Adhesion and proliferation of human dental pulp stem cells on a laser micro textured implant surface: An in vitro study

The roughness of the implant surface and its chemistery and toporaphy were demonstrated to impact cells biological properties. A moderate roughness seems to allow better and faster adhesion and proliferation and to accelerate the biological processes. The different physical and chemical procedures used to obtain a certain microtopography modify the surface chemical composition and, in consequence of it, can affect the biological cell behavior. The ideal surface shuold be obtained through processes that do not modify the chemical composition maintaining a right roughness and microtopography. The aim of this investigation was to study the morphology, proliferation and pattern of distribution of human Dental Pulp Stem Cells (hDPSCs) after 5 days of growth on a laser micro-grooved implant surface (Laser-Lock, Bio Horizons IPH, Inc. Birmingham, AL 35244, USA) characterized by a micro geometric design obtained by computer-aided laser ablation without any chemical treatment. Data from SEM surface observation and XPS chemical analysis have highlighted the absence of contaminating chemical elements. The results from cell cultures indicated that the hDPSCs maintained a good morphology and well proliferated following the microgrooves direction

Perceived neighbourhood quality and adult health status: new statistical advices useful to answer old questions?

Interest in the quantitative effects of neighbourhood characteristics on adult health has recently increased in social epidemiology. Particularly, investigations concern the statistical influence on health of several individual demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and of neighbourhood characteristics as perceived by respondents. We analyze these issues within an original conceptual framework and employing statistical models unusual in this context. We use data collected in the Los Angeles Family and Neighbourhood Survey (L.A.FANS) to model the number of hospital admissions occurred to each individual as a function of some individual and neighbourhood characteristics, the latter being related to the individual perceptions about the neighbourhood he lives in. We employ generalized additive models with different distributional assumptions: Poisson, Negative Biomial and Zero Inflated Poisson (ZIP). Such models allow us to estimate (through spline functions) potential non linear effects of the covariates on the response. Moreover, non standard representations are used to overcome difficulties in interpreting the results for ZIP models. It turns out that perceived neighbourhood characteristics, and in particular the perception of social cohesion, have a significant effect after controlling for individual characteristics relevant to hospital admissions frequency. From a modeling point of view ZIP and Negative binomial models prove to be superior to standard Poisson model. We have confirmed the role of the neighbourhood where an individual lives in determining his health status. A strength of this analysis is that, due to the choice of the neighbourhood characteristics to be included in the model, the results do not depend of a particular definition of neighbourhood (which is traditionally based on administrative boundaries), since each individual refers his perceptions to his personal definition of it

Foreign body mimicking an oral pathology

Foreign bodies’ adherence to the hard palate is unusual and can mimic an oral pathology. The diagnosis of this foreign body is challenging: it is based on an amnestic history, unspecific or absent symptoms and oral examination. The oral examination could be difficult when dealing with paediatric patients. Imaging techniques may mislead and so an exam under anaesthesia is often necessary to make the proper diagnosis. We report a case of 2 years-old male child referred to our attention for a strange lesion on the hard palate. After poorly significant MRI, we were unable to perform an oral examination and a general anaesthesia procedure was performed. A small translucent mass that turned out to be a piece of plastic adherent to the hard palate, was removed

Psychological reactions to COVID-19 and epidemiological aspects of dental practitioners during lockdown in Italy

BACKGROUND: Due to droplet production and exposure to saliva and blood, dental practitioners are at high risk of COVID-19 contagion during their routine procedures. The aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of Italian dentists and to analyze their reactions in relation to Sars-CoV-2 pandemic professional restrictive measures.METHODS: An online structured survey composed of 40 questions has been sent to dental practitioners all over Italy to investigate their behavior and to analyze their reactions in relation to Sars-CoV-2 pandemic restrictive measures introduced by the Italian national administrative order of 10 March 2020 (DM-10M20).RESULTS: 1109 dentists replied. To assess concerns and psychological responses the sample was divided into two groups based on the number of cases registered in their work area. In the first group were included all the responders working in the Italian regions that had more than 15.000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of April 29, 2020. The second group included responders working in the Italian regions that had less than 15,000 confirmed cases. The 45.2% of the respondents showed minimal anxiety, 34.5% showed mild anxiety, 13.9% showed moderate anxiety, while 6.4% showed a score indicative of a severe level of anxiety.CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19-related emergency condition had a highly negative impact on dental practices in Italy. Those who completed the survey reported practice closure or reduction during the lockdown, and a high level of concern about the professional future for all dental practitioners. Concerns related to professional activity were accompanied by severe anxiety levels

Epidemiological Aspects and Psychological Reactions to COVID-19 of Dental Practitioners in the Northern Italy Districts of Modena and Reggio Emilia

