There is increasing evidence for oral lesions and manifestations of COVID-19. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the types of oral manifestations of COVID-19 and their prevalence. PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were used to search for publications on oral manifestations in patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19. A total of 310 records were selected, and 74 were included. Oral lesions in COVID-19 were classified according to their etiologies, including iatrogenic lesions caused by intubation and opportunistic infections. Of the included studies, 35 reported oral lesions probably caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Meta-analysis of prevalence data on oral manifestations and aphthous lesions indicated high heterogeneity, while meta-analysis of xerostomia prevalence data revealed a pooled prevalence, with considerable heterogeneity. In conclusion, the meta-analysis yielded high heterogeneity between studies: oral lesions yielded a prevalence of 0.33 (95% CI 0.11–0.60), xerostomia lesions a prevalence of 0.44 (95% CI 0.36–0.52) and aphthous lesions 0.10 (95% CI 0.01–0.24). In addition, a gap in the evidence regarding the prevalence of oral lesions in COVID-19 was identified and the need for further observational studies focusing on this issue and on the causal relationships between oral lesions and COVID-19 was highlighted.

Halitosis or oral malodor is a condition caused by the putrefaction of sulfur-containing amino acids. It affects 30–50% of the population and causes social rejection, reducing quality of life, and self-esteem. Probiotics, especially Lactobacillus species, have been proposed for the treatment of genuine halitosis, due to their ability to reduce bacterial colonization. Our objective was to evaluate their use for the treatment of oral halitosis. Applying the PRISMA statement guidelines, we searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases for scientific articles from the last 15 years, up to July 2021. The keywords used were “Probiotics”; “Halitosis”; “Mouth diseases”; “Oral health”; “Humans”; “Randomized Clinical Trials” according to the question, “Are probiotics effective for the reduction or elimination of oral halitosis?” Fourteen studies were identified, although only four met the inclusion criteria. We evaluated 283 participants treated with two different probiotics, with a follow-up of at least 2 weeks. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration tool. A fixed-effects meta-analysis was performed. No statistical significance was found (p = 0.53). Despite the limitations of this meta-analysis, we believe that some probiotics have a beneficial effect on halitosis, although more clinical trials are needed to establish real evidence on this aspect.Systematic Review Registration:https://doi.org/10.37766/inplasy2021.9.0009, identifier: INPLASY20211900.

The purpose of this prospective study is to evaluate the relationship between implant diameter, and primary and secondary stability.Materials and methods: Five hundred fifty-nine implants with diameters of 3.7, 4.0, and 4.3 mm and lengths of 10 and 11.5 mm were placed in 195 patients. The resonance frequency was measured during surgery and at 3, 6, and 12 months.Results: Related average implant stability quotient (ISQ) values were 69.62 for 3.7-mm implants, 72.02 for 4.0-mm implants, and 69.67 for 4.3-mm implants. Values in men were greater than values in women. Values were greater for the mandible than for the maxilla. There are significant differences between 4.0-mm implants, and 3.7 anterior maxilla and 4.3 posterior maxilla.Conclusions: There is no relationship between increased ISQ values and increased diameters. We observed a preference regarding sex, with men having significantly greater values for 3.7-and 4.3-mm diameters. The mandible obtained the greatest ISQ values, with significant differences for diameters 3.7 and 4.3 mm.

Knowing how to diagnose effectively and efficiently is a fundamental skill that a good dental professional should acquire. If students perform a greater number of clinical cases, they will improve their performance with patients. In this sense, virtual patients with artificial intelligence offer a controlled, stimulating, and safe environment for students. To assess student satisfaction after interaction with an artificially intelligent chatbot that recreates a virtual patient, a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in which a virtual patient was created with artificial intelligence in the form of a chatbot and presented to fourth and fifth year dental students. After several weeks interacting with the AI, they were given a survey to find out their assessment. A total of 193 students participated. A large majority of the students were satisfied with the interaction (mean 4.36), the fifth year students rated the interaction better and showed higher satisfaction values. The students who reached a correct diagnosis rated this technology more positively. Our research suggests that the incorporation of this technology in dental curricula would be positively valued by students and would also ensure their training and adaptation to new technological developments.

The use of antibiotics in implant treatments is controversial. The purpose of this research was to study the behaviors of Santo Domingo dentists who prescribe antimicrobials to patients for the placement of dental implants. A total of 99 dentists participated in the study. A share of 1.2% of dentists prescribed antimicrobials solely in the preoperative period, 8.6% after surgery, 44.4% before and after, 19.8% only in specific situations, and 25.9% did not prescribe at all. Amoxicillin was the predominant antimicrobial of choice. A cross-sectional, observational, survey-based study was conducted. The items studied were demographics, self-assessment of knowledge about antibiotics and when they are used, as well as their recommended dosage and duration, in healthy and non-allergic patients. Notable variability was found in the prescription behaviors of antimicrobials. Bridging gaps in knowledge on the subject could help to standardize prescription guidelines.