In the modern era where the buzz word is “publish or perish,” numerous articles suspicious of misconduct are observed. People often do this out of sheer ignorance of its consequences or to get speedier publication, which lead to both career progression and fame. It is essential that one should be aware of the after-effects of “cut/copy and paste” from another source without giving due credit to the original work, lack of which can lead to serious consequences. This two-part article is intended to make the scientific dental community aware of various forms of misconduct observed as far as scientific publishing is concerned. This also outlines the measures observed so that the amount of plagiarism or misconduct can be minimized or prevented.

Aims: The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of dentists in Palestine toward deep dentin caries removal and the associated restorative strategies preferred. Materials and methods: The study was conducted through an online survey among the dentists registered with the Palestinian Dental Association. A total of 300 dentists were administered a structured, self-administered questionnaire to assess their knowledge, attitude, and practice toward deep dentin caries removal. The questionnaire consisted of an eight-item written survey instrument constructed for the survey purpose. Results: Among the 300 dentists, 201 dentists responded to the survey with a response rate of 67%. Hardness of remaining dentin was the most important criterion employed to assess excavation. To treat an exposed pulp, 74% of dentists considered direct capping, whereas 79% refuted partial excavation fearing caries progression or pulp damage. To facilitate restoration longevity, 56.6% reported preferring more invasive treatment. Only 16% reported that they would prefer a step-wise caries excavation. Conclusion: A higher percentage of surveyed dentists were skeptical about leaving caries during excavation, and they did not prefer incomplete caries removal. Direct pulp capping was the preferred treatment strategy when pulp exposure occurred. Clinical significance: The beneficence of partial excavation should be highlighted in under- and postgraduate education in Palestine. It would pave the way to promote minimally invasive techniques in restorative dentistry.

Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of grape seed extract (GSE) as a gutta-percha disinfectant and to compare the efficacy with 5% sodium hypochlorite, 2.5% sodium hypochlorite, and 2% chlorhexidine against Bacillus subtilis. Materials and methods: Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of GSE were calculated by serial dilution and well-diffusion method. Five hundred gutta-percha cones of ISO size 25 were divided into 10 equal groups (n = 50). The 10 groups of gutta-percha cones were inoculated with cultured Bacillus species and incubated for 72 hours for allowing bacterial growth. Each group was then treated with the test solutions for 1 and 5 minutes. The treated groups of gutta-percha cones were then incubated in brain heart infusion agar allowing for bacterial growth, which were later analyzed by the turbidity of the medium. The results were statistically analyzed. Results: Gutta-percha cones when treated with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate for 1 and 5 minutes showed the most inhibiting activity against B. subtilis. Grape seed extract was found to have limited activity against B. subtilis in both 1- and 5-minute interval. Both concentrations of NaOCl, 2.5 and 5%, showed reduced activity against B. subtilis. Conclusion: Grape seed extract though has antibacterial activity, when used as gutta-percha disinfectant, was found to be less effective than chlorhexidine gluconate against B. subtilis. Clinical significance: Different methods of gutta-percha cone disinfection have been advocated and GSE for gutta-percha cone disinfection was attempted owing to its herbal antibacterial nature.

Coronal fractures of the anterior teeth are a commonly found fracture affecting children and adolescents. Management of fractured tooth depends on the availability of the fractured segment, extent of the fracture, and extraoral time of the fragment. If the fractured segment is intact and available, reattachment is an option. Reattachment of fractured tooth fragments can provide immediate and long-lasting esthetics. Additional retention that is needed in some cases is fulfilled by placement of a post. Fiber-reinforced composite post will give better esthetics compared to metallic one. Patient cooperation and understanding of the limitations of the treatment is of utmost importance for good prognosis. This study reports a coronal tooth fracture treated by tooth fragment reattachment with fiberpost reinforcement.

Periradicular disease is mainly caused by varied microflora present in the root canal system. These microorganisms are removed to some extent with the help of various steps in root canal treatment. The infected teeth are treated nonsurgically rather than treating directly by surgical root canal treatment. For the successful surgical treatment, root end filling material is placed at the root end. This case report describes a case which is prior to nonsurgical method; however, because of complications these teeth are treated surgically. Biodentine being a biocompatible material can be used as a root end filling material, according to the manufacturer's instructions. The patient was recalled at a regular interval and it was found that periradicular tissue responded well to the restorative material. However, the long-term success rate for this material is yet to be evaluated, so for evaluation this case is followed up.

An immature tooth with pulpal necrosis and periapical pathology imposes a great difficulty to the endodontists. Endodontic treatment options for such teeth consist of conventional apexification procedure with and without apical barriers and revascularization. Calcium phosphate is a calcium silicate-based cement that exhibits physical and chemical properties similar to those described for certain Portland cement derivatives. This article demonstrates the use of calcium phosphates as an apical matrix barrier in root end apexification procedure. This case report presents apexification and follow-up of a case with the use of calcium phosphate as an apical barrier matrix.

Reattachment of a fractured tooth fragment is a conservative approach that helps to restore form, function, esthetics, and phonetics in a short time. Reattachment procedures have become more predictable with developments in adhesive materials, posts, and preparation techniques that enhance the durability and strength of the procedure. This article discusses the management of two complicated crown fractures that were successfully treated by fragment reattachment using a minimally invasive approach.

Usually external tooth resorption follows trauma to periodontal ligament. Based on clinical and histological manifestations, it can be classified into five categories. Due to the alkaline pH, calcium hydroxide has long been used as an intracanal medicament to slow down the resorption process. Both external and internal resorptions can also occur on the same tooth, making the management more complex. This case report presents the management of a tooth with apical resorption. Apical resorption can be managed both surgically and nonsurgically. In this case, as the tooth itself has created an apical barrier, it was decided not to break the apical seal and to manage it nonsurgically. Follow-up was done for 3 and 6 months respectively.