Dentists and patients are facing a perplexity between saving a compromised tooth through endodontic treatment and restoration or by extraction and replacement with an implant. The purpose of this paper was to compare the success rates of these two treatments. Success was measured as the longevity of the tooth or implant. Studies which met strict inclusion criteria to ensure best evidence were included. Searches were performed in Ovid Medline, Pubmed, Scopus database, and the Cochrane Library. Evidence-based groups were formed following the assessment of inclusion/exclusion criteria. The overall success rates for primary endodontic, nonsurgical retreatment, and surgical treatment were (86.02%), (78.2%), and (63.4%), respectively, implants was 90.9%. In conclusion, choice between implant and endodontic therapy cannot be exclusively based on outcome as both treatments differ in the biological process, diagnostic modalities, failure patterns, and patients preferences. More research is required with improved study designs before long-term success rates can be compared.

Objective. The purpose of this study was to radiographically evaluate technical quality of root canal fillings performed by dental undergraduates at Libyan International Medical University in Libya. Methods. Root canal cases were treated at university dental clinic from the fall of 2012 to the fall of 2013 by the fourth and fifth year dental students. Students used step-back preparation and cold lateral compaction in the treatment. Radiographs were reviewed over a two-year period from initial procedure to final restoration. Radiographs were evaluated for adequacy or inadequacy by length, density, and taper. Length inadequacy was classified as short or overextended. Overall quality was considered “adequate” based on all three variables. Chi-square tested differences between teeth groupings and adequacy classification. Significant p value results were adjusted by Bonferroni correction. Results. Adequate length of root canal fillings were observed in roughly half of all samples (48.6%). Density was adequate in 75.8% of the samples. Taper was observed as adequate in 68.8%. Higher quality was evident in anterior teeth (plus premolars) versus molars (65.6% versus 43.3%, resp.; p < 0.04). Conclusion. Overall quality of endodontic treatment performed by undergraduate dental students was adequate in 53.9% of the cases. Significant opportunity exists to improve the quality of root canals provided by dental students.

No abstract

ProTaper Next nickel-titanium (NiTi) file system is a safe instrument that respects the canal shape, allows practitioners to treat difficult cases with good results, and low risk of separation.

Aim This study compared the perceptions and exam performance of third-year undergraduates in endodontic courses. The study analyzed hybrid training during COVID-19 and Face-to-Face teaching post-COVID-19 to identify the most effective teaching methods. Materials and Methods This study was a single-centre retrospectively analyzed endodontic courses delivered to third-year dental students in 2021 and 2022 at the Gulf Medical University, College of Dentistry. Student perceptions of the hybrid and F2F courses were obtained through a satisfaction questionnaire administered by the University's Quality Assurance Office at the end of each course. Student performance was measured by analyzing exam grades for both teaching modes. Results Total of 75 students took the hybrid course while 77 received the F2F course. The number of respondents to the questionnaire was significantly higher for the F2F group (81% vs. 31.5%, p ≤ 0.05). The hybrid course received a satisfaction score of 100% compared to 94.54% for F2F. Student performance in the hybrid group was comparable to the F2F group, with mid- and end-of-year course marks ranging from 64.67% to 71.46% and 63.93% to 65.79%, respectively (p ≤ 0.05). These findings suggest that the hybrid model did not negatively affect student performance. Conclusion. In conclusion, the hybrid learning approach was well-received and produced similar endodontic exam marks to F2F teaching. This suggests that combining e-learning with F2F teaching can maintain the quality of education. The absence of differences between the groups dismisses concerns that endodontic education suffered due to the pandemic.

Background: Recent technological advancement have brought many opportunities for educators to integrate innovative techniques to maximize student learning. Problem-based learning (PBL) remains the cornerstone of teaching in preclinical and clinical dentistry. Objective: This study aimed to identify the applicability of virtual reality (VR) tools within the educational framework of PBL, and to propose a model for integrating VR techniques into PBL for dental education. Methodology: We conducted a systematic review of the literature. We identified articles between January 2003 and January 2022 by searching five electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Ovid MEDLINE, and Ovid OLDMEDLINE). Obtained literatures were examined based on PICO criteria following a preset of inclusion and exclusion principles. Results: A total of 17 studies were included in this review based on the search methodology employed. No observational studies directly explored VR in conjunction with PBL in endodontics or restorative dentistry. Studies however discussed either VR or PBL in relation to endodontic and/or restorative dentistry indicating lack of empirical work in this area. Nonetheless, the limited data available demonstrated the need for improvements in the performance levels of students adopting VR-enhanced PBL. Conclusion:Problem-based learning method can benefit from augmentation with VR and simulation platforms for teaching preclinical dental students a wide variety of clinical procedures, refine their motor skills, thereby minimizing errors on actual patients and promoting more integrated learning. We propose that a learning model integrating VR and PBL is integrated in dental education.