Background and Objectives: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is an autoimmune, mucocutaneous, oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD), which characteristically manifests with chronic, recalcitrant lesions, with frequent flare-ups and remissions. The precise etiopathogenesis of OLP is still debatable, although it is believed to be a T-cell-mediated disorder of an unidentified antigen. Despite the availability of various treatments, no cure for OLP exists due to its recalcitrant nature and idiopathic etiology. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, in addition to its regulatory action on keratinocyte differentiation and proliferation. These salient properties substantiate the possible role of PRP in the treatment of OLP. Our systematic review focuses on assessing the therapeutic potential of PRP as a treatment modality in OLP. Materials and Methods: We conducted a detailed literature search for studies assessing PRP as a therapeutic regimen in OLP, using the Google Scholar and PubMed/MEDLINE search engines. The search was limited to studies published from January 2000 to January 2023 and included a combination of Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms. ROBVIS analysis was carried out for the assessment of publication bias. Descriptive statistics were performed using Microsoft Excel. Results: This systematic review included five articles that met the inclusion criteria. Most of the included studies demonstrated that PRP treatment considerably ameliorated both objective and subjective symptoms in OLP subjects, with comparable efficacy to the standard corticosteroid treatment. Further, PRP therapy offers the added benefit of minimal adverse effects and recurrences. Conclusion: This systematic review suggests that PRP has significant therapeutic potential for treating OLP. However, further research with larger sample sizes is imperative to corroborate these findings.

Objective: This systematic review aims to summarize the evidence on the use and applicability of AI in impacted mandibular third molars. Methods: Searches were performed in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The study protocol is registered at the International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (INPLASY202460081). The retrieved articles were subjected to an exhaustive review based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the study. Articles on the use of AI for diagnosis, treatment, and treatment planning in patients with impacted mandibular third molars were included. Results: Twenty-one articles were selected and evaluated using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) evidence quality scale. Most of the analyzed studies dealt with using AI to determine the relationship between the mandibular canal and the impacted mandibular third molar. The average quality of the articles included in this review was 2+, which indicated that the level of evidence, according to the SIGN protocol, was B. Conclusions: Compared to human observers, AI models have demonstrated decent performance in determining the morphology, anatomy, and relationship of the impaction with the inferior alveolar nerve canal. However, the prediction of eruptions and future horizons of AI models are still in the early developmental stages. Additional studies estimating the eruption in mixed and permanent dentition are warranted to establish a comprehensive model for identifying, diagnosing, and predicting third molar eruptions and determining the treatment outcomes in the case of impacted teeth. This will help clinicians make better decisions and achieve better treatment outcomes.

BACKGROUND This research is aimed at minimizing the patient's discomfort and suffering from temporomandibular joint disorders through less-invasive procedures to evaluate the efficacy of proliferative injection therapy, particularly prolotherapy, in fearful patients with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. MATERIAL AND METHODS A structured questionnaire covering symptom intensity and presence or absence of TMJ clicking and joint hypermobility in patients with confirmed temporomandibular disorder symptoms was completed by patients. Mouth opening and maximum incisor height was measured in millimeters. Degree of pain was obtained from the Visual Analog Scale score. The patients were referred to an oral surgeon who did the prolotherapy procedure, and this was repeated at the end of 1, 3, and 6 months. The collected data were analyzed using the Chi-square and t-tests. RESULTS The patients' pain decreased from the third month of treatment until the end of the sixth month of the treatment program, and patient mouth opening ability was significantly different (F=3. 56; df=2; P<0. 05). After a duration of 3 months of the process of treatment, crepitus and periauricular discomfort were reduced. In terms of pain and mouth opening, prolotherapy in treating temporomandibular disorder was generally beneficial as shown by the P<0.05 scores. CONCLUSIONS From this evaluation, prolotherapy using 50% dextrose as a single injection via a conventional protocol, which can be single dosage or several doses, is recommended as treatment for chronic recurring dislocations and mandibular subluxations. Recurrent or severe cases can only be managed through operations. Much larger studies with greater sample sizes and even longer follow-up periods are necessary for the results of this study to be supported.

