Ozone therapy effect in medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw as prevention or treatment: microtomographic, confocal laser microscopy and histomorphometric analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ozone therapy in the preoperative (prevention) and/or postoperative (treatment) of MRONJ. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty male Wistar rats were caudally treated with zoledronic acid (ZOL) and to ozone therapy before extraction (prevention, POG), after extraction (treatment, TOG), or both (prevention and treatment, TPOG), and treated with saline (SAL). The animals received intramuscular fluorochrome (calcein and alizarin), and 28 days postoperatively, they were euthanized, and the tissues were subjected to microtomographic computed tomography (microCT), LASER confocal, and histomorphometric analyses. RESULTS: Micro-CT showed a higher bone volume fraction average in all groups than that in the ZOL group (P < 0.001), the ZOL group showed high porosity (P = 0.03), and trabecular separation was greater in the TOG group than in the POG group (P < 0.05). The mineral apposition rate of the POG group was high (20.46 ± 6.31) (P < 0.001), followed by the TOG group (20.32 ± 7.4). The TOG group presented the highest mean newly formed bone area (68.322 ± 25.296) compared with the ZOL group (P < 0.05), followed by the SAL group (66.039 ± 28.379) and ZOL groups (60.856 ± 28.425). CONCLUSIONS: Ozone therapy modulated alveolar bone repair in animals treated with ZOL, mainly after surgery trauma, leading to bone formation as healing tissue. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Osteonecrosis has been a challenge in dentistry, and owing to the lack of a consensus regarding therapy, studies presenting new therapies are important, and ozone has been one of the therapies explored empirically.

Photobiomodulation Therapy Improves Postoperative Pain and Edema in Third Molar Surgeries: A Randomized, Comparative, Double-Blind, and Prospective Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: Laser light has biological effects that can modulate inflammatory processes. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy on pain, edema, and trismus after the extraction of retained third molars. METHODS: A split-mouth, double-blind, randomized clinical trial (RCT) was conducted in 13 patients with similar bilateral third molars who received intraoral application PBM therapy at 4 points with a diode laser at 810 nm wavelength, 6 J (100 mW, 60 seconds/point) on 1 side (the PBM side); and laser irradiation simulation on the other side (SHAM side). The pain was assessed through visual analog scale (VAS) at 0, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours, number of analgesic-relief (NAR), and mean time of first analgesic use; edema, through VAS, and linear facial measurements at 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours; and trismus, through the mouth opening measurements at 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours. The repeated-measures analysis was applied to assess the effect of the treatment, followed by Tukey's post hoc test for multiple comparisons (P < .05). RESULTS: Thirteen patients (61.77% male and 38.63% female) with age of 24.16 ± 2.06 participated in this research. VAS showed that PBM controlled pain better (7.56 ± 6.25) than SHAM (32.25 ± 22.78) at 24 hours (P < .001) and 48 hours (19.47 ± 9.27 and 39.87 ± 4.21, respectively) (P = .011). VAS also showed that PBM controlled edema better (19.7 ± 13.27) than SHAM (32.38 ± 15.28) at 24 hours (P = .037) and 48 hours (19.47 ± 13.11 and 39.87 ± 22.77, respectively) (P = .002). CONCLUSION: The PBM therapy in this study resulted in pain and edema reduction after third molar surgery and may be considered as adjuvant therapy after the surgical procedure.

Aspiration of the dental crown in an elderly patient.

The aspiration of objects and foreign bodies requires quick and systematic care. During emergent orotracheal intubation, accidental dental crown release can cause a threat to the patient's life. This paper aimed to report a case of foreign body (dental prosthetic crown) aspiration and its management and discuss alternative approaches. An 81-year-old male patient, who was admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) for meningitis, presented with altered consciousness, and decreased oxygen saturation. He underwent emergent orotracheal intubation. After intubation, chest radiography was performed to check for proper orotracheal tube positioning and lung expansion. The resultant images revealed the presence of a foreign body within the right lower lobe bronchus in the shape of a dental crown. The foreign body, intubation cannula and basket clamp were successfully removed, followed by reintubation of the patient. The foreign body was a prosthetic upper premolar dental crown (24). While care should be taken to avoid complications, if a foreign body is aspirated during emergent orotracheal intubation, endoscopic removal appears safe and effective. Careful creation, placement, maintenance, and preservation of prosthetic crowns are critically important in elderly patients.