Periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus are two pathologies that are extremely widespread worldwide and share the feature of chronic inflammation. Carvacrol is a phenolic monoterpenoid, produced by a variety of herbs, the most well-known of which is Origanum vulgare. Magnolol is a traditional polyphenolic compound isolated from the stem bark of Magnolia officinalis, mainly used in Chinese medicine. The purpose of this paper is to review the therapeutic properties of these bioactive compounds, in the treatment of periodontitis and diabetes. Based on our search strategy we conducted a literature search in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases to identify studies. A total of one hundred eighty-four papers were included in the current review. The results show that carvacrol and magnolol have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-osteoclastic, and anti-diabetic properties that benefit both pathologies. Knowledge of the multiple activities of carvacrol and magnolol can assist with the development of new treatment strategies, and the design of clinical animal and human trials will maximize the potential benefits of these extracts in subjects suffering from periodontitis or diabetes.

Background: There is a growing interest in the correlation between antioxidants and periodontal disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of oxidative stress and the impact of two antioxidants, curcumin and rutin, respectively, in the etiopathology of experimentally induced periodontitis in diabetic rats. Methods: Fifty Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into five groups and were induced with diabetes mellitus and periodontitis: (1) (CONTROL)—control group, (2) (DPP)—experimentally induced diabetes mellitus and periodontitis, (3) (DPC)—experimentally induced diabetes mellitus and periodontitis treated with curcumin (C), (4) (DPR)—experimentally induced diabetes mellitus and periodontitis treated with rutin (R) and (5) (DPCR)—experimentally induced diabetes mellitus and periodontitis treated with C and R. We evaluated malondialdehyde (MDA) as a biomarker of oxidative stress and reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), GSH/GSSG and catalase (CAT) as biomarkers of the antioxidant capacity in blood harvested from the animals we tested. The MDA levels and CAT activities were also evaluated in the gingival tissue. Results: The control group effect was statistically significantly different from any other groups, regardless of whether or not the treatment was applied. There was also a significant difference between the untreated group and the three treatment groups for variables MDA, GSH, GSSG, GSH/GSSG and CAT. There was no significant difference in the mean effect for the MDA, GSH, GSSG, GSH/GSSG and CAT variables in the treated groups of rats with curcumin, rutin and the combination of curcumin and rutin. Conclusions: The oral administration of curcumin and rutin, single or combined, could reduce the oxidative stress and enhance the antioxidant status in hyperglycemic periodontitis rats.

Dental age assessment is useful in various medical fields. The Demirjian method for dental age estimation is one of the most widely used in the field of pediatric dentistry. The aim of this study was to verify the accuracy of the Demirjian method in determining age in a sample of girls and boys from Oradea, Romania. This retrospective and radiographic study was based on the evaluation of 1006 panoramic radiographs, belonging to 1006 patients (431 boys and 575 girls) with ages between 3 and 13.9 years from the city of Oradea, Romania. They were collected from three private dental practices from Oradea and were analyzed between 1 September 2021, and 10 November 2021. The patients were distributed into 11 age groups, each group spanning over one year (e.g., 3–3.9, 4–4.9). For the assessment of dental age, the Demirjian method was used, which is based on the evaluation of the developmental stages of the lower left permanent teeth. The mean chronological age of the patients was 9.496 ± 2.218 years, and the mean dental age was 10.934 ± 2.585 years. The overestimation of dental age was obtained in all age groups for the entire sample. As such, dental age was higher than chronological age, with values varying from 0.34 years in the 3–3.9 years age group to 1.7 years in the 10–10.9 years age group. In girls, dental age was higher than chronological age, with values varying from 0.46 years in the 3–3.9 years age group to 1.73 years in the 11–11.9 years age group, while in boys, the values varied from 0.15 years in the first age group to 2.02 years in the 10–10.9 years age group. The comparison of the differences between chronological age and dental age according to the gender of the patients revealed that the distribution of the differences was nonparametric in both groups according to the Shapiro–Wilk test (p < 0.05). The differences between the groups were not significant according to the Mann–Whitney U test. However, larger differences were identified for boys (1.46 years) than girls (1.417 years), with an overestimation of the dental age. The Demirjian method overestimated the age of the children included in the investigated sample, with different values for the different age groups investigated, and requires adaptations.

