Topical Tocopherol for treatment of reticular oral lichen planus: randomized, double-blind, crossover study

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study assessed the efficacy of topical tocopherol acetate compared with placebo in easing oral discomfort in patients with reticular oral lichen planus (ROLP)

Platform switching on wide-diameter external hex implants a finite element analysis

Objectives: The objective of this work was to use finite element analysis to compare the effect of forces coming to bear on abutments 4.1 or 5.0 mm in diameter connected to a 5.0 mm implant (i.e. with or without platform swit - ching). Study design: A 3D CAD model of a 5 x 11.5 mm external hex implant was developed, complete with a connection screw and either of two abutments, one 4.1 and the other 5 mm in diameter, to assess the influence of two loading conditions, i.e. 200 N loaded either axially or off center on the top of the abutment. Results and conclusions: In the symmetrically loaded models, greater stresses were transmitted to the bone in the area below the neck of the implant in the case of the wider-diameter abutment. When the narrower abutment was considered, the stress lines remained confined to the metal and were transferred to the bone in a more distal position. When the stresses in the bone where compared under non-symmetrical loading of the larger- and smaller-diameter abutments, the stresses reached lower values in the latter case. These findings indicate that platform switching (i.e. coupling a 4.1 mm abutment with a 5 mm implant) achieves a better, more even distribution of the peri-implant stresses deriving from simulated occlusal loads on the bone margins

Elongated styloid process evaluation on digital panoramic radiograph in a North Italian population

The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of elongated styloid process in digital panoramic radiographs in a North Italian population in relation to age, gender and side. This study was performed as a retrospective analysis on digital panoramic radiographs of 600 (271 males and 329 females) Italian patients between 6 and 87 years old. The styloid process length were measured using the measuring tool of Sidexis Software. It was measured from the point where it left the temporal bone plate to its tip. Styloid processes measuring more than 30 mm were considered elongated. Chi-squared and Fisher tests were used and the test is considered significant if the p-value is lower or equal to 0.05. Thirty-three per cent of the patients showed an elongated styloid process. Seventeen per cent were elongated on both right and left side, fifteen point nine per cent were elongated only in one side. The prevalence of elongated styloid process was high and a progressive increase of the elongation prevalence was found in older groups

Peri-Implant Bone Loss and Overload: A Systematic Review Focusing on Occlusal Analysis through Digital and Analogic Methods.

The present review aimed to assess the possible relationship between occlusal overload and peri-implant bone loss. In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, the MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane databases were searched from January 1985 up to and including December 2021. The search strategy applied was: (dental OR oral) AND implants AND (overload OR excessive load OR occlusal wear) AND (bone loss OR peri-implantitis OR failure). Clinical studies that reported quantitative analysis of occlusal loads through digital contacts and/or occlusal wear were included. The studies were screened for eligibility by two independent reviewers. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool. In total, 492 studies were identified in the search during the initial screening. Of those, 84 were subjected to full-text evaluation, and 7 fulfilled the inclusion criteria (4 cohort studies, 2 cross-sectional, and 1 case-control). Only one study used a digital device to assess excessive occlusal forces. Four out of seven studies reported a positive correlation between the overload and the crestal bone loss. All of the included studies had moderate to serious overall risk of bias, according to the ROBINS-I tool. In conclusion, the reported data relating the occlusal analysis to the peri-implant bone level seem to reveal an association, which must be further investigated using new digital tools that can help to standardize the methodology

Prognostic significance of serine-phosphorylated STAT3 expression in pT1-T2 oral tongue carcinoma

Objectives. Phosphorylated (activated) STAT3 (pSTAT3) is a regulator of numerous genes that play an essential part in the onset, development and progression of cancer; it is involved in cell proliferation and preventing apoptosis, and in invasion, angiogenesis, and the evasion of immune surveillance. This study aimed mainly to investigate the potential prognostic role of pSTAT3 expression in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Methods. Phospho-ser727 STAT3 immunolabeling was correlated with prognostic parameters in 34 consecutive cases of pT1\u2013T2 tongue SCCs undergoing primary surgery. Computer-based image analysis was used for the immunohistochemical reactions analysis. Results. Statistical analysis showed a difference in disease-free survival (DFS) when patients were stratified by pN status (P=0.031). Most tumors had variable degrees (mean\ub1SD, 80.7%\ub123.8%) of intense nuclear immunoreaction to pSTAT3. Our findings rule out any significant association of serine-phosphorylated nuclear STAT3 expression with tumor stage, grade, lymph node metastasis, recurrence rate, or DFS. Conclusion. In spite of these results, it is worth further investigating the role of pSTAT3 (serine-and tyrosine-pSTAT3) in oral tongue SCC in larger series because preclinical models are increasingly showing that several anticancer strategies would benefit from STAT3 phosphorylation inhibition

Silver Nanoparticles in Alveolar Bone Surgery Devices

Silver (Ag) ions have well-known antimicrobial properties and have been applied as nanostrategies in many medical and surgical fields, including dentistry. The use of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) may be an option for reducing bacterial adhesion to dental implant surfaces and preventing biofilm formation, containing the risk of peri-implant infections. Modifying the structure or surface of bone grafts and membranes with Ag NPs may also prevent the risk of contamination and infection that are common when alveolar bone augmentation techniques are used. On the other hand, Ag NPs have revealed some toxic effects on cellsin vitroandin vivoin animal studies. In this setting, the aim of the present paper is to summarize the principle behind Ag NP-based devices and their clinical applications in alveolar bone and dental implant surgery

Dental Pulp Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering Strategies for Clinical Application on Odontoiatric Field

Recent advances in tissue engineering have drawn scientists to test the possibility of tooth engineering and regeneration. Tooth regeneration is normally referred to as the regeneration of the entire tooth or root that can be integrated into the jaw bone. This technology is still at its infancy and when it matures, it may be used to restore missing teeth and replace artificial dental implants When the tooth is damaged but still in a reparable condition, regeneration of parts of the tooth structure can prevent or delay the loss of the whole tooth. To engineer and regenerate a whole tooth, the cell source, tissue engineering strategies and specific scaffolds needed to be correct choose. Indeed, for example, to repair partly lost tooth tissues such as PDL, dentin, and pulp, one or two particular types of dental stem cells may be sufficient to fulfill the need. In light of such considerations, aim of the present chapter is to define the main strategies to isolate dental pulp stem cells, their characterisation and differentiation, tissue enngineering strategies and clinical applications for the creation of artificial tissue useful in odontoiatric field

Correction: Nanostructured Biomaterials for Tissue Engineered Bone Tissue Reconstruction. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2012, 13, 737–757

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Nanostructured Biomaterials for Tissue Engineered Bone Tissue Reconstruction

Bone tissue engineering strategies are emerging as attractive alternatives to autografts and allografts in bone tissue reconstruction, in particular thanks to their association with nanotechnologies. Nanostructured biomaterials, indeed, mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the natural bone, creating an artificial microenvironment that promotes cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. At the same time, the possibility to easily isolate mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from different adult tissues together with their multi-lineage differentiation potential makes them an interesting tool in the field of bone tissue engineering. This review gives an overview of the most promising nanostructured biomaterials, used alone or in combination with MSCs, which could in future be employed as bone substitutes. Recent works indicate that composite scaffolds made of ceramics/metals or ceramics/polymers are undoubtedly more effective than the single counterparts in terms of osteoconductivity, osteogenicity and osteoinductivity. A better understanding of the interactions between MSCs and nanostructured biomaterials will surely contribute to the progress of bone tissue engineering