The outbreak and diffusion of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (Sars-CoV-2) and COronaVIrus Disease 19 (COVID-19) have caused an emergency status in the health system, including in the dentistry environment. Italy registered the third highest number of COVID-19 cases in the world and the second highest in Europe. An anonymous online survey composed of 40 questions has been sent to dentists practicing in the area of Modena and Reggio Emilia, one of the areas in Italy most affected by COVID-19. The survey was aimed at highlighting the practical and emotional consequences of COVID-19 emergence on daily clinical practice. Specifically, it assessed dentists' behavioral responses, emotions and concerns following the Sars-CoV-2 pandemic restrictive measures introduced by the Italian national administrative order of 10 March 2020 (DM-10M20), as well as the dentists' perception of infection likelihood for themselves and patients. Furthermore, the psychological impact of COVID-19 was assessed by means of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 test (GAD-7), that measures the presence and severity of anxiety symptoms. Using local dental associations (ANDI-Associazione Nazionale Dentisti Italiani, CAO-Commissione Albo Odontoiatri) lists, the survey was sent by email to all dentists in the district of Modena and Reggio Emilia (874 practitioners) and was completed by 356 of them (40%). All dental practitioners closed or reduced their activity to urgent procedures, 38.2% prior to and 61.8% after the DM-10M20. All reported a routinely use of the most common protective personal equipment (PPE), but also admitted that the use of PPE had to be modified during COVID-19 pandemic. A high percentage of patients canceled their previous appointments after the DM-10M20. Almost 85% of the dentists reported being worried of contracting the infection during clinical activity. The results of the GAD-7 (General Anxiety Disorder-7) evaluation showed that 9% of respondents reported a severe anxiety. To conclude, the COVID-19 emergency is having a highly negative impact on the activity of dentists practicing in the area of Modena and Reggio Emilia. All respondents reported practice closure or strong activity reduction. The perception of this negative impact was accompanied by feelings of concern (70.2%), anxiety (46.4%) and fear (42.4%). The majority of them (89.6%) reported concerns about their professional future and the hope for economic measures to help dental practitioners

Surgical Management of Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw Patients Related to Dental Implants

The aim of the present study is to report a case series of patients with peri-implant medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), in particular describing the onset of the condition and surgical treatment outcome

Histological changes in odontogenic parakeratinized keratocysts treated with marsupialization followed by enucleation

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether marsupialization treatment induces changes in the histology of odontogenic keratocyst epithelium and to compare our experience with the literature. A retrospective revision of histological samples was performed. 5 patients with odontogenic keratocyst treated with marsupialization follow by enucleation were selected. Histologic evaluation analyzed the changes in the keratocyst epithelium after marsupialization in terms of type of keratinization, thickness of the epithelium and connective tissue, the presence of acanthosis, the presence and grade of fibrosis, the type and grade of inflammation and the presence and number of mitotic figures and daughter cysts. In our case series, a variation of para-keratinized into ortho-keratinized keratocyst was found in one case, and no significant increases were observed in the epithelium and capsule thickness, or even in the level of inflammation. However, we observed an increase in fibrosis and qualitative changes in inflammation type. Minor and major histological changes were associated with reduction in cyst volume, which resulted in a simpler and less invasive cystic enucleation after marsupialization

The comparison of the proteomic profile of periodontal pocket and of corresponding gingival crevicular fluid to study periodontal disease biomarkers: feasibility study. biomarkers: feasibility study

Aim: Periodontitis is a set of inflammatory disorders characterized by periodontal attachment loss by periodontal pocket development, leading to tooth loss if remain untreated. The etiology and progress of periodontal disease is complex and remains mostly unknown. So, periodontal disease therapy has considerable limitations. The easy, reliable and correct early detection and control of the disease, markedly reduces biological and social costs. However, the diagnosis of periodontitis is established exclusively by clinical criteria based on probing to assess periodontal pockets, which are the pathognomonic expression of periodontal disease. The -omic sciences acquired substantial significance of late years and, in particular, proteomic seemed to be the more promising in this initial stage. Most proteomic analysis regarding periodontal diseases have been performed on saliva, crevicular fluid samples, peripheral blood or periodontal plaque samples which are more easily to harvest than the tissue of the periodontal pocket. However, they failed to provide reliable results for clinical applications. On the contrary, very few studies were directly performed on the periodontal pocket. So, the aim of this study was to compare the proteomic profile of interproximal pocket tissues with that of GCF, and to analyze if they show a significant similarity in the proteomic profile. Methods: in this preliminary study, we enrolled 3 healthy subjects affected by severe periodontitis needing of periodontal surgery. Immediately before the surgery, GCF samples were taken by means of filter paper strips positioned in the gingival sulcus correspondent to periodontal pockets. Then, periodontal pocket tissue, harvested during surgery, was adequately stored for proteomic analyses. All samples were immediately frozen at \u201380\ub0C and maintained until further analysis. Tissue samples were mechanically disrupted and incubated in lysis buffer, while GCF was obtained incubating the collecting paper in phosphate buffered. In both cases, after centrifugation, the supernatant was precipitated in cold acetone overnight and protein content were pelleted by centrifugation and then dissolved in a rehydration buffer. Mono-dimensional gel electrophoresis was used to separate protein content. After staining gel images were acquired and compared. Liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis was performed to allow protein spot identification. Results: 1-DE gels from periodontal pocket tissue and the correspondent GCF was analyzed by software Quantity One. Almost the same qualitative protein expression profile in pocket tissue and GCF was found from each patient. However, no statistical significant correlation between the quantitative proteomic profile of pocket tissue and GCF was found. Only one band (that of K immunoglobulin) resulted statistically significant between GCF and pocket tissue proteome in all patients. Conclusions To date, this is the first study comparing the proteome of periodontal pocket tissue and corresponding GCF. The periodontal pocket and the GCF are similar as proteomic networks, but the protein network of the periodontal pocket does not influence significantly the GCF protein network and the other way around. So, with the limitations of this study, the preliminary results seem to indicate that the GCF does not seem suitable to study on the pathogenesis of periodontal disease explaining the reason for the failure of studies based only on GCF to control the periodontal disease in real-time