The purpose of this study is to explore the possibilities for the application of laser therapy in medicine and dentistry by analyzing lasers’ underlying mechanism of action on different cells, with a special focus on stem cells and mechanisms of repair. The interest in the application of laser therapy in medicine and dentistry has remarkably increased in the last decade. There are different types of lasers available and their usage is well defined by different parameters, such as: wavelength, energy density, power output, and duration of radiation. Laser irradiation can induce a photobiomodulatory (PBM) effect on cells and tissues, contributing to a directed modulation of cell behaviors, enhancing the processes of tissue repair. Photobiomodulation (PBM), also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT), can induce cell proliferation and enhance stem cell differentiation. Laser therapy is a non-invasive method that contributes to pain relief and reduces inflammation, parallel to the enhanced healing and tissue repair processes. The application of these properties was employed and observed in the treatment of various diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, brain injury, spinal cord damage, dermatological conditions, oral irritation, and in different areas of dentistry.
In this intellectual work, the clinical and educational aspects of dentistry were confronted with practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI). The aim was to provide an up-to-date overview of the upcoming changes and a brief analysis of the influential advancements in the use of AI in dental education since 2020. In addition, this review provides a guide for a dental curriculum update for undergraduate and postgraduate education in the context of advances in AI applications and their impact on dentistry. Unsurprisingly, most dental educators have limited knowledge and skills to assess AI applications, as they were not trained to do so. Also, AI technology has evolved exponentially in recent years. Factual reliability and opportunities with OpenAI Inc.’s ChatGPT are considered critical inflection points in the era of generative AI. Updating curricula at dental institutions is inevitable as advanced deep-learning approaches take over the clinical areas of dentistry and reshape diagnostics, treatment planning, management, and telemedicine screening. With recent advances in AI language models, communication with patients will change, and the foundations of dental education, including essay, thesis, or scientific paper writing, will need to adapt. However, there is a growing concern about its ethical and legal implications, and further consensus is needed for the safe and responsible implementation of AI in dental education.
Abbas Abbaszadegan, Zeinab Rafiee, Bahar Asheghi
et al.
Tooth discoloration caused by intracanal medicaments and irrigants presents a significant aesthetic challenge in dentistry. This study aimed to investigate the discoloration effects on tooth of nanographene oxide and positively charged silver nanoparticles and compares them with other commonly used materials in endodontic treatment. A total of 108 single-rooted, single-canal anterior mandibular and maxillary premolar teeth, extracted for orthodontic or periodontal reasons, were selected and prepared. The specimens were randomly divided into seven experimental groups and two control groups, each containing 12 samples. The experimental groups included three irrigants: nanographene oxide, sodium hypochlorite, and positively charged silver nanoparticles. The four medicament groups were nanographene oxide-carboxymethyl cellulose, positively charged silver nanoparticles-carboxymethyl cellulose, calcium hydroxide, and carboxymethyl cellulose. The control groups consisted of normal saline and blood. Discoloration was assessed at five time points: before material placement (T0), immediately after placement (T1), one week later (T2), one month later (T3), and three months later (T4). Spectrophotometric analysis was used to measure discoloration, and the ∆E values were statistically analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc tests. After three months, no statistically significant difference in discoloration was observed among the irrigants (P > 0.05). However, the highest degree of discoloration was found in the silver nanoparticles group. Significant differences in ∆E values were noted between the normal saline group and both the silver nanoparticles (P = 0.001) and blood (P = 0.007) groups. Among the intracanal medicaments, a significant difference in ∆E values was observed between the carboxymethyl cellulose and calcium hydroxide groups (P = 0.005) at the final three-month examination. No significant differences were found among the other groups (P > 0.05). Nanographene oxide, used as both an irrigant and medicament, does not cause more discoloration than other commonly used materials in endodontic treatment. Therefore, it can be considered a viable alternative to traditional endodontic materials.
