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Shade selection procedure depends on various factors including translucency, contour and surface texture. Tooth shade selection using a conventional means involves a high degree of subjectivity. Traditional shade guides are available that use several methods for quantifying shade. Technology-based systems provide with an advantage of natural looking restorations. They include RGB devices, colorimeters, spectrophotometers. The impact of the color science can be seen on various restorative materials ranging from ceramics to maxillofacial prosthetic materials.

Aim: There is an increased awareness for aesthetically pleasing restorations among patients in current practice. Due to variability in the natural tooth colour, shade selection becomes an intricate procedure. The aim of this study is to determine which of the three named methods is more accurate for shade selection in aesthetic dentistry. Materials and Methods: Two VITAPAN classical shade guides were used for this study. Nine shades were selected from the first shade guide (A1, A2, A3.5, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3) and the number was concealed. Ten selected participants were asked to identify each concealed shade with the second shade guide. Canon 5D camera with ISO 200, shutter speed 1/100 sec, F22 was used for capturing images of the second shade guide. Photoshop CS3 Software was used for developing the digital shade guide. The participants were asked to match the shades from the first shade guide with the prepared digital shade guide. The third photographic shade guide was prepared using a polarised filter on the Canon 5D camera with the same settings. The participants were asked to match shades with the prepared photographic shade guide. Results: Total observations made during the study were 270. Cross table statistical analysis (Chi-square test) done using SPSS 20.0 showed statistically significant difference between conventional and digital photography (P = 0.049). Analysis between digital photography and polarizing filter photography did not reveal a significant association (P = 0.181). Conclusion: Digital photographic method was most accurate among the three shade selection methods. It can be used to obtain aesthetic results.

Context: Dental practitioners who usually have to work for long durations in a particular fixed posture are more prone to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), particularly those involving the hand and wrist and also of the lower back. Aims: To study the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and low back pain (LBP) among dental practitioners and to correlate the symptoms with the duration of practice. Subjects and Methods: A closed-end questionnaire was distributed to 100 dental practitioners from Dakshina Kannada and Coorg districts of Karnataka, India. Statistical Analysis Used: Analyses were carried out using Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. Results: The study found that 86% of the total population of dentists practicing for more than 5 years showed symptoms of CTS and 54.0% experienced LBP. Conclusion: Symptoms of MSDs related to hands, wrists, and low back is widely prevalent among the dentists, which severely impact their work efficiency. Precautionary measures early in the clinical practice such as proper ergonomics in the operating field and few strengthening exercises as described in this study can reduce the onset and progression of the symptoms.

Success of implant technology is due to several other factors such as biologic factors, local factors, and clinician and implant-related factors. Dental implant surface technologies have evolved rapidly in the recent times to enhance the bone formation on their surface. Following the placement of the implant, there is a predictable sequence of bone turnover and replacement at the interface that allows the newly formed bone to adapt to the implant surface. Chemical composition of the implant surface can differ markedly due to manufacturing, finishing, thermal treatment, blasting, etching, coatings, and even sterilization procedures. Based on these considerations, a careful control of implant surface composition becomes a relevant procedure to produce high-quality devices. This paper reviews the impact of various macrotopographical, microtopographical, and nanotopographical features at various stages of osseointegration and gauges the relative merits of various current innovations to the surface topography of titanium endosseous implants.

The level of bone crest surrounding the implant is of utmost significance to determine osseointegrated implant success, as preservation of marginal bone height is highly important for long-term dental implant survival. Various approaches have been described in the literature to prevent the crestal bone loss, including platform switching, non-submerged approach, scalloped implants, implant design modifications, progressive loading, immediate implant placement, etc. The purpose of this paper is to review all the possible methods to preserve the crestal bone, when each method should be used and their success rates in an attempt to address this complex problem of crestal bone resorption. \"PubMed\" and \"Google Scholar\" were used to find out any studies involving platform switching concept from 1990 up to 2009. Twenty-four studies involving methods for preservation of crestal bone were evaluated, which included 26% studies on platform switching, 22% on non-submerged approach, 17% on scalloped implants, 13% on progressive loading and 22% on immediate implant placement. Crestal bone preservation should be thought of starting from the design of the implant to be placed. The technique to be followed in a given case will depend upon the density of bone, force factors by the patient, bone volume and amount of soft tissues, etc. The best possible method or the combination of the methods should be used to preserve the crestal bone for the long-term success of the implants.

Dental specialists today are facing a major influx of completely edentulous patients and patients with generalized compromised teeth who ask for cost-effective full mouth rehabilitation. The choice of overdenture as a treatment modality is significantly less expensive and is within the reach of many patients who are on a limited financial support. Various types of attachment systems are currently available to restore implant-supported over-denture. Clinicians have selected various attachment systems based on factors such as durability, patient demand, cost-effectiveness, technical simplicity, and retention. The decision-making process to select certain types of attachment system still remains unclear. This article explains about various attachment system available, their advantages and disadvantages and their use in different clinical conditions.

Implants are the treatment of choice at present and placing implants in growing children stands to be one of the most controversial topics. A detailed search was carried out from literature available in English language from 1969 to 2012, which included review articles as well as case reports. The search was carried out in National Library of Medicine's Pubmed database, Google search, and Science Direct, as well as a manual search of hard copies of the available journals using implants in adolescents, implants in growing children, mini implants, and prosthodontic treatment in ectodermal dysplasia as the key words.

Several techniques have been developed to improve the bone volume for the placement of dental implants in an effort to shorten the length of treatment, avoid a second surgical appointment, reduce the use of additional surgical sites, reduce challenges to the patient and decrease patient morbidity. This article will review these surgical procedures for both hard and soft tissue grafting in the placement of endosseous dental implants.