This paper investigates the current situation of digital education in 94 undergraduate universities and junior colleges of Stomatology in China through electronic questionnaire and telephone interview. It shows that digital Stomatology education in China has developed rapidly in recent years. Most colleges have been gradually applying digital teaching methods, and some colleges have carried out teaching on digital oral diagnosis and treatment technology. However, the development of digital Stomatology education in China is still inadequate. There are still problems such as insufficient understanding of its importance, personnel training failing to meet the application needs, and lack of digital education courses. In response to these problems, some suggestions on accelerating the development of digital Stomatology education in China are put forward in this paper.

In recent years, there has been a general consensus on the classification and diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders(TMD). TMD is a psychosomatic disorder with distinct biopsychosocial characteristics. In addition to clinical diagnosis, it is essential to assess pain-related functional impairment and psychological conditions. Despite significant advancements in surgical techniques, it must be emphasized that conservative management remains the preferred approach. A considerable proportion of patients may exhibit mild symptoms or be entirely asymptomatic. The decision to make a treatment plan should thoroughly consider the impact of symptoms and signs on the patient rather than solely relying on clinical diagnoses and imaging results.

With the development of temporomandibular joint(TMJ) imaging methods, magnetic resonance imaging has gradually become the preferred examination method for TMJ disorders, because it has no risk of ionizing radiation exposure and is a non-invasive examination. It can clearly show the joint disc, joint effusion, condylar edema, masticatory muscle, biplate area and synovial lesions, which has great clinical application value. In this paper, the MRI manifestation and correlation of articular disc position and morphological changes, joint effusion, condylar edema and extrapterygoid muscles are discussed, in order to provide ideas for imaging diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorders.

Mandibular deficiency is one of the common types of dentofacial deformities, which seriously affects patients’ facial aesthetics and occlusal function. Surgical correction is currently the most effective treatment method, which can change the position and shape of the mandible through surgical treatment and restore patients’ normal facial appearance. From the perspective of surgical treatment, this article incorporates the key factor of temporomandibular joint into the diagnosis and treatment design of adult mandibular deficiency, elaborates on commonly used correction methods for adult mandibular deficiency, including orthognathic surgery, temporomandibular joint surgery, orthodontic-orthognathic joint treatment, and distraction osteogenesis technology. The treatment processes for different types of adult mandibular deficiency are summarized, in order to provide reference for clinicians and improve the treatment of this disease.

Temporomandibular disorders(TMD)are a group of symptoms related to the temporomandibular joint, masticatory muscles, dental occlusion, and various structures of the body. It is one of the most difficult problems in the field of dentistry due to its unclear etiology and complex clinical manifestations. TMD is one of the most common symptoms in first-visit orthodontic patients, and orthodontists inevitably face TMD patients during clinical practice. Therefore, orthodontists should be proactive and keep learning to gain a deeper understanding of the classification, diagnosis, and pathogenesis of TMD and study the methods for TMD treatment, in order to play a more important role in the multidisciplinary treatment of TMD.

The contribution of malocclusion to temporomandibular disorders (TMD) has been a subject of ongoing debate. Many observational and interventional clinical studies, animal experiments, mechanical studies, and three dimensional finite element simulations have been conducted to investigate this relationship. However, significant discrepancies among research findings have made it challenging to establish a clear understanding. Based on previous findings, it is believed that while there may be some potential associations, malocclusion is not considered a primary etiological factor for TMD. Although further research is required to confirm the association between malocclusion and TMD, it is still noteworthy that the positional relationship between the dentition and the condyle may potentially affect the biomechanical and functional status of the joints. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of current research and offer our interpretation of this topic, presenting new perspectives and approaches for understanding and treating TMD.

