Millions of people request bone regeneration every year, and the market for bone grafting materials has a positive trend. The most used biomaterials applied to replace and regenerate bone are based on collagen and different types of ceramics in order to mimic natural bone matrix. However, there are a lot of implant-associated infections after surgery, or the implants are rejected because of reduced biocompatibility, and this is why the research into graft bone materials is still a challenge. This study aims to develop and characterize novel biomimetic bone fillers which have simultaneously both antimicrobial properties and biocompatibility with human bone marrow—derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Type I collagen and calcium triphosphate in a ratio of 1:1 were used as a control, according to our previous studies, and ZnO, functionalized with different percentages of Satureja thymbra L. essential oils, was added as an antimicrobial, promoting bone growth, mineralization, and formation. The bone fillers were obtained by freeze-drying in spongious forms and characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), water uptake, biodegradability over time, antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and viability and proliferation of human BMSCs. The graft material showed a higher porosity with interconnected pores, gradual resorption over time and a balance between antimicrobial properties and biocompatibility and was chosen as an ideal bone filler.

Background and Objectives: Odontogenic infections (OIs) can progress rapidly and may lead to severe systemic complications, especially in patients with underlying conditions like diabetes mellitus (DM). This study aims to evaluate the predictive value of inflammatory scores—quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA), Systemic Immune–Inflammation Index (SII), derived Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (dNLR), and Odontogenic Infection Severity Score (OISS)—in assessing the severity of OIs in diabetic versus non-diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: A case–control study was conducted on 123 patients diagnosed with OIs. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with diabetes (n = 42) and patients who were non-diabetic (n = 81). Inflammatory scores were calculated at admission and correlated with clinical outcomes. Statistical analyses included t-tests, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression. Results: The patients with diabetes exhibited significantly higher OISS scores (mean 6.5 ± 2.8) compared to the patients who were non-diabetic (mean 4.8 ± 2.1, p < 0.001). The inflammatory markers qSOFA, SII, and dNLR were significantly elevated in the diabetic group (all p < 0.01). The SII demonstrated the highest predictive accuracy for severe OIs in patients with diabetes, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.88 (95% CI: 0.80–0.95). Diabetes mellitus was an independent predictor of severe OIs (OR: 3.2, 95% CI: 1.5–6.8, p = 0.003). Conclusions: Inflammatory scores, particularly SII, are effective in predicting the severity of odontogenic infections in patients with diabetes. Incorporating these scores into clinical practice may enhance the early identification of high-risk patients and improve management strategies.

Osseointegration in dental implants involves the use of materials that mimic the bone tissue, with special properties such as biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this study, we describe the preparation and characterization of composites based on collagen, chondroitin sulfate, and sage oil obtained by freeze-drying method. Their morphological structures were determined by water uptake and scanning electron microscopy, the physical–chemical interactions between components by FT-IR, the stability by in vitro collagenase degradation, and the results indicate that the samples’ properties are highly influenced by the hydrophobic and hydrophilic character of sage essential oil and chondroitin sulfate, respectively, concluding that we can design a formulation with certain properties. The composite spongious forms were evaluated for cytocompatibility using the MG63 osteoblast cell line and subjected to histological observation. The results showed that the samples with sage essential oil were most resistant to enzymatic degradation, and the ones with chondroitin sulfate promoted the deposition of an abundant extracellular matrix. Taken together, the results suggest that incorporating chondroitin sulfate and sage oil in a controlled manner into collagen scaffolds represents a promising approach for enhancing bone tissue regeneration.