Background: In late December 2019, a new pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) infection began to spread around the world. The new situation gave rise to severe health threats, economic uncertainty, and social isolation, causing potential deleterious effects on people’s physical and mental health. These effects are capable of influencing oral and maxillofacial conditions, such as temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and bruxism, which could further aggravate the orofacial pain. Two concomitant studies aimed to evaluate the effect of the current pandemic on the possible prevalence and worsening of TMD and bruxism symptoms among subjects selected from two culturally different countries: Israel and Poland. Materials and Methods: Studies were conducted as cross-sectional online surveys using similar anonymous questionnaires during the lockdown practiced in both countries. The authors obtained 700 complete responses from Israel and 1092 from Poland. In the first step, data concerning TMDs and bruxism were compared between the two countries. In the second step, univariate analyses (Chi²) were performed to investigate the effects of anxiety, depression, and personal concerns of the Coronavirus pandemic, on the symptoms of TMD, and bruxism symptoms and their possible aggravation. Finally, multivariate analyses (logistic regression models) were carried out to identify the study variables that had a predictive value on TMD, bruxism, and symptom aggravation in the two countries. Results: The results showed that the Coronavirus pandemic has caused significant adverse effects on the psychoemotional status of both Israeli and Polish populations, resulting in the intensification of their bruxism and TMD symptoms. Conclusions: The aggravation of the psychoemotional status caused by the Coronavirus pandemic can result in bruxism and TMD symptoms intensification and thus lead to increased orofacial pain.

Guided tissue/bone regeneration (GTR/GBR) is a widely used procedure in contemporary dentistry. To achieve the required results of tissue regeneration, soft tissues that reproduce quickly are separated from the slow-growing bone tissue by membranes. Many types of membranes are currently in use, but none of them fulfil all of the desired features. To address this issue, further research on developing new membranes with better separation characteristics, such as membrane modification, is needed. Many of the current innovative modified materials are still in the phase of in vitro and experimental studies. A collective review on new trends in membrane modification to GTR/GBR is needed due to the widespread use of polymeric membranes and the constant development in the field of dentistry. Therefore, the aim of this review was to present an overview of polymeric membrane modifications to the GTR/GBR reported in the literature. The authors searched databases, including PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and OVID, for relevant studies that were published during 1999–2019. The following keywords were used: guided tissue regeneration, membranes, coating, and modification. A total of 17 papers were included in this review. Furthermore, the articles were divided into three groups that were based on the type of membrane modification: antibiotic coating, ion-use modifications, and others modifications, thus providing an overview of current existing knowledge in the field and encouraging further research. The results of included studies on modified barrier membranes seem to be promising, both in terms of safety and benefits for patients. However, modifications result in a large spectrum of effects. Further clinical studies are needed on a large group of patients to clearly confirm the effects that were observed in animal and in vitro studies.

Objective: This systematic review aims to evaluate the impact of incorporating chitosan into dental resin composites on their mechanical, antibacterial, and physicochemical properties. Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was conducted in March 2025 using the following keywords: resin, composite, and chitosan. The inclusion criteria comprised in vitro studies in dentistry evaluating chitosan as a composite additive with full-text availability in English. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by multiple reviewers using standardized tools, and study quality was assessed based on predefined criteria. Results: Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria. Chitosan concentrations in the composites ranged from 0.25 wt% to 20 wt%. Antibacterial activity was confirmed in six studies, especially against S. mutans, S. sanguinis, and L. acidophilus. Mechanical properties such as fracture toughness, hardness, and compressive strength were generally improved at lower concentrations of chitosan. However, increased chitosan levels were associated with decreased flexural strength and increased microleakage. Shear bond strength (SBS) was unaffected by chitosan in low concentrations (up to 0.25%), while higher concentrations reduced SBS. Fluoride release capacity was assessed in one study, with no significant differences observed. Conclusion: Chitosan-modified dental resin composites exhibit promising antibacterial and mechanical enhancements at low concentrations. However, higher chitosan levels may compromise certain mechanical and adhesive properties. These findings suggest a need for standardized methodologies and further research on long-term clinical implications and fluoride release.

Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common type of chronic recurring head pain. It can occur twice as often in women as in men. It is the most common type of headache. Its lifetime prevalence is 30% to 78% in the general population. TTH treatment should be multilevel. It often consists of taking pain medication, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, using biofeedback therapy, acupuncture, and attending behavioral therapy. Several clinical trials also suggest that botulinum toxin (BTX) may be an effective treatment option for such patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate if BTX can be used as a treatment method in TTH in the light of current medical literature. The authors searched the PubMed, EBSCOhost, OVID, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Library and CINAHL databases to identify relevant publications. The authors finally included 11 papers—prospective and retrospective cohort studies. Among most of the selected studies, there was a significant correlation between using BTX and reduction of TTH pain intensity and severity. By analyzing qualified studies, it can be concluded that botulinum toxin seems to be effective in TTH management.

Background.Addition silicones are popular as dental impression materials and are used in bite registration procedures.Objective.This study aimed to compare the postsetting elasticities and other mechanical properties of thirteen addition silicone interocclusal recording materials.Materials and Methods.The following materials were investigated: Colorbite D, Futar D, Genie Bite, Jet Blue Bite fast, Memoreg 2, O-Bite, Occlufast Rock, Omni-Bite Plus, Regidur i, Registrado X-tra, Regofix transparent, StoneBite, and Variotime Bite. Thirty specimens of each material were tested. The elasticities and strengths of the materials were measured with a universal testing machine, and computer software was used to determine theE-moduli, ultimate tensile strengths, and ultimate elongations of the specimens.Results.The results were subjected to statistical analysis using the Kruskal-Wallis test (p≤0.05). The statistics revealed that the meanE-modulus values varied significantly across the materials (p=0.000) and were highest for the StoneBite and Registrado X-tra and lowest for the Regofix transparent. The ultimate tensile strengths were highest for the Regofix transparent and Registrado X-tra (p=0.000) and lowest for the Jet Blue Bite fast and Memoreg 2 (p=0.000). The elongation percentages at the point of breaking varied significantly across the materials (p=0.000); the lowest value was observed for the StoneBite, whereas the Regofix transparent nearly doubled original length.Conclusions.The authors concluded that materials with the highE-moduli and great ultimate tensile strengths may be most useful clinically. Registrado X-tra and StoneBite best met these criteria.

This systematic review aims to evaluate factors influencing fluoride release from dental nanocomposite materials. A comprehensive database search was conducted in February 2025 using PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. The search terms “fluoride release AND nanocomposites” were applied following PRISMA guidelines. Out of 336 initially identified articles, 17 studies met the inclusion criteria and were selected for analysis. Seventeen studies confirmed that fluoride-releasing nanocomposites are effective, with fluoride ion release influenced by material composition, nanofiller type, and storage conditions. Studies showed that acidic environments (pH 4–5.5) significantly enhanced fluoride release, particularly in materials containing nano-CaF₂ or fluoridated hydroxyapatite, which responded to pH changes. Quantitative comparisons revealed that daily fluoride release values ranged from <0.1 μg/cm²/day in commercial composites to greater than 6500 μg/cm²/day in BT-based nanocomposites and up to 416,667 μg/cm²/day in modified GICs. Additionally, some composites exhibited fluoride recharging capabilities, with materials incorporating pyromellitic glycerol dimethacrylate (PMGDM) and ethoxylated bisphenol A dimethacrylate (EBPADMA) demonstrating prolonged fluoride and calcium ion release after recharge exposure, rather than the highest initial values. Despite releasing lower fluoride levels than conventional GIC and RMGI materials, fluoride-releasing nanocomposites demonstrate significant anti-caries potential and clinical applicability, with some formulations supporting periodontal regeneration and caries prevention around orthodontic brackets. However, the lack of consistency in study protocols—including differences in storage media, sample geometry, and measurement methods—limits direct comparison of outcomes. Therefore, the most critical direction for future research is the development of standardized testing protocols to ensure reliable, comparable results across material groups.