Animal models of temporomandibular joint heterotopic ossification: a scoping review.

There are few animal models for heterotopic ossification of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ-HO). This scoping review provides an overview of current knowledge on the induction methods and specific conditions required to produce TMJ-HO in various animal models. Two independent reviewers selected papers from the PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases.

Financial Burden of Dental Care Among Patients With Head and Neck Cancer.

Importance: Patients undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC) experience oral complications requiring substantial dental treatment. This treatment is commonly not reimbursed by medical insurers, presenting a potential financial burden for patients.

Objective: To characterize the dental care needs and associated cost burden for patients with HNC.

Identifying essential genes in using a highly-saturated transposon library.

The unique epibiotic-parasitic relationship between type strain TM7x, a member of the newly identified Candidate Phyla Radiation, now referred to as and its basibiont, strain XH001 (formerly , require more powerful genetic tools for deeper understanding of the genetic underpinnings that mediate their obligate relationship. Previous studies have mainly characterized the genomic landscape of XH001 during or post TM7x infection through comparative genomic or transcriptomic analyses followed by phenotypic analysis. Comprehensive genetic dissection of the pair is currently cumbersome due to the lack of robust genetic tools in TM7x.

Sputum production and salivary microbiome in COVID-19 patients reveals oral-lung axis.

SARS-CoV-2, a severe respiratory disease primarily targeting the lungs, was the leading cause of death worldwide during the pandemic. Understanding the interplay between the oral microbiome and inflammatory cytokines during acute infection is crucial for elucidating host immune responses. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the oral microbiome and cytokines in COVID-19 patients, particularly those with and without sputum production.

MASCC/ISOO clinical practice statement: Current understanding on controversies in basic oral care in hemato-oncology and hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Purpose: A MASCC/ISOO Clinical Practice Statement (CPS) is aimed at generating a concise tool for clinicians, which concentrates on practical information needed for the management of oral complications of cancer patients. This CPS is focused on the current understanding of controversies that may arise while providing basic oral care in hemato-oncology patients and hematopoietic cell transplantation recipients (HCT). The CPS will summarize and elucidate controversies that have appeared in the literature and professional discussions.

A novel methodology utilizing microchip implants to monitor individual activity and body temperature for assessing knee pain in group-housed rats.

The pain assessment in animals is challenging as they cannot verbally express the site and severity of pain. In this study, we tried a small implantable actimeter, "Nanotag", to monitor spontaneous locomotor activity and body temperature in animals suffering from a chemical-induced rat knee arthritis as compared to naïve and steroid-treated rats. Nanotag could detect the decrease in locomotor activity quickly after the arthritis induction and anti-inflammation analgesic treatment by intra-articular injection of steroid significantly improved locomotor activity.

Head and neck complications of cancer therapies: taste and smell.

Sensory deficits affect awareness of the environment and information processing, leading to dysfunction that may have significant consequences. Deterioration of taste and/or smell sensation has been linked to impaired nutritional intake, and overall decreased quality of life (QoL). Recent data suggest that loss of these senses is also associated with cognitive decline and worse overall cancer treatment prognosis.

Key themes in periodontal treatment: Lessons learned from 40-year experiences.

Background: Periodontitis is one of the most prevalent oral diseases with significant implications for systemic health. This study aims to explore themes influencing successful long-term outcomes in periodontal treatment through a historical lens, focusing on various factors influencing the longevity of periodontal health and dentition stability.

Methods: Utilizing an inductive qualitative thematic analysis approach, this study utilized a retrospective chart review of 19 patient records spanning, on average, 40 years.

Changes in smile parameters after surgical-orthodontic treatment for skeletal Class III malocclusion.

Background/purpose: Many patients pursue attractive smiles, and surgical-orthodontic treatment is a common method. We aimed to analyze the changes in smile parameters after surgical-orthodontic treatment in patients with skeletal Class III pattern and identify factors influencing postoperative outcomes.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study comprised 34 patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion and pure mandible prognathism who received surgical-orthodontic treatment.

Students' perceptions of virtual interactive clinical case-based learning: A comparative study with three different cohorts.

Background/purpose: Since the introduction of virtual learning into dental education, students' perceptions of the effectiveness of virtual versus in-person learning formats have evolved for interactive clinical case-based learning (ICCBL). This study aimed to undertake a comparative analysis of three different cohorts that received various formats of ICCBL instruction.

Materials And Methods: A survey was distributed to the Classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025 following each class completion of interactive clinical case-based-tutorials (ICCBT) as part of the Treatment of Active Disease (TxAD) course at Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

Association between gender and self-assessment skills amongst Japanese dental students.

Background/purpose: Self-assessment in dental education is considered a fundamental skill for proficient oral healthcare providers. While previous studies looked at self-assessment in education, few have done so at Japanese institutions. This study aimed to assess potential associations between gender and self-assessment skills in Japanese dental students.

Performance of three artificial intelligence (AI)-based large language models in standardized testing; implications for AI-assisted dental education.

Introduction: The emerging rise in novel computer technologies and automated data analytics has the potential to change the course of dental education. In line with our long-term goal of harnessing the power of AI to augment didactic teaching, the objective of this study was to quantify and compare the accuracy of responses provided by ChatGPT (GPT-4 and GPT-3.5) and Google Gemini, the three primary large language models (LLMs), to human graduate students (control group) to the annual in-service examination questions posed by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP).

Imiquimod for the treatment of oral leukoplakia: A two-center retrospective study.

Objectives: We aimed to assess the effectiveness of the use of topical imiquimod for the management of oral leukoplakia (OL).

Methods: This was a retrospective study. Medical chart reviews were conducted to identify patients with biopsy-proven OL treated with topical 5% imiquimod.

Females have lower salivary flow than males, before and after radiation therapy for head/neck cancer.

Objective: To compare salivary flow rates between females and males, before and after radiation therapy (RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC).

Methods: Prospective observational multicenter cohort study (OraRad). Stimulated whole salivary flow was measured before RT and at 6 and 18 months after RT.

Subgingival microbial profiles in pre- and postmenopausal women: Associations with serum estradiol levels.

Background: Subgingival dental plaque is an ecosystem playing a key role in supporting both oral health and systemic health. Menopause-related changes have the potential to disrupt its balance, which is crucial to postmenopausal well-being. Our study explored how circulating estradiol levels correlate with subgingival microbial composition using checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Calorie restriction in mice impairs cortical but not trabecular peak bone mass by suppressing bone remodeling.

Calorie restriction (CR) can lead to weight loss and decreased substrate availability for bone cells. Ultimately, this can lead to impaired peak bone acquisition in children and adolescence and bone loss in adults. But the mechanisms that drive diet-induced bone loss in humans are not well characterized.

Analyzing the accuracy of a cross-mounting technique utilizing digitized interocclusal records.

Purpose: To compare the accuracy of a partially digital cross-mounting workflow of direct scans of interocclusal records to a conventional workflow by analyzing the deviations of sequentially cross-mounted casts.

Materials And Methods: A set of reference casts, comprising maxillary and mandibular full-arch prepared casts and interim prostheses, was articulated, mounted, and scanned to generate four reference casts for cross-mounting. In the conventional approach, 15 sets of these four casts were printed.

YAP inhibits NF-κB signaling and ccRCC growth by opposing p65-ZHX2 cooperativity.

Hippo pathway functions as a tumor suppressor pathway by inhibiting the oncogenic potential of pathway effectors YAP/TAZ. However, YAP can also function as a context-dependent tumor suppressor in several types of cancer including clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCC). Here we show that YAP blocks NF-κB signaling in ccRCC to inhibit cancer cell growth.