This study evaluated the occlusal relationships in students with bruxism, using the T-Scan III system, and their correlation with the activity of the masticatory muscles assessed through surface electromyography (sEMG). The study group was divided into two subgroups (based on self-reporting): 20 participants with possible bruxism and 20 participants without possible bruxism; all participants underwent the following evaluations: sEMG recordings using the dia-BRUXO device for masticatory muscles assessment, as well as static and dynamic occlusion using the T-SCAN III system. The analysis of the maximum intercuspidal (MI) position revealed a positive moderate association between the values of the occlusal forces in MI distributed along the two hemiarches, and the number of grinding events during daytime, which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The analysis of protrusion movements reflected statistically significant differences between the non-working interferences and sEMG parameters specific to bruxism (p < 0.05). The analysis of laterotrusion movements indicated that participants with anterolateral guidance presented higher values of awake bruxism indexes and higher values of clenching events during nighttime. For all three mandibular movements, their duration was higher for the study group compared to the control group. Therefore, this study confirmed the utility of sEMG recordings in the bruxism diagnosis process, as well as the association between dental occlusion and bruxism.

Background/Objectives: Excessive occlusal forces manifest in bruxism and have consequences on teeth and jaws. The aim of this study was to determine the association of bruxism with clinical and radiological signs of excessive occlusal forces, such as tooth wear, fatigue dental fissures and fractures, abfraction, masseter muscle hypertrophy, and bone apposition at the mandibular angle. Methods: This cross-sectional clinical study included 181 patients presented for treatment in a general dentistry clinic. For each patient, data were extracted from the dental chart, as follows: demographic data (sex, age, and smoking), clinical data (number of teeth present, Eichner edentulous score, TWI wear score, number of fractured teeth, number of teeth with abfraction, presence of masseter hypertrophy, presence of hypersensitivity), and radiological data (bone apposition at the mandibular angle). The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of bruxism. A binomial logistic regression model was run to determine the association between bruxism and clinical and radiological signs of excessive occlusal forces. The data were statistically processed in SPSS. Results: In total, 99 women and 82 men with mean age 44.87 ± 12.67 were included in the study. Compared to the group without bruxism, the group of patients with bruxism (39.78%) showed statistically significant higher tooth wear index (TWI) (p < 0.0005), a higher number of fractured teeth (p = 0.037), a higher number of teeth with abfraction lesions (p = 0.001), and a significantly higher bone apposition score (p < 0.0005). The binomial logistic regression model showed a high prediction bruxism score for masseter muscle hypertrophy (15 times, p < 0.0005), for tooth wear index (almost 7 times, p = 0.010), and for bone apposition score (almost 3 times, p = 0.044). Conclusions: Patients with bruxism showed masseter muscle hypertrophy, higher attrition-type tooth wear index, and more teeth with fatigue fractures and abfractions than those without bruxism. Bruxism clinical signs were positively correlated with a higher bone apposition score.

Background/Objectives: Saliva plays an essential role in maintaining the oral ecological balance, and its quantitative and qualitative characteristics may influence susceptibility to dental caries. The aim of this study was to determine susceptibility to dental caries based on the DMFT index and to establish a correlation between caries experience and salivary parameters in a group of young adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between July and November 2025 on a sample of 87 fourth-year students from the Faculty of Dentistry in Craiova. Each participant underwent an intraoral clinical examination to determine the DMFT index. The salivary parameters assessed included unstimulated salivary flow rate, saliva consistency, salivary pH, stimulated salivary flow rate, and buffering capacity, using the GC Saliva-Check Buffer kit. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) software, version 26 (SPSS Inc., Armonk, NY, USA). Results: The mean DMFT index value for the entire sample was 8.26 ± 4.481, with higher values observed among female participants. Low salivary pH was significantly associated with higher DMFT values. Participants with low or very low buffering capacity exhibited higher DMFT values compared to those with normal capacity, indicating that a reduced ability to neutralize salivary acidity is associated with increased caries activity. Conclusions: The results indicate that salivary pH and buffering capacity are important factors in dental caries susceptibility among young adults. The integration of salivary testing into the diagnostic assessment of caries risk may contribute to personalized and effective preventive strategies.

