Evaluation of Dental Surface after De-Bonding Orthodontic Bracket Bonded with a Novel Fluorescent Composite: In Vitro Comparative Study

The use of a new fluorescent composite can reduce some of the problems related to procedures of de-bonding orthodontic bracket (enamel damage, dentine lesions, and composite residuals). The aim of the presented study was to compare the effect of fluorescent and conventional non-fluorescent composite on dental surface and composite remnants by in vitro de-bonding tests. De-bonding of florescent composite (DFC) and the de-bonding of standard composite (DSC) were performed by operators on an in vitro sample of 48 teeth under UV light (360–370 nm min 20 mW/cm2). Modified ARI (Adhesive Remnant Index), scored under 5.0×/235 magnification, was used for evaluation of dental surface after the procedure, and the duration required for de-bonding was measured. Significant differences in ARI between the two groups were observed (Pearson two-tailed p = 0.006 1.4 ± 0.1 95% C.I.), and the average duration of de-bonding was 38 s (DFC) and 77 s (DSC) per tooth, respectively (Mann–Whitney test p = 0.015; 57.7 ± 19.9 95% C.I.). The use of fluorescent composite could significantly improve the quality of de-bonding by reducing the quantity of composite residuals and visible enamel damage, while reducing time needed for successful procedure performance

3D Cephalometric Normality Range: Auto Contractive Maps (ACM) Analysis in Selected Caucasian Skeletal Class I Age Groups

The objective of this paper is to define normal values of a novel 3D cephalometric analysis and to define the links through an artificial neural network (ANN)

In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment of a New Workflow for the Acquisition of Mandibular Kinematics Based on Portable Tracking System with Passive Optical Reflective Markers

Clinical use of portable optical tracking system in dentistry could improve the analysis of mandibular movements for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. A new workflow for the acquisition of mandibular kinematics was developed. Reproducibility of measurements was tested in vitro and intra- and inter-rater repeatability were assessed in vivo in healthy volunteers. Prescribed repeated movements (n = 10) in three perpendicular directions of the tracking-device coordinate system were performed. Measurement error and coefficient of variation (CV) among repetitions were determined. Mandibular kinematics of maximum opening, left and right laterality, protrusion and retrusion of five healthy subjects were recorded in separate sessions by three different operators. Obtained records were blindly examined by three observers. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to estimate inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. Maximum in vitro measurement error was 0.54 mm and CV = 0.02. Overall, excellent intra-rater reliability (ICC > 0.90) for each variable, general excellent intra-rater reliability (ICC = 1.00) for all variables, and good reliability (ICC > 0.75) for inter-rater tests were obtained. A lower score was obtained for retrusion with “moderate reliability” (ICC = 0.557) in the inter-rater tests. Excellent repeatability and reliability in optical tracking of primary movements were observed using the tested portable tracking device and the developed workflow

Dietary supplements for the management of COVID-19 symptoms

SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19, caused a pandemic in 2020, which is only recently slowing down. The symptoms of COVID-19 range from cough to fever and pneumonia and may persist beyond the active state of the infection, in a condition called post-COVID syndrome. The aim of this paper is to review the relationship between COVID-19 and nutrition and to discuss to most up-to-date dietary supplements proposed for COVID-19 treatment and prevention. Nutrition and nutritional dysregulations, such as obesity and malnutrition, are prominent risk factors for severe COVID-19. These factors exert anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory effects on the immune system, thus exacerbating or reducing the immunological response against the virus. As for the nutritional habits, the Western diet induces a chronic inflammatory state, whereas the Mediterranean diet exerts anti-inflammatory effects and has been proposed for ameliorating COVID-19 evolution and symptoms. Several vaccines have been researched and commercialized for COVID-19 prevention, whereas several drugs, although clinically tested, have not shown promising effects. To compensate for the lack of treatment, several supplements have been recommended for preventing or ameliorating COVID-19 symptoms. Thus, it is critical to review the dietary supplements proposed for COVID-19 treatment. Supplements containing α-cyclodextrin and hydroxytyrosol exhibited promising effects in several clinical trials and reduced the severity of the outcomes and the duration of the infection. Moreover, a supplement containing hydroxytyrosol, acetyl L-carnitine, and vitamins B, C, and D improved the symptoms of patients with post-COVID syndrome