<i>Background:</i> Oral health is a key indicator of general health, well-being, and quality of life. Sociodemographic factors can affect children’s oral health status. The aim of this study was to analyze the sociodemographic factors that influence the oral health of schoolchildren in Mallorca. <i>Materials and methods:</i> We conducted a cross-sectional observational epidemiological study in Mallorca, analyzing different indicators of oral health, such as the DMFT/dmft index and the Community Periodontal Index (CPI), and sociodemographic variables among 718 schoolchildren aged 5–6, 12 and 15 years. <i>Results:</i> The DMFT (Decayed, Missing, and Filled Permanent Teeth) caries index was higher in public (Pub) schools than in private/charter (P/C) schools for children in the sixth grade of elementary school (Pub, 0.6918 ± 1.272; P/C, 0.323 ± 0.824; <i>p</i> < 0.05) and in the fourth year of secondary school (Pub, 1.178 ± 1.724; P/C, 0.627 ± 1.195; <i>p</i> < 0.05), as determined using a <i>t</i>-test. First-grade elementary students with more highly educated mothers/guardians had a lower rate of DMFT (Decayed, Missing, and Filled Primary Teeth) caries than those whose mothers obtained only elementary-level education (higher, 0.800 ± 1.616; elementary, 3.333 ± 3.393; <i>p</i> < 0.05). Regarding periodontal health, we observed that sixth-grade elementary schoolchildren with more highly educated mothers/guardians had more healthy sextants (higher, 3.987 ± 1.977; elementary, 1.333 ± 2.461; <i>p</i> < 0.001). <i>Conclusions:</i> The sociodemographic and parental factors analyzed, such as the type of school and parents’ education levels, significantly affected the oral health of the schoolchildren in this study.
Aim or purpose: Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by dental plaque biofilm. This work developes a novel nanocomposite Ti/Mn-MOF-PA by integrating piezoelectric bimetal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets with phenylboric acid (PBA) and the nitric oxide donor arginine (Arg). The aim is to investigate its antibacterial effects and immune modulation, addressing challenges in deep periodontitis treatment. Materials and methods: Ti/Mn-MOF NSs were characterized by TEM, XRD, XPS and PFM. Sonodynamic activity, NO release, and stability were assessed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. A computational analysis based on first-principles calculations was conducted. Adhesion of Ti/Mn-MOF-PA to P. gingivalis was analyzed by TEM, flow cytometry, and confocal microscopy. Antibacterial effect were determined by CFU counting, SEM, and live/dead staining. Immunomodulatory effects were studied by IF staining and q-PCR. In vivo inflammatory regulation was verified by imaging and histological staining. Microbial communities were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing. Results: 1.Ti/Mn-MOF-PA have excellent acoustic properties, controllable nitric oxide release, and strong piezoelectric performance.2. They could modulate immunity by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and suppressing NF-κB activation, kill bacteria, and disrupt biofilms. 3.In vivo studies show reduced inflammation by lowering inflammatory factors and collagen degradation. Conclusions: Ti/Mn-MOF-PA nanocomposites exhibit strong acoustic dynamics, controlled NO release, and piezoelectric properties, which help kill bacteria, disrupt biofilms, reduce the release of inflammatory factors.By targeting subgingival pathogens and restoring microbiota balance they show robust antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects in vivo.
Soheil Shahbazi, Saharnaz Esmaeili, Anahita Moscowchi
et al.
