Oral biopsy in mucous membrane pemphigoid and pemphigus vulgaris with gingival expression: the optimal site. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: In order to diagnose mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) and pemphigus vulgaris (PV) with gingival expression, clinical data must be compared with immunohistochemical data obtained using direct immunofluorescence (DIF). It is therefore essential to carry out a good quality mucosal biopsy for this vital additional test. To date, no study has been able to effectively guide clinicians in their choice of oral site for biopsy to guarantee the efficient contribution of DIF to diagnosis. We propose a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis to clarify this issue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic databases and bibliographies of articles were searched in April 2023. The primary outcome was the rate of DIF + contribution to diagnosis according to the location of the oral site biopsied. RESULTS: 16 studies were included. Gingival biopsies showed a rate of DIF + 100% [97%-100%] p = 0.998 I2 = 0.0% with no heterogeneity for PV, and 90.2% [66.5%-100%] p < 0.001 I2 = 89.6% with high heterogeneity for MMP. For the other oral sites, this rate was 95.7% [87.4%- 100%] p = 0.011 I2 = 73.0% with moderate heterogeneity for PV, and 87.4% [70.1%- 98.7%] p < 0.001 I2 = 92.6% with high heterogeneity for MMP. In addition, meta-regression confirmed the significant association between the appearance of the biopsied mucosa and the rate of DIF + in MMP (p < 0.001), with no influence on residual heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: The nature of the oral mucosa biopsied does not influence the rate of DIF + to diagnosis. The choice of biopsy site should only take into account the characteristics of the clinical picture and the benefit/risk balance of the surgical protocol. The sample must be taken in healthy aeras as close as possible of active lesions: on the gingiva if the MMP and PV are strictly gingival, on the alveolar mucosa if the whole gingiva is altered and on any healthy mucosa if a large number of oral sites are affected. CLINICAL TRIALS: CRD42023392345.

Clinical relevance of interdental papilla biopsy in chronic erosive gingivitis (desquamative gingivitis): retrospective bicentric study of 148 specimens.

BACKGROUND: Chronic erosive gingivitis, also called desquamative gingivitis, defines a clinical picture that can be generated by several inflammatory and immune diseases. Pathology is therefore essential for the differential diagnosis. However, when the gingival lesion is initial, exclusive or predominant, selecting the biopsy site and protocol may be problematic due to tissue fragility. Especially since there are few studies on the subject, the aim of our study was to assess the protocol, diagnostic relevance and tolerance of an original protocol using interdental papilla biopsy. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective bicentric study, from October 2011 to July 2019, including all patients with a chronic erosive gingivitis who had received, for diagnostic purposes, a interdental papilla biopsy. RESULTS: The contribution levels for the two hospital departments were 94.7% and 97.1%, respectively. No postoperative complication was recorded in the short or long term. CONCLUSION: The interdental papilla biopsy protocol is perfectly adapted to the anatomopathological examinations required to establish differential diagnosis of chronic erosive gingivitis. This surgical protocol is simple to perform, non iatrogenic with a very good tolerance and and accessible to all clinicians. It is highly efficient with an excellent contribution level. ClinicalTrials NCT04293718 (March 3, 2020). Health Data Hub N° F20201109083211 (November 9, 2020).

Methodological Proposal to Assess Gingival Thickness in Children.

PURPOSE: Inadequate gingival thickness (GT) may lead to gingival recession. Thus, early identification of patients/teeth at risk would be advantageous. In adults, the probe's visibility through the marginal gingiva (reference test) has been considered a reliable criterion to describe a thin gingiva. This study aimed to evaluate in children two more convenient methods: the whitening of the attached gingiva with coronal labial traction (GW test) and the visibility of the gingival blood supply (BS test). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 69 children, the GT of primary and/or permanent central and lateral incisors, first primary molars and/or first premolars was assessed with the three tests. The sensitivity and specificity of the GW and BS tests and their odds ratio with probing were calculated. RESULTS: According to probing, 39% of children in the studied population had thin gingiva. The GW and BS tests reported different percentages of GT compared to probing, except for primary teeth, maxillary permanent incisors and mandibular first premolars, where the GW test exhibited a comparable percentage. The sensitivity of GW and BS tests was 37% and 19%, respectively, when compared to probing, while the specificity was 84% and 96%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The GW and BS tests could be used for first-line diagnosis of thin gingiva; if the results are negative, probing should be implemented.

