Background and Objectives: According to the modified Williams theory, the shape of the maxillary central incisor corresponds to the shape of the maxillary alveolar ridge (dental arch) and the shape of the face. Moreover, the standards of beauty suggest that the center of the face of an individual with a full set of teeth should match the center of the maxillary and mandibular dental arches. The purpose of this study is to conduct a comparative cross-sectional study on the matching of the shape of the face, maxillary central incisor and maxillary dental arch as well as the matching of the midfacial line and dental arches in subjects with complete dentition. Materials and Methods: The study included 90 subjects of both sexes. The matching of the shape of the face and midfacial line, i.e., dental arches and maxillary incisors, was determined by analysing photographs, whereas the shape of the dental arch was determined by analysing plaster models. Results: No significant gender-related differences were found either in the shape of the maxillary central incisor that matched the shape of the maxillary dental arch (p = 0.349) or in the shape of the dental arch that matched the shape of the face (p = 0.697). However, a significant difference was noted in the shape of the teeth that matched the shape of the face (p = 0.043), which was more significantly impaired in men. In addition, the matching of the mid-face and the mid-dental arch was significantly greater in women (p = 0.016). Conclusions: The modified Williams theory was confirmed in most subjects, thus it can be considered a relevant guideline when determining the shape of teeth after their loss. The highest percentage of matching in both sexes was with the shape of the face and dental arch. There was no positive correlation between the middle of the maxillary and mandibular dental arch in most cases.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to test the impact of the gingival chemical–mechanical retraction procedure on the value of the gingival index (GI) and salivary concentrations of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α). The importance of this clinical study is that it provides an exact conclusion regarding the behaviour of the gingival tissue after the application of an impregnated retraction cord in the gingival sulcus of the subjects. Materials and Methods: The research was conducted as a prospective clinical study. The study included 60 subjects divided into two experimental groups, i.e., with and without tooth preparation. Each group was divided into two subgroups according to the retraction agent used. The parameters were measured before, one day after, and three days after the retraction procedure. Results: One day after the application of both gingival retraction agents in both study groups, there was a statistically significant increase in the value of the GI and the salivary concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α (p < 0.001) compared to the values at the beginning of the study. After 72 h, the values decreased in comparison to those from the second observation period, but they remained statistically significantly higher than the initial values of the study (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The study showed moderate inflammation of the gingival tissue one day after the retraction procedure, which decreased over time. Higher values of the studied parameters were observed with the application of the ferric sulphate-based retraction agent.

Oral mucosal repair is a redox-regulated process that may be impaired by diabetes, chronic inflammation, infection, and chemotherapy- or radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) support host defense, epithelial migration, angiogenesis, extracellular matrix remodeling, and adaptive repair when their production is transient and compartmentalized. In contrast, persistent ROS promote lipid, protein, and DNA oxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and extracellular matrix damage. Photobiomodulation (PBM) is increasingly used to support oral tissue repair, but its effects should be interpreted as dose- and context-dependent redox modulation rather than as simple antioxidant activity. This narrative review synthesizes oxidative stress biomarkers and redox-sensitive pathways relevant to oral mucosal repair and PBM, including oxidant–antioxidant balance, lipid and protein oxidation, oxidative DNA damage, antioxidant defense, thiol/disulfide homeostasis, mitochondrial and NADPH oxidase-derived ROS, Nrf2/HO-1, NF-κB, HIF-1α/VEGF, MAPK/ERK, PI3K/Akt, and MMP/TIMP signaling. The review emphasizes the distinction between transient mitochondrial ROS/nitric oxide signaling and sustained NADPH oxidase-driven oxi-inflammatory stress. It proposes a practical redox-guided framework for biomarker selection, PBM response interpretation, and future study design, while noting that this framework remains conceptual and is not yet a validated clinical decision algorithm.

