Rosa María Vilariño-Rodríguez

Cosmetic restorative dentistry focuses on restoring teeth affected by caries or trauma using materials that mimic natural teeth in shape, texture, and color. Composite resins, particularly nanofilled composites, are widely used due to their superior mechanical and aesthetic properties. Accurate tooth color selection is crucial, and methods include visual (shade guides) and instrumental (spectrophotometers, colorimeters, and intraoral scanners). Newer biomimetic composites, such as Admira Fusion 5 and Clearfil Majesty ES-2 Universal, simplify shade selection through advanced optical technologies. A randomized clinical study involving 30 patients compared the color-matching accuracy of two biomimetic composite resins: Admira Fusion 5 (Voco) and Clearfil Majesty ES-2 Universal (Kuraray). The study utilized the Vita Easyshade spectrophotometer and the Primescan intraoral scanner. Patients were treated following standardized protocols, and shade accuracy was evaluated pre- and post-restoration using Cohen’s Kappa index. Admira Fusion 5 showed higher shade-matching accuracy, with good agreement between pre- and post-restoration measurements using both instruments. Clearfil Majesty ES-2 Universal demonstrated lower reproducibility in shade matching, particularly in posterior teeth, with lower agreement in pre- and post-tests. Instrumentation Comparison: Primescan showed slightly better performance than Easyshade, but both provided comparable results. In conclusions, universal composites may not always achieve optimal shade matching in posterior teeth. Layered composites provide better color adaptability. While digital instruments enhance shade accuracy, combining them with visual methods yields the best clinical outcomes. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to improve shade-matching techniques in aesthetic restorative dentistry.

Introduction: Endodontic treatments require a high level of manual skill and operative independence, which is why preclinical training and the development of appropriate educational programs are vital. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of endodontic treatments and the influence of nationality on undergraduate academic performance at a Spanish dental school with a large proportion of international students. Material and Methods: A cross‐sectional study was carried out on students of the Dental Therapeutic Pathology II subject at the Faculty of Dentistry in the 2022–2023 academic year. Two independent evaluators evaluated the quality of the treatments, and errors made during the treatment were identified. The chi‐square test assessed the association between the errors committed in root canal treatment and nationality. Results: A total of 319 students were evaluated. The most frequent nationality was French (57.4%), followed by Italian (22.9%), Spanish (16.0%), and others (3.8%). Treatment of multiple ducts was the most performed (75.86%). The French carried out the highest number of treatments (73.22%). The most frequent error was identified in the design of the camera aperture. There were no statistically significant differences between the number of errors and nationality. Conclusions: A growing internationalization of students has been identified. Despite cultural and linguistic differences, a common tendency to make errors in the design of openings in endodontic treatments was observed in all groups. French students stood out with superior academic performance.