Facial asymmetry is a feature that occurs to a greater or lesser extent in the general population. As its severity is usually slight, facial asymmetry may not be noticeable to the patient. However, there are cases when severe facial asymmetry not only affects the facial aesthetics by distorting facial proportions, but also contributes to problems related to the function of the stomatognathic system. The nodal signalling pathway appears to be of particular importance in the process of mandibular asymmetry, as it affects not only structures formed from the first pharyngeal arch, but also other organs, such as the heart and lungs. Following the evaluation of the available literature, the inheritance of mandibular asymmetry is a very complex and multifactorial process, and the genes whose altered expression appears to be a more important potential aetiological factor for asymmetry include PITX2, ACTN3, ENPP1 and ESR1. This systematic review attempts to systematise the available literature concerning the impact of signalling pathway disruption, including the disruption of the nodal signalling pathway, on the development of mandibular asymmetry.

Background: Root resorption is one of the complications of orthodontic treatment, and has a varied and unclear aetiology. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between upper incisor resorption and contact with the incisive canal and the risk of resorption during orthodontic treatment associated with upper incisor retraction and torque control. Search methods: According to PRISMA guidelines, the main research question was defined in PICO. Scientific databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for linking keywords: Resorption of roots incisive canal, Resorption of roots nasopalatine canal, Incisive canal retraction and Nasopalatine canal retraction. Selection criteria: No time filters were applied due to the significantly limited number of studies. Publications in the English language were selected. Based on the information provided in the abstracts, articles were selected according to the following criteria: controlled clinical prospective trials and case reports. No randomised clinical trials (RCTs) or controlled clinical prospective trials (CCTs) were found. Articles unrelated to the topic of the planned study were excluded. The literature was reviewed, and the following journals were searched: American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, International Orthodontics, Journal of Clinical Orthodontics, Angle Orthodontist, Progress in Orthodontics, Orthodontics and Craniofacial Research, Journal of Orofacial Orthopedics, European Journal of Orthodontics and Korean Journal of Orthodontics. Data collection and analysis: The articles were subjected to risk of bias and quality assessment using the ROBINS-I tool. Results: Four articles with a total of 164 participants were selected. In all studies, differences in root length were observed after contact with the incisive canal, which was statistically significant. Conclusions and implications: The contact of incisor roots with the incisive canal increases the risk of resorption of these roots. IC anatomy should be considered in orthodontic diagnosis using 3D imaging. The risk of resorption complications can be reduced by appropriate planning of the movement and extent of the incisor roots (torque control) and the possible use of incisor brackets with built-in greater angulation. Registration CRD42022354125.

Silver is an element that has been widely used in medicine. As a result of its remarkable properties, this metal is now extensively used in virtually all areas of dentistry. Its anti-caries and antibacterial properties are used in (but not limited to) periodontal therapy or during endodontic treatment. The addition of silver ions to materials, such as cements and substances used for fillings, proved to increase their flexural strength and surface microhardness. This element has also found use in orthodontics, e.g., as a material covering components of fixed braces or in implantology as one of the components of coatings applied to dental implants. The following systematic review aims to find and analyze available studies that evaluate silver according to cytotoxicity. For this purpose, information was gathered from three databases: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. This was followed by the Risk of Bias (RoB) analysis and the GRADE analysis of selected articles in which cytotoxicity was tested on human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). A total of 387 articles were evaluated using required criteria, and, 13 papers were selected for final review. As all studies were evaluated to be of relatively good quality, it may be concluded that silver used in dentistry in low concentrations is free of significant cytotoxicity, and its use helps to improve the properties of the materials used.