Objectives: This systematic review aimed to determine the prevalence of peri-implant diseases in patients affected by osteoporosis rehabilitated with dental implants.

Material and Methods: An electronic search was conducted in the MEDLINE (PubMed)), EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases up to April 2025, complemented by a manual search of the reference lists from the full-text studies. The search included observational studies that identified peri-implantitis and/or peri-implant mucositis in patients affected by osteoporosis rehabilitated with dental implants. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa tool.

Results: A total of 10, from 321, articles were included, and the reported evaluation periods after implant placement ranged from 3 to 11 years. Regardless of age, sex, number of implants, implant location, or duration of oral bisphosphonate use, all studies investigating the presence of mucositis and/or peri-implantitis reported no higher prevalence compared to systemically healthy patients. The prevalence of peri-implantitis was found to be 22%, and peri-implant mucositis 20%, in patients affected by osteoporosis.

Conclusions: Within the limits of this systematic review, it is concluded that osteoporosis does not increase the prevalence of peri-implant diseases or dental implant failure.

Objectives: The primary objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of photobiomodulation in promoting neurosensory regeneration in patients with inferior alveolar nerve injury resulting from the extraction of mandibular third molars or dental implant placement.

Material and Methods: An electronic search was conducted across major scientific databases including MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, and a total of 10 studies were included for qualitative analysis.

Results: A total of 10 studies were analysed, including 4 randomized clinical trials, 5 case series, and 1 retrospective study. All utilized GaAlAs lasers for photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy with wavelengths ranging from 808 to 830 nm. The number of treatment sessions ranged from 7 to 20, delivered at frequencies of 1, 2, or 3 times per week. Nearly all studies reported statistically significant improvements in both objective and subjective neurosensory assessments in favour of PBM therapy. Additionally, no significant differences were found between groups regarding sex, age, injury aetiology, or time to treatment initiation.

Conclusions: Photobiomodulation shows promising potential in the neurosensory recovery of inferior alveolar nerve injuries. However, further randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes and long-term follow-up are needed to establish standardized clinical protocols and confirm its efficacy in dental practice.

Objectives: This cross-sectional study explored the psychosocial impact on patients undergoing wisdom tooth surgery of the current evidence-based recommendation to only undertake additional cone-beam computed tomography after panoramic X-ray shows a high risk of nerve injury.

Material and Methods: Questionnaires evaluated anxiety levels, awareness of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) necessity, satisfaction with the clinical pathway and the patient's treatment decision-making. Quantitative data analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, linear regression, and independent t-tests were used to assess the outcomes. Qualitative data were thematically analysed using manual coding.

Results: The study included a total of 119 participants, where having a CBCT resulted in a self-reported 31% reduction in anxiety about the upcoming wisdom tooth surgery. Interestingly, 45% of all patients reported a substantial reduction in anxiety levels, and only 5 participants (4%) suffered increased anxiety. A significant association was found between anxiety levels and treatment decisions (P < 0.001), with more anxious participants being more likely to alter their treatment choices. Additionally, 54 out of 57 (95%) participants considered the CBCT worthwhile and increasing age was weakly negatively associated with anxiety, with no significant gender effect.

Conclusions: We show for the first time that cone-beam computed tomography can reduce presurgical anxiety as well as enhance patient understanding of risks associated with wisdom tooth surgery. Further investigation of this anxiolytic phenomenon is required to determine if any clinical benefits outweigh the radiation risks.

Objectives: The increasing resistance of microorganisms that cause odontogenic cellulitis to empirically administered antibiotics increases the duration of hospitalization. The aim of this retrospective cohort study is to evaluate the latest data on maxillofacial odontogenic cellulitis in order to provide valuable information for optimizing the treatment of this pathology.

Material and Methods: The medical records of patients treated for maxillofacial odontogenic cellulitis at the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (Kauno klinikos), between 2018 and 2023 were analysed. Data on age, gender, general health status, duration of intensive care unit treatment, total duration of treatment, and complications were analysed. The results of the microbiological culture of the pus were used to analyse the primary pathogen, its resistance, and sensitivity to antibiotics and antibacterial treatment.

Results: The streptococcus group (41.4%) was the most common pathogen. The duration of treatment did not differ significantly between the different localizations of cellulitis. The most commonly used antibiotics were a combination of penicillin and metronidazole. The highest success rate (76.9%) was observed with empirically administered combinations of cephalosporins and metronidazole. Antibiotic therapy was changed in 33.3% of cases.

Conclusions: The most frequently detected pathogens - the streptococcus group - are characterized by a high sensitivity to penicillin and clindamycin as well as third-generation cephalosporins. The most effective empirical antibiotic therapy is a combination of cefazolin and metronidazole and cefuroxime and metronidazole. Diabetes mellitus, lung disease, alternating antibiotic therapy and complications prolong the duration of treatment.

Objectives: This case series pilot study aimed to test the masticatory efficiency of mandibulectomy patients reconstructed with the free fibula flap using a modified mixing ability test and a digital colorimetric assessment.

Material and Methods: Ten healthy dentate volunteers chewed a two-colour chewing gum for 30, 40, and 50 cycles to determine the minimum number of chewing cycles required to achieve consistently at least 90% colour blending (50 cycles). Mandibulectomy patients (n = 6) were given the same chewing gum and separate specimens were collected from the operated and non-operated side after (50 chewing cycles). The masticatory efficiency was assessed by: 1) photometric analysis to calculate the percentage of blended surface; and 2) measuring the colour blending deviation (ΔE) compared to healthy volunteers' master specimen (P < 0.05).

Results: The test group of cancer patients registered a mean 76.75% surface with blended colour after 50 chewing cycles at the non-operated site, and at the operated site (fibula free flap and implant-supported fixed prosthesis) a mean 60.08% blended colour surface was found. The colorimetric analysis revealed significant differences in ΔE values between all the investigated groups (cancer patients operated site < cancer patients non-operated site < healthy patients, P < 0.001).

Conclusions: The qualitative comparison of masticatory efficiency between test and control group of healthy patients showed different values of efficiency, attesting lower masticatory performance for mandibulectomy patients, especially in the operated site of small extent rehabilitation.