Lactation is a special physiological period after delivery. Breast milk is the only source of nutrition for newborns. Any medication taken by the mother may enter the breast milk and have side effects on newborns. Dentists must determine the correct treatment timing and master the guidelines of medication during breastfeeding. This article summari-zes the timing, safety medication, anesthesia, and imaging examination of dental treatment during lactation. It aims to provide an improved solution for treating oral diseases during lactation.

Viral infection is a common disease with a heavy disease burden. Some viral infections are prone to appear or initiate in the oral mucosa, and severe symptoms in other parts of the body may occur without timely treatment. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment of viral stomatitis is significant for reducing the risk of suffering from systemic symptoms. Children are a special group of patients with viral stomatitis, and the manifestations of oral virus infection are diverse. The diagnosis of viral stomatitis in children is based on the clinical manifestations, medical history, and auxiliary examination. Its treatment is mainly based on systemic or local antiviral therapy, supplemented by symptomatic and supportive treatment. Varied treatment approaches are suggested for different types of viral stomatitis. Children are in a pe-riod of rapid growth and development with an incomplete immune system, and the drug metabolism capacity of children is distinct from that of adults. Therefore, the treatment strategy between children and adults significantly differs. Cultivating proper hygiene practices is of utmost importance for the prevention of viral stomatitis in children. Certain types of viral stomatitis can be prevented by vaccination. This article reviews the prevalence, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and treatment progress of common and rare types of viral stomatitis in children.

Objective　This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics as well as the pathological and biological behavior of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) originated from oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) caused by the habit of chewing fresh betel nut. Methods　A total of 247 patients with OSCC who underwent surgical treatment were retrospectively analyzed, including 133 cases of OSCC with OSF caused by the habit of chewing fresh betel nut (OSCC-OSF group) and 114 cases of OSCC without OSF (OSCC group). Clinical data and pathological results of the patients were collected, and the age, sex, lesion location, clinical stage, pathological grade, lymph node metastasis rate, and recurrence rate of the patients were analyzed. SPSS 26.0 was used for data analysis, and differences at P<0.05 were consi-dered statistically significant. Results　The results of this study indicated that the average age of the OSCC-OSF group [(50.68±11.54) years old] was lower than that of the OSCC group [(57.90±12.85) years old]. In addition, the male-to-female ratio in the OSCC-OSF group was higher than that in the OSCC group (6.82∶1 vs 2.16∶1), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Although OSF canceration has a significant effect on the pathological differentiation of OSCC (P<0.05), the pathological differentiation of the OSCC-OSF group was remarkable, and the pathological differentiation of the OSCC group was poor. The recurrence rate of the OSCC-OSF group (19.1%) was lower than that of the OSCC group (31.5%). The 5-year survival rate of the OSCC-OSF group (85.5%) was higher than that of the OSCC group (74.8%), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). However, OSF has no significant effect on the lymph node metastasis rate and clinical stages of OSCC (P>0.05). Conclusion　The OSF patients with OSCC who also have the habit of chewing fresh betel nut were mainly male. The tumors often occurred in the tongue, cheeks, and lips, and the degree of tumor differentiation and prognosis was good.

Objective　This study aimed to investigate the effects of areca nut extract (ANE) on the biological function of human oral epithelial cells. Methods　First, we analyzed the effects of ANE with gradient concentrations on the proli-feration of human oral keratinocytes (HOKs). Next-generation RNA sequencing was used to examine the differential genes between control HOKs and those treated with ANE. Flow cytometry was employed to evaluate the apoptosis and cycle arrest of HOKs. β-galactosidase staining kit was used to detect cell senescence. Immunofluorescence was applied to detect the expression of Ki67 and γH2AX protein in HOKs. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) was utilized to detect the expression of senescence-related phenotypic genes interleukin (IL)-6, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2), and TGFB1. Wes-tern blot was adopted to detect the expression of autophagy-related proteins (LC3-Ⅰ/Ⅱ and p62) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins (SMAD2, p-SMAD2, E-cadherin, and Vimentin). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to detect the expression of exocrine TGFB1 protein in HOKs. Results　Sequencing results showed that ANE caused abnormality in cell cycle, p53, autophagy, FoxO, cellular senescence, and other signal pathways. Flow cytometry showed that ANE induced HOK apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest. The number of senescent cells and the expression of senescent phenotypic secretion genes (IL-6, MMP2, and TGFB1) increased in the ANE group. Compared with those in the control group, the expression levels of γH2AX, LC3-Ⅱ, TGFB1, p-SMAD2, and Vimentin protein increased and those of Ki67, LC3-Ⅰ, and E-cadherin protein decreased in the ANE group. Conclusion　ANE could induce HOK apoptosis, G2/M phase arrest, senescence, DNA double-strand damage, autophagy, and EMT, possibly forming a cell microenvironment that promotes tumor occurrence.

