Dentists' perceptions of providing care to community-dwelling older people.

Objectives: This study explored the attitudes of New Zealand (NZ) general dental practitioners (GDPs) towards older adults living within the community and the barriers and difficulties caring for their oral health needs.

Background: Adults are living longer and retaining teeth. Their dentitions are complex and alongside their dental needs, older adults often experience age-related systemic disease or decline.

Crack Formation Following Root-End Preparation in Roots with the Butterfly Effect.

Objective: To investigate apical cracks in roots that exhibit the butterfly effect and that have undergone apical resection and ultrasonic root-end cavity preparation. The effect of the obturation material was also studied.

Methods: Forty extracted single-rooted teeth were decoronated at the cemento-enamel junction.

Eyesight: a study of the staff of a dental school.

Objectives/aims: The aim was to investigate the vision of all 90 dentally qualified staff at a dental school.

Materials And Methods: Ethical approval was obtained and a questionnaire-based survey conducted. Data were screened and analysed using Stata 13.

Undergraduate endodontic teaching in New Zealand: students' experience, perceptions and self-confidence levels.

The aim was to investigate undergraduate students' experiences, perceptions of future practice and self-rated confidence levels across endodontic tasks. After ethical approval, a survey involved all fourth and fifth year students. Quantitative data were analysed in SPSS version 20.

Investigation of dentin hardness in roots exhibiting the butterfly effect.

Introduction: Most vertical root fractures occur in root canal treated teeth, and they usually run in a buccolingual direction. The butterfly effect is an optical phenomenon seen in some sections of tooth roots. The aim was to investigate the microhardness of dentin in mesiodistal and buccolingual cross sections of roots exhibiting the effect.

Root canal treatment and prevalence of apical periodontitis in a nigerian adult subpopulation: a radiographic study.

Purpose: To evaluate the frequency, distribution and quality of root canal treatment in an adult Nigerian subpopulation and to determine the prevalence of apical periodontitis.

Materials And Methods: The periapical status and length of root fillings of 756 patients attending Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Nigeria for the first time were evaluated using full mouth periapical radiographs. The length of the root canal filling was considered 'adequate' if it was ≤ 2 mm from the radiographic apex, 'under-filled' if it was > 2 mm short of the apex, and 'overfilled' if filling material extended beyond the radiographic apex.

Dentists make larger holes in teeth than they need to if the teeth present a visual illusion of size.

Background: Health care depends, in part, on the ability of a practitioner to see signs of disease and to see how to treat it. Visual illusions, therefore, could affect health care. Yet there is very little prospective evidence that illusions can influence treatment.

The butterfly effect: an investigation of sectioned roots.

Introduction: The butterfly effect is an optical phenomenon seen in some sections of tooth roots. The aim of this work was to investigate the density of dentinal tubules in mesiodistal and buccolingual cross-sections of roots exhibiting the butterfly effect and to determine if the effect is featured throughout the length of roots and is age related.

Methods: Thirty extracted single-rooted teeth were allocated to the following groups according to patient age: group 1: 15-24 years, group 2: 25-44 years, and group 3: 45 years and over.

Infection of apical dentin and root-end cavity disinfection.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess Enterococcus faecalis penetration into the dentin of the apical 3 mm and bacterial death after the application of either chlorhexidine or laser to root-end cavities.

Methods: Root canals of 60 single-rooted teeth were prepared. In part 1, cementum was removed semicircumferentially from 21 roots, and the smear layer was removed from 15 roots using 17% EDTA/cetrimide.

Avulsion and replantation of a primary incisor tooth.

Avulsion of a primary tooth is a serious dental trauma, and the guidelines of the International Association of Dental Traumatology and textbooks in paediatric dentistry do not recommend replantation. Such management can result in severe damage to the supporting structures, and together with avulsion itself is commonly associated with developmental disturbances of the permanent tooth. We report the case of replantation in a 9-month-old child with a successful outcome, in a unique situation where conditions were optimal and careful long-term follow up was possible.

Effect of the smear layer on a pulp proximity-indicating instrument.

