Does the use of natural products for endodontic therapy in primary teeth have sufficient evidence for clinical practice? A scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: The use of natural products for pulp therapy has experienced a remarkable advancement in recent years. The aim was to provide a critical appraisal of the safety and efficacy of natural products for endodontic therapy in primary teeth and verify whether their uses in clinical practice have sufficient evidence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two reviewers searched ten databases (Cochrane, DOSS, Embase, Google Scholar, LILACS, OpenGrey, Proquest, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) until January 2022, identifying references that evaluated the safety and efficacy of the use of natural products for endodontic therapy in primary teeth. Cohort, randomized, and non-randomized clinical trials were included. RESULTS: A total of 3583 references were initially identified. From the 63 studies retrieved for full-text reading, 37 fulfilled the selection criteria and were included in the qualitative analysis. The studies investigated 19 natural products for pulpotomy medicament, irrigating solution, intracanal medication, and root canal filling material. Most studies showed similar efficacy of natural products and their control groups; however, many methodological biases and concerns about the safety and efficacy of natural products were identified, questioning their clinical applicability. CONCLUSIONS: The included studies provided insufficient evidence to support safe and effective clinical application of natural products for endodontic therapy in primary teeth. Future well-designed studies with representative samples are needed to support the use of natural products for endodontic therapy in primary teeth. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of natural products for endodontic therapy in primary teeth requires caution by clinicians, due to the insufficient available evidence.

Association between Orthodontic Force and Dental Pulp Changes: A Systematic Review of Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Orthodontic force triggers a sequence of biological responses that can affect dental pulp. The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the clinical and radiographic findings of orthodontic force application on dental pulp. METHODS: Two reviewers comprehensively and systematically searched 6 electronic databases (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences [LILACS], Embase, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) and the gray literature (Google Scholar, OpenGrey, and ProQuest) until April 2021. According to the PICOS criteria, randomized clinical trials and observational studies that evaluated clinical or radiographic findings compatible with dental pulp changes due to orthodontic force were included. Studies in open apex or traumatized teeth, case series or reports, and laboratory-based or animal studies were excluded. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool were used to determine the risk of bias assessment. The overall certainty level was evaluated with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations tool. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies were included. Among the clinical findings, orthodontic force promoted an increased pulp sensibility response and decreased pulp blood flow. Changes in pulp cavity volume and increased incidence of pulp stones were the radiographic findings observed. The studies presented a moderate risk of bias for most of the domains. The certainty of the evidence was considered very low. CONCLUSIONS: Orthodontic force promoted changes in the dental pulp, generating clinical and radiographic findings. It is crucial to know these changes so that orthodontic mechanics can be safely performed. The clinician has effective noninvasive methods to assess the health and possible pulp changes during orthodontic treatment.

The use of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of oral diseases.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) have been reported to exert important roles in the inflammatory response. There are many inflammatory diseases in dentistry which support the administration of ω-3 PUFAs as an adjunct therapy during the treatment of these diseases. The aim of this review was to evaluate the use of ω-3 PUFAs as an adjuvant therapy during the treatment of buccal diseases. The review showed that supplementation with ω-3 PUFAs was used for treatment of gingivitis, periodontal diseases, apical periodontitis, stomatitis, and orthodontic tooth movement. The results indicate that ω-3 PUFAs decreased the number of pro-inflammatory mediators in the gingival tissues of individuals with gingivitis and periodontitis. In apical periodontitis, the supplementation suppressed bone resorption and promoted bone formation in the periapical area of rats. During orthodontic movement, the supplementation showed a decrease of bone resorption in rats. It also showed that painful symptoms of recurrent aphthous stomatitis were alleviated in supplemented patients. In conclusion, the ω-3 PUFAs may be used as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of inflammatory diseases that affect the oral cavity. However, more studies are required to elucidate the role of ω-3 PUFAs in decreasing oral cavity inflammatory processes.

Effect of orthodontic force on dental pulp histomorphology and tissue factor expression.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of orthodontic force on histomorphology and tissue factor expression in the dental pulp. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two reviewers comprehensively and systematically searched the literature in the following databases: Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences, Embase, Cochrane, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Grey literature (Google Scholar, OpenGrey, and ProQuest) up to September 2020. According to the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, Studies criteria, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and observational studies that evaluated the effects of orthodontic force on dental pulp were included. Case series/reports, laboratory-based or animal studies, reviews, and studies that did not investigate the association between orthodontic force and pulpal changes were excluded. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Cochrane risk-of-bias tool were used to assess the risk of bias. The overall certainty level was evaluated with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation tool. RESULTS: 26 observational studies and five RCTs were included. A detailed qualitative analysis of articles showed a wide range of samples and applied methodologies concerning impact of orthodontic force on the dental pulp. The application of orthodontic force seems to promote several pulpal histomorphological changes, including tissue architecture, cell pattern, angiogenesis, hard tissue deposition, inflammation, and alteration of the expression levels of 14 tissue factors. CONCLUSIONS: Although the included articles suggest that orthodontic forces may promote histomorphological changes in the dental pulp, due to the very low-level of evidence obtained, there could be no well-supported conclusion that these effects are actually due to orthodontic movement. Further studies with larger samples and improved methods are needed to support more robust conclusions.

