Advanced periodontitis damages the health of dental supporting tissues, affects masticatory function, and even leads to dentition defect or loss. The application of digital technology in the diagnosis and treatment of advanced periodontitis can improve the accuracy and efficiency of diagnosis and treatment and provide enhanced treatment effect, diagnosis, and treatment experience for patients. The commonly used digital technologies and instruments in oral clinical practice include digital periodontal electron probes, periodontal endoscopes, digital oral scanning and 3D printing, digital electronic bite recorders, electronic face arches, etc. This paper expounds the application of digital technology in the diagnosis and treatment of advanced periodontitis: from diagnosis, treatment planning, to treatment implementation.

The production of dentures using traditional methods is a complex process influenced by many factors. For example, the theoretical background, clinical experience, and operational skills of dental technicians and clinicians in-fluence the accuracy of denture design, the efficiency of production, and the stability of quality. With digital technology bringing innovation from theory to practice, the future trend in removable denture prosthetics is digitalization, which can produce high-quality restorations with good retention and stability and high patient satisfaction and shorten the time of a single visit and number of follow-up visits. By reviewing the literature on digital technology in the field of removable dentures, this work presents an overview of the trends and characteristics of applications of digital technology and the advancement of research in the design, production, and wearing of removable dentures.

Oral and maxillofacial malignant tumors are particularly emphasized in individualized treatment because of the complex anatomical structure of the area. Brachytherapy has the advantages of having high conformability and uniform dose distribution and is thus increasingly used in the treatment of oral and maxillofacial malignant tumors. Digital visualization, 3D printing, and other digital technologies have been used to facilitate preoperative program design and full dose verification and provide intraoperative guidance for brachytherapy. Artificial intelligence and digital pathology technologies are still in the trial stage but are expected to further optimize the brachytherapy mode, improve the effectiveness, safety, and reliability of treatments, and enhance the quality of life of patients. This paper summarizes the application aspects of digital technologies in the treatment of oral and maxillofacial malignant tumors with brachytherapy irradiation to provide insights that will facilitate the development of clinical strategies.

Owing to advancements in nanomaterials and diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, nanomedicine has attracted considerable interest. Carbon dots are zero-dimensional nanomaterials with fluorescent properties and applicable to the diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer. They potentially enhance detection sensitivity, reduce adverse drug reactions, and improve therapeutic efficacy, thereby providing a new avenue for the management of oral cancer. This paper reviews progress in research on carbon-dot-based strategies for oral cancer diagnosis and treatment and their applications in chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, and immunotherapy. It also explores the feasibility of using carbon dots in oral cancer management and potential development in the biomedical field.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an oral and maxillofacial tumor with a high incidence rate and is a serious threat to human health. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway affects disease progression in va-rious cancer types. Given that this pathway is frequently activated in OSCC, it is a candidate pathway for therapeutic interventions for OSCC. Thus, inhibitors targeting this pathway are currently being developed. This article focuses on current progress in research on this pathway and discusses the recent status of research on drugs targeting it.

Objective This study aims to explore the development trends, research hotspots, and future directions of smart healthcare for oral cancer through bibliometrics, providing a reference for subsequent research. Methods English literature on smart healthcare for oral cancer in Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, and PubMed databases and Chinese literature on the same topic in the CNKI database published in 2003-2023 were retrospectively collected. Meanwhile, the evidence-based visualization and comparative analysis of the countries, institutions, authors, citation frequency, and keywords included in the literature were performed with VOSviewer 1.6.18 software. Results A total of 547 English articles and 34 Chinese documents were included. An increasing trend in publication volume, especially in recent years, was observed. Among countries, the United States was the largest contributor to the field and had close academic exchanges with other countries, whereas cross-border, cross-institutional, and cross-team cooperation was limited in China. Moreover, network structure had regional characteri-stics. In addition, the artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer are a common focus of attention in domestic and foreign literature. English literature focuses on the deep exploration of new diagnostic technologies, whereas Chinese literature tends to explore the application of intelligent health care and traditional Chinese medicine network pharmacology. Conclusion The conti-nuous development of smart healthcare for oral cancer has made the research on its application in artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis, intelligent health care, and traditional Chinese medicine pharmacology increasingly profound. Early warning screening urgently needs to become an important focus of smart healthcare for oral health.Objective　This study aimed to investigate the status of speech function in postoperative patients with oral cancer and analyze the factors affecting speech function. Methods　A total of 180 patients who were admitted Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from December 31, 2021 to March 31, 2023 and met the inclusion criteria were selected as the study subjects. The general information and clinical data questionnaire, Speech Handicap Index (SHI), Speech Articulation Word Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Family Apgar Index (FAI), and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) were used. Results　After oral cancer surgery, the proportion of speech disorder was 70%, and the proportion of speech articulation decreased by 61%. The results of step-by-step linear regression analysis showed that the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression (HADS-D; P=0.009), FAI (P=0.004), SSRS (P=0.039), and radiotherapy (P=0.019) scores entered the regression equation. The total variation in SHI score after oral cancer surgery was explained by 63.8%. T stage (P=0.001), income (P=0.007), alcohol consumption (P=0.001), tumor site (P=0.001), and SSRS (P=0.013) were included in the regression equation, accounting for 55.3% of the total variation in speech articulation after oral cancer surgery.Conclusion　More than half of the patients with postoperative oral cancer have different degrees of impaired speech function, and early prevention, assessment, and intervention for patients should be performed with subjective and objective factors.

