The Journey of Additive Manufacturing in Prosthodontics from the Early Dawn till the Current State of Art. A Narrative Review.

Additive manufacturing (AM) also known as 3D-printing has become one of the pillars of digital technology in the dental field particularly in prosthodontics. With the burgeoning development in the already existing AM technology and the evolution of new techniques, concurrent with the development of printable biomaterials, the range of application of the technology has broadened from the construction of diagnostic models to more complex applications such as maxillofacial prosthetics and implant planning. Full understanding of the technology and the related fabrication parameters will enable the maximum benefit from such technology. Therefore, the aim of this review is to represent a road trip along which the prosthodontists and dental technicians can cast a closer look on different AM technologies, advantages and disadvantages of each technique, the application of technology in the field of Prosthodontics, areas of current research in the field and finally recommendations for areas of future investigations.

Computational Analysis of Deleterious nsSNPs in INS Gene Associated with Permanent Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus.

Insulin gene mutations affect the structure of insulin and are considered a leading cause of neonatal diabetes and permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus PNDM. These mutations can affect the production and secretion of insulin, resulting in inadequate insulin levels and subsequent hyperglycemia. Early discovery or prediction of PNDM can aid in better management and treatment. The current study identified potential deleterious non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms nsSNPs in the INS gene. The analysis of the nsSNPs in the INS gene was conducted using bioinformatics tools by implementing computational algorithms including SIFT, PolyPhen2, SNAP2, SNPs & GO, PhD-SNP, MutPred2, I-Mutant, MuPro, and HOPE tools to investigate the prediction of the potential association between nsSNPs in the INS gene and PNDM. Three mutations, C96Y, P52R, and C96R, were shown to potentially reduce the stability and function of the INS protein. These mutants were subjected to MDSs for structural analysis. Results suggested that these three potential pathogenic mutations may affect the stability and functionality of the insulin protein encoded by the INS gene. Therefore, these changes may influence the development of PNDM. Further researches are required to fully understand the various effects of mutations in the INS gene on insulin synthesis and function. These data can aid in genetic testing for PNDM to evaluate its risk and create treatment and prevention strategies in personalized medicine.

EXTRA-SHORT IMPLANTS MAY BE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO LONGER IMPLANTS WITH BONE AUGMENTATION IN ATROPHIC MAXILLARY AND MANDIBULAR RIDGES.

ARTICLE TITLE AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION: Yu X, Xu R, Zhang Z, Yang Y, Deng F. A meta-analysis indicating extra-short implants (≤ 6 mm) as an alternative to longer implants (≥ 8 mm) with bone augmentation. Scientific reports. 2021 Apr 14;11(1):1-27. SOURCE OF FUNDING: The research was supported by the Science and Technology Major Project of Guangdong Province (2017B090912004). TYPE OF STUDY/DESIGN: Systematic review.

Efficacy of olibanum and propolis medicinal extracts versus metronidazole in Giardia lamblia experimentally infected mice

Giardiasis is a common intestinal infection, recently included by the World Health Organization in the 'Neglected Diseases Initiative'. Despite the efficacy of nitroimidazoles; the main antigiardial chemotherapeutics, adverse effects and resistance enforced developing non-chemical alternatives. The present study aimed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of ethanol extract of olibanum (OL), propolis (PR), and their combination versus metronidazole (MTZ) against G. lamblia infection. Sixty Swiss male albino mice were randomly divided into 6 groups; 10 mice each,: Group I: normal control (non-treated; non-infected). Group II: infected with G. lamblia cysts, non-treated. On the 6th day postinfection (dPI), the remaining 4 infected groups were treated orally with: Group III: (OL). Group IV: (PR). Group V: combination of (OL+PR). Group VI: (MTZ). These mice were subjected to direct parasitological diagnosis of Giardia trophozoite in intestinal exudate, immunochromatographic test for antigen detection and histopathological studies. After 7 days therapy, complete clearance of Giardia trophozoites were in the combination of (OL+PR) and MTZ groups therapy. Lower percentages of reduction (91%) & (83%) were recorded in PR and OL-treated groups, respectively. Histopathological examination showed marked healing of intestinal mucosa using non-chemical combination and different degrees of dysplasia using MTZ, while partial healing was observed using olibanum and propolis separately. Olibanum, propolis and their combination were proved to enhance the clearance of Giardia trophozoites; with progressive improvement of the histopathological changes of jejunal mucosa, making good non-chemical alternative antigiardial therapeutics sidestepping the obstacles of metronidazole like dysplasia and teratogenicity