Effects of Diet Consistency on Rat Maxillary and Mandibular Growth within Three Generations-A Longitudinal CBCT Study.

BACKGROUND: In this study, wistar rats were used to examine the impact of diet consistency on maxillary and mandibular growth over three generations. METHODS: In this investigation, a breeding sample of 60 female and 8 male wistar rats was used. Measuring was only performed on female animals. The first generation's primary breeding sample consisted of 20 female wistar rats that were 30 days old and 4 male rats that were also 30 days old; two subsequent generations were created from these animals. At the age of 100 days, CBCTs were collected of all male rats. Twenty-eight craniofacial landmarks were selected for the linear measurements on stl format extracted from the DICOM files. A Bonferroni test was performed for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: Means of measurements of all soft diet groups compared to corresponding measurements of the hard diet groups were significantly different. According to linear measurements, there was statistical difference on the maxillary measurements between the soft diet groups of the first and third generation, while the rest did not appear to have any statistical difference. There was significant difference for the mandibular dimensions only when the first generation soft diet group was compared with the third generation soft diet group. CONCLUSIONS: Food consistency has a significant impact on the growth and development of the maxilla and mandible. Soft diet habits may result in retrognathic mandible, and narrower maxilla.

Radiologic findings of osteonecrosis, osteoradionecrosis, osteomyelitis and jaw metastatic disease with cone beam CT.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess CBCT scans of patients with medication related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ), osteoradionecrosis (ORN), osteomyelitis (OM) and jaw metastatic disease (JM), evaluate the presence and extent of radiologic findings, identify radiologic parameters that may distinguish the four entities and last, introduce a new modified radiographic index (CRIm), in order to contribute to the diagnosis of these conditions. METHODS: Τwo major databases were retrospectively searched for fully documented and diagnosed CBCT scans of MRONJ, ORN, OM and JM from 2006 to 2019. 335 CBCT scans met the inclusion criteria and were assessed under standardized viewing conditions blindly by 2 observers. The CRIm index proposed in this study evaluates: lytic changes, sclerosis, periosteal bone formation, sequestration, non-healing extraction sockets and other findings which included: sinus implication, inferior alveolar canal implication and jaw fracture. Lytic changes, sclerosis, periosteal bone formation, sequestration and non-healing extraction sockets were scored as: absent (0), localized/single (1) and extensive/multiple (2). Each one of other findings were scored individually as: absent (0) and present (1). For statistical analysis t-test, Pearson's r correlation coefficient, one-way ANOVA and Bonferonni were performed. RESULTS: Extensive lytic changes were the most common finding, especially for ORN, where it occurred in all CBCT scans (100%). The mean value of the CRIm index differs significantly between CBCT scans with MRONJ and JM, as well as between those with OM and JM (Bonferroni p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The new modified Composite Radiographic Index introduced in this study, appears to have improved an objective approach to the previously used Composite Radiographic Index by means of cumulative radiologic features. Τhe predominance of certain radiologic features in one or more of these entities may lead the diagnostician towards the correct diagnosis.

Long-Term Effect of Diet Consistency on Mandibular Growth within Three Generations: A Longitudinal Cephalometric Study in Rats.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the effect of diet consistency on mandibular growth of Wistar rats through three generations. METHODS: A total breeding sample of 60 female and 8 male Wistar rats were used in this study. Measurements took place only on female animals. Twenty female Wistar rats at 30 days old and four male rats at 30 days old comprised the primary breeding sample of the first generation, and from these animals two different generations were reproduced. Lateral cephalometric X-rays were taken from all female rats at the age of 100 days. A total of 7 craniofacial landmarks were selected for the linear measurements, and 12 curves and 90 landmarks were selected for geometric morphometric analysis of the lateral X-rays. Bonferroni test and a permutation test were performed for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: Means of measurements of all soft diet groups compared to hard diet groups were significantly smaller. According to linear measurements, there was a significant difference only between the first-generation soft diet with the third-generation soft diet group. According to geometric morphometric analysis, the statistical differences appeared on the condylar process and the angle of the mandible. CONCLUSIONS: The soft diet could be responsible for less mandibular growth, and this information might be passing through generations.