Survey based assessment of diagnosis through periapical radiograph and CBCT and treatment of root resorption with Brazilian and American dentists and endodontists.

BACKGROUND: This study assesses and compares the knowledge level of endodontists (ENDs) and general dental practitioners (GPs) from Brazil and United States of America (USA) in the diagnosis and treatment of internal and external inflammatory root resorptions through periapical radiographic (PA) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) examinations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional online questionnaire-based survey was presented to the volunteers containing questions regarding personal and professional profile, as well as three clinical cases of internal and external inflammatory root resorption. A series of multiple-choice questions about the diagnosis and treatment options were surveyed. The data collected was analysed by the Chi-square test with Yates correction with a significance level of 5 %. RESULTS: Most answers were considered adequate when all three questions about the diagnosis and all two questions relating to the treatment were answered accurately. A total of 374 dentists answered the survey (n: 229 from Brazil vs. 145 from USA) being 41% END and 59% GP. END presented higher level of knowledge than GP regarding to diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory root resorptions both in Brazil and USA (p<0.05); USA presented higher level of adequate responses than Brazil (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: END achieved a level of knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of root resorption superior to the GP. Comparing the results obtained in both countries, it was observed that the USA had a higher correct response rate than Brazil. Key words:Internal root resorption, external root resorption, management, diagnosis, treatment.

Immunomodulation Mediated by Azithromycin in Experimental Periapical Inflammation.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the present study was to compare the immunomodulatory effect of azithromycin (AZM), ampicillin (AMP), amoxicillin (AMX), and clindamycin (CLI) in vitro and AZM on preexisting periapical lesions compared with AMP. METHODS: The susceptibility of 4 common human endodontic pathogens (Parvimonas micra, Streptococcus intermedius, Prevotella intermedia, and Fusobacterium nucleatum) to AZM, AMP, AMX, and CLI was confirmed by agar disk diffusion assay. Preexisting periapical lesions in C57BL/6J mice were treated with AZM, AMP, or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Periapical bone healing and the pattern of inflammatory cell infiltration were evaluated after a 10-day treatment by micro-computed tomographic and histology, respectively. Besides, the effect of antibiotics in pathogen-stimulated nuclear factor kappa B activation and the production of interleukin 1 alpha and tumor necrosis factor alpha was assessed in vitro by luciferase assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: All examined endodontic pathogens were susceptible to AZM, AMP, AMX, and CLI. AZM significantly attenuated periapical bone loss versus PBS. PBS resulted in widely diffused infiltration of mixed inflammatory cells. By contrast, AZM brought about localized infiltration of neutrophils and M2 macrophages and advanced fibrosis. Although the effect of AMP on bone was uncertain, inflammatory cell infiltration was considerably milder than PBS. However, most macrophages observed seemed to be M1 macrophages. AZM suppressed pathogen-stimulated nuclear factor kappa B activation and cytokine production, whereas AMP, AMX, and CLI reduced only cytokine production moderately. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that AZM led to the resolution of preexisting experimental periapical inflammation. Our data provide a perspective on host response in antibiotic selection for endodontic treatment. However, well-designed clinical trials are necessary to better elucidate the benefits of AZM as an adjunctive therapy for endodontic treatment when antibiotic therapy is recommended. Although both AZM and AMP were effective on preexisting periapical lesions, AZM led to advanced wound healing, probably depending on its immunomodulatory effect.

Reciprocating kinematics leads to lower incidences of postoperative pain than rotary kinematics after endodontic treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Extrusion of infected debris into the periapical tissue has been cited as the major cause of postoperative pain, regardless of instrumentation technique. AIM: Comprehensively review two different kinematics of instrumentation (reciprocating and rotary) and association to the postoperative pain after endodontic treatment. METHODS: Two investigators performed a systematic review with meta-analysis. MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus supplied relevant data from studies published until February 2018 to answer the PICO question. Primary outcome was overall postoperative pain, and the secondary outcomes were nature of the pain (mild, moderate, and severe) at 12, 24, and 48 h. RESULTS: Ten randomized clinical trials fulfilled eligibility criteria, and five of them were submitted in the meta-analysis. Primary outcome indicated that reciprocating system results in less postoperative pain compared to rotary system (P < 0.05). As a secondary outcome, there was no statistical difference for mild, moderate, and severe pain after 12 and 24 h using reciprocating or rotary systems (P > 0.05). However, the reciprocation system showed less severe pain after 48 h (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Rotary motion had a negative impact on postoperative pain after endodontic treatment. Furthermore, after 48 h, more patients presented severe pain under rotary motion. More randomized clinical studies would be helpful.

