Preclinical evaluation of the effect of periodontal regeneration by carbonate apatite in a canine one-wall intrabony defect model

Objective

This study aimed to histologically compare periodontal regeneration of one-wall intrabony defects treated with open flap debridement, β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), and carbonate apatite (CO₃Ap) in dogs.

Methods

The mandibular third premolars of four beagle dogs were extracted. Twelve weeks after the extraction, a one-wall bone defect of 4 mm × 5 mm (mesio-distal width × depth) was created on the distal side of the mandibular second premolar and mesial side of the fourth premolar. Each defect was randomly allocated to open flap debridement (control group), periodontal regeneration utilizing β-TCP, or CO₃Ap. Eight weeks after the surgery, histologic and histometric analyses were performed.

Results

No ankylosis, infection, or acute inflammation was observed at any of the experimental sites. Newly formed bone and cementum were observed in all experimental groups. The mineral apposition rate of the alveolar bone crest was higher in the CO₃Ap group than in the control and β-TCP groups. The ratio of the new bone area was significantly higher in the CO₃Ap group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The bone contact percentage of the residual granules was significantly higher in the CO₃Ap group than in the β-TCP group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Although this study has limitations, the findings revealed the safety and efficacy of CO₃Ap for periodontal regeneration in one-wall intrabony defects in dogs, and CO₃Ap has a better ability to integrate with bone than β-TCP.

Laser as a promising non-invasive technique to treat oral submucous fibrosis: A systematic review of the literature

Background

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is one of the common oral potentially malignant disorders that can result in severe morbidity. Depending upon the stage of disease, multiple management therapies exist which include medicinal and surgical approaches. Although the surgical approach is preferred in severe conditions, numerous studies have reported its post-surgical deteriorating outcomes including increased fibrotic changes. To reduce these post-surgical complications, Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (Laser) has been introduced and studied as a non-invasive technique to treat oral submucous fibrosis. However, there exists a lack of knowledge about ‘which laser shows a better post-treatment outcome’. Accordingly, this review aims to answer this question.

Materials and methods

A systematic review of the published literature was performed using an electronic search in PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, Web of Science, Embase, J- STAGE, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases, from 1952 till 2019 using keywords like, ‘Oral submucous fibrosis’, ‘Treatment’, ‘Laser’, ‘Trismus’, ‘ Fibrosis’, ‘Surgical’, ‘Non-invasive’, and ‘Postoperative results’.

Results

The search strategy revealed 20 relevant published studies in which laser had been used to treat 250 patients of OSMF. Effective results were found without any complications in all the cases after follow up.

Conclusion

Observing the current literature, it can be concluded that laser might be used as a potential non-invasive approach in the management of OSMF, however, large scale studies are required to investigate the efficacy and other effects of this technology.

Mixed oxide nanotubes in nanomedicine: A dead-end or a bridge to the future?

Nanomedicine has seen a significant rise in the development of new research tools and clinically functional devices. In this regard, significant advances and new commercial applications are expected in the pharmaceutical and orthopedic industries. For advanced orthopedic implant technologies, appropriate nanoscale surface modifications are highly effective strategies and are widely studied in the literature for improving implant performance. It is well-established that implants with nanotubular surfaces show a drastic improvement in new bone creation and gene expression compared to implants without nanotopography. Nevertheless, the scientific and clinical understanding of mixed oxide nanotubes (MONs) and their potential applications, especially in biomedical applications are still in the early stages of development. This review aims to establish a credible platform for the current and future roles of MONs in nanomedicine, particularly in advanced orthopedic implants. We first introduce the concept of MONs and then discuss the preparation strategies. This is followed by a review of the recent advancement of MONs in biomedical applications, including mineralization abilities, biocompatibility, antibacterial activity, cell culture, and animal testing, as well as clinical possibilities. To conclude, we propose that the combination of nanotubular surface modification with incorporating sensor allows clinicians to precisely record patient data as a critical contributor to evidence-based medicine.

Preparation and characterization of cockle shell aragonite nanocomposite porous 3D scaffolds for bone repair

The demands for applicable tissue-engineered scaffolds that can be used to repair load-bearing segmental bone defects (SBDs) is vital and in increasing demand. In this study, seven different combinations of 3 dimensional (3D) novel nanocomposite porous structured scaffolds were fabricated to rebuild SBDs using an extraordinary blend of cockle shells (CaCo₃) nanoparticles (CCN), gelatin, dextran and dextrin to structure an ideal bone scaffold with adequate degradation rate using the Freeze Drying Method (FDM) and labeled as 5211, 5400, 6211, 6300, 7101, 7200 and 8100. The micron sized cockle shells powder obtained (75 µm) was made into nanoparticles using mechano-chemical, top-down method of nanoparticles synthesis with the presence of the surfactant BS-12 (dodecyl dimethyl bataine). The phase purity and crystallographic structures, the chemical functionality and the thermal characterization of the scaffolds’ powder were recognized using X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) respectively. Characterizations of the scaffolds were assessed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Degradation Manner, Water Absorption Test, Swelling Test, Mechanical Test and Porosity Test. Top-down method produced cockle shell nanoparticles having averagely range 37.8±3–55.2±9 nm in size, which were determined using Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). A mainly aragonite form of calcium carbonate was identified in both XRD and FTIR for all scaffolds, while the melting (Tm) and transition (Tg) temperatures were identified using DSC with the range of Tm 62.4–75.5 °C and of Tg 230.6–232.5 °C. The newly prepared scaffolds were with the following characteristics: (i) good biocompatibility and biodegradability, (ii) appropriate surface chemistry and (iii) highly porous, with interconnected pore network. Engineering analyses showed that scaffold 5211 possessed 3D interconnected homogenous porous structure with a porosity of about 49%, pore sizes ranging from 8.97 to 337 µm, mechanical strength 20.3 MPa, Young's Modulus 271±63 MPa and enzymatic degradation rate 22.7 within 14 days.

•

An innovative mixture of nano-CaCo₃ (aragonite), gelatin, dextrin and dextran.

•

Scaffold 5211 reached a tipping point in terms of ideal morphology, optimal physiochemical properties, and great mechanical strength.

•

Scaffold 5211 may guarantee the achievement of the developed scaffold purposes in true biological system.