Physicochemical and biocompatibility characterisation of a 3D lyophilised platelet-rich fibrin scaffold for cleft lip and palate repair.

Craniofacial bone defects result from various disorders such as trauma, congenital malformations and infections. Cleft lip and palate are the most prevalent congenital craniofacial birth defect in humans. Growth factors (GFs) are soluble proteins secreted by cells that regulate various cellular processes and tissue regeneration.

Harnessing the Regenerative Potential of Purified Bovine Dental Pulp and Dentin Extracellular Matrices in a Chitosan/Alginate Hydrogel.

When a tooth is diseased or damaged through caries, bioactive molecules are liberated from the pulp and dentin as part of the natural response to injury and these are key molecules for stimulating stem cell responses for tissue repair. Incorporation of these extracellular-matrix (ECM)-derived molecules into a hydrogel model can mimic in vivo conditions to enable dentin-pulp complex regeneration. Here, a chitosan/alginate (C/A) hydrogel is developed to sequester bovine ECM extracts.

Targeted therapies in ameloblastomas and amelobastic carcinoma-A systematic review.

Targeted therapy has the potential to be used in the neoadjuvant setting for odontogenic tumors, reducing the morbidities associated with major surgery. In this regard, the aim of this study was to summarize the current evidence on the different forms of targeted therapy, effectiveness, and drawbacks of this course of treatment. Four databases were searched electronically without regard to publication date or language.

Efficacy of natural enzymes mouthwash: a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: Natural enzymes mouthwash has been proposed as salivary substitutes to treat xerostomia. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the mouthwash to treat xerostomia.

Materials And Methods: A double-blind, parallel group randomised control clinical trial involving N = 49 adult participants with xerostomia was carried out.

Diagnosis of oral potentially malignant disorders: Overview and experience in Oceania.

The diagnosis and management of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) should be the same the world over, but there are important nuances in incidence, aetiological factors, and management opportunities that may lead to differences based on ethnogeography. In this review, we update and discuss current international trends in the classification and diagnosis of OPMD with reference to our experience in various regions in Oceania. Oceania includes the islands of Australia, Melanesia (including Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Micronesia and Polynesia (including New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga) and hence has diverse populations with very different cultures and a range from well-resourced high-population density cities to remote villages.

Immunohistochemistry and Immunofluorescence.

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is one of the most widely used protein detection techniques. The principle of this technique is based on the binding of a specific antibody to a matching specific antigen in tissue. The bound antigen-antibody complex then is visualized using a range of detection techniques.

A Cell Culture Method for the Isolation and Study of Primary Human Dental Pulp Cells.

Primary human dental pulp cell (HDPC) cultures contain dental pulp stem cell (DPSC) populations. DPSCs are multipotent mesenchymal cells residing inside the dental pulp where they can contribute to the regenerative potential of this and other tissues throughout the body. These cells are promising tools for cell-based therapies, including regenerative endodontic procedures.

Comparing Two Methods for the Isolation of Exosomes.

Exosomes are membrane-bound nanovesicles released by cells into their extracellular environment. They carry different types of RNA including mRNA which may be useful in the diagnosis of various diseases. Exosome isolation has been a challenge because of their small size; therefore, two exosome isolation methods were compared in this study.

The Risk of Oral Cancer among Different Categories of Exposure to Tobacco Smoking in Sri Lanka.

Background: The global incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is on the rise with no improvement seen in survival rates. Tobacco consumption varies depending on geographic location, ethnicity and culture. The present case-controlled study aimed to determine the relative risk of OSCC for different tobacco consumption patterns in a selected Sri Lankan population.

Potentiality and Inflammatory Marker Expression Are Maintained in Dental Pulp Cell Cultures from Carious Teeth.

Objectives: This investigation aimed to isolate and culture human dental pulp cells from carious teeth (cHDPCs) and compare their growth characteristics, colony-forming efficiency, mineralization potential and gene expression of Toll-like receptors (TLR)-2, TLR-4, TLR-9, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17A, 1L-17R, IL-23A, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK1), dentin matrix protein (DMP)-1, dentin sialophospho protein (DSPP), sex determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2) and marker of proliferation Ki-67 (MKi67) with cells isolated from healthy or non-carious teeth (ncHDPCs).

Methods: Pulp tissues were obtained from both healthy and carious teeth (n = 5, each) to generate primary cell lines using the explant culture technique. Cell cultures studies were undertaken by generating growth curves, a colony forming unit and a mineralization assay analysis.

Regulatory compliance of online vendor selling dental whitening products in New Zealand.

In recent years, numerous over-the-counter (OTC) tooth whitening products have become available online to meet the demand of consumers wanting a convenient way to whiten their smile. This study investigated whether websites selling OTC whitening products containing hydrogen peroxide to New Zealanders are complying with hazardous substance laws set by the New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The search engine 'Google' was used to identify websites selling and shipping OTC whitening products to New Zealand.

A critical review of in vitro research methodologies used to study mineralization in human dental pulp cell cultures.

Background: The pulp contains a resident population of stem cells which can be stimulated to differentiate in order to repair the tooth by generating a mineralized extracellular matrix. Over recent decades there has been considerable interest in utilizing in vitro cell culture models to study dentinogenesis, with the aim of developing regenerative endodontic procedures, particularly where some vital pulp tissue remains.

