Aloe vera is a versatile plant with a numerous health benefits. It has various outstanding features like anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-tumor which help in accelerating wound healing and in treating various lesions of the oral cavity. Although it has clinically proven benefits, its practical use in repairing oral lesions still warrants further research. The A. vera plant, its properties, mechanism of action and clinical uses in dentistry are briefly reviewed in the current article.

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Gingival cysts of the newborn are small keratin-filled cysts on the alveolar mucosa of infants that exists at birth. They are remnants of the dental lamina and are usually multiple in numbers, but do not increase in size. The diagnosis is made at the clinical level. Since, this lesion tends to undergo involution or regresses spontaneously within a few weeks or months after birth so unnecessary therapeutic intervention is avoided. Complications are rarely observed. Pain on sucking, refusal to feed and airway obstruction can occur in rare instances. However parents remain anxious about the prevailing condition. Hence they should be reassured by providing suitable information about the simple nature of this lesion.

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Background: Career choice is one of the most important and critical decisions in a student's life. Educators and admission committees are also interested in researching the factors that affect a student's decision to opt for dentistry. Objectives: To identify dental interns' motivation for studying dentistry and to study their future aspirations after graduation. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive survey. A detailed, anonymous, structured questionnaire to assess motivating factors for joining dentistry as a profession was administered to the study group of 78 dental undergraduate students undergoing internship (interns). The questionnaire consisted of sections on demographic details, motivational factors, and career choice items. Data was analyzed using counts and percentages and ranking of motivating factors was based on calculation of mean and standard deviation. Results: The response rate was 94%. Majority of the respondents were females (80%). The most popular reasons for choosing dentistry as a career were family advice, prestige and social status, interest in medical sciences and altruistic motives. The majority of the students planned to do postgraduation (35.1%) or practice dentistry (18.9%) after graduation. The dental students had a positive attitude towards the dental profession. Conclusion: The motives for joining dentistry were primarily related to personal factors. The students took responsibility for their career choice and parents' approval played a major role. Majority of the students planned to pursue a postgraduation degree after completing graduation and few were inclined to be employed in public or private sector.

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Aim: The aim of this study is to compare the etch pattern, resin tag length and the shear bond strength (SBS) of all-in-one adhesive system (Clearfil S ³ bond) on intact enamel with and without phosphoric acid (PA) preetching. Materials and Methods: Freshly extracted 80 caries free cleaned sectioned crowns of upper permanent central and lateral incisors were mounted on acrylic blocks. The samples were divided into four Groups (A, B, C and D). In Group A and B the application of self-etch adhesive (SEA) was carried out without prior etching with PA and light curing performed (n = 20). In Group C and D etching was carried out with 37% PA before the application of SEA and light curing was carried out. The etch pattern, resin tag length were analyzed using scanning electron microscope and the SBS was analyzed using Instron Universal testing machine. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were analyzed with Mann-Whitney U-test using Statistical Package for Social Science version 11.5 Software. Results: The statistical analysis revealed that there was significant increase in the depth of penetration of resin tags and in the SBS of composite in Group C and D where PA pre-etching carried out in unground enamel than Group A and B (P < 0.05%). Conclusion: The results indicate that out of both treatment groups, pre-etching the intact enamel with 37% PA resulted in deeper etch pattern, formation of longer resin tags and increased SBS of the Clearfil S ³ bond to unground enamel.

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Objective: The aim of this study is to assess whether dental caries was related to body mass index (BMI) in school going children of Ahmedabad city (Gujarat), India. Materials and Methods: Dental and anthropometric examinations were conducted on 750 school going children with a mean age of 10.96 ± 3.14 years from ten public schools. Dental caries was diagnosed according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria using deft/decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index. Nutritional status was obtained using BMI and classification of nutritional status was achieved using the standards of WHO. Results: Out of the 750 children, 450 (60%) were male and 300 (40%) were female. There was a highly significant difference (P < 0.001) when the prevalence of dental caries (deft/DMFT) was compared in different age groups of children. About 653 (87.1%) out of 750 children were underweight. There was a highly significant difference (P < 0.001) when the BMI and mean deft score was compared; however, when the BMI and mean DMFT score was compared the result was not reached to the significant level (P > 0.05). Significant correlation (P < 0.001) was observed between the different age groups and caries. There was a negative correlation between deft and BMI showing a significant result. Conclusion: Increase in age and underweight children were more likely to have caries experience.

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A smile expresses a feeling of joy, affection, courtesy, self-confidence, and kindness. The harmony of a smile is determined mostly by the teeth, but also the gingiva plays an important role. The shape, size, and color of gums affect the smile and overall appearance of an individual. The appearance of unesthetic anterior teeth or gums may have a significant psychological and emotional impact on the patient. Gingival pigmentation occurs in all races of mankind. The clinical melanin pigmentation and excessive gingival display are of major esthetic concern for many people, especially when it is visible while smiling. Here is a case report describing a successful management of a 22-year-old female patient with gummy smile and dark unpleasant gingiva. This problem was resolved by simply removing the excess of gingival tissues with a crown lengthening procedure involving gingivectomy and the depigmentation of dark gums was done with scalpel surgery technique, simultaneously. Both these procedures ultimately produced a satisfactory esthetic result to the patient.

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Traumatic injuries to the maxillary anterior teeth due to domestic accidents and contact sports leading to tooth fracture are a common finding in a pedodontic practice. Sometimes the fractured tooth fragment can penetrate into the surrounding soft-tissue and may be often missed in a routine clinical examination. This case report presents a 10-year-old boy who reported to the Department of Pedodontics, SRM Dental College with fractured maxillary right central incisors along with lower lip laceration due to trauma. Patient was subsequently diagnosed with a fragment of a fractured permanent central incisor in the lower lip after routine clinical examination and radiographic examination. Patient was initially seen at a private dental hospital, where the embedded dental fragment in the lower lip went unnoticed. The fragment was removed surgically and composite filing was done in the fractured central incisor at a later stage. This report highlights the importance of thorough clinical examination followed by radiographic examination in patients reporting with dental fractures due to trauma.

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Objective: The study determines distribution and forms of expression of Carabelli's trait in contemporary Jat Sikhs. It also ascertains the dichotomous nature of this trait. Study design: The study was conducted on 200 maxillary first molars (male: female ratio 50:50). The trait was scored either as present or absent. When present it was again assessed and categorized. All data was subjected to either chi-square analysis or Student t-test evaluation when indicated. The significance was noted at the 5% level. Results: Prevalence of trait came out to be 78.5%. The trait absent/present exhibits bilateral development. Groove form was the most common (35%) while pit form was least prevalent (2.5%). Each first molar and its antimere exhibit no statistical difference in the exhibition of trait. A definite statistically significant sexual dimorphism (P<0.05) exists in phenotypic expression of trait among sexes. Percentage frequency of pronounced tubercle was almost double in males while absence of tubercle was observed three times more in females. The ratio of nontubercular: Tubercular varieties is 1:1.5. Conclusion: The difference in this study was statistically significant at the 5% level, which was consistent with the greater crown reduction usually found in females. The present quantitative study in an endogamous group is of clinical, anthropologic, and forensic value and provides phylogenetic and ontogenic insights regarding the trait.

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Keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT) is an intraosseous neoplasm of odontogenic origin characterized by high recurrence rates. Commonly, observed in males in second and third decades of life. The aim is to discuss the treatment modalities of a rare case of KCOT in a 5-year-old female child. Considering the age of the patient KCOT was treated by enucleation and Carnoy's solution application to reduce the recurrence and complications associated with repeated surgeries.

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