Objective To prepare and identify the polyacrylic acid-citrate-amorphous calcium phosphate composite (PAA-Cit-ACP), and analyze its effect on dentin remineralization. Methods PAA-Cit-ACP was prepared by co-precipitation and freeze-drying methods. The composite was characterized by FTIR, XRD, Zeta potential, SEM, TEM and SAED. SEM was used to analyze the effect of PAA-Cit-ACP on dentin remineralization. Cell cytotoxicity of PAA-Cit-ACP was evaluated by CCK-8 method. Results The characteristic peaks of carboxyl (1 567 cm^-1 and 1 416 cm^-1) and ACP (1 064 cm^-1 and 563 cm^-1) were simultaneously observed in the FTIR spectrum, and the XRD and SAED results confirmed its amorphous state. The Zeta potential of PAA-Cit-ACP was -18.47 mV. PAA-Cit-ACP appeared as spherical nanoparticles according to SEM and TEM. In SEM images, a large amount of new minerals formed on the surface of demineralized dentin after PAA-Cit-ACP treatment. The CCK-8 result showed that PAA-Cit-ACP exhibited good biocompatibility at a concentration of 250, 500, and 1 000 μg/mL. Conclusion Citrate can co-stabilize supersaturated calcium phosphate solutions with polyacrylic acid, forming polyacrylic acid citrate amorphous calcium phosphate which can promote dentin remineralization.

Objective As a signaling molecule, NO regulates key physiological processes and is closely related to periodontitis. To investigate the effect of flavonoid NO donor composite nanoparticles (G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS) on osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) by regulating macrophage polarization. Methods The novel NO donor drug G10 was loaded on hydroxyapatite/mesoporous silicanant particles (HAP/MSN), filled with zinc oxide (ZnO), and then coated with chitosan (COS) to prepare composite nanoparticles (G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS). The best concentration of G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS was screened to promote cell proliferation by CCK-8 cell experiment. After the mouse mononuclear macrophages were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide, the mice were divided into four groups: Control group, G10 group, HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS group and G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS group. Each group was cultured with fresh medium, 5 μg/mL G10, 5 μg/ mL HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS and 5 μg/mL G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS for 72 h respectively. ELISA and RT-qPCR were used to detect the expression of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, iNOS, IL-10) and mRNA expression in each group, and the phenotypic changes of M1/M2 were evaluated. The supernatant of each culture medium was used as conditioned medium to culture PDLSCs, and the osteogenic ability and cell mineralization were evaluated by alkaline phosphatase activity test and alizarin red staining. Results CCK-8 experiment showed that G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS of 5 μg/mL could significantly promote the proliferation of PDLSCs. The results of ELISA showed that compared with Control group, the expression of M1 type marker IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and iNOS in G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS group was significantly decreased (P<0.000 1), while the expression of M2 type marker IL-10 was significantly increased (P<0.000 1). The results of RT-qPCR were consistent with those of ELISA, which showed that the expression of M1-related genes in G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS group decreased significantly (P<0.01). The results of alizarin red staining and alkaline phosphatase activity test showed that the number of mineralized nodules and alkaline phosphatase activity in G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS-CM group were significantly higher than those in other groups (P<0.000 1). Conclusion Composite nanoparticles (G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS) can effectively inhibit the polarization of macrophages to M1 phenotype and promote it to M2 phenotypic polarization. The anti-inflammatory microenvironment regulated by G10@HAP/MSN@ZnO@COS can enhance the osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs.

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of GsMTx4 on pain sensation in rats during tooth movement, open field experiments and immunohistochemical staining by conducting. Methods Fifty-eight male SD rats aged 5-6 weeks were selected and a right maxillary tooth movement model was constructed. The rats were randomly divided into two groups: group A(control group) and group B(GsMTx4 group). They were also divided into 5 subgroups according to 4 h, 1 d, 3 d, 5 d, and 7 d. The left maxillary of the rats in group A was used as group C(blank control group). The open-field test was used to evaluate the pain level of rats. Immunohistochemical staining was used to observe the expression of nerve growth factor(NGF) and calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP) in periodontal tissues. Results At 4 h, 1 d, and 3 d, the total distance traveled by rats in group B within 5 minutes in the open-field was higher than that of group A (P<0.05). At 4 h and 1 d, the percentage of time in the center of rats in group B was higher than that in group A(P<0.05). The expressions of NGF and CGRP in groups A and B were higher than those in group C on 1 d, 3 d, 5 d, and 7 d(P<0.05). The expression of NGF and CGRP in group B were lower than those in group A at 4 h, 1 d, and 3 d(P<0.05). Conclusion GsMTx4 can inhibit the expression of NGF and CGRP during tooth movement and relieve the pain caused by tooth movement.