Digital template technology is widely applied in the field of stomatology along with the rapid development of digital technology and 3D printing. Its application in endodontic treatment has expanded in recent years, providing clinicians with more accurate, minimally invasive, and efficient operations. This paper reviews the workflow of digital template technology and the present status of its clinical applications in non-surgical and surgical endodontic treatment.

Endodontic diseases are common in clinical practice, and root canal therapy is the most effective treatment for these illnesses. Access cavity preparation is the first step in endodontic treatment and has an important impact on the success of root canal therapy. With the continuous development of minimally invasive endodontics, minimally invasive modifications to the traditional access cavity design were proposed to preserve as much healthy tooth tissue as possible to improve the fracture resistance of the tooth. However, the design of minimally invasive access cavity also has an impact on the entire endodontic treatment process and may complicate the various steps of root canal therapy. Evidence on the pros and cons of this minimally invasive trend for endodontic treatment is still lacking. Hence, this research reviews the impact of minimally invasive access cavity on root canal therapy.

Apical periodontitis is an inflammation of the periapical area triggered by microbial infection. Root canal microorganisms can directly destroy the alveolar bone in the apical region as well as stimulate inflammation in the periapical tissues, thereby stimulating alveolar bone resorption. Root canal therapy primarily aims to control infection and promote healing of periapical lesions. Root canal irrigation is an important step in root canal therapy, and the ideal root canal irrigation agent should meet these two goals and be less cytotoxic. Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a new antimicrobial method, which uses photothermal agents to convert light energy into heat to control infection, promote bone formation, and inhibit bone resorption. In addition, PTT can form a good synergy with photodynamic therapy (PDT). When being applied to root canal irrigation, PTT could achieve the two goals of root canal therapy. Thus, this article summarized the antibacterial effect of PTT on common microorganisms in infected root canals and its effect and mechanism on bone repair in the apical region. The synergistic effect of PTT and PDT was also initially discussed, which provides a basis for the further application of PTT in root canal irrigation.

The demand for oral titanium implants is growing. Thus, strategies preventing peri-implant disease and improving the success rate of implantation through the surface modification of implants have been extensively studied. The main factor affecting the long-term therapeutic outcome of implants is bone loss due to peri-implantitis. Hence, an ideal implant should have not only good antimicrobial properties but also excellent osseointegration properties. Compared with conventional coatings, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have excellent antimicrobial properties. This paper introduces the pathogenesis of peri-implant diseases and the classification and mechanism of action of AMPs. In addition, existing AMP coatings on implant surfaces are examined in terms of their efficiency in enhancing AMPs, promoting osseointegration, and responding to changes in peri-implant tissues. This study is expected to provide a direction for the optimization of AMP coating research and its clinical translation.

Peri-implantitis is a primary cause of implant failure, and titanium-based implant materials lack antimicro-bial properties. Therefore, enhancing the antimicrobial capability of implants by surface modification and element doping has been identified as an effective and feasible research method to improve the antimicrobial ability of implants and prevent peri-implantitis, thereby enhancing the success rate of dental implants. However, the clinical application of implants with antimicrobial structures is currently limited because of the high production costs, complex processes, and inconsistent antimicrobial effects associated with their fabrication. Moreover, implants with antimicrobial structures, which are used in clinical practice, are limited. Thus, this review classifies implant antibacterial materials and describes their antibacterial mechanisms and antibacterial effects. Furthermore, it summarizes the challenges encountered in antimicrobial material research.

Objective　This study aimed to prepare berberine-loaded coaxial electrospun membranes, evaluate their antibacterial effects against periodontal pathogens, and explore their inhibitory effect on biofilm formation in vitro. Me-thods　Coaxial polycaprolactone/gelatin electrospun membranes loaded with berberine (drug loading capacity of 0.25%, 0.5% and 1.0%, respectively) were fabrica-ted and characterized. The bacteriostatic zone test was used to evaluate the antibacterial effect against Porphyromonas gingivalis (ATCC 33277) and Fusobacterium nucleatum (ATCC 25586). Crystal violet staining, phenol-sulfuric acid method, colony counting method, and live/dead cell staining were used to comprehensively evaluate the inhibitory effect of drug-loaded electrospun membranes on biofilm formation. The cell counting kit-8 and confocal microscopy me-thods was used to evaluate the biocompatibility of electrospun membranes. Results　The berberine-loaded electrospun membranes had stable physicochemical properties, and they could release berberine in vitro. The membranes (drug loa-ding capacity of 1.0%) exhibited efficient antibacterial activity against Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, and inhibited the formation of biofilms in a concentration-dependent manner. The berberine-loaded membranes had good biocompatibility in vitro. Conclusion　The berberine-loaded coaxial electrospun membranes were biocompatible, and they had an antibacterial potential against periodontal pathogens and biofilm formation in vitro. Therefore, it was promising to use berberine-loaded membranes as adjunctive therapy or to prevent postoperative infection.