Background. The current study aimed to systematically review the existing evidence on potential links between gene polymorphisms and the occurrence of peri-implant mucositis (PIM) or peri-implantitis (PI). Methods. The electronic search was executed through six databases in November 2022: PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science. The search sought studies delving into the possible association of gene polymorphisms with PIM or PI. To showcase the effect size, odds ratios along with 95% confidence intervals were used. The meta-analysis was performed on polymorphisms/alleles reported in at least two studies. Results. The initial search yielded 2162 results, which were reduced to 1327 following deduplication. After evaluating titles, abstracts, and full texts, 30 studies were deemed suitable for inclusion. Forty-nine gene polymorphisms were examined among 50 PIM patients, 1603 PI patients, and 2407 healthy controls spanning seven ethnicities. The meta-analysis showed that IL-1α -889 (95% CI: 1.070‒2.850, OR=1.746, P=0.026), IL-1β+3954 (95% CI: 1.265‒2.851, OR=1.899, P=0.002), and OPG -3618 (95% CI: 1.158‒2.983, OR=1.859, P=0.010) gene polymorphisms significantly differed between healthy controls and PI patients. However, IL-1β -511, IL-6 -174, OPG -3617, and TNF-α -308 gene polymorphisms did not significantly alter PI risk. Due to insufficient data, performing a meta-analysis on PIM was not feasible. Conclusion. The findings suggest that IL-1α -889, IL-1β+3954, and OPG -3618 gene polymorphisms are associated with the predisposition to PI. However, further research among diverse populations is warranted to draw more definitive conclusions.
This case study aims to explore how customer journey concepts can apply to a hypothetical scenario, centring on a patient (customer persona) within the dentistry arena, and with a particular focus on special care dentistry. As an educational exercise, this paper may inform dental and allied professionals on how aspects of the customer journey notion may be embedded into their own practices, so that patient-centricity might be better optimised. The hypothetical scenario considers the organisational context, customer persona, contemporary customer purchase decision-making models, and marketing approaches. These components are used to create a customer journey map to help visualise and identify the varying customer–business interactions. The customer journey, focussing on the awareness, initial consideration, active evaluation, pre-purchase, purchase and post-purchase stages, is then conceptually analysed. The analyses reveal that there are areas of friction, attributable to numerous factors. The case study recommends that by introducing digitalisation and omnichannel marketing, alongside existing internally generated and multi-channel marketing approaches, considerable improvements may be achievable. As the patient technology landscape becomes more digital and dental organisations face fiercer competition, dental care providers relying on traditional marketing approaches may well need to adapt and introduce innovative, yet cost-effective digitalisation and omnichannel marketing approaches. Nevertheless, dental care providers, and dental and allied professionals must uphold an underlying duty of care, ensuring that all practises are legal, decent, honest, truthful, and above all ethical.
Kanamarlapudi Venkata Saikiran, Rekhalakshmi Kamatham, Sainath Reddy Elicherla
et al.
Background: Effective communication with children can improve their understanding and aid in complying with oral hygiene instructions. Aim: The aim is to compare the retentiveness of oral hygiene instructions in children educated using three communication techniques. Methodology: One hundred and twenty children in the age range of 12–13 years were included in the study. Baseline awareness of oral hygiene maintenance was assessed using a questionnaire. Twenty children were randomly assigned to each group: Tell-Tell-Tell, Ask-Tell-Ask, Teach-back, and information provided. Knowledge was reassessed after a week; data were tabulated and assessed statistically. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline data among the groups (P > 0.05). Regardless of the group, there was an improvement in knowledge regarding the frequency and timing of brushing as well as the cause of dental caries after the intervention. However, children in Ask-Tell-Ask and Teach back showed significant improvement over Tell-Tell-Tell (P ≤ 0.01). Conclusion: Communication strategies, such as Ask-Tell-Ask and Teach back, which have a strategy to involve children, have been shown to be superior over Tell-Tell-Tell.
Satish Vishwanathaiah, Hytham N. Fageeh, Sanjeev B. Khanagar
et al.