A comparison between stereophotogrammetry and smartphone structured light technology for three-dimensional face scanning

Objectives: To compare three-dimensional facial scans obtained by stereophotogrammetry with two different applications for smartphone supporting the TrueDepth system, a structured light technology. Materials and Methods: Facial scans of 40 different subjects were acquired with three different systems. The 3dMDtrio Stereophotogrammetry System (3dMD, Atlanta, Ga) was compared with a smartphone (iPhone Xs; Apple, Cupertino, Calif) equipped with the Bellus3D Face Application (version 1.6.11; Bellus3D Inc, Campbell, Calif) or Capture (version 1.2.5; Standard Cyborg Inc, San Francisco, Calif). Times of image acquisition and elaboration were recorded. The surface-tosurface deviation and the distance between 18 landmarks from 3dMD reference images to those acquired with Bellus3D or Capture were measured. Results: Capturing and processing times with the smartphone applications were considerably longer than with the 3dMD system. The surface-to-surface deviation analysis between the Bellus3D and 3dMD showed an overlap percentage of 80.01% 6 5.92% and 56.62% 6 7.65% within the ranges of 1 mm and 0.5 mm discrepancy, respectively. Images from Capture showed an overlap percentage of 81.40% 6 9.59% and 56.45% 6 11.62% within the ranges of 1 mm and 0.5 mm, respectively. Conclusions: The face image acquisition with the 3dMD device is fast and accurate, but bulky and expensive. The new smartphone applications combined with the TrueDepth sensors show promising results. They need more accuracy from the operator and more compliance from the patient because of the increased acquisition time. Their greatest advantages are related to cost and portability

A Scoping Review of Respirator Literature and a Survey among Dental Professionals

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus was discovered in China in late 2019 and subsequently triggered a global pandemic. Dentists, like many other health professionals, are at an increased risk of contracting the virus as they work in close proximity to patients, especially when performing aerosol-generating procedures. Thus, in order for dentists to protect themselves and their patients, it is recommended that practitioners wear filtering facepiece 2 (FFP2) respirators. The prolonged use of these FFP2 respirators has been linked to several side effects. The aim of this paper is to assess the perceived experience associated with N95/FFP2 respirators based on the available literature and data collected through an online survey completed by Italian dental professionals. Articles were included up to May 2020 and literature searches were conducted through The National Library of Medicine, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase databases. The search terms included COVID-19, respirators, masks, and discomfort. An online survey was administered to 256 Italian dentists. The results from this survey were in agreement with the available literature. The findings concurred that the prolonged use of respirators was associated with headaches (47.5%), severe exertion and discomfort (50.8%), moderate concentration problems (54.3%), moderate breathing difficulties (63.5%), and consequently, an impaired work ability (85.5%). These findings were not influenced by the number of hours spent wearing the respirator. Despite several side effects, FFP2 respirators are fundamental in protecting dentists and their importance was acknowledged

Serological Profile of Children and Young Adults with at Least One SARS-CoV-2 Positive Cohabitant: An Observational Study

At the end of 2019, a new disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 appeared in Wuhan Province in China. Children seemed to be infected less frequently than adults, and family clusters seemed to play an important role in the spread of the pandemic. The aim of this study is to evaluate the serological profile of children and young adults between 4 and 16 years of age in order to assess the transmission patterns of COVID-19 between cohabitants. The subjects lived with at least one cohabitant who tested positive for the disease using a nasopharyngeal swab. To avoid contact with the disease, families were interviewed by telephone. Forty-nine children and adolescents with a mean age of 11 years were then subjected to a rapid lateral flow chromatographic test. Of them, seven (14.3%) were immunoglobulin G (IgG)-positive, and four (8.2%) were immunoglobulin M (IgM)-positive. In total, 16.3% of the tested sample had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2: this may confirm the lower vulnerability of children to COVID-19, despite the small sample size. The time from the negativization of the cohabitant until the test day may have influenced the results, especially when this timeframe is wide

