Latest Articles
ABSTRACT
Impacted maxillary canines present unique challenges when diagnosed during the third decade of life. Treatment options include surgical exposure with orthodontic traction, auto transplantation, extraction with prosthetic replacement, and observation only. Success rates decline with advancing age, particularly beyond the age of 30 years. The treatment duration is significantly prolonged compared to that in adolescents, and complications such as ankylosis become more prevalent. Clinicians must carefully evaluate patient-specific factors, including tooth position, root development, and patient preferences, when selecting optimal management strategies for this age group.
ABSTRACT
Background: Digital dentistry has transformed clinical workflows across multiple dental specialties, offering enhanced accuracy, efficiency, and patient-centered care. Advances in intraoral scanning, CAD/CAM systems, CBCT imaging, 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and virtual planning have redefined diagnosis, treatment planning, and restorative procedures. Objective: This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of digital dentistry applications in routine clinical practice, highlighting current technologies, clinical benefits, limitations, and future directions. Methods: A narrative review of contemporary literature was performed, focusing on digital workflows in prosthodontics, implant dentistry, orthodontics, restorative dentistry, endodontics, periodontics, and oral surgery. Emerging technologies, including AI-driven treatment planning, digital twins, teledentistry, cloud-based ecosystems, and automation, were examined. Results: Digital technologies enhance clinical accuracy, reduce chairside and laboratory time, improve patient communication, and enable predictable, reproducible outcomes. They also support better documentation, data management, and environmentally friendly workflows. Limitations include high initial costs, technical learning curves, interoperability challenges, and limited long-term evidence for certain innovations. Future trends suggest fully digital clinics, AI-assisted decision-making, patient-specific digital twins, integrated teledentistry, and cloud-based collaborative platforms. Conclusion: Digital dentistry is increasingly becoming integral to routine clinical practice, offering substantial improvements in precision, efficiency, and patient care. While challenges remain, ongoing technological advancements, training, and research will continue to expand its adoption and impact across all dental specialties.
ABSTRACT
Alveolar osteitis is a frequent postoperative complication following dental extraction, particularly affecting the mandibular third molars. This condition manifests as severe postextraction pain accompanied by partial or complete loss of the blood clot within the extraction socket. Clinical diagnosis relies on characteristic features, including escalating pain beginning 1-3 days postoperatively and exposed alveolar bone. Management strategies encompass preventive measures using antimicrobial agents and therapeutic interventions, including irrigation, medicated dressings, platelet-rich preparations, and photobiomodulation therapy.
ABSTRACT
The success of complete removable dentures (CRDs) has traditionally been based on retention and stability. However, in the long term, occlusal balance plays a decisive role in preserving the integrity of the supporting tissues and ensuring functional comfort in the completely edentulous patient. Defective occlusion may lead to sometimes severe mucosal lesions, thereby compromising the longevity of prosthetic rehabilitation. To describe, through a clinical case, the repercussions of defective occlusion on the supporting tissues in a completely edentulous patient, and to illustrate the interest of occluso-tissue conditioning particularly through the use of the Tench articulation prior to the fabrication of new complete dentures. A completely edentulous patient, a long-term wearer of unstable and painful complete dentures, presented with functional discomfort and mandibular mucosal lesions. Clinical and occlusal examination revealed an underestimated vertical dimension, an incorrect centric relation, and anterior locking. A transitional phase of occluso-tissue conditioning using the existing dentures was implemented, combining occlusal rehabilitation through the Tench articulation with tissue conditioning. The gradual correction of occlusion and the improvement of the mucosal condition resulted in satisfactory tissue healing, restoration of occlusal parameters, and successful functional integration of the new complete dentures. Occluso-tissue conditioning represents a key step in the management of completely edentulous patients wearing defective complete dentures. The Tench articulation constitutes a reliable and conservative approach for restoring the vertical dimension and centric relation while using existing dentures as therapeutic tools.
ABSTRACT
The odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) accounts for approximately 3% to 11% of all odontogenic cysts and is characterized by aggressive behavior, significant growth potential, and a high recurrence rate, prompting the exploration of more effective and conservative adjuvant therapies. This report describes the clinical management of a case treated with surgical enucleation and topical application of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), an antimetabolite widely used in oncology and dermatology, whose application has been extrapolated to the treatment of OKCs due to molecular similarities in their pathophysiology. A 66-year-old female patient with an odontogenic keratocyst in the right mandibular ramus was treated by enucleation and placement of a gauze dressing impregnated with 5% 5-FU. After 15 months of clinical and radiographic follow-up, a favorable outcome was observed, with adequate bone regeneration and no evidence of recurrence. This case adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of 5-FU as an effective, minimally invasive therapeutic alternative for odontogenic keratocysts.
ABSTRACT
The immediate complete denture is an accepted method of restoration for the patient whose last remaining teeth are to be removed. The prosthesis is fabricated before the removal of the teeth and is inserted immediately following the extractions. It is used to enhance esthetics, protect the extraction wound and provide function during the healing period. However, this prosthetic act remains very difficult to perfect as it presents several difficulties in managing all clinical stages. The presence of poorly positioned teeth, always moving is the main problem that complicates all prosthetic steps and that all other problems are connected. The aim of this paper is to present clinical and laboratory procedures required for the construction of an immediate complete maxillary denture with good retention, support, stability, and aesthetic result. The present case reports the clinical and technical steps in completing an immediate complete denture.
Original Research Article
ABSTRACT
Dentistry exposes practitioners to numerous occupational hazards affecting both physical and mental health. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of occupational diseases among Tunisian dentists. In 2024, an online survey was conducted among 105 dentists, collecting data on demographics, professional practice, and health status. Results showed that musculoskeletal disorders were the most frequently reported (76.9%), followed by psychological disorders (60.6%), sleep disturbances (37.5%), biological accidents (17.3%), hearing disorders (13.5%), and respiratory conditions (7.7%). Despite these risks, only 57.4% of participants reported adopting preventive measures, and 28.6% sought formal recognition of occupational diseases. The findings highlight a wide range of work-related health issues, with ergonomic strain, mental stress, and exposure to biological hazards as major contributing factors. These results underscore the need for greater awareness, systematic preventive strategies, and coordinated occupational health interventions to protect dentists’ well-being and ensure sustainable professional practice.