What are the prevalence and risk factors associated with wire syndrome in dental students? A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Wire syndrome (WS) refers to dental displacements that can be described as aberrant, inaccurate, unexplained, or excessive, on teeth still contained by an intact bonded retainer, without detachment or fracture, leading to evolving dental and periodontal, aesthetic and/or functional consequences. The objective of this study was to define the prevalence rate of mandibular WS and the associated risk factors. METHODS: Participants were dental students who had undergone orthodontic treatment and were wearing an intact fixed mandibular retainer. They completed a 20-item questionnaire, after which an extraoral and intraoral clinical examination was conducted. Participants were assigned to either the non-wire syndrome group or the wire syndrome group by two independent practitioners. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to investigate potential risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 59 students (23.4years±1.7years) were included. Among these, 9 students presented with mandibular WS, resulting in a prevalence rate of 15.25% (95% CI: 6.08%-24.43%). Univariate analysis revealed a significant association between a deep labio-mental fold, a concave profile, and a multi-strand round wire, and an excess risk of WS. The odds ratios were 16.5 (95% CI: 1.9-146.8, P=0.01), 6.4 (95% CI: 1.0-41.0, P=0.05), and 9.0 (95% CI: 1.7-48.7, P=0.01), respectively. Multivariate analysis confirmed these significant associations, except for the concave profile. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence rate of wire syndrome was 15.25%. Two risk factors associated with WS were identified: a deep labio-mental fold and a multi-strand round wire retainer.

Prevalence of the Gingival Phenotype in Adults and Associated Risk Factors: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

The relevance of assessing the gingival phenotype prior to the initiation of periodontal, orthodontic, or prosthetic therapy has been clearly demonstrated. However, publications on this subject are either old or concerned with the means of assessing the gingival phenotype or the main factors likely to modify it. The main objective of this systematic review of the literature was therefore to investigate the prevalence of different gingival phenotypes in adults in good general health and with a healthy periodontium. A systematic review of the literature was performed following the guidelines of PRISMA recommendations using an electronic search strategy on four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Embase) complemented by a manual search. Three independent authors were involved in study selection, data extraction, and bias assessment. Results: Of 807 articles, 17 of them, published between 2012 and 2023, involving 3277 subjects from 11 countries and 9766 dental sites, fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of the gingival phenotype could not be determined at the level of an individual or a dental arch because all the publications assessed this phenotype only at the level of certain dental sectors, and were not chosen at random. The maxillary central incisors and maxillary or mandibular first molar sectors were associated with a high and thick gingival phenotype, independently of the dental morphology, gender, and age of adult subjects. Furthermore, in these regions, this gingival phenotype tended to be associated with a thick vestibular bone table. In contrast, maxillary and mandibular incisors and premolars more often had a thin gingival phenotype. For other teeth, the results were less conclusive. It is important not to rely solely on the overall appearance of the dentition but to independently assess the thickness and height of the gingiva at each dental site requiring intervention. Finally, this study highlights a key point, namely the need for further longitudinal studies to determine the prevalence in healthy adults. For practicality and feasibility reasons, these studies should be designed according to therapeutic needs, dental sector by dental sector, and within homogeneous source populations. PROSPERO registration: CRD 42023392602.

Periodontal and microbiological data in patients with mucous membrane pemphigoid in a French population in 2021-2022: A pilot cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: In the case of mucous membrane pemphigoid with gingival expression (gMMP), the complete healing of the gingiva is generally not achieved despite medical treatment. Therefore, patients' oral comfort is impaired. The dysbiotic periodontal microbiota, generated by a lack of oral hygiene associated with persistent gingival pain, could the immunopathological mechanism to persist. The main objective of this study was to characterize the subgingival microbiota of the gMMP patients, and to highlight a potential link between this microbiological data and the clinical data. Methods: Subgingival biofilm was collected from 15 gMMP patients, medically treated or not, but not receiving periodontal treatment. The usual clinical periodontal parameters were recorded. The biofilm was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction quantitative. The risk factors of severe erosive gingivitis and severe periodontitis were assessed using Chi-square or Fischer's exact test were used. Results: Whatever the medical and periodontal conditions of the patients, the results showed the existence of three main communities of periodontopathic, dysbiotic bacteria. The first including Tannnerella forsythia, Peptostreptococcus micros, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Campylobacter rectus, was found in 100% of the patients, the second enriched with Treponema denticola in 60% and the third enriched with Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia in 26%. Furthermore, there was a significant positive link between the duration of gMMP and the severity of erosive gingivitis (p = 0.009), and the loss of deep periodontal tissue (p = 0.04). Conclusion: This pilot study suggests a high periodontal risk in gMMP patients. The pathological processes, autoimmune on the one hand and plaque-induced on the other, may amplify each other. The application of periodontal therapy is therefore necessary in parallel with medical treatment. Nevertheless, further controlled studies are required to validate and complement these preliminary results.

