In recent years, virtual reality and interactive digital simulations have been used in dental education to train dental students before interacting with real patients. Scientific evidence presented the application of virtual technology in dental education and some recent publications suggested that virtual and haptic technologies may have positive effects on dental education outcomes. The aim of this systematic review was to determine whether virtual technologies have positive effects on dental education outcomes and to explore the attitudes of dental students and educators toward these technologies. A thorough search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE (via EBSCO), The Cochrane Library (via Wiley), Web of Science Core Collection (via Thomson Reuters), and Dentistry and Oral Science source (via EBSCO) using the keywords (student, dental) AND (education, dental) AND (virtual reality) OR (augmented reality) OR (haptics) OR (simulation) AND (dentistry) OR (dental medicine). The quality of the reported information was assessed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement for systematic reviews. A total of 73 publications were considered for this review. Fifty-two of the selected studies showed significant improvement in educational outcomes and virtual technologies were positively perceived by all the participants. Within the limitations of this review, virtual technology appears to improve education outcomes in dental students. Further studies with larger samples and longer term clinical trials are needed to substantiate this potential positive impact of various virtual technologies on dental education outcomes.

Maxillofacial prosthetics is a specialized field focused on replacing part or all of the facial and cranial structures. In recent years, digital technology has gained popularity over traditional methods for fabricating maxillofacial prostheses. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive review of recent innovations in maxillofacial prosthetic rehabilitation, with an emphasis on emerging technologies and their impact on patient outcomes, treatment efficiency, and overall quality of life. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across the Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE, and CENTRAL databases for studies published in English within the last decade. The keywords utilized included “Maxillofacial Prosthesis Implantation,” “Maxillofacial Prosthesis,” and “rehabilitation,” as well as “Virtual Rehabilitation,” “Artificial intelligence,” and “digital technology.” The initial search yielded 178 articles. After resolving 51 duplicates, 127 articles were screened based on titles and abstracts. Following full-text assessment, 81 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The results indicated that advancements in digital technologies, digital imaging, data acquisition, and the integration of digital workflows have significantly transformed the rehabilitation of maxillofacial prosthetics. These innovations enabled customization and personalization, provided an improved fit, enhanced precision, reduced number of visits and chair time, and facilitated seamless rehabilitation of complex maxillofacial defects. Four-dimensional printing involves materials that can change shape or properties over time, enabled printed objects to adapt dynamically to external stimuli, enhancing both comfort and functionality of prosthetics. Further advancements, such as five-dimensional and six-dimensional printing, improved the sensory capabilities of prostheses. Virtual and augmented reality enhance real-world experiences by overlaying digital data, improving accuracy and fit, enabling virtual surgical planning, and developing patient-specific implants. Artificial intelligence (AI) assists automated decision-making and supports the design of AI-driven prostheses. AI algorithms have shown the potential to automate digital planning, replicate intricate anatomical features, and attain high diagnostic accuracy in maxillofacial prosthodontic scenarios.

This study evaluated the efficacy of Acacia Arabica and aloe vera solutions versus commercial effervescent tablets on Candida viability and adhesion to various denture bases with different materials and manufacturing techniques. A total of 96 square-shaped denture base specimens (24 per group) were fabricated from heat-cured polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), thermoformed polyamide (FlexiUltra), milled computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM; Avadent), and 3D-printed (FormLabs) resins. Specimens were allocated into a control group (distilled water) and three experimental groups (n = 6 per group) based on the immersion solutions: Gum acacia (GA), aloe vera, and alkaline peroxide denture cleansers. One specimen from each material subgroup was prepared for qualitative assessment. All specimens were incubated with Candida albicans for 48 hours and immersed in the designated disinfectant solution for 8 hours. Anti-C. albicans biofilm activity was assessed quantitatively using an MTT assay and qualitatively using a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed for mean comparison, and data were considered significant at p < 0.05. The reduction in mean Candida viability was greatest in the alkaline peroxide tablets across all denture base materials, followed by GA and aloe vera (p < 0.001). GA demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in Candida levels in the thermoplastic polyamide (p < 0.001). The mean viability of Candida in both alkaline peroxide tablets and GA was statistically similar in digital denture bases (p > 0.05). The antifungal efficacy of alkaline peroxide denture cleansers was determined to be the highest. The cost-effective GA may serve as a viable denture disinfectant, particularly for thermoformed polyamide denture bases.

Dental implants have been progressively used in the recent years to support and retain dental prosthesis. Implant surface roughness has been suggested as a crucial factor in implant osseointegration and long term survival of the implant and prosthesis, where a key factor for the success or failure of dental implants is the manner in which stresses are transferred to surrounding bone. In this study completely edentulous patients were rehabilitated by implant retained over denture in which two implant systems with different surface roughness were used. Peri implant bone density in Hounsfield Units (HU) was evaluated by analyze Computerized Tomographic (CT) images to judge the behavior of an implant system under functional loading, where DICOM raw data was imported into the analysis proposed system to correlate the bone density regarding to the HU values. Results are compared with clinical readings and previous findings, which it showed that there is a difference in peri implant bone density around regularly patterned and randomly patterned implant surfaces.