Indian Journal of Dental Education

The evolution of esthetic dentistry perseveres through innovations in bonding agents, restorative materials, and conservative preparation techniques. The utility of direct composite restorations in posterior teeth is confined to relatively small cavities owing to polymerization stresses. An esthetic alternative to ceramics when it comes to posterior teeth in indirect composite. Since their first application, numerous advancements have been made in adhesive dentistry. In 1980s, indirect resin composites were introduced with Touati and Mormann developing the
first generation of indirect resins composite. Further, improvements in structure, composition and polymerization techniques led to the introduction of a second-generation of indirect resin composites. These include Artglass (Heraeus–Kulzer), Belleglass HP (Kerr), Targis (Ivoclar), Columbus (Cendreset Matrux) and Sinfony (ESPE).
Indirect resin composites offer optimal esthetic performance, enhanced mechanical properties and reparability.These characteristics allow them to be used in a wide range of clinical applications, such as inlays, onlays, crowns, veneering material and also fixed dentures prostheses. This paper presents the two case reports of patients, treated
with indirect composite inlays.
Keywords: Esthetic dentistry; Indirect composite restorations; Inlays

Penetration of microorganisms into the pulp is the main reason for endodontic treatment and failure to eliminate them is the main cause of failure of endodontic treatment. Microorganisms attached irreversibly to substratum and form biofilms in the root canals. These biofilms are heterogeneously composed. This article discusses the role of biofilms and how to eliminate them.

Keywords: Biofilms; Endodontics; Microorganisms.

29Etching is not as simple as it sounds. The contribution of good etching process is more important than the best bonding agent because without proper etching even the best bonding agent does not give optimum results. Etching is not confined to ideal enamel or dentin conditions. The substrate can be a young tooth, old tooth or otherwise. This article highlights the differences in enamel and dentin etching and the factors that affect the etching process.

Keywords: Concentration; Dentin; Depth; Enamel; Etching.

Introduction: Difference in tooth size is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Biometric norms however, may be specific to an ethnic group and cannot be always applied to other ethnic types. Objectives: To find nominative data on the mesiodistal crown dimensions of permanent teeth in Sudanese population and to compare the findings with those reported in other populations. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done in Faculties of AL-Neelain university, Khartoum, Sudan. A total of 104 Sudanese subjects presented with normal occlusion (52 males and 52 females), aged 16–26 years (mean 20.1 years) were included in the study. The mesiodistal width of the teeth were measured with a digital Vernier caliper. Results: Males had significantly larger teeth than females (p < 0.05) in all teeth except upper lateral incisors and upper left second premolar. The maxillary second premolar in female showed the greatest variability [coefficient of variation (CV) 10%] and the maxillary first premolar in female the least (CV 5.375%) in mesiodistal crown dimension. Maxillary canines displayed greater sexual dimorphism (0.4535 mm) in mesiodistal crown size than in any other tooth classes. Comparisons of the mesiodistal crown dimensions between population groups showed that Sudanese have tooth sizes close to those of North Indians and Jordanians but smaller than those of Nigerian. Conclusions: From this study, a standard for the mesiodistal crown dimensions of permanent dentition of Sudanese males and females are obtained.

Keywords: Crown dimension; Mesiodistal width; Permanent dentition.