No abstract

This study investigates the validity of the treatment decisions made by 10 hospital dentists, who examined the fissures of extracted teeth using a visual-only technique. The study shows that 8 of the 10 dentists were more likely to leave carious teeth unrestored than unnecessarily treat sound teeth. The authors suggest that this system of diagnosing occlusal caries is a satisfactory one in terms of its sensitivity and specificity.

No abstract

No abstract

Summary. The British Standards Institution have produced a recommended testing procedure for toxicity of dental materials; this advocates the use of a zinc oxide—eugenol cement such as Kalzinol, as a bland control in deep cavities. In this study, Kalzinol was applied directly to the exposed pulps of germ‐free rat molar teeth. This resulted in pulpal inflammation in contact with the material; when dentine particles separated Kalzinol from the pulp, calcific repair tissue was observed without inflammation or necrosis. Further investigation is required into suitable control materials for use in toxicity testing of restorative and lining materials.