The restoration of extensive zygomatic complex defects is a surgical challenge owing to the difficulty of accurately restoring the normal anatomy, symmetry, proper facial projection and facial width. In the present study, an extensive post-traumatic zygomatic bone defect was reconstructed using a custom-made implant that was made with a selective laser melting (SLM) technique. The computer-designed implant had the proper geometry and fit perfectly into the defect without requiring any intraoperative adjustments. A one-year follow-up revealed a stable outcome with no complications.

Assessing bone density in prospective dental implant sites is crucial both for choosing the implant type and for planning a drilling procedure that will ensure the implant’s primary stability and osseointegration. This study aimed to investigate possible differences between the bone densities of various edentulous sites in the maxilla and mandible. The study was conducted on a group of forty partly edentulous patients who underwent radiological examination by scanning the areas of interest using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Hounsfield units (HU) were analyzed using dedicated software. Higher HU were observed at the site of mandibular central incisors compared to the site of maxillary central incisors. The HU values in the mandibular first molars region were higher than those of the maxillary first molars. Buccal vs. lingual or palatal cortical HU values did not differ significantly. Within the limitations of this study, it can be stated that an objective assessment of site-specific bone density before the installation of dental implants may provide valuable clinical information for the selection of implant size and the planning of a patient-specific drilling protocol.

Background and Objectives: The research aimed at evaluating the capacity of salivary exosomal miR-10b-5p and miR-486-5p for oral and oropharyngeal cancer detection. Materials and Methods: The saliva samples were harvested from histopathological diagnosed oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients and healthy volunteer subjects. The exosomes were isolated by differential ultracentrifugation and quantified by Nano Track Analysis. The microRNAs were extracted and quantified from salivary exosomes by quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction. Results: This research comprised fifty participants. When compared to healthy controls, salivary exosomal miR-486-5p was elevated and miR-10b-5p was reduced in oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Moreover, miR-486-5p had a high expression level in stage II of cancer in comparison to the other cancer stages. The cancer samples presented an increased exosome dimension compared to the control samples. Conclusions: Salivary exosomal miR-10b-5p and miR-486-5p have an altered expression in oral and oropharyngeal cancer.

The aim of this study is to systemically review the available evidence on the in vivo behavior of eggshell as a guided bone regeneration substitute material. Five databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE) were searched up to October 2020. In vivo animal studies with a bone defect model using eggshell as a grafting material were included. Risk of bias was assessed using SYRCLE tool and the quality assessment using the ARRIVE guidelines. Overall, a total of 581 studies were included in the study, 187 after duplicate removal. Using the inclusion and exclusion criteria 167 records were further excluded. The full text of the remaining 20 articles was assessed for eligibility and included in the qualitative and quantitative assessment synthesis. There were different methods of obtaining eggshell grafting materials. Eggshell is a biocompatible grafting material, with osteoconduction proprieties. It forms new bone similar to Bio-Oss and demineralized freeze-dried bone matrix. It can be combined with other materials to enhance its proprieties. Due to the high variability of the procedures, animals, production and assessment methods, no meta-analysis could be performed. Eggshell might be considered a promising biomaterial to be used in bone grafting procedures, though further research is needed.

This study aimed to assess dental care needs in Cluj region during the State of Emergency, declared due to the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to the same period of the year 2019. A descriptive retrospective analysis was conducted, which retrieved patients seeking emergency dental services at the Emergency Department of County General Hospital and “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, the only dental service available in April 2020. Recorded data cover the month of April 2020 and is compared with the same period of 2019. During April 2020, 724 patients received dental care, whereas only 160 patients were treated in April 2019 in the same facility. The number of patients with acute apical periodontitis, abscess, and acute pulpitis was significantly higher in 2020. The percentage of patients receiving sedative filling for the treatment of acute pulpitis in 2020 was significantly higher than in 2019, while the proportion of patients receiving pulpectomy was higher in 2019. The percentage of patients receiving endodontic drainage for the treatment of acute periapical periodontitis in 2020 was higher. This study demonstrates that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the use of medical care services and could further impact the oral health and quality of life of patients.

Non-melanoma skin cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in the human body and unfortunately the incidence continues to increase. NMSC is represented by the basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), which are the most prevalent forms, and basosquamous cell carcinomas (BSC) together with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), which are rare types but with a very aggressive pattern and poor prognosis. The pathological diagnosis is hard to assess without a biopsy, even by the dermoscopy. Moreover, the staging can be problematic because there is no access clinically to the thickness of the tumor and the depth of the invasion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of ultrasonography (US), which is a very efficient imaging method, non-irradiating and cheap, in diagnosis and treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer in the head and neck region. Thirty-one patients with highly suspicious malignant lesions of the head and neck skin were evaluated in the Oral and Maxillo-facial Surgery Department and Imaging Department in Cluj Napoca, Romania. All tumors were measured with three transducers: 13 MHz, 20 MHz and 40 MHz. Doppler examination and elastography were also used. The length, width, diameter, thickness, the presence of necrosis, status of regional lymph nodes, the presence of hyperechoic spots, strain ratio and vascularization were all recorded. After that, all patients were treated by surgical resection of the tumor and reconstruction of the defect. Immediately after surgical resection, all tumors were measured again after the same protocol. The resection margins were evaluated by all three types of transducers in order to detect malignant involvement and the results were compared with the histopathological report. We found that the 13 MHz transducers offered a big picture of the tumor but the level of details, in the form of the presence of the hyperechoic spots, is reduced. We recommend this transducer for evaluation of surgical margins or for the large skin tumors. The 20 and 40 MHz transducers are better for viewing the particularities of malignant lesions and for an accurate measurement; however, in the case of large size lesions, assessing all three dimensions of the tumor can be difficult. The intralesional hyperechoic spots are present in case of BCC and they can be used for differential diagnosis of BCC.