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is a Gram-negative coccus closely related to chronic periodontitis, and the outer membrane vesicles produced by it play an important role in the pathogenesis of oral diseases as a special vi-rulent factor secretion system. Outer membrane vesicles are nanoscale spherical structures released by bacteria, which are mainly composed of the outer membrane and periplasmic components of bacteria. After being released into the environment, the outer membrane vesicles participate in the copolymerization of various bacteria in the oral cavity and in the formation of a biofilm, and they transport virulence factors to various tissues and organs of the host. The relationship between P. gingivalis outer membrane vesicles and oral diseases has not been systematically expounded in previous studies. In this review, the interaction and mechanism of P. gingivalis outer membrane vesicle virulence protein with the host in common oral diseases were discussed to provide reference for subsequent related research.

Impacted third molars (M3) can result in lesions in adjacent structures, including external root resorption (ERR) of adjacent second molars (M2), which refers to the loss of hard tissue on the outer surface of the root. M2 ERR associated with adjacent impacted M3 can be asymptomatic until the involvement of pulp or even tooth loss. This review summarizes the research progress on the diagnosis, epidemiology, prognosis, and treatment methods of M2 ERR associa-ted with adjacent impacted third molars to provide information for dentists in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease and novel insights for future studies in this field. Results indicate that the direction of the impacted M3 and the contact between the impacted M3 and the adjacent M2 are important risk factors for M2 ERR associated with adjacent impacted M3. Moreover, the following factors should be comprehensively considered for the treatment of M2 ERR associated with adjacent impacted M3, including the degree of ERR, pulp involvement or other combined diseases of M2, utilization va-lue of M3, and personal situation of patients.

Postoperative fistula is one of the complications of cleft-palate repair, affecting oral hygiene, function of language, and mental health. The factors affecting palatal fistula, reconstruction methods, how to reduce its recurrence rate during repair, and how to restore physiological function and aesthetics have become the focus of research on palatal-fistula repair. This article focuses on the factors contributing to the occurrence of palatal fistula, including cleft-palate type, cleft-palate width, reconstructive procedures, and age at the time of repair. Surgical techniques for palatal fistula repair are discussed. Novel materials such as acellular dermal matrix, guided tissue-regeneration membrane, collagen membrane, and minimally invasive approaches to repairing palatal fistula are introduced.

Cephalometry is an indispensable tool in the diagnosis and treatment process of orthodontics. The high-precision localization of cephalometric landmarks is crucial to ensuring the accuracy of clinical orthodontic diagnosis and the correctness of treatment objectives. In clinical practice, doctors usually need to manually annotate these landmarks, which is time consuming and subjective. Over the past few decades, the concept of automated cephalometric landmark identification has emerged with the development of computer-assisted technology, particularly artificial intelligence. This auto-mated identification is gradually being applied in clinical practice. From the knowledge-based method to the model-based and template-based matching method, and subsequently to the current machine-learning and deep-learning methods, the accuracy of artificial intelligence in landmark detection on traditional lateral cephalogram has significantly improved. However, in three-dimensional images with more accurate image data, automatic landmarking remains in its infancy. This article aims to review the progress of research on artificial intelligence in automatic-landmarking algorithm for cephalo-metry, as well as to look forward to its future research directions.

Owing to their complex etiologies, degenerative temporomandibular joint (TMJ) diseases are characterized through the imaging of condylar bone destruction, hyperplasia, sclerosis, cystic changes, or morphological shortening of the condyle. Relevant clinical studies have found that TMJ degenerations are common in patients with skeletal Class Ⅱ or hyperdivergent deformities and those with facial asymmetry. A link has been found between degenerative changes in the condyle and conditions such as articular disk displacement without reduction (DDw/oR) in the TMJ structures. Nevertheless, the causes and effects of the correlation remain unclear. In this work, the relationship between TMJ degenerative changes and craniofacial morphology and the internal structures of the joints were reviewed from an anatomical point of view. Finally, the possible causes of TMJ degenerations were discussed from the biomechanical point of view to provide a reference for clinicians to understand TMJ degenerations and make clinical decisions.