Health changes during Covid-19: a nationwide study with dental students

OBJECTIVE: To assess the changes in stress levels, social behavior, dietary and parafunctional habits, oral hygiene, among other conditions perceived by dental students in Brazil during the Covid-19 pandemic and evaluated the correlations between stress level and other variables. METHODS: An online questionnaire was developed and validated. Undergraduates enrolled in private and public dental schools were recruited by convenience sampling. Data were collected on the perceived changes regarding stress levels, financial and social characteristics, dietary habits, oral hygiene, health conditions, and parafunctional habits. Quantitative variables were expressed as absolute and relative frequencies. Wilcoxon test evaluated comparisons between perceived changes, and correlations between changes in stress levels and other variables were analyzed by Spearman correlation (α = 0.05). RESULTS: A total of 638 dental students, mean age of 22.95 ± 4.10 years, participated in the study. During the pandemic, the reported stress levels increased while household income decreased (p < 0.05). Late dinners and mindless eating increased in frequency, whereas oral hygiene decreased (p < 0.05). Most of the health conditions and parafunctional habits assessed changed (p < 0.05). Perceived stress levels showed poor negative correlations with household income (rS = −0.14), poor positive correlations with the pressure to contribute financially in the household (rS = 0.19), and poor positive correlations with food choice frequency (rS = 0.15) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dental students reported perceived changes in stress levels, dietary habits, oral hygiene, health conditions, parafunctional habits, and social behavior. Moreover, the results showed poor correlations, as students with higher stress levels tended to have the lowest household income, feel pressured to contribute financially in the household, and present a high meal intake frequency

Micro-Computed Tomographic Analysis of the Shaping Ability of XP-Endo Shaper in Oval-Shaped Distal Root Canals of Mandibular Molars

Objective: To compare the shaping ability of the XP-endo Shaper (XPS) system to the ProTaper Next (PTN) system in oval-shaped distal root canals. Methods: From 12 mandibular molars, distal roots with moderately curved single oval canals were randomly assorted to be instrumented with XPS (experimental group) or PTN (control group) and then scanned using micro-computed tomography [Scan 1]. The root canals of the XPS samples were prepared following the manufacturer\u27s instructions using 15 insertions (XPS15) and rescanned [Scan 2]. An additional 10 insertions to the working length were applied, totalling 25 insertions (XPS25), and the roots were rescanned again [Scan 3]. PTN samples were prepared up to the X3 instrument (PTNX3) and rescanned [Scan 2]. The dentine removed and the unprepared areas were assessed. Data were analysed using a t-test with significance at α=0.05. Results: XPS25 was associated with a significantly greater dentine removal than XPS15 over the entire root canal length and in all three-thirds of the root canal (P\u3c0.05). XPS25 significantly removed more dentine than PTNX3 in only the coronal third (P\u3c0.05). XPS25 was also associated with a significantly smaller percentage of unprepared areas than XPS15 overall and in the coronal third (P\u3c0.05). PTNX3 was associated with a significantly larger percentage of unprepared areas than XPS15 and XPS25 overall and in the coronal and middle thirds (P\u3c0.05). Conclusion: Ten additional movements with XPS significantly improved instrumentation capacity, reducing the percentage of untouched surface areas but also removing more dentine

Use of self-etching restorative materials to prevent crown discoloration caused by minocycline

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível SuperiorO objetivo desse estudo foi comparar a capacidade de dois materiais restauradores em prevenir a descoloração coronária causada pela minociclina como medicação intracanal e propor uma técnica de fácil implementação para encorajar o uso da pasta tri-antibiótica para desinfecção do sistema de canais radiculares durante procedimentos de regeneração pulpar sem perda estética. Cem dentes foram selecionados, seus canais radiculares foram instrumentados e divididos em quatro grupos de acordo com o tratamento dentinário utilizado: Grupo OB- Agente adesivo OptiBond All-In-One (KERR); Grupo U200- Cimento resinoso auto-condicionante e auto adesivo RelyX U200 (3M ESPE); Grupo MIN- Sem revestimento; Grupo CN- Sem revestimento (controle negativo). Em todos os grupos, com exceção do CN, foi utilizada pasta de minociclina como medicação intracanal coberta por uma bolinha de algodão e vedados com restauração provisória. As medições de cor foram realizadas com um espectrofotômetro no início do estudo (T0), e 7(T7), 14 (T14), 21 (T21) e 28 dias (T28) pós-minociclina. Os resultados obtidos foram submetidos à análise estatística. As diferenças de cor (&#61508;E*) foram crescentes nos grupos CN, OB, U200 e MIN, respectivamente. A diferença de luminosidade (&#61508;L*) foi também crescente nos grupos CN, OB, U200 e MIN, respectivamente. Houve diferença significante entre os grupos MIN e CN, e entre os grupos MIN e U200 (p0,05). Uma alteração de cor significante no eixo vermelho-verde (&#61508;a*) foi observada no grupo MIN em relação ao grupo CN (p0,05). Color variance in the red-green axis (&#61508;a*) was significant between groups MIN and CN (p<0,05). We concluded that the technique was indeed easy to implement, both materials reduced the crown discoloration caused by the minocycline paste but were unable to prevent it completely

Integrating 3D Software in Preclinical Endodontic Training: Student Opinions and Performance Evaluation

The aim of this study is to assess the opinions of D2 students in the endodontics lab course on the effectiveness of E4D (Planmeca Romexis Compare) software for the evaluation of endodontic access preparations. Looking specifically at their confidence and ability to perform, assess, and identify errors in their access preparations as well their desire for the implementation of scanning and comparison software into the preclinical courses and as a method of self evaluation in preparation for licensure exams