Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic mucosal inflammatory disease associated with T-cell-mediated immunological dysfunction. Symptomatic OLP is a painful condition, and complete healing is often not achieved. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the effectiveness of topical drugs, medications, and other interventions compared to placebo or to other treatments in pain reduction and clinical resolution in adult patients with symptomatic OLP. A detailed electronic literature search was performed through the MEDLINE (PubMed) database between 1 January 2005 and 30 September 2022. Eligible studies were selected based on the inclusion criteria, and a quality assessment was conducted. From 649 titles, 121 articles were selected as abstracts, 75 papers were assessed as full text, along with 15 other papers obtained through a manual search. A total of 15 RCTs were finally included in the review process. Because of the significant heterogeneity in the study design of the included studies, no meta-analysis of the data could be performed. Topical corticosteroids represent the first-line treatment in the management of symptomatic OLP due to their efficacy and minimal adverse effects. Calcineurin inhibitors seem to be equally effective and are indicated in recalcitrant cases, extensive lesions, patients susceptible to oral candidiasis, or cases unresponsive to corticosteroids. Other treatments, such as aloe vera, chamomile, isotretinoin, ozone, and laser therapy, could be beneficial as adjunct therapies in association with first-line treatments.

This preliminary study aims to evaluate the efficacy of an autologous dentin graft in preventing periodontal defects after impacted or semi-impacted lower third molars’ (M3) surgical extraction. For this purpose, radiographic and periodontal evaluation of post-extractive sockets were performed. Ten patients were enrolled in the study: twenty M3 extraction sockets were treated with a split-mouth modality. After tooth extraction, the experimental sites were filled with autologous dentin graft obtained by the extracted M3, while the control sites were filled with blood clot alone. Flaps were closed by first intention to ensure the stability of the wounds. Post-extractive sites were monitored at days 15, 90 and 180. The healing was not affected by any complications associated with the use of the autologous dentine graft in all cases. The measurements recorded at six months showed a reduction of the probing pocket depth distal to the second lower molar (M2) at both surgical sites, with a greater reduction observed at the experimental sites. Radiographic evaluation also showed a greater amount of bone gain at the grafted sites compared to the control sites. The results of this preliminary study suggest that autologous dentin grafts can be useful in preventing the formation of periodontal defects distal to M2 after M3 surgical extraction.

Over the last decades, a variety of biomaterials, ranging from synthetic products to autologous and heterologous grafts, have been recommended to conserve and regenerate bone tissue after tooth extraction. We conducted a biochemical study on ground extracted teeth that aimed to evaluate the osteoinductive and osteoconductive potential of dentin by assessing the releases of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP-2), osteocalcin (OC) and osteonectin (ON) over time (24 h, 10 days and 28 days). Twenty-six patients, who required the extraction of nonrestorable teeth, were enrolled in the study according to the inclusion criteria, as follows: thirteen young patients 18 to 49 years of age (UNDER 50), and thirteen patients of 50 to 70 years (OVER 50); a total of twenty-six teeth were extracted, ground and analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). All ground teeth released BMP-2, OC and ON at each time point; no differences were observed between the UNDER-50 and OVER-50 patients. The results of the study support the use of autologous dentin as osteoinductive material for bone regeneration procedures, irrespective of patients’ ages.

Omics sciences are revolutionizing the field of biomedical and dental research by allowing for an integrated understanding of the molecular basis of health and disease. This narrative review analyzes the role of these novel technologies supporting the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of the most noteworthy oral diseases, such as dental caries, periodontitis, and oral squamous cell carcinoma. The review discusses the characterization of disease-associated genetic variations and polygenic risk scores as evidenced by genomic studies. It further examines how transcriptomic analyses can identify diagnostic gene expression signatures of immune dysregulation and tumor heterogeneity. The contribution of proteomics and metabolomics studies to the discovery of diagnostic and prognostic protein and metabolites biomarkers is also analyzed. Finally, the integration of different omics datasets within multi-omics frameworks is discussed as a key approach for a holistic interpretation of oral pathogenesis and data-driven precision dentistry. The review also addresses current limitations in the clinical translation of omics sciences into tools for early diagnosis, personalized prevention, and targeted therapy.

Autologous blood centrifugation produces various forms of platelet concentrates widely used in tissue regenerative therapies due to their high concentrations of growth factors and abundance of autologous cells. Advanced Platelet-Rich Fibrin (A-PRF), introduced as a low-speed centrifugation product, contains an even higher concentration of growth factors, a greater number of cells, and a looser fibrin clot structure compared to previous Leukocyte and Platelet-Rich Fibrin (L-PRF). This study aims to assess the potential of A-PRF as a local delivery system for antibiotics. Different concentrations (0.5 mg/mL, 0.25 mg/mL, and 0.125 mg/mL) of injectable amoxicillin (AMX) and metronidazole (MTZ) were preliminarily tested for their impact on A-PRF clot formation, with 0.5 mg/mL selected for subsequent experiments. Blood samples from healthy volunteers were supplemented with antibiotics and centrifuged to form clots. Antibiotic-enriched A-PRF clots were immersed in phosphate-buffered saline (1x PBS) and analyzed at 24 h, 72 h, 7 days, and 14 days. AMX showed a consistent release (mean: 19.9 ± 4.8 ng/mL at 24 h) over 14 days, while MTZ demonstrated greater variability (mean: 12.8 ± 4.5 ng/mL at 24 h). AMX release remained constant over the 14-day period, with no significant variations among patients. In contrast, MTZ displayed a progressively lower release over time. Microbiological analysis revealed bacterial growth inhibition zones for Fusobacterium nucleatum (AMX: 23 mm, MTZ: 28 mm) and Prevotella intermedia (AMX: 34 mm, MTZ: 30 mm) at 24 h. These findings suggest that A-PRF can act as an effective local antibiotic delivery system, maintaining sustained antimicrobial activity and potentially reducing the need for systemic antibiotics.

Autologous tooth-derived grafts are increasingly being investigated for bone regeneration, as dentin shares with bone a mineral phase and an organic matrix rich in type I collagen and non-collagenous proteins. Deciduous teeth are particularly attractive as biomaterials because they are easily obtained after physiological exfoliation, without additional surgical harvesting or donor-site morbidity and may expose a protein-rich matrix after processing. Whether deciduous teeth retain a biologic advantage after prolonged dry storage remains poorly documented. This proof-of-concept ex vivo and in vitro study compared pooled deciduous teeth from six different donors (exfoliated at least 10 years before the experiment and stored dry at room temperature conditions) with six freshly extracted third molars. The teeth were ground using a dedicated device, and conditioned supernatants were collected at 72 h (T1) and 28 days (T2). Osteocalcin, osteonectin, and BMP-2 were quantified by ELISA, and T1 supernatants were applied to human primary osteoblasts to assess the osteogenic response using qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence. Deciduous teeth-conditioned supernatants showed higher osteocalcin and osteonectin release than permanent teeth at both time points, whereas BMP-2 levels were comparable, though with higher values in deciduous samples. In osteoblasts, deciduous teeth-conditioned supernatants induced enhanced osteogenic responses, including greater activation of Collagen I, Osterix, RUNX-2, Osteocalcin, BMP-2 genes, and higher expression of bone-related proteins. Within the limits of this exploratory study, dry-stored deciduous teeth preserved a biologically active dentin matrix and showed a more favorable osteogenic profile than freshly extracted permanent teeth, supporting further investigation into standardized storage protocols and their potential use in regenerative applications.