Whole-Process Digitalization-Assisted Immediate Implant Placement and Immediate Restoration in the Aesthetic Zone: A Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND This study explored the clinical effects of whole-process digitalization (WD)-assisted immediate implant placement (IIP) and immediate restoration (IR) in the aesthetic zone and clarified the clinical procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients who received maxillary aesthetic region IIP and IR treatment were randomly distributed into WD-assisted and conventional groups. Postoperative assessment included implant accuracy, marginal bone loss, aesthetic evaluation, and patient satisfaction evaluation. The aesthetic evaluation included visual analog score (VAS), pink aesthetic score (PES), and white aesthetic score (WES). Numerical data, measurement data, and grade data were analyzed by χ² test, t test, and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS The WD-assisted group exhibited decreased implant accuracy, including coronal deviation, apical deviation, angular deviation, and depth deviation, compared with the conventional group (P<0.05). The marginal bone loss in both the mesiodistal direction and the buccolingual direction were significantly lower in the WD-assisted group than in the conventional group (P<0.05). The VAS, PES, and WES were all significantly higher in the WD-assisted group than in the conventional group at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery (P<0.05). Patients in the WD-assisted group also reported a higher satisfaction level than those in the conventional group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS WD-assisted IIP and IR treatment in the aesthetic zone increased implant accuracy, decreased marginal bone loss, improved aesthetic effect, and increased patient satisfaction compared with conventional treatment. Therefore, WD-assisted IIP and IR treatment constitutes a promising approach in clinical oral implantology.

LncRNA NORAD facilitates oral squamous cell carcinoma progression by sponging miR-577 to enhance TPM4.

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be vital factors to affect the expression of genes and proteins. Also, it has been proved that the abnormal expression or mutation of lncRNAs stands as a signal of metastasis and proliferation of cancer. Nevertheless, the majority of lncRNAs still need to be explored in abundant cancers especially in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODS: RT-qPCR assays were applied to test the expression of RNAs. Mechanism assays were performed to verify the combination among NORAD, TPM4 and miR-577. Also, functional assays were conducted to verify the function of RNAs on OSCC cells. RESULTS: LncRNA NORAD was highly expressed in OSCC tissues and cells. NORAD silencing repressed the biological behaviors of OSCC cells. MiR-577 was found in OSCC with low expression, and RIP assays illustrated that NORAD, miR-577 and TPM4 coexisted in RNA-induced silencing complexes. Rescue assays proved that the overexpression of TPM4 could recover the effect of NORAD silencing on OSCC progression. CONCLUSIONS: It was revealed that NORAD functioned as a tumor promoter to sponge miR-577 thus elevating TPM4 in OSCC, which indicated that NORAD was worthy to be studied as a target for the treatment of OSCC.