Objective To study the distolingual space of mandibular molars in adult patients with different sagittal skeletal patterns, and to analyze the main bony anatomical sites that restrict molar distalization, in order to provide guidance for the treatment plan of molar distalization. Methods A total of 97 adult patients according to the inclusion criteria were selected from the Department of Orthodontics, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University.The patients were divided into skeletal Class Ⅰ group(n=28), skeletal Class Ⅱ group(n=49) and skeletal Class Ⅲ group(n=20) according to the ANB angle. CBCT of the patients were imported into Dolphin software for 3D reconstruction. The width of the distal root of the second molar, the width of alveolar bone, the distance between the most convex point of the distal and lingual side of the distal root and the inneredge of the lingual cortex of the mandible were measured at the 2, 4, and 6 mm plane from the root furcation to the root apex. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 software, and univariate analysis of variance and LSD-t test were used to compare the difference. Results Root width was significantly narrower than alveolar bone width at all measurement planes(P<0.01). Molar distolingual space in patients with different sagittal skeletal patterns was smaller than molar distal space, and the size of the space gradually decreased with the deepening of the measurement level, reaching the minimum value at the R4 and R6 measurement planes. Measurement results of this study showed that at the R6 level, the molar distolingual space in skeletal Class Ⅱ group was the minimum (2.30±2.45)mm; on the contrary, skeletal Class Ⅲ group was the maximum (4.17±2.38)mm. Conclusion When designing the plan of molar distalization in clinical practice, CBCT should be used, and more attention should be paid to the lingual alveolar bone mass of the mandibular molar. It is a safe and effective treatment method for skeletal Class Ⅰ and Ⅲ patients with mild to moderate dental crowding.

Objective To study anatomical structures of the maxillary second molars (MSM) roots and canals and the relationship between root apices and the maxillary sinus. Methods Cone beam computed tomography imaging data of 526 MSM from 263 patients were evaluated retrospectively. The patient age, number of roots and canals, number of fused roots, type of root canal curvature, and anatomical relationship to the sinus floor were all documented and analyzed. Results It was found that the majority of MSM had three roots (59.1%), and the incidence of three root canals with three roots was the highest (47.3%). Fused roots were found in 192 (36.5%) of the teeth examined. Palatal root canals of two-root, two-canal, and three-root, three-canal teeth had more curvature in the buccolingual direction than in the mesiodistal direction. The mesial buccal roots of MSM with three roots tended to extend into the maxillary sinus and the palatine roots of the three-rooted MSM tended to separate from the maxillary sinus. The distance between MSM and the sinus floor increased with age(P<0.05). Conclusion The root and canal shape of MSM varies widely among a sample of individuals.

Objective To develop a deep learning network based on attention mechanism to identify the number of the vertical mandibular third molar(MTM) roots(single or double) on panoramic radiographs in an automatic way. Methods The sample consisted of 1 045 patients with 1 642 MTMs on paired panoramic radiographs and Cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT) and were randomly grouped into the training(80%), the validation(10%), and the test(10%). The evaluation of CBCT was defined as the ground truth. A deep learning network based on attention mechanism, which was named as RN-MTMnet, was trained to judge if the MTM on panoramic radiographs had one or two roots. Diagnostic performance was evaluated by accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive predict value(PPV), and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve with the area under the ROC curve(AUC). Its diagnostic performance was compared with dentists’ diagnosis, Faster-RCNN, CenterNet, and SSD using evaluation metrics. Results On CBCT images, single-rooted MTM was observed on 336(20.46%) sides, while two-rooted MTM was 1 306(79.54%). The RN-MTMnet achieved an accuracy of 0.888, a sensitivity of 0.885, a specificity of 0.903, a PPV of 0.976, and the AUC value of 0.90. Conclusion RN-MTMnet is developed as a novel, robust and accurate method for detecting the numberof MTM roots on panoramic radiographs.

