IntroductionThis study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of factors with regard to the treatment outcome of direct pulp capping using Biodentine (Septodont, Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, France), in permanent teeth in which the pulps were exposed during caries removal.MethodsBetween 2010 and 2014, 112 teeth with deep carious lesions underwent direct pulp capping. The patients were followed up at 2–3 months and 1–1.5 years with a routine examination on both recall visits. Periapical radiographs were taken at 1–1.5 years. Lack of patient complaints, positive reactions to cold and electric testing, no sensitivity to percussion, and no widening of the periapical ligament indicated success. The Fisher exact test was used for statistical analysis. The significance level was P = .05.ResultsEighty-six teeth were available for 1–1.5 years follow-up. The overall success rate was 82.6%. Only age had a significant effect on the pulpal survival rate: the success rate was 90.9% in patients younger than 40 years and 73.8% in patients 40 years or older (P = .0480). Sex, initial or secondary caries treatment, occlusal or cervical/proximal caries, delayed placement of permanent filling, tooth position, and arch type did not influence the outcome.ConclusionsA patient’s age influenced the outcome of direct pulp capping using this new calcium silicate cement.Clinical relevanceAsymptomatic vital permanent teeth with cariously exposed pulp can be treated successfully by direct pulp capping using Biodentine.

Background. Occlusal appliances are still widely used instruments in the management of orofacial pain in dentistry, yet alone or as a part of multimodal therapy. However, some of those modalities have been lacking thorough randomized assessment, and there is a conflicting evidence available. It is hypothesized that pain symptoms might improve faster and in more tangible way due to combined therapy. Also, to our best knowledge, nimesulide was never examined in this aspect, too. Objective. The aim of this study was to compare early effectiveness of routine intervention methods in patients with myofascial pain (MP) after 3 weeks’ notice. Three modalities were evaluated: occlusal appliance (OA) with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy (nimesulide), occlusal appliance with dry needling (DN), and occlusal appliance (OA-control group) therapy. Design. Randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) in which ninety patients with MP, who met the inclusion criteria, were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups. Sealed, opaque envelopes were used. Methods. For evaluation, each patient completed a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Sleep and Pain Activity Questionnaire (SPAQ) twice, first at the beginning of the study and again after 3 weeks (0–3). Results. Posttreatment test comparison between the control group and both treated groups reveal significant differences between the control and the NSAID + occlusal appliance groups. There were also differences reported between the control and the DN + occlusal appliance groups, but these differences were, however, not statistically significant. Conclusions. Occlusal appliances in conjunction with NSAID showed better orofacial pain relief after 3 weeks of therapy, compared to the use of occlusal appliances alone or in conjunction with dry needling. Additionally, differences between pain perception and quality of life between OA and DN + OA groups were not found to be statistically significant.

Background: a type D personality is a factor in a person’s susceptibility to general mental stress, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many studies were conducted on the relationships among stressful situations, an individual’s personality, depression, and the occurrence of various diseases, e.g., cardiovascular disease or cancer, there are no analogous data on people with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Aim: the assessment of TMDs and depression symptoms in students with type D personality. Material and Methods: the research was carried out with the participation of 240 physiotherapy students. The study group (G1) consisted of 120 participants with type D personalities, the control group (G2) consisted of the same number of participants, without “stress” personalities. All subjects were assessed for the occurrence of TMD symptoms, as well as for depression and anxiety symptoms, using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), based on the proprietary questionnaire. Results: in students with type D personality symptoms, TMDs occurred significantly more often and in greater number (p = 0.00) than in those without stress personalities. The exception was the symptom of increased muscle tension, which showed no statistical difference (p = 0.22). Among the 240 respondents, depression was found in 128 people (53.3%). In the group of students with type D personalities, depression was significantly more frequent than in the group without type D personalities (p = 0.00). In participants with depression, TMD symptoms were more common, i.e., headaches, neck, and shoulder girdle pain, TMJ acoustic symptoms, increased masticatory muscle tension, teeth clenching, and teeth grinding. There was no significant difference between the incidence of depression and TMJ pain and jaw locking. There was a significant interaction between the occurrence of headaches and acoustic symptoms and the occurrence of depression. For headache and depression interactions, the OR was >1; based on the results, we may assume that a headache depends more on the occurrence of depression rather than it being a symptom of a TMJ disorder in people with type D personalities. Conclusion: type D personality and depression may contribute to the development of TMD symptoms.

Objective. This study presents a clinical and histological evaluation of human pulp tissue responses after direct capping using a new dentin adhesive system. Methods. Twenty-eight caries-free third molar teeth scheduled for extraction were evaluated. The pulps of 22 teeth were mechanically exposed and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: Single Bond Universal or calcium hydroxide. Another group of 6 teeth acted as the intact control group. The periapical response was assayed, and a clinical examination was performed. The teeth were extracted after 6 weeks, and a histological analysis was performed. The pulp status was assessed, and the thickness of the dentin bridge was measured and categorized using a histological scoring system. Results. The clinical phase was asymptomatic for Single Bond Universal patients. Patients in the calcium hydroxide group reported mild symptoms of pain, although the histological examination revealed that dentin bridges with or without limited pulpitis had begun forming in each tooth. The universal adhesive system exhibited nonsignificantly increased histological signs of pulpitis (P > 0.05) and a significantly weaker thin mineralized tissue layer (P < 0.001) compared with the calcium hydroxide group. Conclusion. The results suggest that Single Bond Universal is inappropriate for human pulp capping; however, further long-term studies are needed to determine the biocompatibility of this agent.