Bilge Cansu Uzun Saylan

Aims: The local and systemic effects of an elderberry-enriched carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCht-E) gel formulation were evaluated in an experimental rat gingival defect model.Methods: Twenty-one male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three experimental groups, including a sham group, a CMCht gel group, and a CMCht-E gel group, with seven animals in each group. Standardized gingival defects measuring 3 mm in diameter were surgically created in the mandibular incisor region. Sham defects were irrigated with normal saline only, whereas experimental defects were treated with CMCht or CMCht-E gel. Local tissue responses were evaluated by macroscopic and histological analyses, and systemic effects were assessed using hematological and serum biochemical parameters. Results: Histological analysis revealed a significant intergroup difference in epithelial thickness (p0.05). Hematological and biochemical parameters showed no significant intergroup differences (p>0.05). Conclusion: The elderberry-enriched CMCht gel showed favorable histological healing without inflammatory infiltration or systemic adverse effects, supporting its potential as a locally well-tolerated topical biomaterial with anti-inflammatory properties for gingival wound applications.

The interaction between biomaterials and biological fluids plays a critical role in determining the swelling behavior, biodegradation profile, and integration capacity of scaffolds used in periodontal and peri-implant tissue engineering. This study aimed to analyze the pore structure and weight changes of an elderberry (Sambucus nigra) extract-enriched carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCht-E) biomaterial following exposure to various biological fluids, including normal saline, serum, heparinized blood, and saliva. CMCht-E biomaterial discs were incubated for 24 and 72 hours in normal saline, rat serum, heparinized blood, and saliva. Fluid–biomaterial interactions were evaluated based on microscopic pore diameter measurements and changes in sample weight. Data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA and paired t-tests (p0.05). At 72 hours, the greatest weight gain was observed in the saliva group, whereas the largest pore diameter was recorded in the blood group (p<0.001). Changes in pore diameter were minimal in the normal saline group. Microscopic analyses revealed pore coalescence and enlargement, particularly in blood and saliva environments. The CMCht-E biomaterial exhibited structure- and volume-responsive behavior depending on the characteristics of the biological fluid it interacted with. These findings support its potential for functional optimization based on the target application, reinforcing its clinical relevance in terms of controlled degradation, cellular infiltration, and tissue integration.

Laboratory rats are indispensable experimental animal models used instead of humans. In translational medicine research, the life period of the animal model must be similar to the human life period in which the research question arose for the validity and applicability of research results. In this study, we aimed to examine the laboratory rats used instead of humans during postnatal lactation, childhood, adolescence, preadolescence, and young adult life periods while also contributing to laboratory animal science. Life periods, which are years for humans, are expressed in days for laboratory rats. Therefore, if researchers do not perform experimental procedures in the animal life period appropriate for the human life period in which the research questions arise, the research results will not be valid, and applicable information cannot be obtained. Because each animal shows anatomical and physiological changes specific to its life period, in laboratory rats, the upper and lower incisors emerge in the first 8-10 days after birth, and the prematüre period is completed. In the 30-day period after birth, laboratory rats complete the lactation period and childhood period and reach a body weight of approximately 12 times their birth body weight. In addition, there was no significant difference between male and female rat pups regarding head length, head width, jaw width, and incisor length/width measurements up to 30 days after birth. In contrast, these measurements were higher in male rat pups than female pups after the 30th day (p<0.05). It was determined that the effects of pubertal physiological changes in male rats began to be seen after 30 days after birth. In connection with this, this situation should be taken into consideration when evaluating and interpreting the effects of experimental procedures in both pediatric animal models and adult rat models.

The assessment of alveolar bone loss, a crucial element of the periodontium, plays a vital role in the diagnosis of periodontitis and the prognosis of the disease. In dentistry, artificial intelligence (AI) applications have demonstrated practical and efficient diagnostic capabilities, leveraging machine learning and cognitive problem-solving functions that mimic human abilities. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of AI models in identifying alveolar bone loss as present or absent across different regions. To achieve this goal, alveolar bone loss models were generated using the PyTorch-based YOLO-v5 model implemented via CranioCatch software, detecting periodontal bone loss areas and labeling them using the segmentation method on 685 panoramic radiographs. Besides general evaluation, models were grouped according to subregions (incisors, canines, premolars, and molars) to provide a targeted evaluation. Our findings reveal that the lowest sensitivity and F1 score values were associated with total alveolar bone loss, while the highest values were observed in the maxillary incisor region. It shows that artificial intelligence has a high potential in analytical studies evaluating periodontal bone loss situations. Considering the limited amount of data, it is predicted that this success will increase with the provision of machine learning by using a more comprehensive data set in further studies.