In the global epidemic era, oral problems significantly impact a major population of children. The key to a child’s optimal health is early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of these disorders. In recent years, the field of artificial intelligence (AI) has seen tremendous pace and progress. As a result, AI’s infiltration is witnessed even in those areas that were traditionally thought to be best left to human specialists. The ultimate ability to improve patient care and make precise diagnoses of illnesses has revolutionized the world of healthcare. In the field of dentistry, the competence to execute treatment measures while still providing appropriate patient behavior counseling is in high demand, particularly in the field of pediatric dental care. As a result, we decided to conduct this review specifically to examine the applications of AI models in pediatric dentistry. A comprehensive search of the subjects was done using a wide range of databases to look for studies that have been published in peer-reviewed journals from its inception until 31 December 2022. After the application of the criteria, only 25 of the 351 articles were taken into consideration for this review. According to the literature, AI is frequently used in pediatric dentistry for the purpose of making an accurate diagnosis and assisting clinicians, dentists, and pediatric dentists in clinical decision making, developing preventive strategies, and establishing an appropriate treatment plan.
Gustavo Ferreira Alves, Gustavo Ferreira Alves, Eleonora Aimaretti
et al.
Sepsis and septic shock are associated with high mortality and are considered one of the major public health concerns. The onset of sepsis is known as a hyper-inflammatory state that contributes to organ failure and mortality. Recent findings suggest a potential role of two non-receptor protein tyrosine kinases, namely Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2), in the inflammation associated with endometriosis, cancer, atherosclerosis and asthma. Here we investigate the role of FAK-Pyk2 in the pathogenesis of sepsis and the potential beneficial effects of the pharmacological modulation of this pathway by administering the potent reversible dual inhibitor of FAK and Pyk2, PF562271 (PF271) in a murine model of cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis. Five-month-old male C57BL/6 mice underwent CLP or Sham surgery and one hour after the surgical procedure, mice were randomly assigned to receive PF271 (25 mg/kg, s.c.) or vehicle. Twenty-four hours after surgery, organs and plasma were collected for analyses. In another group of mice, survival rate was assessed every 12 h over the subsequent 5 days. Experimental sepsis led to a systemic cytokine storm resulting in the formation of excessive amounts of both pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-17 and IL-6) and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. The systemic inflammatory response was accompanied by high plasma levels of ALT, AST (liver injury), creatinine, (renal dysfunction) and lactate, as well as a high, clinical severity score. All parameters were attenuated following PF271 administration. Experimental sepsis induced an overactivation of FAK and Pyk2 in liver and kidney, which was associated to p38 MAPK activation, leading to increased expression/activation of several pro-inflammatory markers, including the NLRP3 inflammasome complex, the adhesion molecules ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin and the enzyme NOS-2 and myeloperoxidase. Treatment with PF271 inhibited FAK-Pyk2 activation, thus blunting the inflammatory abnormalities orchestrated by sepsis. Finally, PF271 significantly prolonged the survival of mice subjected to CLP-sepsis. Taken together, our data show for the first time that the FAK-Pyk2 pathway contributes to sepsis-induced inflammation and organ injury/dysfunction and that the pharmacological modulation of this pathway may represents a new strategy for the treatment of sepsis.
Sina Jafari, Mohammad Alihemmati, Ali Jamali Ghomi
et al.
Background: Glass fiber posts, along with their esthetic properties, may have a better stress distribution than cast posts, Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of glass fiber, casting, titanium, and zirconia posts on stress distribution in maxillary central tooth treated with different amounts of ferrule using finite-element analysis.
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, three-dimensional models of maxillary central incisors that have undergone root canal treatment were designed. Then, the models were divided into four groups according to the type of post (Ni-Cr casting, glass fiber, titanium, and zirconia) used. Zirconia monolithic crowns were used in all the four groups. Ferrule heights were repeated at 0 and 2 mm in all models. Models were entered into COMSOL Metaphysics software. Then, the force of 100 N with the angle of 135° on the palatal surface was applied to the longitudinal axis of the tooth, and the stress distribution in the models was investigated.
