(1) Background: Peri-implantitis is a multi-factorial disease with an inflammatory background that occurs in both soft and hard tissues surrounding implants. In recent years, the understanding of the cellular, molecular and genetic background of peri-implantitis has broadened. This study aims to summarize the currently available articles on the subject and highlight the most recent advances over the last 20 years. (2) Methods: For this study, the Embase and PubMed libraries were searched using the keywords: (“peri-implantitis” AND “cytokine” OR “genetics” OR “cellular”) and (“peri-implantitis” AND “cytokine” OR “genetics” OR “cellular” AND “risk factors”). The search revealed a total of 3013 articles (992 from PubMed, 2021 from Embase). Following screening of the titles and abstracts and full-text reads, 55 articles were included. (3) Results: In peri-implantitis IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, MMP-8 and their genetic variations appear to be the most important cytokines in relation to not only pathogenesis, but also their potential diagnostic capabilities. Epithelial and inflammatory cells, along with those of the bone lineage, are prime cellular elements found in peri-implantitis. (4) Conclusions: A wide array of cells stand behind peri-implantitis, as well as cytokines and their genetic variations that take part in the process. However, the growing interest in this topic has led to the introduction of specific new diagnostic tools to enable a better understanding of patients’ responses to treatment and, in turn, to even enable prediction of the risk of developing peri-implant disease.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common potentially pathogenic bacteria that may asymptomatically colonize many sites of healthy carriers. Non-nasal carriage, especially in the oral cavity, and its role in transmitting antimicrobial-resistant S. aureus strains in the healthcare community, is poorly understood. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of S. aureus in both oral and nasal cavities among preclinical dentistry students. A total of 264 oral and nasal swabs were taken from 132 participants, and all specimens were cultured using standard diagnostic procedures and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (EUCAST). The prevalence of S. aureus exclusively in the nasal (11.4%) or oral (9.1%) cavity was comparable, while concurrent oral and nasal carriage was present in 27.3% of participants. Although antibiotic resistance rates observed in both oral and nasal isolates were similar (ranging from 2.7% to 95.5%), 16.7% of carriers exhibited distinct antibiotic resistance profiles between oral and nasal isolates. Three (2.7%) methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) were isolated from the mouth and nose but multidrug resistance (27.3%) was more frequent in the oral than in the nasal isolates: 34% and 21.1%, respectively. This study demonstrated that preclinical dentistry students have a similar rate of oral S. aureus carriage as the nasal carriage rate, and that the oral cavity can be colonized by antimicrobial-resistant strains that do not originate from the nose. Consequently, the oral cavity seems to be an unjustly overlooked body site in screening for S. aureus carriage.

Background: Advanced platelet-rich fibrin (A-PRF) is produced by centrifuging the patient’s blood in vacuum tubes for 14 min at 1500 rpm. The most important component of A-PRF is the platelets, which release growth factors from their ⍺-granules during the clotting process. This process is believed to be the main source of growth factors. The aim of this paper was to systematically review the literature and to summarize the role of A-PRF in oral and maxillo-facial surgery. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was carried out, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42024584161). Results: Thirty-eight articles published before 11 November 2024 were included in the systematic review. The largest study group consisted of 102 patients, and the smallest study group consisted of 10 patients. A-PRF was most often analyzed compared to leukocyte-PRF (L-PRF) or blood cloth. A-PRF was correlated with lower postoperative pain. Also, A-PRF was highlighted to have a positive effect on grafting material integration. A-PRF protected areas after free gingival graft very well, promoted more efficient epithelialization of donor sites and enhanced wound healing. Conclusions: Due to its biological properties, A-PRF could be considered a reliable addition to the surgical protocols, both alone and as an additive to bio-materials, with the advantages of healing improvement, pain relief, soft tissue management and bone preservation, as well as graft integration. However, to determine the long-term clinical implications and recommendations for clinical practice, more well-designed randomized clinical trials are needed in each application, especially those with larger patient cohorts, as well as additional blinding of personnel and long follow-up periods.