The pathophysiology of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and associated oral symptoms have not been clarified yet. The aim of the present study was to compare the oral health status of children with MIS-C-associated Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and COVID-19. A total of 54 children with SARS-CoV-2 infection, 23 with MIS-C-associated COVID-19 and 31 with asymptomatic, mild, and moderate COVID-19 were recruited for the present cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic variables, medical examinations, oral hygiene habits, and extraoral and intraoral findings (DMFT/dmft index, OHI scores, and oral mucosal changes) were recorded. The t-test for independent samples and the Mann-Whitney U test were used (p < 0.05). MIS-C was found to be associated with chapped lips (all patients) and oral mucosal changes, including erythema, white lesion, strawberry tongue, and swelling of the gingiva as compared to the COVID-19 group (frequency of more than one mucosal change: 100% vs. 35%) (p < 0.001). Children with MIS-C presented higher DMFT/dmft scores (DMFT/dmft 5.52 ± 3.16 for the MIS-C group vs. 2.26 ± 1.80 for the COVID-19 group) (p < 0.01). Elevated OHI scores were also associated with MIS-C (mean ± SD: 3.06 ± 1.02 (MIS-C) vs. 2.41 ± 0.97 (COVID-19) (p < 0.05). Oral manifestations, mainly strawberry and erythematous tongue, were characteristic features of MIS-C. Prevalence of oral/dental symptoms was elevated in children with MIS-C when compared to COVID-19. Therefore, dental professionals should be aware of the oral manifestations associated with MIS-C, which may have high mortality and morbidity rates.

Objectives: The goal of the study is to evaluate the results of Titanium-Platelet rich fibrin (T-PRF) membrane and Connective Tissue Graft (CTG) with modified coronally advanced tunnel technique (MCATT) in treatment of deep gingival recession defects. Methods: Twenty-one systemically healthy patients displaying 62 Miller Class I/II gingival recession defects ≥ 3.0 mm in depth were treated with MCATT with CTG or T-PRF membrane were included in this retrospective study. The periodontal parameters were assessed at baseline, 6 and 36 months after surgery. The percentages of the mean root coverage (MRC) and complete root coverage (CRC) were calculated. Results: The baseline probing depth values were reduced at 36 months according to baseline for both groups (p

Tr en Amaç: Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori), bir gram (-), mikroaerofilik bakteri olup, kronik aktif gastrit ve peptik ülserin etyolojik faktörüdür. Bazı çalışmalar, bu bakterinin, oral kavitede bulunduğunda, mide için potansiyel rezervuar olabileceğini göstermiştir. Çeşitli çalışmalar, H. pylori'nin kronik periodontitisli hastaların tükrük ve subgingival plaklarında görülebileceğini göstermiştir. Bununla birlikte agresif periodontitis hastaları ile ilgili herhangi bir veri yoktur. Bu çalışmada, kronik, agresif periodontitis ve gingivitis hastalarının subgingival plak örneklerinde H. pylori prevalansını saptamayı ve hastaların gastrik problemler konusunda bilinçlenmesini arttırmayı amaçladık. Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu çalışma, gastrik hastalık semptomu olmayan ve son 3 ayda antibiyotik kullanmayan 155 hasta (61 adet gingivitis, 60'ı kronik periodontitisli ve 34 agresif periodontitisli) içermekteydi. Subgingival plak örnekleri steril paper point kullanılarak alındı. H. pylori, A. actinomycetemcomitans ve P. gingivalis'in varlığı RT-PCR ile tespit edildi. Bulgular: Mikrobiyolojik analizin sonunda herhangi bir grupta H. pylori tespit edilmedi. Bununla birlikte, agresif periodontit grubunda yüksek oranda A. actinomycetemcomitans (%97.1) ve P. gingivalis (%100) görülmüştür. Bununla birlikte, A. actinomycetemcomitans ve P. gingivalis, kronik periodontitisli hastaların sırasıyla %30 ve %21.7'sinde bulunmuştur. A. actinomycetemcomitans ve P. gingivalis gingivitisli hastaların %24.6'sında bulundu. Sonuç: H. pylori, örneklerde saptanmamış olması, subgingival plağın bu bakteri için birincil rezervuar olmayabileceğini gösterdi. Objectives:  Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori) is a Gram (-), microaerophilic bacteria and the etiological factor of chronic active gastritis and peptic ulcer. Some studies indicated that this bacterium found at oral cavity which is a potential reservoir for stomach. Several studies showed that H. pylori may found in saliva and subgingival plaque of chronic periodontitis patients. However, there is no data related to aggressive periodontitis patients. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of H. pylori in subgingival plaque samples of chronic, aggressive periodontitis and gingivitis patients and to increase the awareness of the patients for gastric problems. Materials and Methods : This study included 155 patients (61 with gingivitis, 60 with chronic periodontitis, and 34 with aggressive periodontitis) who did not have gastric disease symptom and did not use antibiotics in the last 3 months. The subgingival plaque samples were taken using sterile paper points. The existence of H. pylori, A. actinomycetemcomitans, and P. gingivalis was detected by RT-PCR. Results: H. pylori was not detected in any groups at the end of microbiological analysis. However, a high occurrence of A. actinomycetemcomitans (97.1%) and P. gingivalis (100%) was observed in the aggressive periodontitis group. However, A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis were found in 30% and 21.7% of patients, respectively, with chronic periodontitis. A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis were found in 24.6% of patients in the gingivitis group. Conclusions: H. pylori were not detected in samples, indicating that subgingival plaque may not be a primary reservoir for this bacterium.