Objective To find out the social competence level of school-age children with speech sound disorders after cleft palate operation and functional speech sound disorders. Methods Thirty-four school-age children with postoperative cleft palate speech sound disorders and thirty-seven school-age children with functional speech sound disorders attending a specialty clinic for the diagnosis and treatment of childhood speech and language disorders in 2023 were selected, and 32 age- and gender-matched normal children in a local elementary school were also randomly selected as the normal group. The Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist was used to assess the social competence of the three groups of children and a cross-sectional study was conducted. Results Children with cleft palate speech sound disorders and functional speech sound disorders had lower scores on activity, communication and academic ability, with specific manifestations varying in different gender groups, but there was no significant difference in scores between the two groups. In contrast, the activity and communication scores of the functional speech sound disordergroup were significantly lower than those of the normal group(P<0.05). Conclusion School-age children with cleft palate speech sound disorders and functional speech sound disorders are at a higher risk of difficulties in social functioning, in terms of activity, communication and academic ability, whereas speech sound disorders may be one of the most important influencing factors of such difficulties and cleft palate does not have an additional impact on the social competence level of the child.

Objective To investigate the differences in treatment experience and quality of life between adolescent orthodontic patients using clear aligners and fixed braces. Methods A total of 104 adolescent patients were selected who underwent orthodontic treatment with either clear aligners or fixed braces at Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Stomatological Hospital from January 2022 to June 2022. The patients were divided into two treatment groups based on the type of orthodontic appliance, with 52 patients in each group. Within a 6-month period of using clear aligners or fixed braces, adolescent orthodontic patients were surveyed using the child oral health impact profile-short form 19(COHIP-SF19) and other individual items. The differences in mean satisfaction, quality of life, and statistical scores were compared using independent samples t-tests, while the differences in subjective responses were compared using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results There were no significant differences in mean quality of life and statistical scores between the two groups, but patients in the clear aligner group reported higher satisfaction. The clear aligner group reported greater difficulty with eating, while patients with fixed braces were more likely to experience negative emotions. Additionally, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of adaptation time to the appliance, maintaining dental hygiene, and feeling attractive. Conclusion Patients in both groups were generally satisfied with their treatment. Adolescent orthodontic patients treated with clear aligners or fixed braces for at least 6 months exhibit similar overall quality of life.

Objective To compare the root resorption of posterior teeth between fixed orthodontic appliances and clear aligners in adult patients with skeletal Class Ⅲ malocclusion undergoing camouflage treatment by using cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT) measurements. Methods Thirty-two cases of skeletal Class Ⅲ malocclusion patients who had previously undergone camouflage treatment were retrospectively selected. Based on the type of orthodontic appliance used, they were divided into two groups (the fixed appliance group and the clear aligner group), each comprising 16 cases. CBCT images of the entire dental arch before and after treatment were collected for these patients, and three-dimensional reconstructions of the mandibular central incisors, first premolars, and first molars were generated using Mimics software. Changes in root volume and length of mandibular teeth before and after treatment were measured and compared between the two groups. Results Both groups showed significant reductions in measured root volume of the teeth after orthodontic treatment(P<0.05). In the clear aligner group, the mean reduction in root length of mandibular central incisors was (0.52±0.60)mm, while in the fixed appliance group, the reduction in root length of mandibular central incisors and first premolars was (0.47±0.38)mm and (0.38±0.25)mm, respectively. These differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). Except for the significantly lower reduction in root volume of mandibular central incisors in the clear aligner group compared to the fixed appliance group(P<0.05), there were no statistically significant differences in other root resorption-related parameters between the two groups(P>0.05). Conclusion In camouflage treatment of adult skeletal Class Ⅲ malocclusion patients, clear aligners can reduce the amount of root resorption in mandibular anterior teeth to a certain extent compared to fixed orthodontic appliances. However, there is no significant difference between the two appliances in the posterior teeth region.

Objective In this study, we compared the masticatory efficiency, occlusal functional indexes, and satisfaction of lingualized occlusion(LO) vs. anatomic occlusion(AO) and discussed the difference between these occlusions. Methods Twenty edentulous patients were included in this clinical trial during 2021 April to December. They were divided into 2 groups according to their denture occlusion. Masticatory efficiency was tested by chewing the same amount of peanuts (by weight) and then the absorption of the solution was compared under a spectrophotometer after wearing dentures for 1 month. The TeeTester occlusion analysis system was used to test masticatory function, and satisfaction research was conducted for the edentulous patients at this time point as well. Finally, statistical analyses were conducted to compare the difference in masticatory efficiency between AO and LO by SPSS 20.0. Results The indexes of LO were worse than AO in masticatory efficiency, masticatory function and most of satisfaction research, while LO was better than AO in speech recovery. The difference was only statistically significant in COF-y of masticatory function (P<0.05). Conclusion LO is similar with AO in terms of masticatory efficiency, satisfaction and denture stability; LO has good performance in denture’s fit and use for patients.

