A recent study suggests that a combined orthodontic and restorative approach is beneficial in improving periodontal conditions in patients with malocclusion and dentition defects. This study’s results were published in the journal, Medicine.

This randomized controlled trial included 112 patients with malocclusion and dentition defects who were prospectively selected. They were divided into 2 groups of 56 each to receive either a combination of orthodontic and restorative treatments (study group) or routine restoration (control group). To compare the chewing function, gingival periodontal condition, and swallowing and language function, before and after treatment in both the groups, t-test or Wilcoxon test was used. For comparing treatment satisfaction, chi-square test or Fisher exact test was used.

It was observed that post-treatment, maximum area frame bite force/max movie force increased in both the groups, with the study group exhibiting these parameters higher than the control group. However, occlusion time, bite force distribution balance, and standard deviation hue decreased in the two groups and these were found to be lower in the study group when compared to the control group. The study group also showed higher swallowing and language function scores. While the bleeding index, plaque index, and probing depth were lower in the study group, the treatment satisfaction was found to be higher than the control group.

Based on the above findings, it may be concluded that periodontal conditions, including effective chewing, swallowing, and language function restorations and high patient satisfaction, were observed with combined orthodontic and restorative approaches.

Nirogacestat confers significant benefits with respect to progression-free survival and health-related quality of life in adults with progressing desmoid tumors, according to a new study. This study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

A phase 3, international, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted where 70 patients received the oral γ-secretase inhibitor nirogacestat (150 mg) and 72 patients received placebo twice daily.

Nirogacestat had a significant progression-free survival benefit compared to the placebo, likelihood of being event-free at 2 years was 76% with nirogacestat and 44% with placebo. The percentage of patients who had an objective response with nirogacestat was 41% which was significantly higher than 8% placebo patients. The median time to response of 5.6 months in the nirogacestat group and 11.1 months in the placebo group. The percentage of patients with a complete response was 7% in the nirogacestat group and 0% in the placebo group. Significant between-group differences in secondary patient-reported outcomes, including pain, symptom burden, physical or role functioning, and health-related quality of life were also observed.

This study demonstrated that the nirogacestat was associated with significant benefits concerning progression-free survival, objective response, pain, symptom burden, physical functioning, role functioning, and health-related quality of life in adults with progressing desmoid tumors.

A recent study demonstrated that chlorhexidine (CHX) and Salvadora persica-based mouthwashes (SPM) effectively reduces periodontal soft-tissue inflammation after non-surgical periodontal treatment (NSPT). This study was published in the journal, Oral Health & Preventive Dentistry.

Individuals who self-reportedly smoked cigarettes, non-smokers who had periodontal inflammation, and non-smokers who had a healthy periodontal status were randomly divided into the following three groups. Group 1 received CHX, Group 2 received SPM, and Group 3 (control group) received distilled water with mint flavour. Outcomes assessed included gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), and marginal bone loss (MBL). After a 6-week follow-up, the clinical periodontal parameters were re-assessed.

Non-smokers experienced greater reductions in PI, GI, and PD post operatively with CHX and SPM when compared to the control group. At baseline, smokers’ oral candida carriage (OCC) was significantly higher than non-smokers’ OCC. Additionally, CHX was superior to SPM at lowering OCC in non-smokers at the 6-month follow-up.

This study found that CHX and SPM can reduce periodontal soft-tissue inflammation in both smokers and non-smokers after NSPT. Moreover, post-operative CHX use was found to be more effective at reducing OCC than SPM.

A recent study demonstrated that semi-annual application of fluoride varnish is effective in reducing the dental caries of first permanent molars. This study was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

This was a stratified cluster randomized controlled trial where 5005 children completed the study in which 2385 participants in the test group, biannually applied fluoride varnish and 2620 participants were assigned to the control group.

The mean decayed and filled surface increment present in the first permanent molars of the fluoride varnish group was significantly lower when compared to the control group at the 24-month follow-up. The dental caries incidence of first permanent molars in the fluoride varnish group was 17.0% whereas in the control group it was 23.7%, with a preventive fraction of 28.3%.

The results of this study showed that application of fluoride varnish semi-annually reduces the incidence of dental caries of first permanent molars.