Objectives: The objective of this narrative review was to evaluate the clinical challenges encountered in the application of the 2018 AAP/EFP Classification of Periodontitis. Methods: Electronic and manual searches were conducted to identify studies reporting diagnostic accuracy and inter- and intra-examiner agreement when using the 2018 Classification, both with and without the aid of implementation tools. Results: Eleven studies were included, encompassing a total of 459 clinical cases. Overall, 852 examiners participated, with 31 gold-standard examiners providing the reference diagnoses. General dentists often exhibited lower diagnostic accuracy and consistency compared to students and periodontal experts. Diagnostic challenges were observed in staging, particularly distinguishing between Stage III/IV and gingivitis/Stage I. Grading reliability was reduced in the absence of longitudinal data and high-level modifying factors. This review also explored difficulties in reporting ‘hopeless teeth’ and assigning the extent of periodontitis. Education, training, and implementation tools substantially improved diagnostic accuracy and consistency, increasing the agreement with reference diagnosis and strengthening inter- and intra-examiner agreement. Conclusions: The application of the 2018 Classification showed notable variability in diagnostic accuracy and inter- and intra-examiner agreement. Improving clinician experience and training and incorporating diagnostic aids and emerging AI technologies has the potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy and consistency, which are essential for precisely estimating periodontitis prevalence, interpreting research findings, and determining prognosis and treatment needs.

Background: Advanced platelet-rich fibrin + (A-PRF+) represents a third generation of autologous platelet derivatives. Appropriate centrifugation conditions cause the formation of a clot containing platelets, which slowly release growth factors that influence healing. The objective of this article was to undertake a review of the available literature on the effectiveness of A-PRF+ use in hard tissue procedures. Materials and methods: In order to ensure the most accurate and relevant results, only randomized clinical trials regarding bone regeneration techniques/bone healing that compared the effect of the A-PRF+ addition in dentistry were included in this study. Articles taken into consideration for the review were published between the beginning of 2014 and 31 December 2024. The search of manuscripts for the review was conducted using the PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases. For this study, 10 articles focusing on A-PRF+ were qualified. Results: A-PRF+ was found to increase the post-surgical vertical and horizontal alveolar ridge dimensions. The bone formed in the surgical site presented a higher volume of vital and non-vital bone and a more optimal bone composition, at the same time providing a lower percentage of connective tissue inclusions. When combined with other grafting biomaterials, A-PRF+ enhanced their performance and integration. A-PRF+ did not have any significant effect on the mineral bone density compared with other grafting materials. Compared with PRF and other blood derived plasmas rich in growth factors, the performance of A-PRF+ was generally better, but often with no statistical significance. The treatment of periodontal defects measured by the reduction in pocket depth and clinical attachment level also fared better with the A-PRF+ addition, although there was no differences noted between A-PRF+ and biphasic calcium phosphate and xenograft. Finally, the A-PRF+ addition improved the primary implant stability in the evaluated studies. Conclusions: The A-PRF+ addition to the surgical protocols significantly enhanced the healing of the bone and when combined with biomaterials improved their integration and increased the implant insertion torque, improving the primary and secondary stability. It may be a viable alternative for patients that express their concern towards human- and animal-derived biomaterials.

Implant abutments are essential components of implant prosthetic restorations. The golden standard for abutment material is titanium; however, due to its properties, the esthetic result can be compromised. The most popular esthetic material alternatives are one- and two-piece zirconia. The study aimed to answer the questions of whether zirconia abutments can be used interchangeably with titanium in both anterior and posterior regions and how aging of the abutment affects durability. For this study, an electronic search of MEDLINE (PubMed) and Scopus (Embase) was conducted. The PRISMA guidelines were followed, and a systematic review was registered with PROSPERO. The search revealed 4031 results, of which 17 studies were selected. The strongest material for abutments is titanium, closely followed by two-piece zirconia. One-piece zirconia abutments were the weakest. The cyclic loading above 1,000,000 cycles decreased the fracture resistance of the abutments. Differences in implant diameter, angulation, and restoration affected the fracture strength of all compared materials. The main mode of failure for titanium abutments was screw bending or screw fracture. One-piece zirconia most often presented catastrophic failure with internal hexagon fracture below the implant neck. Two-piece zirconia exhibits a combination of failure modes. Two-piece zirconia abutments may be suitable for use in the posterior region, given their comparable fracture resistance to titanium abutments. Despite the fact that one-piece zirconia is capable of withstanding forces that exceed those exerted during mastication, it is recommended that it be employed primarily in the anterior dentition due to its propensity for unfavorable failure modes.