Applications of Biotechnology to the Craniofacial Complex: A Critical Review.

BACKGROUND: Biotechnology shows a promising future in bridging the gap between biomedical basic sciences and clinical craniofacial practice. The purpose of the present review is to investigate the applications of biotechnology in the craniofacial complex. METHODS: This critical review was conducted by using the following keywords in the search strategy: "biotechnology", "bioengineering", "craniofacial", "stem cells", "scaffolds", "biomarkers", and "tissue regeneration". The databases used for the electronic search were the Cochrane Library, Medline (PubMed), and Scopus. The search was conducted for studies published before June 2022. RESULTS: The applications of biotechnology are numerous and provide clinicians with the great benefit of understanding the etiology of dentofacial deformities, as well as treating the defected areas. Research has been focused on craniofacial tissue regeneration with the use of stem cells and scaffolds, as well as in bioinformatics with the investigation of growth factors and biomarkers capable of providing evidence for craniofacial growth and development. This review presents the biotechnological opportunities in the fields related to the craniofacial complex and attempts to answer a series of questions that may be of interest to the reader. CONCLUSIONS: Biotechnology seems to offer a bright future ahead, improving and modernizing the clinical management of cranio-dento-facial diseases. Extensive research is needed as human studies on this subject are few and have controversial results.

Three-Dimensional Analysis of Posterior Mandibular Displacement in Rats.

Mandibular protrusion and its treatment is challenging for the orthodontist. The aim of the present research was to identify macroscopic changes in the mandible, based on three-dimensional Cone Beam Computed Tomography analysis. Seventy-two male Wistar rats were divided into two equal groups, experimental (group A) and control (group B). Each consisted of three equal subgroups of 12 rats (A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3). Full-cast orthodontic intraoral devices were attached to the maxillary incisors of the experimental animals, and effected functional posterior mandibular displacement. Throughout the experimental period, all animals were fed with mashed food. Animals were sacrificed at 30 days (A1, B1), 60 days (A2, B2) and 90 days (A3, B3). At the 60th day of the experiment, the orthodontic devices were removed from the remaining experimental subgroup A3. Measurements revealed significant differences in the anteroposterior dimensions between experimental and control subgroups. However, the observed changes in the vertical dimensions, Condylion/Go'-Menton and the Intercondylar distance proved insignificant. Posterior mandibular displacement of the mandible in growing rats affects the morphology of the mandible and culminates in the development of a smaller mandible at a grown age.

Alveolar bone histological necrosis observed prior to extractions in patients, who received bone-targeting agents.

OBJECTIVE: We reported the alveolar bone histology prior to dental extractions in cancer patients, who received bone-targeting agents (BTA). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fifty-four patients were included. Patients underwent extractions, and bone biopsies were taken. RESULTS: Extractions were performed due to pain, swelling, purulence, fistula, and numbness, not responding to treatment, in 40 patients (group A); extractions due to asymptomatic, non-restorable teeth, were performed in 14 patients (group B). Complete alveolar jaw bone histological necrosis was observed in 28 of 40 (70%) patients of group A and none of group B (p < .001). The development of clinical osteonecrosis (MRON) was assessed in 44 patients; 10 patients, who were also treated with Low Level Laser Treatments-LLLT, were excluded from this analysis, as the alternative therapies were a confounding factor. Twelve patients, with alveolar bone histological necrosis prior to extraction, developed medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) compared with two patients with vital or mixed vital/non-vital bone (p < .0007). BTAs >1 year and concurrent targeted therapy were also significantly associated with MRONJ (p = .016 and p = .050). CONCLUSION: Pain, swelling, purulence, fistula, and numbness were significantly associated with complete bone histological necrosis prior to extractions and increased MRONJ development. Research is justified to explore whether histological necrosis represents an early stage of osteonecrosis.