Objective This study aims to explore the development trends, research hotspots, and future directions of smart healthcare for oral cancer through bibliometrics, providing a reference for subsequent research. Methods English literature on smart healthcare for oral cancer in Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, and PubMed databases and Chinese literature on the same topic in the CNKI database published in 2003-2023 were retrospectively collected. Meanwhile, the evidence-based visualization and comparative analysis of the countries, institutions, authors, citation frequency, and keywords included in the literature were performed with VOSviewer 1.6.18 software. Results A total of 547 English articles and 34 Chinese documents were included. An increasing trend in publication volume, especially in recent years, was observed. Among countries, the United States was the largest contributor to the field and had close academic exchanges with other countries, whereas cross-border, cross-institutional, and cross-team cooperation was limited in China. Moreover, network structure had regional characteri-stics. In addition, the artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer are a common focus of attention in domestic and foreign literature. English literature focuses on the deep exploration of new diagnostic technologies, whereas Chinese literature tends to explore the application of intelligent health care and traditional Chinese medicine network pharmacology. Conclusion The conti-nuous development of smart healthcare for oral cancer has made the research on its application in artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis, intelligent health care, and traditional Chinese medicine pharmacology increasingly profound. Early warning screening urgently needs to become an important focus of smart healthcare for oral health.

Objective This study aimed to explore the risk factors and prevention strategies of secondary caries in children. Methods A total of 120 children with dental caries who were re-examined 1 year after treatment in the First Affilia-ted Hospital of Zhengzhou University were divided into the secondary group (n=25) and non-secondary group (n=95). The general data, initial diagnosis data, and oral behavior data of the two groups were collected and compared. The risk factors of secondary caries in children with dental caries were analyzed by using logistic regression. Results Significant differences in age, parental education level, family income, filling materials, brushing frequency, parental help to brush teeth, mouthwash after meals, sweets intake times, regular oral review, and use of fluoride toothpaste were found between the secondary caries group and non-secondary caries group (P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the educational level of parents, parental help to brush teeth, mouthwash after meals, brushing frequency, sweets intake times, use of fluoride toothpaste, and filling materials were independent risk factors for secondary caries in children (P<0.05). Conclusion Secondary caries in children have many risk factors. Thus, reducing secondary caries in children is important to strengthen oral health education and develop good oral health habits.

Objective This study aims to investigate the movement dynamics of maxillary anterior teeth during extraction and correction utilizing clear aligner therapy among patients exhibiting distinct vertical facial patterns. Methods Oral and cone beam computed tomography data of the patient’s maxillary anatomy and oral scan data of maxillary dentition were collected. By employing software such as Mimics, Geomagic Studio, and HyperMesh, three vertical facial patterns were established via a three-dimensional finite element model. This model simulated clear aligner adduction of the upper anterior teeth, facilitating analysis of movement trends, sagittal and vertical displacements, alterations in anterior tooth torque, and periodontal ligament equivalent stress. Results Across all vertical facial pattern groups, the teeth exhi-bited migration towards the extraction site, with root displacement inferior to crown displacement and concurrent oblique movement. Vertical and sagittal displacements of maxillary incisors and periodontal ligament effects demonstrated progressive increment from the brachyfacial group to the mesofacial and dolichofacial groups. Conversely, vertical and sagittal displacements of canines, periodontal ligament equiva-lent stress, and torque changes remained consistent. Notably, the dolichofacial group exhibited the highest magnitude, whereas the brachyfacial group displayed the lowest. Conclusion Clear aligner therapy with tooth extraction and correction induces a clockwise moment on the anterior teeth, intensifying sequentially across the brachyfacial, mesofacial, and dolichofacial groups.

Objective This study aimed to explore the risk factors and prevention strategies of secondary caries in children. Methods A total of 120 children with dental caries who were re-examined 1 year after treatment in the First Affilia-ted Hospital of Zhengzhou University were divided into the secondary group (n=25) and non-secondary group (n=95). The general data, initial diagnosis data, and oral behavior data of the two groups were collected and compared. The risk factors of secondary caries in children with dental caries were analyzed by using logistic regression. Results Significant differences in age, parental education level, family income, filling materials, brushing frequency, parental help to brush teeth, mouthwash after meals, sweets intake times, regular oral review, and use of fluoride toothpaste were found between the secondary caries group and non-secondary caries group (P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the educational level of parents, parental help to brush teeth, mouthwash after meals, brushing frequency, sweets intake times, use of fluoride toothpaste, and filling materials were independent risk factors for secondary caries in children (P<0.05). Conclusion Secondary caries in children have many risk factors. Thus, reducing secondary caries in children is important to strengthen oral health education and develop good oral health habits.

