Applied Sciences

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the last 20 years, dentistry has profoundly changed, thanks to the development of new technologies in all its branches and the rigor of scientific research. Photodynamic therapy can provide minimally invasive treatments in periodontology and implantology, due to his decontaminating and photo-biomodulating effects. Tissue engineering can improve soft and hard tissue regeneration. In diagnosis, CBCT reduced the invasiveness of examinations, enhancing the quantity and quality of the information, creating the possibility to perform guided oral surgery. Digital scanners improve aesthetic treatments in orthodontics and in restorative dentistry. The introduction of clear aligners and mini-screws has completely changed the orthodontic therapeutic approach. Tele-dentistry can completely revolutionize the workflow and approach to the patient.

However, the introduction of new techniques or materials requires scientific evidence to be accepted by the international community and this process can take several years.

This Special Issue of Applied Sciences, "Photodynamic Therapy and other Innovative Techniques or Materials in Dental Clinical Practice and Research", invites articles focused on research regarding the development of new technologies in dentistry, that can help consolidate their scientific evidence. Original research articles, reviews and case reports are welcome.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

Photodynamic therapy in periodontology, peri-implantitis and oral medicine.
Innovations in restorative dentistry, prosthodontics, orthodontics, and oral surgery;
Innovations in digital dentistry and teledentistry;
Biomaterials in tissue engineering.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Gianluigi Caccianiga
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

photodynamic therapy
photobiomodulation
laser in dentistry
dental biomaterials
tele-dentistry
periodontology
implantology
restorative dentistry
prosthodontics

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Other

14 pages, 3308 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pain Perception Following Periodontal Decontamination Treatment with Laser Therapies: Comparison between Oxygen High-Level Laser Therapy (OHLLT) and Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure (LANAP)

by Paolo Caccianiga, Saverio Ceraulo, Gérard Rey, Dario Monai, Marco Baldoni and Gianluigi Caccianiga

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 2553; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14062553 - 18 Mar 2024

Viewed by 514

Abstract

Introduction: Within the field of periodontology, there has been a proposal for the utilization of noninvasive laser therapy as a potential treatment for persistent periodontitis. The Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure (LANAP) employs an Nd:YAG laser as a specific technique. Through its interaction with endogenous chromophores, the Nd: YAG laser exhibits a selective effect on the evaporation of granulation tissue, therefore establishing a correlation with reduced bleeding. The study also examined Oxygen High-Level Laser Therapy (OHLLT). The OHLLT technique employs a high-power diode laser in combination with hydrogen peroxide solutions to facilitate the liberation of singlet oxygen, which possesses antibacterial attributes, within the periodontal pockets. The existing literature indicates their potential to promote the regeneration of tooth support tissues. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the subjective pain levels reported by patients who have undergone surgery using the OHLLT protocol versus those who have undergone surgery using the LANAP technique. Methods: A total of 20 individuals with a stage III–IV periodontitis diagnosis were recruited for the study. The participants were randomly divided into two groups, each consisting of 10 individuals: Group 1, comprising patients treated according to the LANAP protocol, and Group 2, comprising patients treated according to the OHLLT protocol. After their initial session of nonsurgical periodontal therapy, individuals provided feedback regarding their level of pain, utilizing a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) comprising time intervals of 0 h (T0), 6 h (T1), 12 h (T2), 24 h (T3), 48 h (T4), and 7 days (T5). The Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney statistical test was employed to assess the variations in NRS scores between Group 1 and Group 2 at each recording period. (p ≤ 0.05). In addition, a microbiological assessment of the bacterial load in the periodontal region was conducted on all subjects using real-time PCR testing at two time points: prior to treatment (T0) and seven days post-treatment (T5). Results: The findings of this study indicate that the OHLLT group exhibited significantly lower pain levels compared to the LANAP group at all time intervals, except for the preoperative period, where no significant difference was observed (p < 0.05). Group 2 exhibited a more rapid decrease in pain, as demonstrated by a score test approaching zero within 24 h. The quantity of periodontal bacteria seen seven days post-treatment was similar between the two groups and was found to be decreased compared to the pre-treatment levels. Conclusions: The OHLLT and LANAP regimens have demonstrated efficacy in the nonsurgical management of periodontal disease. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the OHLLT approach does not subject the patient to any thermal hazards, unlike the LANAP method. The postoperative discomfort experienced following the OHLLT procedure is indeed reduced, as this technique is characterized by lower invasiveness and reduced dependence on the operator. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photodynamic Therapy and Other Innovative Techniques or Materials in Dental Clinical Practice and Research)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research

16 pages, 1020 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

SEM Studies Assessing the Efficacy of Laser Treatment for Primary Teeth: A Systematic Review

by Natalia Struzik, Kamila Wiśniewska, Paweł J. Piszko, Aleksandra Piszko, Jan Kiryk, Jacek Matys and Maciej Dobrzyński

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 1107; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14031107 - 29 Jan 2024

Viewed by 732

Abstract

Treating and limiting caries among young children are crucial issues for pediatric dentistry. In our systematic review, the authors intend to assess alterations in the surfaces of primary teeth following laser treatment using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The aim of this article is to systematically review and consolidate existing knowledge regarding the use of SEM imaging to assess the efficacy of laser treatment for primary teeth. On 10 November 2023, an electronic search was systematically conducted across PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus databases with keywords ((laser) AND ((primary teeth) OR (deciduous teeth)) AND (SEM)). The initial pool consisted of 205 records, from which 93 duplicates were eliminated. After careful examination of the remaining articles, 24 records were included in this systematic review. The majority of articles suggest that laser treatment provides dentinal surface without a smear layer, enhances remineralization of enamel, and improves the bonding quality of resin restorations. However, some discrepancies are still present. Based on the gathered articles, the authors of this review have concluded that laser treatment could be applied to deciduous teeth in terms of caries treatment and remineralization although further research is still needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photodynamic Therapy and Other Innovative Techniques or Materials in Dental Clinical Practice and Research)

► Show Figures