Background: Ultraviolet (UV) and non-thermal plasma functionalization are surface treatment modalities that seem able to improve osseointegration. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the effect of the two methods and possible differences. Materials and Methods: The systematic research of pre-clinical animal studies was conducted up to May 2020 in the databases PubMed/Medline, Scopus and the Cochrane Lybrary. A meta-analysis was performed by using the DerSimonian–Laird estimator in random-effects models. Results: Through the digital search, 518 articles were identified; after duplicate removal and screening process 10 papers were included. Four studies evaluating UV treatment in rabbits were included in the meta-analysis. The qualitative evaluation of the included studies showed that both UV photofunctionalization and non-thermal plasma argon functionalization of titanium implant surfaces might be effective in vivo to improve the osseointegration. The meta-analysis on four studies evaluating UV treatment in rabbits showed that bone to implant contact values (expressed as standardized mean differences and raw mean differences) were significantly increased in the bio-activated groups when follow-up times were relatively homogeneous, although a high heterogeneity (I2 > 75%) was found in all models. Conclusions: The present systematic review and meta-analysis on pre-clinical studies demonstrated that chair-side treatment of implants with UV or non-thermal plasma appear to be effective for improving osseointegration. This systematic review supports further clinical trials on this topic.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a widespread malignancy with high mortality. In particular, a delay in its diagnosis dramatically decreases the survival rate. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate and summarize clinical results in the literature, regarding the potential use of salivary microRNAs (miRNAs) as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for OSCC patients. Twelve papers were selected, including both case–control and cohort studies, and all of them detected significantly dysregulated miRNAs in OSCC patients compared to healthy controls. Based on our results, salivary miRNAs might provide a non-invasive and cost-effective method in the diagnosis of OSCC, and also to monitor more easily its evolution and therapeutic response and therefore aid in the establishment of specific therapeutic strategies.

The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the clinical outcomes of frameworks made of different materials in patients with implant-supported full-arch prostheses. A literature search was conducted on MEDLINE, Scopus and Cochrane Library, until the 1st of March 2021, with the following search terms: framework or substructure combined with “dental implants”. The outcomes evaluated were: implant and prosthesis survival, bone resorption, biological and technical complications. The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions was employed to assess the risk of bias in randomized clinical trials. The Newcastle–Ottawa quality assessment scale was used for non-randomized studies. In total, 924 records were evaluated for title and abstract, and 11 studies were included in the review: 4 clinical randomized trials and 7 cohort studies. The framework materials investigated were: gold alloy, titanium, silver-palladium alloy, zirconia and polymers including acrylic resin and carbon-fiber-reinforced composites. High implant and prosthetic cumulative survival rates were recorded by all included studies. Various materials and different fabrication techniques are now available as alternatives to traditional cast metal frameworks, for full-arch implant-supported rehabilitations. Further long-term studies are needed to validate the use of these materials and clarify their specific clinical indications and manufacturing protocols to optimize their clinical outcomes.

Replacing severely compromised or missing teeth with dental implants to restore function and aesthetics represents a successful therapy with a high long-term success rate[1]. However, different technical, mechanical, or biological complications may occur, compromising the implant's success [2]. Some of these failures can be observed in a short duration; however, most take place after years of function [3]. Among them, peri-implant infection is considered one of the most important causes of failure [4,5]. The establishment and maintenance of healthy peri-implant soft tissue are considered key factors for the long-term success of dental implants [6].The intimate contact between the peri-implant mucosa and dental implant abutment makes the soft tissue seal around dental implants. This seal is crucial to protect soft and hard tissue from bacterial contamination and prevent the development of peri-implant disease, which may lead to bone loss and affect dental implant survival or success [7].The adhesion, colonization, and proliferation of bacteria on dental implant abutments largely depend on surface properties, like surface free energy, roughness, and compatibility [8][9][10][11][12][13].Strategies to reduce microbial adhesion and biofilm formation on implant abutment surfaces and the consequent risk of periimplant disease have been introduced. These include the use of titanium abutments with a modified surface, cleaning methods of the abutments before their use, and the use of different abutment materials [14][15][16][17][18][19][20].Historically, titanium abutments have been the gold standard and are still widely used. Titanium abutments are biocompatible and have optimal mechanical resistance[21], a very high survival rate, and few mechanical complications [22].