Background and Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with impaired wound healing and increased oxidative stress, posing a significant challenge in dental wound healing. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has emerged as a potential regenerative treatment to enhance tissue repair. This study aims to investigate the effects of LLLT on oral mucosal wound healing and oxidative stress markers in rats with DM. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats (n = 108) were divided into six equal groups (healthy and diabetic, with or without mucosal ulcers, with or without LLLT). DM was induced with alloxan, and standardized mucosal ulcers were created. Every other day for 10 days, LLLT (6 J/cm²) was applied, and tissue samples were collected after 3, 7, and 10 days. Wound healing was assessed by planimetry, while systemic biochemical analyses included total oxidative status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and oxidative stress index (OSI). Results: LLLT significantly accelerated oral ulcer closure and showed between-group differences in redox markers. In healthy rats, LLLT increased wound closure on day 7 (p = 0.018). In diabetic rats, LLLT improved closure on day 3 (p = 0.035) and on day 7 (p = 0.001). Across groups, oxidative markers differed significantly (e.g., TOS on day 10 overall, p = 0.011; OSI on day 10 overall, p = 0.047; SOD p < 0.001 at all time points). In diabetic rats, on day 10, median TOS was lower with LLLT (p = 0.004). Conclusions: LLLT enhances oral wound healing and restores redox balance in diabetic rats, which supports the potential usage of LLLT as an adjunctive therapy for managing oral lesions in diabetic patients.

Background and Objectives: Periodontal health represents a condition characterized by homeostasis between the teeth and the surrounding supporting tissues and implies the absence of inflammation, confirmed by the lack of bleeding, epithelial attachment loss, mobility, or periodontal pocket formation. Fixed prosthetic restorations may compromise periodontal health already during the fabrication phase, given that decisions made during their planning and placement affect long-term clinical outcomes. The aim of this manuscript was to provide insight into the interaction between periodontal tissues and fixed prosthetic restorations. Materials and Methods: A narrative literature review was conducted using a structured search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases to identify studies addressing periodontal health in relation to fixed dental prostheses. The impacts of tooth preparation, gingival retraction methods, supracrestal tissue attachment, periodontal phenotype, crown emergence profile, and marginal fit of various biomaterials were analyzed. Results: According to the literature data, subgingival margin placement and violation of the supracrestal tissue attachment (biological width) induce chronic inflammation, loss of epithelial attachment, and alveolar bone resorption. Gingival retraction agents, used in chemomechanical retraction procedures, particularly ferric sulfate-based agents, may lead to a transient but significant spike in inflammatory markers and dysbiosis of the subgingival microbiome. Contemporary approaches, such as the biologically oriented preparation technique and the use of CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing) technology, may improve the precision of marginal fit. Zirconia restorations exhibit significantly better biocompatibility and reduced microbial adhesion compared to metal–ceramic restorations. Conclusions: Biological response of the periodontium to fixed prosthetic restorations depends on the complex interaction between the material, position of the marginal line, and oral hygiene control. Regardless of the material used or the fabrication technique employed, adequate plaque control and regular maintenance remain key factors in preserving periodontal health.

Photobiomodulation (PBM) may improve diabetic wound repair, but the temporal relationship between local angiogenic signaling and tissue-level healing remains incompletely defined. We examined previously unreported tissue vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and histopathological outcomes from 72 ulcer-bearing male Wistar rats from a previously reported experimental cohort, using a balanced 2 × 2 × 3 design comprising metabolic status, PBM treatment, and healing day (3, 7, or 10; n = 6 per cell). Tissue VEGF was quantified by ELISA and normalized to total protein; histopathological outcomes included exploratory inflammation/injury and tissue repair composite scores. In the factorial log-VEGF model, diabetes × day (p = 0.0017) and LLLT × day (p = 0.0010) interactions demonstrated phase-dependent responses. On day 3, PBM-treated animals had an adjusted VEGF ratio of 2.13 versus untreated animals (95% CI 1.63–2.78; Holm-adjusted p < 0.001), whereas diabetic animals had lower VEGF than healthy animals (ratio 0.50, 95% CI 0.39–0.66; adjusted p < 0.001). VEGF concentrations converged by day 10. PBM remained associated with a higher exploratory tissue repair score after adjustment for healing day, diabetes status, and contemporaneous VEGF, whereas VEGF itself was not independently associated with repair. These findings demonstrate phase-dependent differences in tissue VEGF and suggest that contemporaneous VEGF concentrations do not fully explain treatment-associated variation in exploratory histopathological repair scores.