Lithium disilicate glass–ceramic (LDC) restorations exhibit microorganism infiltration, recurrent caries, pulpal lesions, periodontal inflammation, and cement exposure to the oral environment over time. All these factors lead to restoration failure. This systematic review aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes of LDC full-coverage crowns (FCC) in permanent teeth compared with those of other full-coverage restoration materials. Search strategies were developed for four databases: Web of Science, OVID, PubMed, and Scopus. Data extraction and quality appraisals were performed by two independent reviewers. Data on the presence of caries, post-operative sensitivity, and periodontal changes were extracted from the included clinical studies. In addition to the outcome measures, data on the sample size, study groups, method of restoration fabrication, type of impression, and type of abutment were recorded. We retrieved 3989 records for the title and abstract screening. Of these, 19 clinical studies met the inclusion criteria. The overall quality of the included studies indicates a low risk of bias. Most studies reported no pulpal involvement, recurrent caries, or post-operative sensitivity and presented a favorable periodontal response after the cementation of LDC-FCC during different follow-up periods. Based on the endodontic and periodontic clinical responses of natural tooth abutments and their supporting periodontium, LDC-FCC can be considered a clinically successful restorative option.

This study aimed to investigate the current state of research on tooth extraction socket preservation. The main aim of this study was to consolidate the research published on extraction socket preservation from 1968 to 2020 in Scopus indexed journals. The bibliometric method, a quantitative analysis investigating publishing trends and patterns, was used. Scopus database was used to retrieve the bibliographic records of published scholarly output. The analysis was performed using software and visualization tools like MS Excel, VOSviewer, Cite Space, Biblioshiny (RStudio), and BibExcel. The result showed a gradual increase in research, whereby a substantial increase was observed from 2005 to 2006. Six hundred nineteen articles were published in 173 journals with total citations of 12091. Most published articles were from the USA, Italy, Germany, and China. The authorship pattern showed an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach among researchers. This bibliometric analysis can guide researchers, funding agencies, industry, and institutions.

Periodontal and peri-implant soft and hard tissue in diabetic patients have always been a topic of interest for researchers and clinicians alike. Among which, a subtopic that has attracted more attention is the beneficial effect of metformin (MF) on periodontal and peri-implant soft and hard tissue. This review aimed to assess the impact of MF on the periodontal and peri-implant soft- and hard-tissue healing among diabetic patients. Research was conducted using the keywords ‘metformin’, ‘diabetes’, ‘periodontitis’, ‘implant’, and ‘peri-implantitis’ via the Medline (PubMed) and Google Scholar databases. Selected articles were reviewed. A total of 21 articles, discussing the impact on periodontal health (six animal studies, seven clinical studies, and three systematic reviews) and five studies on peri-implant health (four animal studies and one clinical study) were included. All have reported a positive impact of MF on decreasing the inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and ultimate bone loss. Similarly, human studies reported a positive effect of MF on clinical and radiographic parameters compared with controls. Despite systematic reviews reporting heterogeneity among the included studies, MF has shown a positive impact on periodontal health. In animal, clinical studies, and systematic reviews, MF showed a protective impact on periodontal and peri-implant health.

Purpose: This in vitro study investigated the effects of dietary solvents on the microhardness and color stability of CAD/CAM provisional restorations compared to conventional materials. Methods: Disc-shaped specimens (n=200) were fabricated from self-cured acrylic resin, two 3D-printing resins (FormLabs, NextDent), and a milled material (TelioCAD). Randomization assigned specimens (n=10/group) to immersion solutions: artificial saliva, citric acid, heptane, coffee, and tea. Microhardness and color stability were evaluated. One-way and three-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test analyzed the data. Results: Dietary solvents significantly reduced the surface microhardness of all tested materials (p< 0.05). Unpolished surfaces exhibited greater color changes compared to polished ones (p< 0.05) across all materials. Coffee and tea induced the most substantial reductions in hardness and the most significant color alterations (p< 0.05), whereas saliva and citric acid had minimal effects. Conclusion: Milled provisional restorations exhibited superior hardness and color stability. Dietary solvents significantly affected material properties over time, highlighting the importance of material selection for clinical applications.

Background and Objectives: Labial alveolar bone thickness in the maxillary anterior region is the key factor in the placement of implants. Differences in the thickness of the bone are reported among different ethnic groups. Thus, the present study was aimed at assessing labial alveolar bone thickness in the maxillary anterior region in the population of the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: The six anterior teeth in each of the 186 CBCT sagittal images were analyzed at three points: Point A from the facial plate at the level of the bone crest to the coronal root third, Point B to the mid-root surface, and Point C to the apical third. Crest height (Point D) was measured as the distance from the CEJ to the alveolar bone crest. The analysis was done using SPSS version 20. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The bone thickness at any given point (Point A, Point B, or Point C) was less than the preferred bone thickness of 2 mm in all six teeth. The thickness was minimum at Point B, maximum at Point C, and intermediate at Point A. This difference was found to be statistically significant (p-value < 0.05). The crestal height (Point D) was less than 3 mm, and it was not statistically significant. Comparison of bone thickness on the right and left sides for any given point was not statistically significant except at Point A in the central incisor, where it was statistically significant (p-value = 0.035). Gender comparison of bone thickness showed no difference at Point A; however, at Points B and C, it showed statistical significance (p-value < 0.05). Conclusions: The alveolar bone thickness being <2 mm in the labial anterior region warns of the importance of the proper assessment of bone during implant placement to have a predictable outcome.

Background/Objectives: Periodontal and implant therapies frequently require soft tissue augmentation for optimal outcomes. As the hard palate serves as the primary donor site, this study evaluated palatal masticatory mucosa thickness variations in a Saudi population of the Eastern Province using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) at a teaching dental hospital, providing site-specific data for clinical applications. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 215 CBCT scans from systemically healthy, non-smoking adults (>18 years) was conducted at the University Dental Hospital. Measurements were taken at 12 standardized sites (3 mm, 6 mm, and 9 mm from the cementoenamel junction) across maxillary canines, premolars, and first molars. Statistical analysis included Friedman’s test and t-tests. Results: Significant site variations were observed, with the second premolar region showing greatest thickness (3.48 ± 0.80 mm at 9 mm) and the first molar region the lowest (1.88 ± 0.63 mm at 3 mm) (p < 0.001). Mucosal thickness generally increased coronally to apically (p < 0.001). Age >35 years correlated with significantly thicker mucosa (p < 0.05), while no statistically significant gender-based differences were observed for all sites (p > 0.05). Conclusions: CBCT provides reliable, non-invasive assessment of palatal mucosa thickness. These findings offer region-specific data for consideration in periodontal and implant procedures involving soft tissue grafting.