Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic, inflammatory mucocutaneous disorder associated with systemic diseases such as hepatitis C (HCV). The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between LP and HCV bidirectionally through a systematic review and meta-analysis. A comprehensive search of studies published was performed in the databases of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Out of 18,491 articles, 192 studies were included. The global prevalence of HCV positive (HCV+) in LP patients registered from 143 studies was 9.42% [95% confidence interval (CI), 7.27–11.58%], and from these, 84 studies showed HCV+ 4-fold more frequent in LP than a control group (OR, 4.48; 95% CI, 3.48–5.77). The global prevalence of LP in patients HCV+ recorded from 49 studies was 7.05% (95% CI, 4.85–9.26%), and from these, 15 registered a 3-fold more LP in HCV (OR, 3.65; 95% CI, 2.14–6.24). HCV+ in LP patients showed great geographic variability (OR, 2.7 to 8.57), and the predominantly cutaneous location was higher (OR, 5.95) than the oral location (OR, 3.49). LP in HCV+ patients was more frequent in the Eastern Mediterranean (OR, 5.51; 95% CI, 1.40–15.57). There is a higher prevalence of HCV+ in LP and vice versa than in the control group, especially in certain geographical areas that should be taken into consideration when doing screening in countries with an upper prevalence of HCV among the general population.

The use of fiberglass in dentistry has increased due to the improvements in the development of adhesive techniques reducing the cost of treatment and avoiding abutment tooth craving. The present study aims to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the new technique to fabricate a direct fiber-reinforced composite bridge (FRCB) over a long period of time. Twenty-one FRCB were performed with the new direct technique on 21 patients with a mean age of 58.85 years and female predominance in the Faculty of Dentistry of Oviedo (Spain). The framework design releases the embrasures allowing adequate interproximal brushing, avoidance of periodontal disease and interproximal caries. A baseline examination was performed and the patients were examined regularly at six-month intervals (nine years’ follow-up). The restorations were also evaluated by an examiner using parameters to check their stability, longevity and the lack of periodontal disease. The most frequent location was the maxillary premolar region and the purpose of the restorations was to give a definitive bridge in 100% of the patients. Only one total debonding of the prostheses was detected during the observation period at 24 months and three partial adhesive–cohesive veneering composite fractures at the pontic after 60, 72 and 84 months, respectively. Kaplan–Meier was performed to detect the overall survival rate of the restorations at the end of the follow-up. Nine-year survival rates for the FRCB was 95.2%. All the cases had a clinically acceptable periodontal condition and an interproximal absence of caries in the abutment teeth. Currently, this type of restoration allows a minimally invasive aesthetic and is an affordable procedure, being a good alternative to other types of treatments.

This review was carried out to analyse the functions of three Vector Graphic Editor applications (VGEs) applicable to clinical or research practice, and through this we propose a two-dimensional image analysis protocol in a VGE. We adapted the review method from the PRISMA-ScR protocol. Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched until June 2020 with the following keywords: Vector Graphics Editor, Vector Graphics Editor Dentistry, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Illustrator Dentistry, Coreldraw, Coreldraw Dentistry, Inkscape, Inkscape Dentistry. The publications found described the functions of the following VGEs: Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, and Inkscape. The possibility of replicating the procedures to perform the VGE functions was analysed using each study’s data. The search yielded 1032 publications. After the selection, 21 articles met the eligibility criteria. They described eight VGE functions: line tracing, landmarks tracing, linear measurement recording, angular measurement recording, image calibration, image overlay, file transfer, and vector graphics development. The features offered by the VGEs bring great precision and objectivity to two-dimensional image analysis. The image analysis and editing procedures are currently not protocolised. Thus, a protocol for image calibration and measurement recording is proposed in order to guarantee the protocol’s replication.