IL-37 evaluation in chronic periodontitis after periodontal treatment with and without low level laser therapy.

BACKGROUND: Periodontal disease poses a significant global health challenge. Traditional treatments focus on reducing inflammation and bacterial load, yet novel approaches are continually being investigated. Recent research suggests that IL-37, a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine, may play a crucial role in modulating the inflammatory processes associated with periodontal disease. In conjunction with IL-37, low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has gained attention for its potential in promoting tissue repair, reducing inflammation, and enhancing cellular processes. This study aims to investigate the effects of LLLT on IL-37 in periodontal disease management. METHODS: Thirty patients were enrolled: the G1 group patients were treated with only scaling and root planning-SRP, the G2 group was treated with SRP and LLLT. Before treatment (T0) all periodontal probing pocket depth and bleeding on probing were obtained. Before (T0) and 10 (T1), 30 (T2) and 60 (T3) days after treatment, was achieved plaque sample and specimens of gingival crevicular fluid. Diode laser wavelength range was used between 600-1000 nm and 0.04-60 J/cm2 energy density for 3-s spotlights. RESULTS: In all patients PPD, BOP and IL-37 have shown healing improved parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Although LLLT is widely recommended for its biostimulatory and anti-inflammatory roles, it only showed additional short-term merits in reducing the pocket depth after conventional SRP. Its long-term adjunctive benefits remain unclear. Future RCTs with better study designs, adequate sample power and longer durations of follow-up are required to assess the effectiveness of LLLT as an adjunctive treatment strategy in patients with periodontal disease.

Zirconia CAD-CAM Crowns Behavior after Intraoral Digital Impression in Normal versus Dysfunctional Patients: 3 Years Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical performance and possible complications of single zirconia crowns fabricated using an intraoral digital computer-aided design-computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) protocol in normal and dysfunctional patients after 3 years of follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy patients were included in this study. The teeth were prepared with a knife-edge marginal design, and temporary crowns were placed. Digital impressions were taken using optical scanning, and the frameworks were milled using the same technology. The veneering process was performed by the same dental technician. The occlusal corrections were made before cementation. The outcomes were evaluated in terms of survival, failures, and complications. The marginal adaptation of the crowns was also assessed. RESULTS: The digital protocol for single zirconia crowns resulted in satisfactory outcomes, with high rates of survival and minimal complications after 3 years of follow-up. The marginal adaptation of the crowns was excellent, with 93% of the restorations achieving the ideal marginal adaptation, while 7% had minor deviations. Parafunctions were found in 41.9% of the prosthetic rehabilitation, but no significant differences were observed between the normal and dysfunctional groups regarding the survival and complications of the crowns. CONCLUSION: The digital protocol for single zirconia crowns is a reliable and predictable treatment option, even for patients with parafunction, when proper occlusal corrections are performed before cementation. The use of intraoral digital CAD-CAM technologies with optical impressions can simplify procedures, reduce the workflow time, and minimize the variables linked to the human factor.

Commercial applications of quantum computing.

Despite the scientific and engineering challenges facing the development of quantum computers, considerable progress is being made toward applying the technology to commercial applications. In this article, we discuss the solutions that some companies are already building using quantum hardware. Framing these as examples of combinatorics problems, we illustrate their application in four industry verticals: cybersecurity, materials and pharmaceuticals, banking and finance, and advanced manufacturing. While quantum computers are not yet available at the scale needed to solve all of these combinatorics problems, we identify three types of near-term opportunities resulting from advances in quantum computing: quantum-safe encryption, material and drug discovery, and quantum-inspired algorithms.

Evaluation of bradykinin, VEGF, and EGF biomarkers in gingival crevicular fluid and comparison of PhotoBioModulation with conventional techniques in periodontitis: a split-mouth randomized clinical trial.

Periodontal disease is a chronic progressive inflammatory process leading to damage of tooth-supporting tissues. This comparative study assessed the effect of PhotoBioModulation (PBM) versus conventional therapy, and investigated biomarkers involved in the healing process. The test group comprised twenty systemically-healthy non-smoking subjects with chronic periodontitis with the presence of two matched contro-lateral premolar sites (probing depth > 5 mm); twenty subjects without chronic periodontitis (CP) served as control group. Patients were treated at baseline, either with scaling and root planing (SRP group) or with a procedure entailing SRP supported by PBM (PBM group). The laser used was a diode laser operating at 645 nm wavelength, 10 J/cm2, and 0.5 W/cm2 with a 600 µm fiber optic. Crevicular fluid levels of bradykinin (BK), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and epidermal growth factor z (EGF) were determined at both sites. Crevicular fluid specimens from both groups were analyzed with the ELISA TEST. Clinical differences in analyzed outcomes were observed in favor of PBM treatment. Taking average values as 100%, the reduction in BK concentration was 47.68% with SRP and 68.43% with PBM on day 3; the VEGF concentration decreased by 35.73% with SRP and 48.59% with PBM on day 7; the EGF concentration increased by 55.58% with SRP and by 58.11% with PBM on day 21.Clinical parameters improved significantly in both groups (pooled mean values of probing depth decreased from 5.6 to 4.5 mm; gingival index from 1.92 to 1.1; and bleeding on probing from 49.67 to 23.23) but did not vary significantly between the PBM and the SRP group. The results confirmed that PBM have beneficial effects in the early phases of the healing process playing a role in modulation of BK, EGF, and VEGF in gingival crevicular fluid levels; both groups had significant clinical improvement over control but there was no significant difference between them, only a trend for PBM group. The overall results of the study suggest a potential benefit of PBM in conjunction with SRP in treating chronic periodontitis.