Materials used in endodontics may stain teeth. Therefore, the choice of material should not rely solely on biological and functional criteria, but also take aesthetic considerations into account.

For single-implant sites, the quadrant-like intraoral scanning (IOS) was more time efficient than the conventional full-arch impression technique in a phantom head simulating standardized optimal conditions. A high level of acceptance for IOS was observed among students and dentists.

–  It is common knowledge that materials used in endodontics may cause discoloration and thus impair the aesthetic outcome of the treated tooth. The purpose of this review is to summarise the existing knowledge on the discoloration potential of materials used for endodontic procedures. A comprehensive literature search covering the period from 1966 to 2011 was conducted on Pubmed and the Cochrane Library using different keyword combinations including ‘tooth’, ‘colour’, ‘discoloration’, ‘staining’, ‘endodontic’‘root canal’‘sealer’, ‘dressing’, ‘medicament’, ‘obturation’, ‘filling’, ‘treatment’, ‘portland cement’, ‘MTA’ and ‘antibiotic paste’. Any relevant work published in the English language in peer‐reviewed journals and presenting pertinent information related to the purpose of this overview was considered for inclusion. In addition, bibliographies of all relevant papers and previous review articles were hand searched and the reference lists from endodontic textbooks were also reviewed. Articles were excluded if an English abstract was unavailable, if only single clinical reports or conference reports were included, or if the topic was unrelated to the subject. Ten in‐vitro studies, one randomized controlled trial and one multicenter randomized controlled trial met the inclusion criteria. There were not any recently used endodontic materials that would not induce at least measurable colour changes. For a wide range of materials currently available on the market there is only scarce or no evidence available on their staining ability. Endodontic therapy should not focus solely on biological and functional aspects, but take aesthetic considerations into account as well. To reduce the risk of material‐induced tooth discoloration all materials should be applied carefully in areas of aesthetic concern. The need for further research in this field and for the development of non‐staining endodontic materials is evident.

The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to analyze inexperienced dental students' perceptions of the difficulty and applicability of digital and conventional implant impressions and their preferences including performance. Fifty undergraduate dental students at a dental school in Switzerland were randomly divided into two groups (2×25). Group A first took digital impressions in a standardized phantom model and then conventional impressions, while the procedures were reversed for Group B. Participants were asked to complete a VAS questionnaire (0-100) on the level of difficulty and applicability (user/patient-friendliness) of both techniques. They were asked which technique they preferred and perceived to be more efficient. A quotient of "effective scan time per software-recorded time" (TRIOS) was calculated as an objective quality indicator for intraoral optical scanning (IOS). The majority of students perceived IOS as easier than the conventional technique. Most (72%) preferred the digital approach using IOS to take the implant impression to the conventional method (12%) or had no preference (12%). Although total work was similar for males and females, the TRIOS quotient indicated that male students tended to use their time more efficiently. In this study, dental students with no clinical experience were very capable of acquiring digital tools, indicating that digital impression techniques can be included early in the dental curriculum to help them catch up with ongoing development in computer-assisted technologies used in oral rehabilitation.

The presence of bismuth oxide in calcium silicate cements was not shown to be a reliable predictor for tooth discoloration. Antibiotic pastes without tetracycline derivatives do not guarantee the color stability of teeth.

No abstract

On account of its proven clinical efficacy, the combination of systemically administered amoxicillin and metronidazole is frequently adjuncted to non-operative periodontal therapy and well documented. Potential drawbacks of this regimen, e.g., side effects and problems with the compliance, led to an ongoing search for alternatives. Azithromycin, an antibiotic extensively used in general medicine, has recently found its niche in periodontal therapy as well. This systematic review aimed to analyze the in vitro antimicrobial efficacy of amoxicillin plus metronidazole versus azithromycin. For this purpose, a systematic literature search was performed, and studies published up to 29 March 2018 referenced in Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and Biosis were independently screened by two authors. An additional hand search was performed and studies focusing on the evaluation of in vitro antimicrobial efficacy of amoxicillin + metronidazole or azithromycin on bacteria from the subgingival biofilm were included. English and German language research reports were considered. From 71 identified articles, only three articles were eligible for inclusion. These studies showed heterogeneity in terms of analytical methods and strains explored. However, all studies used multispecies biofilm models for analysis of the antimicrobial activity. Unanimously, studies reported on more pronounced antimicrobial effects when applying the combination of amoxicillin + metronidazole, compared to azithromycin. Based on the few studies available, the combination of amoxicillin + metronidazole seemed to display higher antimicrobial efficacy in vitro than azithromycin.

This approach may offer a reduced number of clinical appointments and a secondary cost reduction to the patient.