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of removing or modifying the smear layer on the indication provided by the Prepometer pulp proximity-indicating instrument. Third molars were prepared to produce flat surfaces in the coronal dentine, and control Prepometer LED readings were made. Group E was treated with 18% EDTA and Group T with Tubulicid.

New Zealand dentists' use of gingival retraction techniques for fixed prosthodontics and implants.

Objective: To identify the techniques most commonly used in New Zealand for gingival retraction for impressions of natural teeth and implants in fixed prosthodontics.

Design: Postal survey of a random sample of dentists

Methods: A questionnaire was mailed to all members of the New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA). Data were analysed using SPSS.

A novel instrument to determine pulp proximity.

The aim was to determine whether extracted teeth could be used to test the Prepometer instrument, which indicates pulp proximity with green/amber/red light emitting diodes. Third molars were reduced to a plane in dentine and Prepometer readings made. Dentine was removed in 0.

Peripheral dentin thickness after root-end cavity preparation.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if it was possible to retain 2 mm of dentin around the periphery of root-end cavity preparations in maxillary central incisor and maxillary canine teeth.

Study Design: Thirty teeth of each type were root filled. Three millimeters of root end was resected and conservative root-end cavities ultrasonically prepared.

Radiographic recognition and distribution of approximal carious lesions in New Zealand undergraduate dental students.

Bitewing radiographs are widely used to detect caries on the approximal surfaces of teeth. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of approximal caries in an educated young adult (New Zealand dental student) population, and to compare the diagnostic decisions of students and university teachers. A total of 123 students aged from 18 to 25 years (mean age 21 years) participated, having given their informed consent.

Comparison of two methods for the removal of root canal posts.

Objective: To compare the application of ultrasound with the use of an engine-driven trephine bur to remove parallel-sided root canal posts.

Method And Materials: Single-rooted human canine teeth were decoronated and prepared to receive preformed titanium posts. The posts were cemented with Panavia F resin cement.

Effect of thermocycling on the retention of glass-fiber root canal posts.

Objective: This study investigated the effects of thermocycling on the retention of glass-fiber and resin posts.

Method And Materials: Forty premolar and canine tooth roots were embedded in acrylic blocks shaped to fit into a retention device. The roots were randomly assigned to two groups of 20 to receive either Lightposts or Luscent Anchors which were cemented into 9-mm-deep post spaces, with Panavia F resin cement.

Conventional versus storage phosphor-plate digital images to visualize the root canal system contrasted with a radiopaque medium.

The pulp tissue was removed from 20 mandibular first molar teeth using 2.5% NaOCl irrigation and hand files. The dried canals were infused with radiopaque contrast medium.

A comparison of the retention of tooth-colored posts.

Objective: The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the retention of five different esthetic post systems of similar dimensions in extracted teeth using titanium posts as controls.

Method And Materials: Sixty recently extracted single-rooted, caries-free teeth were sectioned horizontally and mounted in acrylic resin. The samples were randomly allocated into six groups of 10 for post preparation.

Use of rubber dam and its association with other endodontic procedures in New Zealand.

The use of rubber dam for endodontic treatment in New Zealand was analysed by a national survey of general dental practitioners. The response rate was 79 percent. Rubber dam was used routinely by 57 percent, its use increasing among practitioners graduating since 1969.

A comparison of phosphor-plate digital images with conventional radiographs for the perceived clarity of fine endodontic files and periapical lesions.

Objective: We sought to compare digital images with radiographs for the perceived clarity of small endodontic file tips at 2 different working lengths, as well as for the visualization of periapical bone lesions.

Study Design: Standardized conventional radiographic and phosphor-plate digital images were taken of 20 extracted permanent mandibular molars with 06 K-files placed in the distal root canal either 2 mm short or flush with the apical foramen. Similar images were obtained from mandibles with teeth that demonstrated large (n = 10) or small (n = 10) periapical lesions.

Electrical and dye leakage comparison of three root-end restorative materials.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess three modern root-end restorative materials with electrical and dye leakage tests.

Method And Materials: Thirty-three human canine teeth were prepared and filled with gutta-percha and sealer. Stainless steel rods were inserted into the root canals as anodes, and the teeth were varnished.