Does the oral microbiota evolve differently during orthodontic treatment with vestibular multi-attachment fixed appliances versus aligners? A systematic review of the literature / Est-ce que le microbiote oral évolue différemment lors d'un traitement orthodontique par appareil fixe multi-attache vestibulaire versus par aligneurs ? Une revue systématique de la littérature.

Introduction: Oral microbiota of patients is impacted during orthodontic treatment. The objective of this systematic review was to observe the evolution of oral microbiota (primary objective) and periodontal health (secondary objective) during orthodontic treatment, and to compare these changes during treatment with vestibular fixed appliances and aligners. Materials and Methods: In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, an electronic search was performed in four databases until January 2022, completed by a manual search, including all prospective controlled studies, randomized or not, on the subject. Two independent authors were involved in the selection of studies, and a third author was consulted in case of disagreement. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool and ROBINS-I tool was used to assess the risk-of-bias in randomized and non-randomized trials, respectively. Finally, the risk of bias graphs were made with the robvis visualization tool. Results: Out of the 994 results obtained from these searches, 11 eligible articles were included (4 randomized clinical trials and 7 non-randomized controlled studies) with varying levels of bias. Results suggested that patients treated with aligner appliances have more favorable microbial flora and less biofilm mass during their treatment compared with those treated with fixed appliances. In addition, inflammatory marker cytokines and periodontal indices were higher in fixed orthodontic treatment compared to aligners treatment. Conclusion: Considering the limitations of this systematic review of the literature, the results suggested that aligners have a more favorable impact on the oral microbiota and periodontium compared to vestibular fixed appliances. PROSPERO registration: CRD42022276486.

Introduction: Il est désormais reconnu que le microbiote oral des patients est impacté au cours du traitement orthodontique. L'objectif de cette revue systématique était d'observer l'évolution du microbiote oral (objectif principal) et de la santé parodontale (objectif secondaire) lors du traitement orthodontique, et de comparer ces modifications lors du traitement par appareils multi-attaches vestibulaires et par aligneurs. Matériels et méthodes: Conformément aux directives PRISMA, une recherche électronique a été réalisée dans quatre bases de données jusqu'à janvier 2022, complétée par une recherche manuelle, incluant toutes les études prospectives contrôlées, randomisées ou non, sur le sujet. Deux auteurs indépendants ont été impliqués dans la sélection des études et un troisième auteur a été sollicité en cas de désaccord. L'outil The Cochrane Collaboration's tool et l'outil ROBINS-I ont été utilisés pour évaluer le risque de biais dans les essais randomisés et non randomisés, respectivement. Finalement, les graphiques des risques de biais ont été réalisés avec l'outil robvis. Résultats: Parmi les 994 résultats issus de ces recherches, onze articles éligibles ont été inclus, comprenant quatre essais cliniques randomisés et sept études contrôlées non randomisées, avec des niveaux de biais variables. Les résultats suggèrent que les patients traités par gouttières orthodontiques présentent une flore microbienne plus favorable, ainsi qu'une masse de biofilm moins élevée au cours du traitement par rapport à ceux traités par appareils fixes multi-attaches. De plus, les cytokines marqueuses d'inflammation et les indices parodontaux étaient plus importants lors des traitements orthodontiques par appareils multi-attaches. Conclusion: Tenant compte des limites associées à cette revue systématique de la littérature, les résultats semblent suggérer que les aligneurs ont un impact plus favorable sur le microbiote oral et sur le parodonte que les appareils fixes multi-attaches. Enregistrement PROSPERO : CRD42022276486.

