Bone Quantification Around Chitosan-Coated Titanium Dental Implants: A Preliminary Study by Micro-CT Analysis in Jaw of a Canine Model.

Surface treatments of Ti in the dental implant industry are performed with the aim of in-creasing its bioactivity and osseointegration capacity. Chitosan (Cht) is a polysaccharide that has been proposed as a promising biomaterial in tissue engineering and bone regeneration, due to its ability to stimulate the recruitment and adhesion of osteogenic progenitor cells. The aim of our preliminary study was to evaluate, by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), the osseointegration and bone formation around Cht-coated implants and to compare them with conventional surface-etched implants (SLA type). Four im-plants (8.5 mm length × 3.5 mm Ø) per hemiarch, were inserted into the jaws of five dogs, divided into two groups: chitosan-coated implant group (ChtG) and control group (CG). Twelve weeks after surgery, euthanasia was performed, and sectioned bone blocks were obtained and scanned by micro-CT and two bone parameters were measured: bone in contact with the implant surface (BCIS) and peri-implant bone area (PIBA). For BCIS and PIBA statistically significant values were obtained for the ChtG group with respect to CG (p = 0.005; p = 0.014 and p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). The results, despite the limitations, demonstrated the usefulness of chitosan coatings. However, studies with larger sample sizes and adequate experimental models would be necessary to confirm the results.

Machine Learning Study in Caries Markers in Oral Microbiota from Monozygotic Twin Children.

In recent years, the etiology of caries has evolved from a simplistic infectious perspective based on Streptococcus mutans and/or Lactobacillus activity, to a multifactorial disease involving a complex oral microbiota, the human genetic background and the environment. The aim of this work was to identify bacterial markers associated with early caries using massive 16S rDNA. To minimize the other factors, the composition of the oral microbiota of twins in which only one of them had caries was compared with their healthy sibling. Twenty-one monozygotic twin pairs without a previous diagnosis of caries were recruited in the context of their orthodontic treatment and divided into two categories: (1) caries group in which only one of the twins had caries; and (2) control group in which neither of the twins had caries. Each participant contributed a single oral lavage sample in which the bacterial composition was determined by 16S rDNA amplification and further high-throughput sequencing. Data analysis included statistical comparison of alpha and beta diversity, as well as differential taxa abundance between groups. Our results show that twins of the control group have a closer bacterial composition than those from the caries group. However, statistical differences were not detected and we were unable to find any particular bacterial marker by 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing that could be useful for prevention strategies. Although these results should be validated in a larger population, including children from other places or ethnicities, we conclude that the occurrence of caries is not related to the increase of any particular bacterial population.