Oral and maxillofacial pain considerably affects the quality of life of patients. Local anesthetics play a crucial role in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of pain-related maxillofacial disorders. Along with continuous advancements in theoretical research on the mechanism of local anesthetics, the clinical demand for pain management has gradually escalated, and the development of novel oral local anesthetics has emerged as a research focus. In this article, progress in research into the mechanism of local anesthetics is elaborated, and the clinical application and mechanism of action of local anesthetics and their role in the treatment of various common clinical pain-related diseases were explored. Addi-tionally, the development of novel drugs, new dosage forms, and new drug delivery methods for oral local anesthetics is reviewed. The aim was to provide insights into the mechanism and development of novel oral local anesthetics.

Feeding methods, mainly including breastfeeding and complementary feeding, play an important role in the oral health of infants. Within six months after birth, feeding methods for infants can be divided according to feeding materials: exclusive breastfeeding, mixed feeding, and artificial feeding. As growth and nutritional needs increase, complementary food is added. Responsive feeding is advocated throughout the entire feeding process to establish good dietary habits. The relationship of feeding patterns to the occurrence and development of deciduous tooth caries is complex. Hence, this review focuses on the correlation between feeding methods for infants and on early childhood caries, providing a basis for establishing good feeding patterns for infants and preventing early childhood caries.

As the last line of defense to preserve natural teeth, endodontic microsurgery has attracted considerable inte-rest. The presence of blood affects the correct vision of the apical field and reduces sealing with a filling material, reducing the success rate of microsurgery. Bleeding control throughout the operation is a key and difficult point in clinical opera-tion. This paper summarizes bleeding control before, during, and after microsurgery to provide a reference for clinicians.

Remote-sensing technologies employ sensing instruments to collect, process, and finally image electromagnetic wave information reflected by long-distance targets. In recent years, the cross fusion of remote-sensing and medical technologies has shown broad application prospects in the fields of disease space analysis, fine navigation and posi-tioning, and real-time medical imaging. In combination with artificial intelligence and other technical means, remote-sen-sing technologies are noninvasive and not only facilitate high-precision positioning and lesion diagnosis but also provide early warning of diseases. To provide novel ideas for related research, this paper comprehensively introduces the principles and benefits of remote-sensing imaging technologies, such as infrared thermal, microwave, Terahertz, and hyperspectral imaging technologies, for disease diagnosis and treatment and describes the application status and prospects of common remote-sensing imaging technologies in the diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases, early detection of carious lesion tissues, assessment of oral cancer margins and sweeping ranges, and detection of subtle changes in soft and hard oral tissues.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by periodontal tissue inflammation and alveolar bone resorption. Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a kind of acute phase reactive protein. The level of SAA increases rapidly after the body is stimulated by infection, trauma, inflammation, and so on. Recent research has analyzed the gene regulation, protein structure, and biological functions of SAA, revealing that SAA promotes osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption by modulating the release of inflammatory mediators and the function of immune cells. These findings suggest that SAA is closely linked to the occurrence and progression of periodontitis. Therefore, reviews on the classification, structure, function, and roles of SAA in the pathogenesis of periodontitis are crucial to provide new clues to the pathogene-sis, prevention, and treatment of periodontitis.

Hydrogels are polymeric materials with advantageous properties of facile functionalization and drug encapsulation, rendering them applicable in drug delivery. Compared with regular hydrogels, smart responsive hydrogels are superior drug delivery systems due to their ability to intelligently respond to stimuli and avoid burst drug release in the early stage. These hydrogels can effectively react to microenvironmental alterations in disease conditions or external stimuli, hence enabling precise and timely controlled drug release. In this work, the unique response mechanism of hydrogels responsive to pH, reactive oxygen species, chemical, temperature, magnetic, light and ultrasound and their innovative application in the treatment of various diseases are reviewed. The findings present the frontier progress in this field and point out the development direction of future research.

Polymer-infiltrated-ceramic-network (PICN) composite is a new type of dental restorative material with an interpenetrating network of resin and ceramic phases. It has excellent natural tooth biomimetic properties and good machinability, making it suitable for rapid tooth repair and restoration through chairside computer-aided design/manufactu-ring. Thus, PICN composite has become a hotspot of research and application. Their comprehensive properties (including mechanical and aesthetic properties) can be controlled through appropriate component design, optimized preparation, and surface modification. This work performs a comprehensive review of the research progress on the fabrication of PICN composites, focusing on the state-of-the-art fabrication of porous ceramics, resin infiltration, and curing and providing a fresh perspective on the future development and research emphasis in this field.