This study is intended to focus on the evaluation of posterior vertical mandibular asymmetry by calculating the mandibular asymmetry index on the panoramic radiography in different types of malocclusions, considering the sexual dimorphism in children and adolescent patients and performing a comparative analysis between these groups. In this context, a cross-sectional study was conducted for a group of 214 patients (134 females and 80 males with a mean age of 9.5 ± 2 years). The asymmetry index was calculated for each patient according to the Habets method. The results were analyzed by using the independent Student t-test, ANOVA and Mann–Whitney U-test at the 95% confidence level (p < 0.05). The results of the analyses showed a statistically significant difference between males and females at the level of the condylar index (p = 0.023) and a significant difference in the unilateral posterior crossbite in the Mann–Whitney U test (p = 0.01). No statistically significant differences were found between males and females in the index of the mandibular ramus and condyle-plus-ramus. The highest value of the asymmetry index was recorded at the level of the condyle. We found higher values of asymmetry in Angle Class I malocclusions in all groups and in Class II/1 in the group of females.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a biologically active glycosaminoglycan with recognized roles in wound healing and inflammation modulation, and its adjunctive use in dental and periodontal therapy has gained interest, particularly in medically compromised patients. This narrative review critically evaluated preclinical and clinical evidence on locally applied HA in periodontal, oral surgical, peri-implant, and oral medicine treatments in patients with systemic conditions. A literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 2015–December 2025) identified in vivo translational studies, randomized and controlled clinical trials, and selected systematic reviews involving medically compromised populations. Qualitative synthesis focused on biological plausibility, clinical outcomes, and safety. Nine core studies were included, comprising two preclinical in vivo investigations and seven clinical trials. In diabetic models, cross-linked high-molecular-weight HA reduced macrophage infiltration and delayed collagen membrane degradation without impairing angiogenesis. Clinically, adjunctive HA use in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus was associated with modest but statistically significant short-term improvements in clinical attachment level (CAL) and enhanced early soft tissue healing following tooth extraction. In peri-implantitis therapy and oncology-related oral complications, HA application was linked to reduced inflammatory markers, decreased lesion severity, and improved patient-reported symptoms. No systemic adverse effects were reported. Overall, HA appears to be a locally safe adjunct that may support early healing and inflammation control in medically compromised patients, although its effects are primarily short-term and do not indicate disease-modifying potential.

Background/Objectives: Provisional restorations are essential for maintaining oral function, esthetics, periodontal health, and patient comfort during prosthodontic treatment. This study evaluated current clinical practices, material preferences, fabrication techniques, and digital technology adoption among Romanian dental practitioners. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between January and March 2025. The questionnaire was sent directly to a predefined closed list of 150 licensed dental practitioners, of whom 95 submitted complete responses (response rate: 63.3%). The questionnaire assessed professional characteristics, materials and fabrication techniques used for provisional restorations, attitudes toward digital technologies, educational sources, and clinical complications. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, association tests, and exploratory multivariable logistic regression. Results: Composite resin (77.9%) and acrylic resin (65.3%) were the most frequently reported materials. Direct fabrication was used by 51.6% of respondents, while 42.1% used indirect techniques. An affirmative response to the general item concerning current digital technology use was provided by 47.4% of participants. Faster and more efficient fabrication and superior intraoral adaptation were the principal perceived advantages of 3D-printed restorations, whereas high equipment and material costs represented the main perceived disadvantage. The exploratory multivariable analysis identified no statistically significant independent associations with digital technology utilization. Debonding (44.2%) and fracture (42.1%) were the most frequently reported complications. Conclusions: Among the surveyed practitioners, conventional materials and fabrication techniques remained widely used, while digital workflows showed incomplete integration. Larger, representative studies using clearly defined technology-specific outcomes are needed to evaluate the determinants and clinical implications of digital adoption in provisional prosthodontics.

