Reconstruction of defects in the maxillofacial region following traumatic injuries, craniofacial deformities, defects from tumor removal, or infections in the maxillofacial area represents a major challenge for surgeons. Various materials have been studied for the reconstruction of defects in the maxillofacial area. Biodegradable metals have been widely researched due to their excellent biological properties. Magnesium (Mg) and Mg-based materials have been extensively studied for tissue regeneration procedures due to biodegradability, mechanical characteristics, osteogenic capacity, biocompatibility, and antibacterial properties. The aim of this review was to analyze and discuss the applications of Mg and Mg-based materials in reconstructive oral and maxillofacial surgery in the fields of guided bone regeneration, dental implantology, fixation of facial bone fractures and soft tissue regeneration.

This systematic review evaluated current in vivo research on regenerating critical-sized mandibular defects and discussed methodologies for mandibular bone tissue engineering. Out of the 3650 articles initially retrieved, 88 studies were included, and all studies that used a scaffold reported increased bone formation compared to negative controls. Combining scaffolds with growth factors and mesenchymal stem cells improved bone formation and healing. Bone morphogenic proteins were widely used and promoted significant bone formation compared to controls. However, discrepancies between studies exist due to the various methodologies and outcome measures used. The use of scaffolds with bioactive molecules and/or progenitor cells enhances success in mandibular bone engineering. Scaffold-based mandibular bone tissue engineering could be introduced into clinical practice due to its proven safety, convenience, and cost-effectiveness.

Introduction/Objective. Bone resorption is a common problem in dentistry, and bone reparation cannot be easily achieved. Several techniques of bone grafting and the use of low-level laser treatment (LLLT) as a new therapeutic optional recommended for improving bone repair were applied. The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of LLLT in bone repair of artificially made bone defects in the rat mandible using histomorphometry. Methods. The research was carried out on 60 female rats. Bone defects were made in the mandible, and animals were divided into two groups, each containing 30 animals. In the study group, the implantation site was submitted to GaAlAs laser irradiation 670nm, 5 mW, 4 min/per day for 5 days. The control group had no postoperative treatment. Animals were sacrificed after two, six, and eight weeks post LLLT, and preparations were analysed by histomorphometry, determining bone area fraction, bone area, integral density, mean density, and density variation. Results. Histomorphometric analysis revealed statistically higher values of area fraction, area, and integral density in the study group after two and six weeks. However, no beneficial laser effect was noticed after eight weeks. Conclusion. Low-level lasers have a stimulating effect on reparatory mechanisms in the early regeneration stage of artificially made bone defects in the rat mandible and can be used as a useful helping method in bone treatment.

The aim of this pilot study is a preliminary evaluation of previous models / modalities of online teaching at the Faculty of Medical Sciences in Serbia and to examine the attitudes of students and academic staff about education during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their previous experiences. The research was designed as an observational qualitative epidemiological study which was conducted on a population of students and academics staff at the Faculty of biomedical sciences, University of Kragujevac during the pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Serbia. The first phase is a pilot study which included 332 participants performed between December 2020 and January 2021. The pilot study questionnaire is formed for the purposes of the research and consists of 17 closed-ended questions with graduated answers. Students and academic staff completed the questionnaire through an online learning platform in all environments and from all electronic devices. The importance of this study is reflected in the fact that it provides detailed and valid data that can serve the purpose of improving the efficiency of online teaching at the faculties of medical sciences in Serbia In general, the results of our study indicate that in addition to great inexperience, both students and academic staff cope well during online education and the changed environment and learning conditions despite all the difficulties.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the opinions of biomedical students from Russia and Central Serbia about learning methods in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This is a comparative questionnaire study that used the validated questionnaire tool eMedQ, conducted via the online platform Anketolog.ru from February to May 2022 at Sechenov University and the University of Kragujevac in the same period. At Sechenov University, 694 students took part in the survey, while at the University of Kragujevac, the total number of participants was 209. The eMedQ questionnaire, in Russian and Serbian, consists of 45 closed-ended questions with 7 domains: demographic characteristics, experience with online teaching, education process (teaching organization), aspects of mental functioning, clinical skills, technical aspects, and quality of life. Results: During the COVID-19 lockdown, in Serbian and Russian biomedical faculties, we observed the high flexibility of Russian students with greater experience when it comes to online education before the pandemic compared to students from Serbia. Also, the Russian students declared that they were strongly motivated to achieve clinical skills and to learn, while a larger number of Serbian students reported disrupted mental functioning and learning problems. Conclusions: At the time of isolation, at Serbian and Russian biomedical faculties, we noticed the higher flexibility of Russian students with more experience than students from Serbia. Also, the Russian students declared that they were strongly motivated both to acquire clinical skills and to learn, while a larger number of Serbian students reported reduced mental functioning and learning problems.