond strength than sandblasting alone, while no surface treatment on the wire had the least, for both the light activated and chemically activated composite resins.

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of four commonly used materials in endodontics, namely : zinc-oxide eugenol and epoxy-resin based root-canal sealers, gutta-percha, the principal core material for obturation and calcium hydroxide, used for various endodontic purposes. Six healthy guinea-pigs were chosen for this study. Each material was subcutaneously injected or implanted at two sites in each animal. The tissue was removed after 7, 30 and 60 days and the inflammatory response was assessed. Gutta-percha was found to be the most bio-compatible material. The inflammatory response with calcium hydroxide subsided with time. Amongst the root-canal sealers, zinc oxide-eugenol was highly irritating and the epoxy-resin based sealer was well tolerated.

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Advances in dentistry, as well as the increased desire of patients to maintain their dentition, have lead to treatment of teeth that once would have been removed. In order to carry out this present day mandate, periodontally diseased teeth with severe bone loss may well be retained by removal of one or more of their roots. This article describes a simple procedure for hemisection in mandibular molar and its subsequent restoration.

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Full text not available  [PDF]

Full text not available  [PDF]

Full text not available  [PDF]