The following description outlines how the current standards for treating mandibular condyle fractures hatched, so that they have grown into mature techniques for guiding patients to recovery.
The following description outlines how the current standards for treating mandibular condyle fractures hatched, so that they have grown into mature techniques for guiding patients to recovery.
Background: Denture adhesives promote greater stability and retention of dentures. However, they can also facilitate biofilm formation related to oral diseases.
Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate the influence of 2 adhesives on the microbial load of mixed biofilm and adhesive strength. Additionally, the objective was to assess the effect of 3 hygiene protocols on the microbial load and cell metabolism of this biofilm.
Material and methods: The study compared Corega Ultra Cream (CCA) and OlivaFix® Gold (OFA) adhesives by evaluating the biofilm formation of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus mutans by colony-forming unit (CFU), as well as adhesive strength. The implemented hygiene protocols included brushing and immersion in water (BW), 0.15% triclosan (BT0.15%), or 0.25% sodium hypochlorite (BSH0.25%). The control groups were either without adhesive (CG) or without any hygiene protocols (CGwH). The one-way and two-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs) with Tukey's post hoc test and a generalized linear model with Bonferroni adjustment were used for statistical analysis (α = 0.05).
Results: The microbial load of C. albicans was higher when OFA was used (p < 0.001). The microbial loads of C. glabrata and S. mutans were similar between adhesives and higher in the CG (p < 0.001). The influence of the adhesives on the microbial load of S. aureus was not statistically significant (p = 0.287). The adhesive strength promoted by OFA was greater and more stable than when CCA was used (p = 0.007). The immersion in sodium hypochlorite led to a reduction in the microbial load of C. albicans (p < 0.001), C. glabrata (p = 0.002) and S. mutans (p = 0.012), independent of the adhesive. For S. aureus, the microbial load was lower with OFA/BSH0.25% (p = 0.022). All hygiene protocols resulted in a decreased cell metabolism when compared to the CGwH (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Brushing with BSH0.25% solution was the most effective hygiene protocol, resulting in a reduction in the microbial load and metabolism. This protocol may be recommended as a first-line option for the disinfection of dentures.
Background: Periodontal diagnosis and risk assessment are extremely important to assess the individual likelihood of developing periodontal disease or experiencing its progression.
Objectives: The goal was to introduce and validate a new algorithm through providing the periodontal/ peri-implant diagnosis (comparing the one by the professionals vs. the automated tool), risk assessment and prognosis, and to establish cut-off limits with a new scoring system.
Material and methods: GF-PeDRA© has 18 parameters to be assessed, achieving an octadecagon picture. The parameters are as follows: the probing depth (PD); the number of interproximal sites with bone loss; clinical attachment loss (CAL); radiographic bone loss (RBL); bleeding on probing (BoP); the bone loss pattern; tooth loss; the evidence of progression; the need for complex rehabilitation; the patient's age; biofilm accumulation; smoking; diabetes; extension and distribution; peri-implant disease; other systemic conditions; furcation involvement; and necrotizing lesions. The new scoring system, GF-PeDRA©, is based on the percentage of the octadecagon area obtained: for areas ≥0% and ≤9%, the prognosis is good; ≥10% and ≤24%, fair; ≥25% and ≤37%, poor; ≥38% and ≤49%, questionable; and ≥50%, hopeless.
Results: A total of 221 patients were included, with 34 (15.38%) smokers and 28 (12.67%) diabetics. The evaluators individually achieved the diagnosis (κ = 0.83); therefore, 37 out of 221 cases were revised, and the final clinical diagnosis was established. Afterward, all information was inserted into GF-PeDRA© to obtain an automated diagnosis. Comparing them (the professionals vs. GF-PeDRA©), the total agreement level was achieved (κ = 1.0). The average GF-PeDRA© score was 28.64%, with a median (Me) of 32.2%. Forty-eight (21.72%) patients were classified as having a good prognosis for periodontal treatment, 43 (19.46%) had a fair prognosis, 43 (19.46%) had a poor prognosis, 68 (30.77%) had a questionable prognosis, and 19 (8.60%) had a hopeless prognosis.
Conclusions: GF-PeDRA© proved to be a helpful tool in diagnosing, and providing risk assessment and prognosis. New clinical studies must be conducted to validate the presented GF-PeDRA© scoring system.
Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a devastating disease with an increasing incidence. Among the commonly dysregulated pathways in oncogenesis are the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase / protein kinase-B/ mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) and apoptotic pathways. Buparlisib, a pan-class I PI3K inhibitor, has antineoplastic effects, but its associated toxicities hinder its beneficial role in patients. Calcitriol, active vitamin D (Vit D), possesses anticancer functions by targeting both pathways. Therefore, Vit D could help achieve low buparlisib doses and boost its effects.
Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the effects of buparlisib and Vit D, separately and in co-administration, on cell viability, as well as the apoptotic and PI3K pathways in the human tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSSC) HNO97 cell line.
Material and methods: The MTT assay was used to estimate the IC50 and the IC70 buparlisib doses, which were then co-administrated with 100 nmol and 1,000 nmol Vit D. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis was performed to evaluate the altered caspase-3 (Casp3) and Akt1 gene expressions after 48-hour treatment.
Results: The co-administration of either 100 nmol or 1,000 nmol Vit D lowered the IC50 and the IC70 buparlisib doses. The qRT-PCR showed that for Casp3 expression, the 4 combination groups differed significantly from the IC50 and IC70 buparlisib doses. For Akt1 expression, the IC70 co-administration dose of buparlisib with 100 nmol Vit D, the IC50 co-administration dose of buparlisib with 1,000 nmol Vit D and the IC70 co-administration dose of buparlisib with 1,000 nmol Vit D were significantly different from the IC50 buparlisib dose. The IC70 buparlisib dose showed no significant alteration from the 4 combination groups.
Conclusions: Vitamin D represents an efficient anticancer adjuvant that permits a novel therapeutic strategy for cancer patients.
Background: In the domain of forensic medicine, the estimation of age is a critical aspect of human identification, including that of adolescents.
Objectives: The study aimed to examine the relationship between the pulp chamber volume of teeth with open apices and the chronological age of adolescents from the Turkish population.
Material and methods: The study was conducted by examining cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of 51 pediatric patients who visited the Department of Pedodontics for routine dental examinations. All CBCT images were captured using a NewTom 5G unit (QR, Verona, Italy). The measurements were recorded in DICOM format using the SimPlant Pro 16 software (Materialise NV, Leuven, Belgium).
Results: A moderate and positive significant correlation was observed between the age of the premolar group patients and impacted pulp volume (IMPV). The increase in volume measurements of the patients in the premolar group indicates that their age is significantly higher (r = 0.561, p = 0.030). A moderate and negative significant relationship was identified between the age of the premolar group patients and erupted pulp volume (EPV). The increase in the EPV measurements of the patients in the premolar group indicates that their age is significantly lower (r = -0.491, p = 0.041).
Conclusions: The pulp chamber volume of premolars, which narrows due to secondary dentin deposition, served as the physical marker for chronological age estimation of adolescents in the Turkish population. The measurement of the mature and immature premolar pulp volume could be used for age estimation, particularly in the context of CBCT analysis.
Background: Cohen has emphasized that the recommended thresholds for effect sizes should only be used in the absence of detailed information about effect size distributions within specific fields.
Objectives: The study aimed to establish updated effect size thresholds (Cohen's d, Hedges' g and Pearson's r) tailored for research in dentistry.
Material and methods: Following methodologies from prior research on effect sizes, the data was extracted from meta-analyses published in the top 10 ranked dentistry journals. The 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles were calculated for Pearson's r values, as well as for Cohen's d or Hedges' g. A total of 4,250 studies were analyzed, with statistical analyses conducted using the R programming language.
Results: The 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles for Pearson's r in individual differences research were 0.16, 0.40 and 0.67, respectively. For Hedges' g, the percentiles corresponding to small, medium and large effect sizes were 0.10, 0.35 and 0.86, respectively.
Conclusions: In light of these findings, researchers in the field of dentistry are encouraged to adopt the following thresholds: for Pearson's r, 0.20 for small effects, 0.40 for medium effects and 0.70 for large effects; and for Cohen's d or Hedges' g, 0.10 for small effects, 0.40 for medium effects and 0.90 for large effects. These updated thresholds can improve the rigor and quality of dental research, ultimately benefiting patients through enhanced diagnostics and treatment strategies.
Background: Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring linear polymer with a large molecular size and a simple structure. It is classified as a glycosaminoglycan (GAG), which is a critical element of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Notably hydrophilic, HA has unique qualities such as viscoelasticity, biodegradability and biocompatibility. Its molecular weight (MW) has an influence on its activity, resulting in a wide spectrum of potential effects. Hyaluronic acid and its derivatives are biomaterials with great potential for usage in the medical, dental, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.
Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of HA on the stomatognathic function of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
Material and methods: A meta-analysis was conducted, contrasting HA with alternative TMJ injectable materials, and a review of the literature based on PubMed® publications was carried out.
Results: Hyaluronic acid is considered a safe and effective injectable material for the treatment of TMJ disorders. While HA has shown positive results in clinical applications, it is important to note that other injectable materials may prove equally or more effective, depending on the specific condition and the patient's needs. These alternative materials are being explored to identify the most suitable treatment option for TMJ disorders.
Conclusions: In individuals with TMJ pain and dysfunction, HA has shown safety and effectiveness in reducing pain and enhancing the maximum mouth opening (MMO). However, when compared to platelet-rich plasma (PRP), HA has demonstrated superior long-term results.
Background: Denture base materials can be highly sensitive to the effects of daily beverage consumption, manifesting in alterations to their surface texture or color.
Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of different beverages (Pepsi, coffee and tea) on the surface roughness (Ra) and color stability of 3 types of denture base materials.
Material and methods: A total of 120 specimens (n = 10/group) were fabricated from 3 different denture base materials, namely heat-polymerized polymethyl methacrylate (HP), thermoformed polyamide (PA) and acetal (AC). The surface roughness and color stability of the specimens were evaluated 3 times: before immersion in beverages; after 30 days of immersion; and after 90 days of immersion in artificial saliva (a control group) and Pepsi, coffee and tea (test groups). The data analysis was performed using twoway analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the results of Ra and color change (ΔE) between denture base resins and beverages.
Results: The differences between the materials, beverages and time were significant for Ra values, as well as the interaction between materials and beverages, and between beverages and time. The findings indicated significant differences in ΔE between denture base materials. In comparison to PA and AC, HP exhibited lower ΔE values. A significant change in color was observed over time for all of the tested materials.
Conclusions: The tested beverages increased Ra and caused change in the color stability for all materials. The observed color change was correlated with the duration of the immersion, and was more evident in thermoformed resins.
Inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) is considered the most widely used anesthetic technique and the gold standard for blocking the hemimandible. This method is used in routine dental and oral surgical practice. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze reports related to the IANB technique combined with different local anesthetics. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were adopted to identify relevant studies, and the PICO (Patient/Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcomes) criteria were used to structure the research question. The literature search was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and Embase databases. The search was undertaken without temporal constraints. Prospective randomized clinical trials and randomized controlled trials were used as filters. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were chosen to initially select the appropriate articles from the published titles, followed by abstract reading. After evaluating the selected articles, the results of the research indicated that no relevant side effects were noted in any of the groups, irrespective of the anesthetic solution utilized. However, it is important to acknowledge that a follow-up period of 1 day may be too short to observe subsequent complications, evolution, or spontaneous remission of its eventual sequelae. Therefore, future randomized controlled clinical trials with large samples and longer follow-up periods are required to confirm these findings.
Background: Secondary caries is one of the main reasons for the clinical failure in dental restorations. Therefore, it is preferable for restorative materials to possess antibacterial properties, which support a longlasting restoration.
Objectives: The present in vitro study aimed to evaluate the effect of both the polyamidoamine (PAMAM) liquid and bioactive glass (BAG) powder added to glass ionomer cements (GICs) on their antibacterial properties.
Material and methods: Polyamidoamine was prepared and characterized. Four groups were distinguished, as follows: GI - samples of commercially available GIC (control); GII - samples of GIC mixed with PAMAM; GIII - samples of GIC mixed with BAG; and GIV - samples of GIC mixed with PAMAM and BAG.The biofilm assessment test was conducted using a colony forming unit (CFU) count, and the ion release test was used to quantify the amount of released silica (Si), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (Ph), and sodium (Na) ions in mg/L. Thirty-six samples were prepared for each test. Furthermore, the pH of the soaking solution was measured for each sample in the ion release test. The parametric data was examined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's post-hoc test.
Results: The biofilm assessment test revealed a significant reduction in the recovered Streptococcus mutans counts in all modified groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Also, the ion release test demonstrated a significant increase in the release of Si and Na ions for all modified groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: The modification of GICs with PAMAM and BAG enhances their antibacterial properties.

