This systematic review evaluates the impact of Vitamin D levels on dental implant osseointegration, hypothesizing that optimal Vitamin D enhances success rates, and aims to synthesize data on its relationship with clinical outcomes in implantology. A comprehensive search across PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases included seven peer-reviewed articles meeting the criteria for the review. These studies, conducted between 2008 and 2021, included human subjects and explicitly correlated serum Vitamin D levels with dental implant outcomes, following PRISMA guidelines. The selected studies involved 1462 participants and examined 4450 dental implants. Key findings included a varied implant loss rate ranging from 3.9% to 11.4% across the studies. One study reported a 9.8% implant loss rate, yet found no significant association between Vitamin D receptor polymorphism and implant success. Another study indicated successful implantation following Vitamin D3 supplementation, even in severe deficiency cases. The highest implant loss rate (11.1%) was observed in severely Vitamin D-deficient patients, particularly when compounded by risk factors such as smoking and periodontal disease. Additionally, one study noted significantly improved bone density following post-surgical Vitamin D supplementation for up to 12 weeks. The review supports a link between sufficient Vitamin D levels and successful dental implant osseointegration, suggesting Vitamin D deficiency as a potential risk factor for increased failure and advocating for Vitamin D evaluations in pre-surgical planning to potentially enhance implantology outcomes.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the digitalization of medical services present significant challenges for the medical sector of the European Union, with profound implications for health systems and the provision of high-performance public health services. The sustainability and resilience of health systems are based on the introduction of information and communication technology in health processes and services, eliminating the vulnerability that can have significant consequences for health, social cohesion, and economic progress. This research aims to assess the impact of digitalization on several dimensions of health, introducing specific implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research methodology consists of three procedures: cluster analysis performed through vector quantization, agglomerative clustering, and an analytical approach consisting of data mapping. The main results highlight the importance of effective national responses and provide recommendations, various priorities, and objectives to strengthen health systems at the European level. Finally, the results reveal the need to reduce the gaps between the EU member states and a new approach to policy, governance, investment, health spending, and the performing provision of digital services.

Sleep bruxism, characterized by involuntary grinding or clenching of teeth during sleep, poses significant challenges in management due to its potential to induce temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) and other related symptoms. The use of Botulinum toxin Type A (BoNT-A), also known as Botox^®, has been proposed as a therapeutic intervention. This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of BoNT-A in the management of sleep bruxism, focusing on pain reduction, improvement in jaw function, reduction in bruxism episodes, and the incidence of adverse effects. An exhaustive search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases up to January 2024, adhering to the PRISMA guidelines. Nine randomized clinical trials (RCTs) involving 137 participants were analyzed for efficacy and safety outcomes. The studies demonstrated a significant reduction in mean pain scores (from 7.1 to 0.2 at 6 months and 1 year post-treatment in one study) and a notable decrease in the number of bruxism events (from 4.97/h to 1.70/h in the BoNT-A group in another study). Additionally, improvements were observed in jaw stiffness and total sleep time. Adverse effects varied but were generally mild and transient, including injection site pain in 20% of participants in one study and cosmetic changes in smile in 15.4% of patients in another. These findings suggest that BoNT-A injections may provide some benefits for treating nocturnal bruxism, potentially reducing TMD symptoms like pain and improving jaw function. However, these findings are preliminary due to variability in study designs and the absence of detailed statistical analysis.

Prenatal Vitamin D has been suggested to be critical for dental health in children, affecting outcomes including the prevalence of enamel defects and tooth erosion. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the potential impact of prenatal Vitamin D levels on these dental health outcomes. A total of seven studies, involving 6978 participants, were included after a comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus from 2013 to June 2023. The average age of mothers varied across studies, with Vitamin D levels or supplementation practices displaying significant variation among the study populations. The age of children at examination ranged from 3.6 to 6.6 years. The analysis demonstrated a diverse association between Vitamin D levels and dental outcomes, with enamel defects reported in 21.1% to 64% of the children and opacities ranging from 36% to 79.5% across studies. Maternal Vitamin D insufficiency was identified as a significant risk factor for enamel defects in one study (OR: 3.55), whereas high prenatal Vitamin D levels indicated a protective effect against Hypomineralized Second Primary Molars (OR: 0.84) and Molar Incisor Hypomineralization (OR: 0.95) in another. Conversely, low Vitamin D levels increased the risk of enamel hypoplasia (OR: 1.29) and dental decay. The maternal and child demographics varied greatly across the studies, and the assessment and prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency were heterogenous. This review illuminates the potential influence of prenatal Vitamin D on dental health in children, underscoring the importance of adequate Vitamin D levels during pregnancy. However, more robust research is required to establish the optimal Vitamin D intake during pregnancy to ensure healthy dental outcomes in children.

Recent research has highlighted potential benefits of vitamin C in managing periodontal diseases, yet systematic reviews to consolidate these findings are scarce. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin C supplementation in preventing and treating periodontal diseases and elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying these effects. We conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines, searching three databases up to 13 April 2024, for studies from 2010 onward. Our selection criteria aimed to capture a wide range of studies regarding vitamin C’s impact on periodontal health. After rigorous screening, 16 studies were included in the final analysis. Meta-analysis techniques were employed to synthesize data and evaluate the association between vitamin C intake and periodontal disease outcomes. The meta-analysis included 17,853 participants from studies with diverse geographical and demographic settings. Notable findings indicated that higher vitamin C intake was associated with a reduction in periodontal disease risk, with a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 1.52 (95% CI: 1.49–1.55). The individual studies reported ORs ranging from 0.62 (95% CI: 0.38–0.94) indicating significant protective effects, to 1.66 (95% CI: 1.04–2.64), suggesting increased risks associated with inadequate vitamin C levels. The heterogeneity among the studies was high (I² = 95.46%), reflecting variability in study design and population characteristics. This systematic review confirms that vitamin C supplementation has a beneficial effect on periodontal health. The significant variability across studies suggests that individual dietary needs and baseline vitamin C levels might influence the effectiveness of supplementation. These findings underscore the importance of personalized nutritional guidance as part of comprehensive periodontal care. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to better understand the causal relationships and potential confounding factors affecting the link between vitamin C intake and periodontal health.

The use of natural products as alternatives to traditional pharmacological treatments in orthodontics is gaining interest due to their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of natural products in reducing inflammation and bacterial presence in orthodontic and orthognathic treatment settings. The database search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Embase up to January 2024. The review focused on randomized controlled trials only. The selected studies centered on the anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant effects of natural products, adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for data extraction. Nine studies, totaling 358 participants, were included. Significant findings demonstrated a reduction in gingival inflammation by over 40% with the use of Aloe vera compared to chlorhexidine. Another study noted a decrease in bleeding on probing by 13.6 points in the treatment group over placebo. Additionally, honey showed a rapid modulation of plaque pH and significantly reduced bacterial counts of Streptococcus mutans. Furthermore, the use of resveratrol emulgel was linked to substantial improvements in gingival health, with a reduction in the gingival index and probing pocket depth. The results indicate that natural products can significantly enhance orthodontic treatment outcomes by reducing inflammation and bacterial levels. These products offer effective alternatives to traditional treatments and show potential for integration into routine orthodontic care protocols. Further research is encouraged to standardize application methods and dosages to maximize clinical benefits and patient satisfaction.