Considering that periodontitis is a chronic immunoinflammatory disease, the use of agents to modulate the host response has been investigated. Lycopene is a carotenoid hydrocarbon that exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. This study aimed to evaluate whether the systemic lycopene administration reduces the harmful effects of induced periodontitis in rat molars. 108 male Holtzman rats were distributed into 3 groups: Control group (CG), Periodontitis group (PG), and Periodontitis group treated daily with 20 mg/kg of lycopene (PLG). Periodontitis was induced by ligature placement on the first upper molars. After 7, 35, and 70 days following periodontitis induction and lycopene treatment, the rats were anaesthetised and blood was collected to measure serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Maxillary and liver fragments were processed for morphological analysis, while gingival samples were collected to evaluate the gene expression of Il1b, Tnf, Tnfsf11, Tnfrsf11b, Mmp9, Nfkb1, and Mapk3 by RT-qPCR. Statistical differences were evaluated using a two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-test, with significance level set at p < 0.05. Serum AST was significantly higher in PG samples than CG at all time points, and significantly lower in PLG than in PG at 35 and 70 days. In contrast, serum ALT concentrations showed no significant differences among groups or over time. No hepatic morphological changes were observed in the HE-stained sections in any of the groups. PLG specimens showed lower Tnf, Nfkb1, and Mapk3 mRNA levels at all time points and reduced Il1b expression at days 7 and 35, compared to the PG. Additionally, compared to the PG group, PLG specimens exhibited significantly reduced bone loss, junctional epithelium migration, inflammatory infiltrate in the gingiva, osteoclast counts, and RANKL/OPG ratio, alongside lower MMP-9 and cathepsin K immunoexpression in osteoclasts. These results demonstrated that lycopene mitigates periodontitis by reducing inflammation and attenuating alveolar bone loss via suppression of osteoclastogenesis and resorptive enzymes, representing a promising therapeutic agent.

Plasma cell gingivitis (PCG) is an uncommon plasma-cell-rich inflammatory disorder of the gingiva that may clinically resemble plaque-associated enlargement, granulomatous disease, hematologic disease, or plasma-cell neoplasia. Its association with cheilitis is rare, and diagnosis requires clinicopathologic correlation. An 18-year-old female presented with a 1-year history of progressive gingival enlargement and upper-lip swelling. Intraoral examination showed generalized erythematous marginal and papillary gingival enlargement with loss of stippling, bleeding on probing, pseudopocketing, and firm consistency. Extraoral examination showed diffuse, soft, non-tender swelling of the upper lip measuring approximately 1 × 3 cm. The initial clinical differential diagnosis included orofacial granulomatosis and puberty-associated gingival enlargement. Hematological screening showed anemia but did not show findings suggestive of leukemia or systemic infection. Incisional biopsy showed parakeratinized stratified squamous epithelium with pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia and a plasma-cell-rich inflammatory infiltrate composed of cytologically mature plasma cells without cytological atypia. Immunohistochemistry for kappa and lambda light-chain expression was not performed. The patient had an inadequate response to non-surgical periodontal therapy and topical corticosteroids and was subsequently managed with gingivectomy. No disease-directed adjuvant therapy was administered after gingivectomy. At the one-month postoperative follow-up, both the gingival enlargement and upper-lip swelling had regressed. This case highlights the importance of biopsy and hematological screening in persistent gingival enlargement with associated cheilitis, particularly when clinical findings overlap with systemic or neoplastic mimics.