Objective To detect the distribution of periodontal pathogens in atherosclerotic plaque and subgingival plaque in patients with different degrees of carotid artery stenosis. Methods Fifty patients requiring carotid endarterectomy were selected and divided into severe stenosis group (36 cases) and complete occlusion group (14 cases) according to the degree of carotid artery stenosis. The distribution of five periodontal pathogens Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans), Tanerella forsythia (T. forsythia),Treponema denticola (T. denticola), Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum), Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) was detected by 16S rRNA PCR. Results The detection rates of P. gingivalis, T. denticola,T. forsythia and F.nucleatum in carotid atherosclerotic plaques in patients with complete occlusion were 71.4%, 64.3%, 42.9% and 14.3%, which were higher than those in patients with severe stenosis, and there were significant differences in the detection rates of P.gingivalis and T.denticola(P<0.05). A.actinomycetemcomitans was not detected in the plaques of the complete occlusion group, which was lower than that in the severe stenosis group, but the difference was not statistically significant. The detection rates of P. gingivalis, T. denticola and T. forsythia in subgingival plaque in patients with complete occlusion were 85.7%, 71.4% and 64.3%, which were also higher than those in patients with severe stenosis, but there was no statistical significance (P>0.05). In addition, the detection rates of P.gingivalis, T.denticola, and T.forsythia in carotid atherosclerotic plaques and subgingival plaques were significantly higher than those of F.nucleatum and A.actinomycetemcomitans (P<0.05). Conclusion The distribution of P.gingivalis, A.actinomycetemcomitans, F.nucleatum, T.denticola, and T.forsythia is different in carotid atherosclerotic plaque and subgingival plaque. The detection rates of P.gingivalis and T.denticola in carotid atherosclerotic plaques in patients with total carotid artery occlusion are significantly higher, which may be closely related to the severity of carotid atherosclerosis.

Objective To measure the thickness of palatal supporting tissue in the paramedian section of the palate in orthodontic patients with different palatal vault morphology by cone beam computed tomography(CBCT), and analyze the safe area of placement of orthodontic mini-implants in the paramedian section of the palate, so as to provide reference for clinical orthodontic treatment. Methods A total of 72 adolescent orthodontic patients(36 males and 36 females)were randomly recruited. According to the height width ratio of the palatal vault, they were divided into the high palatal vault group and the low palatal vault group. CBCT image analysis method was used to measure the thickness of supporting tissue at various points in the maxillary paramedian region. Results The thickness of mucosa at the third palatal ruga was higher than that at other sites, and the palatal mucosa gradually thickened from inside to outside. It was generally thicker in the high palatal vault group than that in the low palatal vault group. The thickness of palatal bone and total supporting tissue was high in the middle and low on both sides from the anterior and posterior directions. The thickness of palatal bone tissue was the largest at 2 mm behind the third palatal ruga and it gradually increased from inside to outside at 4 mm before the third palatal ruga, and the position behind it was the opposite. It was generally higher in the low palatal vault group than that in the high palatal vault group. The thickness of the total supporting tissue of the palate was the largest at the third palatal ruga and 2 mm behind it. It gradually increased from inside to outside and in the low palatal vault group, it was slightly higher than that in the high palatal vault group. Conclusion In the low palatal vault group, the palatal micro-implant anchorage has higher stability. It is more suitable for patients in the high palatal vault group to implant micro-implant anchorage within the range of 5-9 mm away from the mid palatal suture and 2 mm behind the third palatal ruga.

Objective To study the clinical influencing factors of the torque loss value of implant abutment screw and explore theappropriate timing to prevent abutment screw loosening. Methods Patients who visited Implant Department of Changzhou Stomatological Hospital for examination after implantation from December 2019 to June 2023 were collected, and relevant clinical factors were measured and recorded, including patients’ gender, tooth position, implant diameter, the specification of abutment screw, the number of co-supported implants and bridges, the ratio of loading, loading time of the crown, torque loss value of abutment screw. The Person correlation analysis was performed to filter out independent variables that were highly correlated with the torque loss value of the central screw, and the linear regression analysis was performed. Results This study collected a total of 125 implants from 73 patients. According to Person correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis, implant crown load days had a significant impact on the central screw torque attenuation value(r=0.616, P<0.001), while the other independent variables had no significant correlation(P>0.05). The regression model was statistically significant(R²=0.475, P<0.001). Conclusion The loading days of Osstem standard implant can significantly predict the torque loss value of the abutment screw under normal load.

Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy of coronal reduction flap, lateral transposition flap, and double nipple flap in repairing soft tissue defects after epulis resection. Methods A total of 23 patients with epulis were selected. They were treated by three types of pedicled flaps according to the conditions of gingival defects after epulis resection surgery. Gingival index (GI), keratinized gingival width (KGW), gingival recession (GR) and papilla fill index (PFI) were examined and recorded before and six months after the operation. The type of gingival recession after epulis resection and the patient’s pain (VAS) were recorded 2 weeks after surgery. Results There was no recurrence in three groups. Compared with preoperative, GI and GR were decreased (P<0.05); KGW was increased (P<0.05) significantly and it was significantly higher in the lateral sliding flap group and double papillae flap group than that in the coronally advanced flap group (P<0.05); PFI was higher in the coronally advanced flap group and the lateral sliding flap group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in other statistics (P>0.05). Conclusion Three types of pedicled flaps all achieved satisfactory clinical effect and aesthetic value on restoring the defects after epulis resection. KGW was increased significantly after operation in all three groups and the lateral sliding flap and double papillae flap were superior to coronally advanced flap.

With the continuous improvement of oral implant technology, oral implant restoration has been widely used in clinical practice. At the same time, cases of implant failure have also increased. Infection, bad osseointegration and mechanical complications after implantation may lead to implantation failure. Although implant fracture is rare in clinical practice, its causes deserve the attention of clinicians. Implant fracture is mainly related to the implant diameter, prosthetic implant design and bone resorption around the implant. In this study, the relevant causes of implant fracture were analyzed through typical cases to provide some guidance for clinical practice.

Objective To introduce a pedagogy that combines clinical cases and virtual simulation tooth preparation training in the clinical practice of prosthodontics. It can connect pre-clinical laboratory teaching and clinical practice, and also serve as an important part of the quality and admission control of tooth preparation before clinical practice. Methods Pre-treatment digital impressions were performed for patients who needed an anterior crown restoration. After digital aesthetic design, they were imported into the virtual simulation system. Interns finished the tooth preparation training under the guidance of the teacher, and the results were evaluated according to the standard of the Examination of National Clinical Physician Qualification. Only after the interns’ tooth preparation skills and quality had met the clinical operation requirements, they returned to the actual clinical cases to prepare teeth for patients to complete the whole process of treatment. Results The training of clinical cases combined with virtual simulation tooth preparation can effectively improve the level of tooth preparation with higher accuracy, efficiency and patient satisfaction. Conclusion The case-based virtual simulation training of tooth preparation significantly improves the tooth preparation skills of interns.

Orthodontics is closely related to mechanics, and some concepts related to force are involved in orthodontics textbooks. The correct understanding of these concepts by orthodontists has important significance for the clinical tooth movement. This article discussesconcepts related to force in orthodontics from the perspective of mechanics, in order to standardize the expression of these academic concepts and facilitate the learning and understanding of dental students as well as interdisciplinary communication.

Epidemiologic evidences have demonstrated that the oral cavity is a reservoir for human papillomavirus(HPV). Multiple transmission routes including horizontal transmission and vertical transmission increase the incidence of oral HPV infection. Low-risk HPV may cause benign lesions of the oral mucosal, and persistent infection with high-risk HPV is an important risk factor for the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. At present, the research on oral HPV infection in China is not in-depth, and Chinese people have insufficient understanding of relevant knowledge, which is not conducive to the development of related disease prevention and treatment. In this context, this article reviews the current research status of oral HPV infection, in order to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of oral HPV infection in China.

With its good biocompatibility, adjustable degradation, appropriate mechanical strength and drug-loaded properties, silk fibroin has gradually been used as an emerging barrier material in oral tissue regeneration. In this paper, we summarize the relevant literature of silk fibroin as a barrier material in oral tissue regeneration, and discuss the limitations and future development trends of silk fibroin material, in order to provide reference for further research on silk fibroin in oral tissue regeneration.

MXene nanocomposites are an emerging bioactive material with good physicochemical properties and biocompatibility, and have been used in various studies on tissue engineering and regeneration. MXene nanocomposites have been found to promote the adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of osteogenic-related cells, regulate the expression of osteogenic-related genes and proteins, modulate related signaling pathways, and promote angiogenesis at the defect site, thereby facilitating the repair of bone defects. This makes it a popular research material in bone tissue regeneration. In this paper, we review the specific mechanism of MXene nanocomposites in promoting bone regeneration to provide a theoretical basis and new ideas for its application in basic and clinical research.