Results: Maximum stress was observed in the middle third of posts. Stress distribution in glass fiber post was better than zirconia and casting posts. Stress accumulation in models with zirconia, titanium, and casting posts was also found in the site between the middle third and coronal third, whereas in models with glass fiber post, stress accumulation was found between the crown and the cemento-enamel junction. In models without ferrule, stress accumulation was observed in one-third of the coronal, especially in glass fiber posts.
Conclusion: The post material and ferrule height affected stress concentration. The stress in the cervical area of the dentin was more for glass fiber post when compared to other posts. The use of glass fiber post in teeth with no ferrule results in lower stress along the post, but greater stress in the simulated tooth region.
Nazmus Shalehin, Akihiro Hosoya, Hiroaki Takebe
et al.
Background/purpose: Inhibition of bone resorption is essential for periodontal treatment. Recently, it has been suggested that boric acid suppresses periodontitis, but the mechanism of this inhibition is still not well understood. Therefore, to analyze the cellular response to boric acid administration, we histologically evaluated alveolar bone in experimental periodontitis of rats administered boric acid. Materials and methods: 5-0 silk ligatures were placed around the cervix of the second maxillary molars of 4 week-old rats treated with or without boric acid. Five and 14 days after ligature placement, the periodontal tissues between first and second molars were investigated histologically and immunohistochemically using antibodies to CD68, cathepsin K, and α-smooth muscle actin (SMA). Results: Five days after the beginning of the experiment, many CD68-positive cells appeared in the periodontal tissues with ligature placement without boric acid administration. Also, the number of cathepsin K-positive osteoclasts had increased on the surface of alveolar bone. However, boric acid administration prevented severe bone resorption and reduced the number of cells positive for CD68 and cathepsin K. At day 14 post treatment, cells positive for α-SMA were seen in the periodontal tissues after boric acid administration, whereas no such cells were found around the alveolar bone without the administration of boric acid. Conclusion: Boric acid inhibited the inflammation of ligature-induced periodontitis. This agent might reduce bone resorption by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and also could accelerate osteoblastogenesis.
Abstract Background Cleft lip (CL) is one of the most common congenital birth defects with complex etiology. While genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have made significant advances in our understanding of mutations and their related genes with potential involvement in the etiology of CL, it remains unknown how these genes are functionally regulated and interact with each other in lip development. Currently, identifying the disease-causing genes in human CL is urgently needed. So far, the causative CL genes have been largely undiscovered, making it challenging to design experiments to validate the functional influence of the mutations identified from large genomic studies such as CL GWAS. Results Transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are two important regulators in cellular system. In this study, we aimed to investigate the genetic interactions among TFs, miRNAs and the CL genes curated from the previous studies. We constructed miRNA-TF co-regulatory networks, from which the critical regulators as putative drivers in CL were examined. Based on the constructed networks, we identified ten critical hub genes with prior evidence in CL. Furthermore, the analysis of partitioned regulatory modules highlighted a number of biological processes involved in the pathology of CL, including a novel pathway “Signaling pathway regulating pluripotency of stem cells”. Our subnetwork analysis pinpointed two candidate miRNAs, hsa-mir-27b and hsa-mir-497, activating the Wnt pathway that was associated with CL. Our results were supported by an independent gene expression dataset in CL. Conclusions This study represents the first regulatory network analysis of CL genes. Our work presents a global view of the CL regulatory network and a novel approach on investigating critical miRNAs, TFs and genes via combinatory regulatory networks in craniofacial development. The top genes and miRNAs will be important candidates for future experimental validation of their functions in CL.
Yeliz Guven, Nilufer Ustun, Sermin D Aksakal
et al.