Ewing's Sarcoma of Mandible: A Case Report with Review of Literature.

Background: Ewing sarcoma (ES), a rare malignancy, comprises whatever the age, 4-15% of all primary bone tumors. It represents 1% of all malignant tumors in children and is the fourth most common bone malignancy after myeloma, osteosarcoma, and chondrosarcoma. Case description: A 12-year-old boy came to the Oral Surgery Department of Bretonneau Hospital referred by his dentist with a rapidly evolving swelling in the left mandibula for 6 weeks, which was initially diagnosed as a facial cellulitis. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) showed a poorly defined, expansile, and osteolytic tumor on the left side of the mandible. Clinical and radiographic findings were in favor of an aggressive primitive bone tumor. A mandibular biopsy under general anesthesia was performed in the Department of Surgical Oncology at Institut Curie in Paris, revealing an ES. Conclusion: Mandibular ES can mimic dental infections when swelling is the main clinical manifestation, which can lead to a delayed diagnosis. A correlation between clinical, radiological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical with cytogenetics is needed to confirm the diagnosis. Moreover, smaller tumors have better survival.Dentists must therefore be aware of the clinical signs of ES in order to quickly refer patients to a specialized department. How to cite this article: Bellut N, Lutz CM, Lesnik M, et al. Ewing's Sarcoma of Mandible: A Case Report with Review of Literature. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2024;17(2):187-190.

Patient's and Practionner's Experiences of a First Face-to-Face vs. Remote Orthodontic Consultation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

(1) Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess patients' and practitioners' reported experience measures (PREMs) following a first standard orthodontic consultation (face-to-face consultation) versus a first orthodontic teleconsultation (video-assisted remote orthodontic consultation).; (2) Materials and Methods: This study was designed as a randomized controlled trial in which 60 patients were randomly allocated to two groups. In the control group, patients received a first face-to-face consultation (n = 30) whereas, in the test group, patients received a first orthodontic teleconsultation (n = 30). Patients as well as the orthodontic practitioners completed questionnaires after the experience. (3) Results: From the patients' point of view, overall satisfaction was comparable between the control group and the test group (p = 0.23). Quality of communication with the clinician, understanding of the explanations provided and a sense of privacy were also comparable between the two groups. However, from the practitioners' perspective, overall satisfaction after the face-to-face consultation was significantly higher than after the first remote consultation (p < 0.01). (4) Conclusions: In the context of a first orthodontic consultation, teleorthodontics appears to be an interesting and complementary approach to a classical face-to-face appointment, but which should by no means become systematic.

Importance of Early Detection of Wire Syndrome: A Case Series Illustrating the Main Stages of the Clinical Gradient.

(1) Context and Objective: Wire syndrome (WS) refers to dental displacements which can be qualified as aberrant, unexpected, unexplained, or excessive of teeth still contained by an intact orthodontic retainer wire without detachment or fracture, leading to evolving aesthetic and/or functional consequences, both dental and periodontal. The clinical diagnosis of WS in severe cases is often easy. On the other hand, emerging cases must be detected early to stop this evolutionary process as soon as possible, as well as to effectively manage unwanted dental displacements and associated dento-periodontal tissue repercussions. The aim of this retrospective study was to understand the challenges and importance of early diagnosis, highlight the clinical gradient of WS, and clarify the key elements of diagnosis for many practitioners confronted with this type of problem. (2) Materials and Methods: Three cases of increasing complexity were described: the history of wire syndrome, a description of the key elements of its diagnosis, and the final diagnosis itself. (3) Results: Different types and locations of wire syndrome have been observed, from early form to terminal wire syndrome. The three main stages of the clinical gradient are described as follows. In the first case, wire syndrome starting on tooth 41, called the "X-effect" type, was suspected. X-effect wire syndrome on 21, X-effect wire syndrome on 41, and Twist-effect wire syndrome on 33 were diagnosed in the second case, which can be classified as an intermediate case. In the extreme clinical situation of the last case, severe and terminal wire syndrome on tooth 41, the X-effect type, was observed. (4) Conclusions: This case series presents the main stages of the clinical gradient of WS. Although in the case of early WS it is very difficult to identify and/or differentiate it from movements related to a classical relapse phenomenon, the diagnosis of terminal WS is very easy. The challenge for the practitioner is therefore to detect WS as early as possible to stop the iatrogenic process and propose a personalized treatment depending on the severity of clinical signs. The earlier WS is detected, the less invasive the treatment.