The research aims to verify the concordance between the skeletal maturity index (SMI) measured on the hand and wrist X-rays using Fishman method and the cervical vertebral maturation stage (CVMS), measured on the lateral cephalometric X-rays using Baccetti method. The concordance of the two indexes (SMI and CVMS) has been statistically verified with the help of the Cohen’s kappa coefficient, by relating them to the growth stages, within a longitudinal study done upon a group of 38 patients, 22 female and 16 male, aged between 8–18 y, the analyzed investigations being done in series, along the orthodontic treatment. The research showed a strong correlation between the SMI and CVMS indexes within the analyzed group, confirmed by the obtained values (k = 0.84 for female and k = 0.85 for male).

Purpose: The biological response of dental tissues to implants placed in contact with retained roots is poorly documented. The aim of this report is to describe the histological findings of three implants that inadvertently engaged inflammation-free retained root fragments during placement and were retrieved after 10 and 12 weeks of healing in the pig mandible. Materials and methods: Three implants were retrieved from a preclinical pig model in which fractured root remnants were inadvertently left in situ following tooth extraction; implants were placed after a three-month healing period and were harvested after 10 and 12 weeks. Histological evaluation was carried out using optical microscopy, polarized light microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to characterize the tissue responses at the implant–root interface. Three configurations of implant–root contact were identified: (1) an implant fully embedded within a retained root composed of dentin and osteodentin; (2) an implant presenting apical contact with a retained root; and (3) an implant apex engaging fractured-root debris. Results: The implant fully embedded within the retained root exhibited uninterrupted contact with dentin and osteodentin, with no intervening soft-tissue layer. Areas of tight implant–dentin apposition were devoid of cellular activity; conversely, in regions where microgaps or interfacial space were present, osteodentin showed active modeling and remodeling along the implant surface. In the second and third samples, osseointegration was observed along the implant body in contact with bone despite the presence of apical contact with residual root tissues. Newly formed osteodentin was intimately adapted to the implant apex, whereas the periodontal ligament that persisted did not extend appreciably onto the implant surface. Conclusions: This preclinical report describes the histological response to three implants in contact with non-infected retained roots. In two specimens with partial root contact, bone was present at the interface and osseointegration was observed. In all three specimens, newly formed osteodentin was present at the implant interface, with evidence of early modeling and remodeling. Further controlled investigations are required to confirm these observations and to assess their reproducibility and broader biological relevance.

Background: Surgical removal of jaw cysts results in bone defects that may compromise regeneration. Photobiomodulation (PBM) has been proposed as a minimally invasive adjunct capable of influencing osteogenic activity, but translational evidence using freshly harvested human jawbone tissue remains limited. Objective: To evaluate the effects of intraoperative PBM on osteogenic differentiation and cellular viability in human jaw bone explants obtained during cystectomy. Materials and Methods: This paired translational ex vivo experimental study enrolled 40 patients undergoing surgical treatment for medium to large cystic lesions of the maxilla or mandible. From each patient, paired bone explants were harvested intraoperatively, with one explant exposed to diode PBM and the other serving as a control. Explants were cultured under standardized conditions and assessed using morphometric analysis, immunofluorescence staining for alkaline phosphatase (ALPL) and osteocalcin (OCN), confocal microscopy, and quantitative live/dead viability assays. Viable osteogenic cultures suitable for paired analysis were obtained in 34 patients and constituted the final analytic cohort. Results: PBM-treated explants showed higher numbers of osteoblast-like cellular structures and greater osteogenic surface area occupancy than paired controls. Immunofluorescence demonstrated increased ALPL and OCN expression in laser-treated samples. Quantitative viability analysis showed comparable cell survival between groups, with no evidence of laser-induced cytotoxicity. Inter-individual variability in osteogenic response was observed. Conclusions: In this exploratory paired ex vivo model, intraoperative PBM was associated with enhanced osteogenic activity in human jaw bone explants. These findings are limited to surrogate cellular outcomes and require confirmation through studies incorporating quantitative mineralization and clinical healing parameters.