The influence of apical extent of root canal obturation on endodontic therapy outcome: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review (SR) aimed to investigate the influence of obturation extent on the final outcome of root canal treatment (RCT), by answering the question "among patients requiring RCT on fully formed permanent teeth, is there an association between obturation extent and the final treatment outcome?" MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five electronic databases and three gray literature searches were performed. Observational studies investigating the association between obturation extent and RCT outcome in fully formed permanent teeth with a minimum follow-up of 12 months were included. We evaluated the risk of bias (RoB) in with MAStARI for cohort studies. The overall quality of the evidence was assessed with the GRADE-tool. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies were included, 2 had high RoB, 7 moderate RoB, and 13 low RoB. Underextended obturation demonstrated increased odds of an unfavorable outcome in seven studies, in which the odds varied between 6.94 (95%CI 2.20-21.87) and 1.73 (95%CI 1.02-2.95). Overextended obturation also demonstrated this association in four studies, with odds varying from 1.90 (95%CI 1.23-2.94) to 23.00 (95%CI 5.58-94.75). Due to heterogeneity and the very low level of evidence found in the GRADE analysis, the results from this SR should be interpreted with caution. CONCLUSIONS: Obturation extent seems to influence RCT outcome; overextended and underextended obturations showed higher chance of association with less favorable outcomes than adequate obturation; however, this association was not categorically supported. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This SR provides information about obturation extent influence on RCT outcome and guides clinicians to make evidence-based decisions during endodontic practice.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Reduce Bone Resorption While Promoting Bone Generation in Rat Apical Periodontitis.

INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated the effects of the dietary supplement omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) on pulp exposure-induced apical periodontitis (AP) in rats. METHODS: Twenty-eight male rats were divided into groups: control untreated rats (C), control rats treated with ω-3 PUFAs alone (C-O), rats with pulp exposure-induced AP, and rats with pulp exposure-induced AP treated with ω-3 PUFAs (AP-O). The ω-3 PUFAs were administered orally, once a day, for 15 days before pulp exposure and, subsequently, 30 days after pulp exposure. Rats were killed 30 days after pulp exposure, and jaws were subjected to histologic and immunohistochemical analyses. Immunohistochemical analyses were performed to detect tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive osteoclasts and osteocalcin-positive osteoblasts on the bone surface of periapical area. Results were statistically evaluated by using analysis of variance and Tukey honestly significant difference, and P < .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The bone resorption lesion was significantly larger in the AP group compared with AP-O, C, and C-O groups (P < .05). The level of inflammatory cell infiltration was significantly elevated, and the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive osteoclasts was significantly higher in the periapical lesions of the AP group compared with AP-O, C, and C-O groups (P < .05). The number of osteocalcin-positive osteoblasts was significantly increased in the AP-O group compared with the AP group (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with ω-3 PUFAs not only suppresses bone resorption but also promotes new bone formation in the periapical area of rats with AP in conjunction with downregulation of inflammatory cell infiltration into the lesion.

Relationship between hypertension and periapical lesion: an in vitro and in vivo study.

The aim of this study was to compare potential aspects of periapical lesion formation in hypertensive and normotensive conditions using hypertensive (BPH/2J) and wild-type control (BPN/3J) mice. The mandibular first molars of both strains had their dental pulp exposed. At day 21 the mice were euthanized and right mandibular molars were used to evaluate the size and phenotype of apical periodontitis by microCT. Proteins were extracted from periapical lesion on the left side and the expressions of IL1α, IL1ß and TNFα were analyzed by ELISA. Bone marrow stem cells were isolated from adult mice femurs from 2 strains and osteoclast differentiation was evaluated by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) in vitro. The amount of differentiated osteoclastic cells was nearly double in hypertensive mice when compared to the normotensive strain (p < 0.03). Periapical lesion size did not differ between hypertensive and normotensive strains (p > 0.7). IL1α, IL1ß and TNFα cytokines expressions were similar for both systemic conditions (p > 0.05). Despite the fact that no differences could be observed in periapical lesion size and cytokines expressions on the systemic conditions tested, hypertension showed an elevated number of osteoclast differentiation.

Relationship between hypertension and periapical lesion: an in vitro and in vivo study

Abstract The aim of this study was to compare potential aspects of periapical lesion formation in hypertensive and normotensive conditions using hypertensive (BPH/2J) and wild-type control (BPN/3J) mice. The mandibular first molars of both strains had their dental pulp exposed. At day 21 the mice were euthanized and right mandibular molars were used to evaluate the size and phenotype of apical periodontitis by microCT. Proteins were extracted from periapical lesion on the left side and the expressions of IL1α, IL1β and TNFα were analyzed by ELISA. Bone marrow stem cells were isolated from adult mice femurs from 2 strains and osteoclast differentiation was evaluated by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) in vitro. The amount of differentiated osteoclastic cells was nearly double in hypertensive mice when compared to the normotensive strain (p < 0.03). Periapical lesion size did not differ between hypertensive and normotensive strains (p > 0.7). IL1α, IL1β and TNFα cytokines expressions were similar for both systemic conditions (p > 0.05). Despite the fact that no differences could be observed in periapical lesion size and cytokines expressions on the systemic conditions tested, hypertension showed an elevated number of osteoclast differentiation.