What every dentist needs to know about in-house clear aligner therapy.

Clear aligner therapy (CAT) has gained popularity in recent years. As technological advancements increase within the field of dentistry, clinicians have opted to prouce orthodontic appliances within their own offices or clinics, often referred to as in-house CAT. Construction of in-house aligners utilizes 3-dimensional printing devices, potentially offering practitioners enhanced control and improving patient comfort. The aim of this article is to review the materials, methods, advantages, disadvantages, and procedural outcomes associated with the fabrication of aligners within a dental office or clinic.

What every dentist needs to know about clear aligners.

In recent years, the demand for esthetic orthodontic treatment options for adult patients has increased dramatically. Clear aligner therapy (CAT) has become a popular method of orthodontic therapy that now allows for comprehensive treatment with more complex dental movements. Moreover, the increasing role of technology in dental treatments has made CAT more appealing to providers and patients. The aim of this article is to highlight the clinical scope and limitations of CAT and to outline the differences among various clear aligner products.

Functional organic cation transporters mediate osteogenic response to metformin in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells.

BACKGROUND: Compelling evidence indicates that metformin, a low-cost and safe orally administered biguanide prescribed to millions of type 2 diabetics worldwide, induces the osteoblastic differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) through the 5' adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway. As a highly hydrophilic cationic compound, metformin uptake is facilitated by cell membrane organic cation transporters (OCTs) of the solute carrier 22A gene family. We hypothesized that to effectively enhance osteogenic differentiation, and ultimately bone regeneration, metformin must gain access into functional OCT-expressing MSCs. METHODS: Data was obtained through immunoblotting, cellular uptake, mineralization and gene expression assays. RESULTS: We demonstrate for the first time that functional OCTs are expressed in human-derived MSCs from umbilical cord Wharton's jelly, an inexhaustible source of nonembryonic MSCs with proven osteogenic potential. A clinically relevant concentration of metformin led to AMPK activation, enhanced mineralized nodule formation and increased expression of the osteogenic transcription factor Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2). Indeed, targeting OCT function through pharmacological and genetic approaches markedly blunted these responses. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that functional OCT expression in UC-MSCs is a biological prerequisite that facilitates the intracellular uptake of metformin to induce an osteogenic effect. Future pre-clinical studies are warranted to investigate whether the expression of functional OCTs may serve as a potential biomarker to predict osteogenic responses to metformin.