Oral health status in patients with inherited epidermolysis bullosa: a comparative multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a rare genetic mucocutaneous disorder characterized by epithelial fragility leading to blister formation on skin and mucous membranes with even minor mechanical trauma. Most EB oral health publications give fragmented information, focusing on only one oral health aspect or one EB type. The aim of this study was to expand the knowledge of the overall oral health status of individuals with dystrophic, junctional, and simplex EB. METHOD AND MATERIALS: A comparative multicenter study, including a control group, and based on questionnaires and clinical examinations, was undertaken in three EB expert centers. RESULTS: Most EB (90.2%) participants brushed their teeth at least once a day despite the pain. The prevalence of enamel defects and caries experience did not differ between the 42 EB participants and the 42 age-/sex-matched healthy controls. Gingival inflammation unrelated to dental plaque accumulation was found in EB participants. Blisters, erythema, and erosion/ulceration mainly involved gingiva, buccal mucosa, lips, and palate, with different topographic patterns according to EB type. EB patients whatever the age showed a similar lesion distribution. Simplex and dystrophic EB patients under 12 years old displayed higher lesion severity than junctional EB ones. Only dystrophic type exhibited microstomia and ankyloglossia. CONCLUSION: Oral health status seemed to benefit from a close collaboration between dental practitioner and dermatologist, and from regular dental examination, starting at a young age and with a focus on prevention. The new appreciation of oral health involvement highlighted by this study is essential for EB patients care, regarding comorbidities and quality of life.

"Wire Syndrome" Following Bonded Orthodontic Retainers: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

(1) Background and objective: Tooth movements described as unexplained, aberrant, unexpected, unwanted, or undesirable can occur in the presence of an intact orthodontic retention wire, without detachment or fracture. This iatrogenic phenomenon, known little or not by many practitioners, responsible for significant dental and periodontal complications, both functional and aesthetic, is called "Wire Syndrome" (WS). It is therefore considered an undesirable event of bonded orthodontic retainers, which must be differentiated from an orthodontic relapse. The objective was to perform, for the first time, a systematic review of the literature in order to define the prevalence of WS and to study its associated clinical characteristics. (2) Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed following the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and recommendations using an electronic search strategy on four databases complemented by a manual search. All the prospective and retrospective clinical studies, including case reports and series, written in English or French, clearly mentioning the description, detection, or management of WS were included. Three independent blinding review authors were involved in study selection, data extraction, and bias assessment using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). (3) Results: Of 1891 results, 20 articles published between 2007 and 2021 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, with a globally high risk of bias since 16 articles were case report/series. The analysis of each article allowed the highlighting of WS through 13 categories, as follows: prevalence, apparition delay, patient characteristics, arch and tooth involved, families of movements, dental and periodontal consequences, type of wire, risk factors, etiologies, treatment, and preventive approach. (4) Conclusion: This systematic review of the literature elaborated a synthesis on WS, allowing general practitioners, periodontists, and orthodontists to understand this adverse event, to facilitate the diagnostic approach, and to underline preventive measures against WS. This review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; number CRD42021269297).

Relevance of teleorthodontic tools: a systematic review of the literature / Pertinence des outils de téléorthodontie : une revue systématique de la littérature

Introduction: The concept of teleorthodontics was recently born; the Covid-19 crise has participated to the emergence and the amplification of this phenomenon. Objective: The main aim of the present systematic review was to evaluate the teleorthodontics relevance. Method: An electronic and manual search was performed in four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Cochrane Library) up to December 2021 according to PRISMA guidelines. Both prospective and retrospective studies, as well as case reports, case series and satisfaction surveys published in English or in French without time restriction were included. Two independant reviewers were involved in the selection of the studies and a third reviewer was required in case of disagreement. A bias assessment was performed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tools. Results: Out of 1757 articles, 22 articles published mainly between 2019 and 2021 and with varying levels of evidence, were included. Considering the results obtained, different concepts were discussed (time management, quality of communication, reliability and use of tools, satisfaction, quality of human relations, emergency management, compliance). Conclusions: Teleorthodontics is an interesting and complementary tool that is, in no way, a systematic alternative to face-to-face orthodontic appointments in the office. However, many essential aspects of telemedicine in orthodontics, such as data protection, still need to be investigated in order to fully analyze this tool.

