Purpose: Variation of dimensions of the nasopalatine canal and anterior maxillary bone thickness vary in relation to age, gender, edentulism, and ethnicity; thorough knowledge with regard to these landmarks is of vital importance prior to surgical procedures such as implant placement and local anesthesia in the anterior maxilla. Cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) aids in accurate treatment planning in such situations. Subjects and Methods: A total of 300 participants were selected by the inclusion and exclusion criteria. CBCT was performed with Hyperion X9 CBCT Scanner. Images were reconstructed from the CBCT data using NNT image reconstruction software and visualized using multi-planar resolution screen. The dimensions of the nasopalatine foramen (NPF), the incisive canal (IC) and foramen, and anterior maxillary bone thickness were measured. Results: The mean diameter of NPF was found to be 3.27 mm, incisive foramen (IF) was 3.62 mm, IC was 2.12 mm. The average length of the IC was 10.66 mm. The IF was located at a mean distance of 13.81 mm away from the most anteroinferior point of the cortical plate of the labial bone of the maxilla. The anterior maxillary bone was the thickest at the nasal spine level (10.94 mm), and was the narrowest at lower labial alveolus (7.16 mm). The average anterior maxillary bone thickness was found to be 8.36 mm. Conclusion: Within the limitations of the study, it was found that found that gender and age are important factors that affected the characteristics of the IC and the amount of bone anterior to it.

Aim: The aim of this study was to conduct a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey concerning the practice of occlusal splint for treating temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) by the dental practitioners of Jabalpur. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire containing questions on diagnosis, treatment, and management of TMD was given to a total of 157 general dental practitioners in Jabalpur. The responses were collected; data analysis was done by Chi-square test. Results: Of the General Dental Practitioner's, nearly 78% of participants did not attend any continuing dental education on TMD per year. More than 10 years of experience (82%) was associated with increase in positive response for treatment of TMD patient. Both the diagnosis and treatment of TMD patient were done using combination methods. The duration of splint use was considered patient dependent (42.27%) irrespective of the years of practice. Soft splint was most commonly employed for treatment, and fabrication of splint was done on hinge and mean value articulator. Conclusion: The knowledge of occlusal splint by general practitioners was found to be insufficient for treating TMDs.

Aim:The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of different pretreatments with fluoride-releasing material on shear bond strength (SBS) of orthodontic bracket. Materials and methods: A total of 60 human mandibular premolars were taken in this study. These samples were stored in periodically changed distilled water at room temperature so as to stop bacterial growth. All samples were randomized to three pretreatment groups: group I, acid etching; group II, fluoride varnish; group III, casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) paste. Later, Transbond XT was applied on brackets made of stainless steel and brackets were centered buccally and then light-cured. The INSTRON universal machine was used to measure SBS. Based on the values, the adhesive remnant index (ARI) was estimated. Results: The maximum SBS was seen in group III (18.84 ± 1.04), followed by group II (14.18 ± 0.23), and the minimum bond strength was found in group I (13.90 ± 1.22). The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed high statistically significant difference within the pretreatment groups. The pretreatment group comparisons showed statistically significant difference between group I vs group III and group II vs group III. Score 0 was more in group III [8 (40%)] followed by group II [4 (20%)] and group I [2 (10%)]. The lowest number of score 3 was found in CPP-ACP paste group. After comparing the ARI scores within the groups, the Chi-square test showed a probability of 0.001 which was statistically significant. Conclusion:Our study established that the CPP-ACP paste pretreatment improves the SBS of orthodontic bracket significantly followed by fluoride varnish and acid etching. Clinical significance: The bond strength of orthodontic brackets that were bonded should be adequate to resist orthodontic forces applied during treatment. The effect of the adhesive material to improve the adequate bond strength depends on the efficient pretreatment methods.

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