Background: Mandibular third molar is the most frequent impacted tooth in the oral cavity. Its presence can be associated with complications including the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) symptoms. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the prevalence of impacted mandibular third molar (IMTM), associated pathologies, and its correlation with TMJ morphology in a hospital‐based Spanish cohort. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed existing orthopantomographs (OPGs) records, panoramic images of patients aged ≥18 with at least one IMTM who attended the Dental Hospital of the University of Barcelona (HOUB) between September 2021 and May 2023. The OPGs were assessed and interpreted by an experienced oral and maxillofacial radiologist for the type of impaction according to Winter’s classification system, associated pathologies, and shape of mandibular condyle. Results: Out of 80 OPGs, 60% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 48.4%−70.7%) were females, and the majority 53.8% (95% CI: 42.3–64.9) were between 18 and 28 years of age. The prevalence rate of IMTM was 86.88%, with the left side commonly involved. On both sides, oval‐shaped condyle and vertical IMTM were the most common, with dental caries and bone loss being the frequently observed pathologies. Sclerotic changes were depicted in 15% (95% CI: 8.2%−24.7%) of the cases on both sides of TMJ. On the other hand, no statistically significant associations were noticed between the pathologies and condyle shape ( p > 0.05, Cramér’s V < 0.25). Vertical and mesioangular, followed by horizontally IMTMs, were the most prevalent types of impactions, indicating nonsignificant association with condylar shape ( p > 0.05, Cramér’s V = 0.21–0.23). Conclusion: In this hospital‐based cohort, vertical IMTM and oval condylar morphology were predominant; however, condylar shape did not correlate with impaction type on panoramic radiographs. The findings are preliminary and require validation in sufficiently powered cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)‐based studies with clinical TMJ assessment.

The pulp–tooth area ratio (PTR) from radiographic dental archives is considered useful for age estimation in the forensic field. Since there have been no studies conducted in the Saudi Arabian population using the PTR method, this study aimed to assess the relationship between the pulp–tooth area ratio of maxillary canines and central incisors and chronological age among Saudi Arabian adults using CBCT and to compare the selected teeth’s predictive power. For this, 100 CBCT scans of 62 male and 38 female patients aged between 20 and 60 years were assessed using OnDemand 3D DentalTM software (Cybermed Co., Tustin, CA, USA) in the axial and sagittal section of each tooth. The mean age estimated using the PTR of the maxillary incisors (39.98 years) was higher than the canines’ (37.9 years). A negative correlation coefficient ‘r’ value was seen between PTR and age. The strongest inverse correlation was noted between age and incisor axial view (0.47) (p < 0.05), Maxillary central incisors had higher R² in both genders (males: PTRS-0.18, PTRA-0.17; females: PTRS-0.19, PTRA-0.35) than canines. We conclude a weak correlation between the pulp–tooth ratio and chronological age estimation. CBCT pulp–tooth ratios of axial and sagittal sections of incisors were inconclusive in estimating the age of Saudi Arabian individuals owing to their low coefficient of estimation. Among the tooth types studied, maxillary incisors were better predictors than canines.

Background: Endless ink and pixel space have been spent to validate the use of cheiloscopy classification systems in the field of identification. It is becoming evident that lip-print patterns may provide indications about an individual’s gender, race, occupation, habits, blood type, and paternity. Over the course of time, much data have been collected on a substantial population in this field. In the present study, we strive to see how well a noble total lip scoring (TLS) system works in identifying a person’s gender among the College of Dentistry students. We also quantified the total groove score (TGS) and compared it with each quadrant for better authentication of the set study design. Materials and Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 60 dental students (30 males and 30 females), with an age range of 18–30 years. Lip prints were recorded using the writing pad method and subsequently digitalized by capturing the images using Adobe Photoshop CS 6 Extended Version, counted and summed up, quadrant-wise, in both upper and lower lips. The TLS and TGS between males and females were statistically calculated using the Jamovi project. Results: The mean value for TLS for males (n = 402; SD ± 92.1) is higher than that for females (n = 348; SD ± 86.1). The correlation matrix applying a non-parametric test for non-continuous data using Spearman’s ratio inferred a statistically significant correlation (-0.354) with a P-value of 0.005 for TLS, whereas a correlation (-0.162) of TGS with gender was not so significant with a P-value of 0.217. Conclusion: Our study proved the uniqueness of applying TLS as a novel approach to gender identification. The study revealed that males had a statistically higher lip score than females. Clinical Significance/Future Implications: Being unique, our study inferred the importance of TLS, which needs to be explored in detail for applying, evaluating, and validating its accuracy in forensic research that can help for errorless investigations as full-proof evidence in court.