Objective To analyze the effect of extracorporeal shock wave assisted drug therapy on clinical outcomes of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Methods A total of 86 TMD patients in our hospital from September 2018 to September 2019 were included and divided into group A (n=43) and group B (n=43) by random number table method. Group A (n=43) received oral glucosamine hydrochloride tablets on the basis of conventional treatment; group B (n=43) received extracorporeal shock wave therapy on the basis of group A. The pain degree, maximum mouth opening, temporomandibular joint function, temporomandibular joint bounce times, life quality and occurrence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Results Compared with that before treatment, the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, maximum mouth opening, temporomandibular joint dysfunction index (DI), palpation index (PI), Fricton craniomandibular index (CMI) level, joint bounce times and oral health impact scale (OHIP-14) score of two groups were significantly improved (P< 0.05), and all indexes in group B were significantly better than those in group A (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Extracorporeal shock wave assisted drug therapy can effectively reduce joint bounce in TMD patients, relieve patients’ pain, improve patients’ life quality and temporomandibular joint function, and has good safety.

Objective During the rapid expansion of postgraduate education, it is meeting more and more conflicts between enrollment scale and cultivation quality. The construction of a cultivation quality assurance system for postgraduates becomes an urgent task in the new situation. Methods The data was analyzed with SPSS 24.0, based on the anonymous review results of postgraduates’ dissertations by a three-A stomatological hospital during 2022-2023. Results The results showed that the overall evaluation of anonymous dissertation opinions in 2022 was better than that in 2023, and the passing rate of anonymous dissertation evaluation of doctoral students was higher than that of master students. Irregular forms of composition, low research workload, and insufficient innovation were found in failed postgraduates’ dissertations. Conclusion Strengthening the management of study style education and training process, and exploring cultivating mode of overlapping subjects, are necessary to improve the construction of cultivation quality assurance system of postgraduates.

Head and neck cancer is the seventh most common cancer in the world, accounting for about 10% of all malignant tumors. Radiotherapy is an important treatment for head and neck cancer. Osteonecrosis of the jaws(ORNJ) is a refractory complication after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, which often manifests as osteonecrosis of the jaw and soft tissue exposure. The current pathogenesis of ORNJ has not been fully clarified and its treatment remains challenging. The traditional treatment for this disease is partial resection of necrotic jaw bone and reconstruction with osteocutaneous flap. However, in recent years, some new techniques and ideas have been used to treat the disease. For mild osteoradionecrosis of the jaw, the treatment concept tends to be conservative. This article mainly summarizes the latest research progress at home and abroad, and reviews the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and treatment strategies for osteoradionecrosis of the jaws.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)is a malignant tumor with a high mortality rate, which is characterized by late diagnosis, high recurrence and metastasis rates, and poor prognosis. Cuproptosis, as a novel mode of cupric induced cell death, can inhibit the growth and proliferation of cancer cells by activating related pathways, which provides a new insight into the treatment of OSCC. This review aims to systematically introduce the mechanism of cuproptosis occurrence and development, as well as the research progress of cuproptosis in the prognosis of OSCC treatment. It provides new ideas and methods for clinical treatment.

Compared with other drug loading methods, PLGA drug-loaded microspheres have the advantages of sustained and controlled release ability, biodegradability, drug release stability, and targeted delivery function, which have become a research hotspot in pharmaceutics. With the improvement of the preparation technology and the quality of microspheres, they have been gradually promoted in clinical practice, and have achieved remarkable results in the treatment of tumors, osteoarthritis, diabetes, eye diseases and so on. However, there is still a lack of systematic review on the application of PLGA microspheres in stomatology. This article aims to introduce the clinical application characteristics of PLGA microspheres, and review their application prospect in oral and maxillofacial tumors, temporomandibular joint diseases, periodontitis, caries and alveolar bone defects, so as to provide reference for their application in stomatology.