White spot lesions (WSLs) are demineralized lesions of the enamel that form in the presence of bacterial plaque, affecting the aesthetics by modifying the refractive index of the enamel, giving the characteristic “chalky” aspect. They have various causes, including fixed orthodontic treatments, improper hygiene, fluorosis and genetic factors. Background/Objectives: Considering the latest need for dental aesthetics and the popularization of fixed orthodontic treatments, the need to effectively treat WSLs has increased. The objective of this research is to review the development of WSLs and their treatment with resin infiltration. Methods: The PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar databases were searched for relevant reviews and studies. Out of all, 56 were included in this research. Results: Prophylactic measures, such as fluorized toothpaste and varnishes, have limited results. Standard caries treatment is too invasive as it removes too much healthy enamel for obturation retentivity. The resin infiltration resin process does not require drilling or tooth structure loss, making it a painless and minimally invasive treatment. The resin used has a refractive index comparable to that of healthy enamel, consequently restoring aesthetics and ensuring the prevention of caries evolvement. The treatment involves five important steps: prophylaxis, acid demineralization, alcohol drying, resin infiltration and UV light curing. Depending on the clinical case, the demineralization and drying steps may need to be repeated. Conclusions: Infiltrations with resin are painless and well tolerated by patients. Out of all minimally invasive treatments, they have an immediate satisfactory outcome, with results stable for a minimum of 45 months.

Taraxaci folium and Matricariae flos plant extracts contain a wide range of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of the study was to evaluate the phytochemical and antioxidant profile of the two plant extracts to obtain a mucoadhesive polymeric film with beneficial properties in acute gingivitis. The chemical composition of the two plant extracts was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. To establish a favourable ratio in the combination of the two extracts, the antioxidant capacity was determined by the method of reduction of copper ions Cu²⁺ from neocuprein and by reduction of the compound 1.1-diphenyl-2-2picril-hydrazyl. Following preliminary analysis, we selected the plant mixture Taraxaci folium/matricariae flos in the ratio of 1:2 (m/m), having an antioxidant capacity of 83.92% ± 0.02 reduction of free nitrogen radical of 1.1-diphenyl-2-2picril-hydrazyl reagent. Subsequently, bioadhesive films of 0.2 mm thickness were obtained using various concentrations of polymer and plant extract. The mucoadhesive films obtained were homogeneous and flexible, with pH ranging from 6.634 to 7.016 and active ingredient release capacity ranging from 85.94–89.52%. Based on in vitro analysis, the film containing 5% polymer and 10% plant extract was selected for in vivo study. The study involved 50 patients undergoing professional oral hygiene followed by a 7-day treatment with the chosen mucoadhesive polymeric film. The study showed that the film used helped accelerate the healing of acute gingivitis after treatment, with anti-inflammatory and protective action.

Mini-implants have undeniable advantages in Orthodontics. However, the use of mini-implants shows some limitations and disadvantages related to patient age, the quality of the bone tissue, the characteristics of the oral mucosa, implant site, the state of health of the organism and the quality of oral hygiene. The aim of this paper was to analyze the rejection rate of mini-implants in teenage patients, depending on their insertion site, and examine their stability up to three months after insertion. This retrospective study was conducted on dental charts belonging to patients aged between 12 and 17 years, from Oradea, Romania. The mini-implants were placed for various therapeutic reasons and were inserted in the following sites: buccal maxillary area, the infrazygomatic region, palatal area, buccal mandibular area and lingual area; they had a diameter of 1.6 mm (inter-radicular spaces) and of 2 mm (nonbearing tooth areas), and a length of 6–8 mm (mandible) or 8–10 mm (maxilla). The rejection rate was checked in the first month, second month, third month and after the third month from insertion. A total of 432 patients were included in the study, and they had a total of 573 mini-implants. Most implants were placed in the buccal region of the maxilla (27.7%), and most patients had one mini-implant placed (65.7%). The highest rejection rate was obtained in the first month (15.2%). The rejection rate between genders was similar. The mini-implants from the buccal mandibular region had a significantly higher rate of rejection in the first month (M1) in comparison to the mini-implants from the palatal region (24.4% vs. 8.3%). The mini-implants from the lingual region of the mandible had a significantly higher rate of rejection in the second month (M2) in comparison to the mini-implants from the infrazygomatic or the palatal region (10.5% vs. 0%/0%). Mini-implants are very useful for carrying out various orthodontic treatments, but their stability should be enhanced.