Introduction: Le concept de téléorthodontie a récemment vu le jour ; la crise de la Covid-19 a fortement participé à l'émergence et à l'amplification de ce phénomène. Objectif: L'objectif premier de cette revue systématique de la littérature était d'évaluer la pertinence de la téléorthodontie. Méthode: Une recherche électronique a été menée dans quatre bases de données (PubMed, Scopus, Embase et Cochrane Library), complétée par une recherche manuelle jusqu'à fin décembre 2021 conformément aux directives PRISMA. Tous types d'études cliniques, prospectives ou rétrospectives, y compris les rapports et les séries de cas ainsi que les enquêtes de satisfaction publiées en anglais ou en français sans restriction de temps, ont été inclus. Deux auteurs indépendants ont été impliqués dans la sélection des études et un troisième auteur a été sollicité en cas de désaccord. Une évaluation des biais a été réalisée à partir du Mixed Methods Appraisal Tools. Résultats: Sur les 1757 articles, 22 articles, publiés majoritairement entre 2019 et 2021 et de niveaux de preuve variables, ont été inclus. Tenant compte des résultats obtenus, différentes notions ont pu être discutées (gestion du temps, qualité de la communication, fiabilité des outils, facilité d'utilisation, satisfaction, qualité du rapport humain, gestion des urgences, observance). Conclusions: La téléorthodontie est un outil intéressant et complémentaire à une approche classique pour certaines indications. Cependant, elle ne constitue en aucun cas une alternative systématique aux rendez-vous orthodontiques en présentiel au cabinet. De nombreux aspects pourtant essentiels (protection des données, etc.) doivent être encore investigués pour analyser pleinement cet outil.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Periodontal Disease: A Complex Clinical and Biological Interplay.

Reports on the association of periodontal disease (PD) with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have regularly been published. PD is a set of chronic inflammatory conditions linked to a dysbiotic microbial biofilm, which affects the periodontal tissues, resulting eventually in their destruction and contributing to systemic inflammation. SLE is a multi-system chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that has a wide range of clinical presentations, touching multiple organ systems. Many epidemiological studies have investigated the two-way relationship between PD and SLE, though their results are heterogeneous. SLE and PD are multifactorial conditions and many biological-based hypotheses suggest common physiopathological pathways between the two diseases, including genetics, microbiology, immunity, and environmental common risk factors. By focusing on recent clinical and translational research, this review aimed to discuss and give an overview of the relationship of SLE with PD, as well as looking at the similarities in the immune-pathological aspects and the possible mechanisms connecting the development and progression of both diseases.

Lupinus albus, a novel vegetable extract with metalloproteinase inhibitory properties: a potential periodontal therapy.

BACKGROUND: In this study we examine the properties of a vegetable extract from seeds of Lupinus albus (LU 105). In previous works we demonstrated that LU 105 reduced the expression, by gingival fibroblasts, of both matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9. We decided to study the impact of LU 105 on cell proliferation and morphology. Using organ culture media we also studied the MMP and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (timp) expression AND THE cytokines secretion. METHODS: Healthy and inflamed gingival biopsies were placed in appendage culture with or without LU 105. The organ culture media were analyzed using Western blottings (MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-7, MMP-9, MMP-13, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2) and gelatine zymography. A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was also performed on healthy and inflamed gingival biopsies, which were maintained in culture with or without LU 105 0.1%. Then, we decided to determine the amount of cytokines present in the organ culture media such as interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-4, IL-6, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. RESULTS: When gingival biopsies derived from inflamed tissues were cultured with LU 105 0.1% in the culture media, the MMP and TIMP expression and activity decreased significantly when compared to cultures without LU 105. Moreover, we did not note any statistical difference in the cell proliferation compared with human gingival fibroblast cultures without LU 105. Furthermore, IL-1 beta, IL-6, TGF-beta, and TNF-alpha amounts in the culture media decreased significantly, whereas IL-4 increased significantly when LU 105 0.1% was added to the culture media. CONCLUSION: LU 105, a novel metalloproteinase inhibitor with few consequences on cell proliferation and morphology, is a vegetable extract with potential clinical capacity.