Innovative Concepts and Recent Breakthrough for Engineered Graft and Constructs for Bone Regeneration: A Literature Systematic Review

Background: For decades, regenerative medicine and dentistry have been improved with new therapies and innovative clinical protocols. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate through a critical review the recent innovations in the field of bone regeneration with a focus on the healing potentials and clinical protocols of bone substitutes combined with engineered constructs, growth factors and photobiomodulation applications. Methods: A Boolean systematic search was conducted by PubMed/Medline, PubMed/Central, Web of Science and Google scholar databases according to the PRISMA guidelines. Results: After the initial screening, a total of 304 papers were considered eligible for the qualitative synthesis. The articles included were categorized according to the main topics: alloplastic bone substitutes, autologous teeth derived substitutes, xenografts, platelet-derived concentrates, laser therapy, microbiota and bone metabolism and mesenchymal cells construct. Conclusions: The effectiveness of the present investigation showed that the use of biocompatible and bio-resorbable bone substitutes are related to the high-predictability of the bone regeneration protocols, while the oral microbiota and systemic health of the patient produce a clinical advantage for the long-term success of the regeneration procedures and implant-supported restorations. The use of growth factors is able to reduce the co-morbidity of the regenerative procedure ameliorating the post-operative healing phase. The LLLT is an adjuvant protocol to improve the soft and hard tissues response for bone regeneration treatment protocols

SARS-CoV-2 Disease through Viral Genomic and Receptor Implications: An Overview of Diagnostic and Immunology Breakthroughs

The SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), which is believed to have originated in China towards the end of November 2019, has now spread across the globe, causing a pandemic in 192 countries. The World Health Organization has called it the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Rapid dissemination of the virus occurs mainly through the saliva (Flügge’s droplets) and aerosol, together with nasal and lachrymal passages. The literature associated with the recent advancement in terms of rapid diagnostics and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines has thoroughly studied the role of ACE2 receptors and Furin, as well as viral agent access into the host cell and its significant persistence at the level of the oral mucosa, which represents the main access to the virus. The purpose of this review was to underline the processes of SARS-CoV-2 infection mechanisms and novel breakthroughs in diagnostics and vaccines. Different technologies, such as the RT-PCR molecular test and the antigenic test, have been developed to identify subjects affected by the SARS-CoV-2 in order to improve the tracking of infection geographical diffusion. Novel rapid and highly sensitive diagnostic tests has been proposed for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 to improve the screening capability of suspected contagions. The strengthening of the vaccination campaign represents the most effective means to combat the SARS-CoV-2 infection and prevent severe manifestations of the virus—different classes of vaccines have been developed for this purpose. Further attention on the novel SARS-CoV-2 variant is necessary in order to verify the protection efficacy and virulence reduction of the infective agent in the recent vaccine campaign

SARS-CoV-2 Disease Adjuvant Therapies and Supplements Breakthrough for the Infection Prevention

The SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is a high-risk viral agent involved in the recent pandemic stated worldwide by the World Health Organization. The infection is correlated to a severe systemic and respiratory disease in many cases, which is clinically treated with a multi-drug pharmacological approach. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate through a literature overview the effect of adjuvant therapies and supplements for the SARS-CoV-2 infection. The research has analyzed the advantage of the EK1C4, by also assessing the studies on the resveratrol, vitamin D, and melatonin as adjuvant supplements for long hauler patients’ prognosis. The evaluated substances reported important benefits for the improvement of the immune system and as a potential inhibitor molecules against SARS-CoV-2, highlighting the use of sartans as therapy. The adjuvant supplements seem to create an advantage for the healing of the long hauler patients affected by chronic symptoms of constant chest and heart pain, intestinal disorders, headache, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, and tachycardia