Context: Knowledge of the microbial composition of abscessed primary tooth is limited. Aim: The aim was to investigate the presence of 10 oral bacterial species in samples from abscessed primary tooth root canals using microarray technology and to determine their association with clinical findings. Subjects and Methods: The samples were collected from root canals of 20 primary molars with acute primer infection. The bacterial composition of the samples was semi-quantitatively defined using a microarray system (ParoCheck®). Clinical parameters included the presence of spontaneous pain, mobility, percussion sensitivity and swelling. Statistical Analysis: Data were statistically analyzed by Student' t-test, Fisher's exact Chi-square test, Freeman–Halton–Fisher's exact test, and Spearman's rho correlation analysis. Results: All the tested species were detected in the samples. Fusobacterium nucleatum was the most frequent bacterium (100%), followed by Parvimonas micra (65%), Provetella intermedia (45%), and Treponema denticola (45%). According to paired bacterial combinations, F. nucleatum was significantly positively correlated with P. intermedia and P. micra (P < 0.05). T. denticola was significantly positively correlated with Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Campylobacter rectus, and P. micra, while it was negatively correlated with Eikenella corrodens (P < 0.05). No statistically significant relationships were found between the presence of any bacteria and clinical findings. Conclusion: Microarray technology used in this study has demonstrated the presence of various bacteria with varying proportions in the root canals of abscessed primary teeth. The results regarding the high rate of certain bacterial combinations suggest the enhanced pathogenicity due to additive or synergistic effects of these microbial combinations.
Bica Cristina, Ion Valentin, Mártha Krisztina
et al.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a type of cancer that most frequently affects children, and its treatment involves intensive chemotherapy, which might interfere with the normal development of dental tissues. The aim of our study was to measure the incidence of dental caries and enamel hypoplasia in children diagnosed with ALL treated according to the Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster-95 (ALL-BFM-95) protocol during the complete remission phase. Two groups of children between 8-12 years of age were investigated: Group 1 consisted of 36 children with ALL, and Group 2 of 58 control age-matched children. The decay-missing-filling index for the deciduous teeth (DMFT) and the presence of hypoplasia in the first permanent molars (MH) or in both incisors and molars (MIH) were recorded. The results were statistically analyzed and showed that there were no differences between the groups regarding the DMFT values (p >0.05), but there was a statistically significant difference in the incidence of MH and MIH between groups (p <0.05). According to our results, chemotherapy was not responsible for the decay process, as there were no differences in DMFT indices between the groups, but the high incidence of MH and MIH in the ALL group indicates the need of a good dental care for these children in order to prevent future dental complications.
Ferry Sandra, Janti Sudiono, Pretty Trisfilha
et al.
BACKGROUND: Alpinia galanga (A. galanga) was reported as a potential medicinal source due to its wide effect. A. galanga rhizome crude extract (ARCE) was reported to have high cytotoxic effect in cancer cells, but low in normal cells. However half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of ARCE is not clearly known yet. Hence, current study was conducted to investigate the IC50 of ARCE in normal standard fibroblast cell line, NIH-3T3 cells.
METHODS: Rhizomes of A. galanga were collected, peeled, dried, milled and weighed. Extraction was performed using maceration method, then filtered and evaporated. ARCE with various concentrations were applied in NIH-3T3 cells for 24 or 48 hours. Cells were documented and counted with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.
RESULTS: Five hundreds grams of simplicia were macerated with ethanol and evaporated, 1 mg/mL crude extract with total volume of 114 mL was obtained. By addition of ARCE in NIH-3T3 cell culture, number of NIH-3T3 cells were shown less when treated with higher concentration of ARCE. Cell numbers of 0, 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25 and 50% ARCE treatment for 24 hours are 11,531, 11,352, 10,920, 10,365, 9,471, 8,360, respectively, meanwhile for 48 hours are 13,219, 12,686, 12,278, 11,390, 10,279, 8,390, respectively.
CONCLUSION: IC50 of ARCE in 24 hours treatment was 620.5 mg/mL, while in 48 hours treatment was 666.6 mg/mL. Hence, ARCE is suggested to have low cytotoxic effect in NIH-3T3 cells.
KEYWORDS: Alpinia galanga, ginger, extract, cytotoxic, MTT, NIH-3T3