Photobiomodulation in dental implant stability and post-surgical healing and inflammation. A randomised double-blind study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of diode laser photobiomodulation (PBM) on post-surgical healing, inflammation and implant stability. METHODS: Forty dental implants were inserted into 13 patients. The implants were randomly divided into two groups. The test group (PBM+) underwent two sessions of PBM (combined diode laser of 630 and 808 nm), the first of which after surgery, and the second, 7 days after the surgical procedure. The control group (PBM-) received simulated laser treatment. The implant stability quotient (ISQ) was determined immediately after the surgical procedure, and 7 days, 4 and 8 weeks later. Post-surgical inflammation was assessed following the criteria described by Bloemen and Cols. Healing was calculated using the healing index (HI). RESULTS: No differences were found in terms of the mean values of implant stability between the test and control groups over time. Only two of the implants (18.2%) from the PBM- group were classified with the maximum healing index (HI = 5), whereas in the PBM+ group, nine implants (45%) were classified with the aforementioned index (P < 0.0001). Using the logistic regression, it was determined that the non-application of the laser in the PBM- group caused an OR of 4.333 times of presenting inflammation (IC95% 1.150-16.323; P = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS: The application of 808 nm infra-red laser for bone tissue, and 630 nm for mucosal tissue in two sessions is considered to be an effective way of reducing inflammation and improving early healing. More studies are needed to confirm these results.

Genetic and molecular alterations associated with oral squamous cell cancer (Review).

The development of oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC) is a multistep process involving the accumulation of multiple genetic alterations modulated by genetic pre-disposition and environmental influences such as tobacco and alcohol use, chronic inflammation, and viral infections. All of these factors can lead to a wide range of genetic and molecular alterations that can be detected using a range of molecular studies. The alterations mostly affect two large groups of genes: oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, which can be either inactivated or overexpressed through mutations, loss of heterozygosity, deletions, or epigenetic modifications such as methylation. Other molecules that are closely associated with tumor pathogenesis and prognosis also exist and warrant further study. Important advances in molecular biology are helping to shed light on oral cancer and thus aiding in the early diagnosis and development of new personalized treatment approaches. The purpose of the review is to explore the genetic and molecular alterations associated with OSCC.