Warm saline mouth rinsing is one of the oldest and most widely practiced adjuncts in dentistry; however, its evidence base has been substantiated only recently, both mechanistically and clinically. In vitro studies have shown that short-term rinsing with hypertonic sodium chloride promotes gingival fibroblast migration and extracellular matrix protein expression via a chloride-dependent pathway, offering a cellular explanation for its long-observed wound-healing benefits. Clinically, saline rinsing has consistently been shown to be effective in reducing alveolar osteitis following tooth extraction, with benefits comparable to those of several antimicrobial rinses, and randomized evidence supports its use as a practical, postoperative default. In oncology, saline is part of standard basic oral care during radiotherapy and chemotherapy, although systematic reviews have found evidence for its independent efficacy against oral mucositis to be inadequate or conflicting, with several herbal and iodine-based comparators showing comparable or superior symptomatic benefits. In critical care, saline-based oral hygiene protocols show a favorable mortality and microbial diversity profile relative to chlorhexidine in mechanically ventilated patients, despite chlorhexidine's superior effect on ventilator-associated pneumonia incidence. Comparative trials across periodontal and antimicrobial contexts generally position saline below chlorhexidine and several herbal formulations for plaque and gingival index outcomes, although its safety profile makes it a suitable substitute for patients intolerant to chlorhexidine. Limitations include a thin mechanistic evidence base, potential effects on enamel surface hardness with prolonged use, and reliance on small and heterogeneous studies. For dental practitioners, warm saline mouth rinsing remains a safe, low-cost, and evidence-based adjunct across surgical, periodontal, oncological, and critical care contexts and is best positioned as a first-line or complementary rinse rather than a substitute for targeted antimicrobial therapy, where high-potency plaque or pathogen control is required.

This case presents a novel microsurgical approach for managing a severe palatogingival groove (PGG) while preserving pulp vitality. A 29-year-old male exhibited a 10-mm palatal pocket, buccal sinus tract, and an extensive through-and-through cortical plate defect on the maxillary right lateral incisor. Despite the PGG extending 6 mm apically, pulp sensibility remained normal. A conservative microsurgery featuring "selective curettage" was performed to preserve the apical neurovascular bundle. The defect was sealed using a two-segment restoration: iRoot BP Plus radicularly and composite resin coronally. At the 2-year follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic with normal probing depths (< 3 mm), complete sinus tract resolution, substantial alveolar bone healing, and maintained pulp vitality. Combining selective curettage with a two-segment restoration offers a predictable, biologically driven strategy for simultaneous periodontal regeneration and vital pulp preservation.

Computer-guided implant surgery has significantly improved the accuracy and predictability of implant placement through the integration of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), intraoral digital scanning, and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology. This case report describes the fully guided digital workflow for the rehabilitation of congenital hypodontia of the maxillary right lateral incisor in a 25-year-old healthy male. Clinical examination, panoramic radiography, CBCT imaging, and intraoral digital scanning were performed to evaluate the edentulous site and facilitate prosthetically driven virtual implant planning. A tooth-supported three-dimensional (3D) printed surgical guide was digitally designed and fabricated to accurately transfer the virtual treatment plan to the clinical setting. Guided osteotomy and implant placement were completed according to the digital treatment plan, achieving excellent primary stability and precise 3D implant positioning. Following a six-month osseointegration period, the implant was restored with a definitive implant-supported crown. Clinical and radiographic evaluations confirmed successful osseointegration, accurate implant positioning, uneventful healing, and favorable esthetic and functional outcomes. This case demonstrates that the integration of CBCT, intraoral digital scanning, virtual implant planning, and CAD/CAM surgical guide fabrication provides a predictable, minimally invasive, and prosthetically driven approach for implant rehabilitation, improving surgical precision, treatment safety, and restorative outcomes.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1852350.].

Eggshell-derived nanohydroxyapatite (EnHA) is an economical, bioactive, and biocompatible bone graft substitute that has been shown to promote active bone formation. It has previously been used in socket preservation and periodontal defects. Autologous blood products such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), and concentrated growth factor (CGF) are being studied extensively for their role in bone regeneration. CGF has shown osteoinductive properties by promoting vascularization and early angiogenesis. Surgical enucleation of a cystic lesion measuring 17.7 × 15.1 mm was performed, followed by grafting of the bony defect using EnHA combined with autologous CGF. Through this case report, we aim to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary outcome of EnHA combined with CGF for bone regeneration in an intrabony defect after removal of a cystic lesion in the posterior mandible.