Background/Objectives: Occlusal analysis is an important component of oral rehabilitation with a determining role in the prognosis of restorations. Over time, several qualitative and quantitative occlusal analysis methods have been proposed, starting with occlusion wax up to the most advanced digital systems. The objective of the present study was to evaluate and compare the data obtained through dental occlusion analysis using the Medit i700 and Exocad Elefsina v3.2 in a group of subjects, in order to establish the reliability or compatibility between the two occlusal analysis systems. Methods: The study was conducted on 20 subjects, aged between 24 and 53 years, who presented in the Dental Prosthetics Clinic of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova. Digital impressions were acquired using the Medit Link v.3.3.6 intraoral scanner, and the digital files were subsequently uploaded from the Medit i700 into the Medit Occlusion Analyzer application and the Dental CAD Exocad software. For the analysis of occlusion in dynamics, mandibular movements and data acquisition, positions of edge-to-edge in protrusion, edge-to-edge in right laterotrusion and edge-to-edge in left laterotrusion were recorded, using the corresponding print screens. The 2D occlusal contact images generated by the two software programs were converted into .jpeg format and subsequently imported into Adobe Photoshop CS6 (2021) for comparative analysis. The data were statistically processed for each software used and the obtained data were subsequently compared. Results: The occlusal surfaces recorded with the Medit Occlusion Analyzer application represent 94% of the occlusal surfaces recorded with the Exocad software for the maxilla and 90% of the occlusal surfaces recorded for the mandible. In maximum intercuspation, the highest values were recorded by the Medit i700 software, whereas in edge-to-edge protrusion and both right and left edge-to-edge laterotrusion positions, the highest values were reported by the Exocad software. The discrepancy between maxillary and mandibular values arises from the conversion of the data from a three-dimensional to a two-dimensional format during image processing. Conclusions: The occlusal areas recorded by the DentalCAD Exocad software show higher values than those provided by the Medit Link software with the Medit Occlusion Analyzer application. The differences in recorded values, in the case of the digital flow of prosthetic restorations, require the intervention of the dentist to perform clinical adjustments to optimize occlusal relationships after the fabrication and cementation of restorations.

Background/Objectives: Fixed partial dentures (FPD) are intended to restore the impaired functions of the dento-maxillary system (DMS) following the onset of partial edentulism. The objectives of this study were to determine the association of risk factors represented by caries predisposition (DMFT index - decayed (D), missing (M), and filled (F) teeth), oral hygiene, bruxism and smoking with FPD complications. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 428 patients who presented to the Department of Prosthetic Dentistry at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova for various complications related to FPD. Biological, technical, and aesthetic complications were identified in terms of their frequency and their association with risk factors, including caries predisposition quantified by the DMFT index, oral hygiene, bruxism, and smoking status. Associations were assessed using Pearson’s chi-square tests and Mann–Whitney U tests (two-sided, α = 0.05), performed in IBM SPSS Statistics, version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results: The DMFT index showed elevated values, 16.41 ± 4.43 in subjects aged ≤45 years and 18.39 ± 4.89 in subjects aged >45 years. Oral hygiene was satisfactory in a percentage of 75.82%, bruxism was present in 38%, and 40.52% were smokers. Regarding FPD complications, 94.77% were biological, 86.27% were technical, and 85.62% were aesthetic. Conclusions: Caries predisposition, assessed by the DMFT index, and smoking were associated with a higher frequency of biological complications. Bruxism and smoking were associated with technical complications, while unsatisfactory oral hygiene and smoking were associated with aesthetic complications.

Preoperative risk stratification for laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) remains imperfect, particularly in patients with chronic inflammatory remodeling and biliary anatomic variants. Existing tools often focus on acute presentations or intraoperative variables, resulting in uncertainty on how congenital anatomy, recurrent biliary colic, and cystic pediculitis interact. We synthesize a hypothesis-generating conceptual framework and propose an illustrative candidate preoperative rubric for future validation. We performed a structured narrative review of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 1990–December 2024; last search: 15 December 2024). Eligible primary studies evaluated clinical history, imaging-defined anatomy, inflammatory biomarkers, and/or operative outcomes (conversion, intraoperative complications, or operative difficulty) in the setting of LC. Acute cholecystitis and chronic/elective cohorts were interpreted separately during the narrative synthesis. Two reviewers screened titles/abstracts and assessed full texts using predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria; due to heterogeneity, no meta-analysis and no formal risk-of-bias tool were applied. The literature supports a plausible vicious cycle in which biliary anatomic variants may impair drainage and promote stasis, recurrent biliary colic, and chronic inflammation, ultimately leading to fibrosis/pediculitis and a “frozen” Calot’s triangle. We translate these signals into an illustrative candidate rubric (0–16 points) spanning three domains: clinical history (0–6), imaging (0–6), and inflammatory biomarkers (0–4). Weights and cut-offs (low: 0–4; moderate: 5–9; high: 10–16) were chosen a priori for conceptual clarity and are not data-derived. This review provides a conceptual map and a candidate variable set to support hypothesis generation, standardized data collection, and staged validation. The rubric is not validated and must not be used for clinical decision-making. Planned next steps include feasibility-oriented derivation, followed by prospective multicenter external validation and impact assessment.