A 4-year-old child climbs up in my dental chair and grins, showing his only 2 teeth, which appear sharp and pointed. He looks at me and says, “I want teeth.” And it strikes me that a smile is so fundamental to people that even this 4-year-old child grasps its importance.

Bad breath is very common. It can last a short time or can be a chronic problem—lasting for days or months (or even longer). This article talks about some causes of bad breath and offers some tips on controlling it.

Background and Overview Severely molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH)–affected teeth are prone to develop early posteruptive enamel breakdown (PEB) and caries. A novel conservative interim approach for the prevention of this complication is presented. Case Description A 6-year-old boy with strong hypersensitivity and extensive brown opacities in the partially erupted mandibular permanent first molars (PFMs) was diagnosed with MIH. Constant hygiene and dietary counseling were followed by the application of luted orthodontic bands and glass ionomer sealants to protect PFMs from caries and PEB until the complete eruption of the teeth. After 36 months, the PFMs were completely erupted, with no caries and PEB, and the cooperation of the child increased. Conclusions and Practical Implications Temporary strategies are useful to preserve MIH-affected PFMs. With the methodology described, the hypersensitivity decreased and the patient reached a good degree of cooperation, making possible definitive rehabilitative considerations.

Background and Overview The purpose of this article is to present the variations in maxillary molar palatal root canals and provide a reference for the possible variations in root canal treatment. Case Description Five rare cases with palatal canal variation presented in this case series received nonsurgical endodontic treatment successfully. These case reports highlight that understanding and managing the different types of canal configurations in palatal roots of maxillary molars is essential to successful root canal treatment. We tried 2 methods of examining the palatal canal variation to provide examples for clinicians in diagnosing and treating similar cases. Conclusions and Practical Implications The outline form of the access cavity and the shape of the pulp chamber floor are important factors for identifying variations in root canal number. Moreover, cone-beam computed tomography can help in detecting variations in root canals.