Objectives: The purpose of this review is to provide a structured oversight of in vitro research methodologies which have been used to study human pulp mineralization processes.

Lyophilised Platelet-Rich Fibrin: Physical and Biological Characterisation.

Background: Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has gained popularity in craniofacial surgery, as it provides an excellent reservoir of autologous growth factors (GFs) that are essential for bone regeneration. However, the low elastic modulus, short-term clinical application, poor storage potential and limitations in emergency therapy use restrict its more widespread clinical application. This study fabricates lyophilised PRF (Ly-PRF), evaluates its physical and biological properties, and explores its application for craniofacial tissue engineering purposes.

Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence expression profile of lymphatic endothelial cell markers in oral cancer.

Lymphangiogenesis makes an important contribution to the tumour microenvironment (TME), but little is known about this in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens (28 OSCC, 10 inflamed and 6 normal oral mucosa controls) were processed using immunohistochemistry (IHC) with antibodies against lymphatic markers D2-40 (podoplanin), LYVE-1, VEGFR3 and Prox1. After the endothelial cells had been highlighted by the various markers for lymphatic endothelium, the positive stained cells and vessels were identified and counted in a systematic manner to determine microvessel density.

Potential of Lyophilized Platelet Concentrates for Craniofacial Tissue Regenerative Therapies.

Objective: The use of platelet concentrates (PCs) in oral and maxillofacial surgery, periodontology, and craniofacial surgery has been reported. While PCs provide a rich reservoir of autologous bioactive growth factors for tissue regeneration, their drawbacks include lack of utility for long-term application, low elastic modulus and strength, and limited storage capability. These issues restrict their broader application.

Titanium particles: An emerging risk factor for peri-implant bone loss.

Objective: To investigate the presence of titanium particles in peri-implant tissues in cases diagnosed with peri-implantitis, and to identify immunological reactions that these particles may elicit.

Methods: Ten peri-implant tissue biopsies of patients diagnosed clinically and radiographically with peri-implantitis were obtained from the archives of Oral Pathology Centre, University of Otago. The inclusion criteria involves: bleeding on probing, ≥6 mm probing depth and ≥3 mm radiographic bone loss around the dental implant.

Mechanical properties of human oral mucosa tissues are site dependent: A combined biomechanical, histological and ultrastructural approach.

Aim: To investigate load-deformation properties of Thiel-embalmed human oral mucosa tissues and to compare three different anatomical regions in terms of mechanical, histological and ultrastructural characteristic with focus on the extracellular matrix.

Materials And Methods: Thirty specimens from three different regions of the oral cavity: attached gingiva, buccal mucosa and the hard palate were harvested from two Thiel-embalmed cadavers. Mechanical properties were obtained, combining strain evaluation and digital image correlation in a standardised approach.

The relative frequency of paediatric oral and maxillofacial pathology in New Zealand: A 10-year review of a national specialist centre.

Background: There has been no previous report of the prevalence of paediatric oral and maxillofacial pathology in a New Zealand oral pathology diagnostic service.

Aim: The aim of this study was to review cases of paediatric oral pathology to determine relative frequencies of oral lesions in this age group.

Design: Paediatric oral pathology cases (≤15 years of age) received between 2007 and 2016 were retrieved from the electronic database of the Oral Pathology Centre, University of Otago.

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome following Failure of Genetic Screening prior to Carbamazepine Prescription.

Failure to screen susceptible individuals for human leucocyte allele B∗1502 leads to the onset of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS). We report a case of a 27-year-old Malay female who was treated with carbamazepine following the diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia without a genetic screening. She was prescribed 150 mg of carbamazepine initially and the dose was increased to 300 mg following the initial dose.

The nexus between periodontics and oral pathology.

A wide variety of lesions may arise from the oral mucosa, fibrous connective tissue, bone and cementum of the periodontium. The commonest pathology occurs as a result of bacterial infection and is very well known to dentists and periodontists, but rarer conditions present as gingival pathology. The pathogenesis of these conditions ranges from genetic to traumatic to immunological to neoplastic, and includes benign, malignant and metastatic lesions.

Exophytic Verrucous Hyperplasia of the Oral Cavity – Application of Standardized Criteria for Diagnosis from a Consensus Report.

Verruco-papillary lesions (VPLs) of the oral cavity described in the literature involve a spectrum of conditions including squamous papilloma, verruca vulgaris, focal epithelial hyperplasia, condyloma, proliferative verrucous leukoplakia and verrucous carcinoma. A majority of the VPLs are slow growing, benign in nature and have a viral aetiology. Virus associated benign mucosal outgrowths are not too difficult to diagnose either clinically or by microscopy.

Prevalence of oral cancer, oral potentially malignant disorders and other oral mucosal lesions in Cambodia.

Objectives: To obtain data on the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions (OMLs) among Cambodians, and to assess the relationship between known risk habits of oral diseases with prevalence of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs).

Design: This was a population-based, cross-sectional study whereby subjects were adults aged 18 years old and above. A workshop on the identification of OML was held to train and calibrate dental officers prior to data collection in the field.

Toll-like receptors and cancer, particularly oral squamous cell carcinoma.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the tumor microenvironment plays an important role in the progression of cancer. The microenvironment may promote tumor cell survival and proliferation or, alternatively may induce tumor cell apoptosis. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are transmembrane proteins, expressed on immune cells and epithelial cells, that recognize exogenous and endogenous macromolecules.