Odontogenic tumors (OT) encompass a diverse collection of lesions that ranges from hamartomas to benign and malignant neoplastic lesions of erratic aggressiveness. The progress and development of OT are influenced by variation of many kinds of genes and molecules. Genetic instability is a hallmark of cancer. This review illustrate a concurrent sketch of the recent updating of the molecular and genetic alterations linked with the growth and development of OT, including oncogenes, tumor-suppressor genes, oncoviruses, growth factors cell cycle regulators, apoptosis-related factors, regulators of tooth development, hard tissue-related proteins, cell adhesion molecules, matrixdegrading proteinases, factors of angiogenesis, and osteolytic cytokines. The logical and enhanced understanding of the molecular mechanism may provide newer thoughts for their recognition and administrate an improved prognosis of OT.

Purpose: Recently, human amniotic membrane (AM) has been reported to have regenerative potential that facilitate repair in the field of oral and periodontal surgeries. Methods: Eighteen subjects with bilateral Miller's class I gingival recession defects were selected. Subjects were allocated randomly to treatment with coronally positioned flap + amnion allograft (test group) and coronally positioned flap alone (control group). The clinical parameters used in this study were width of attached gingiva (AG), clinical attachment level (CAL), pocket depth (PD), width of keratinized gingiva (WKG), length of gingival recession (RL), width of gingival recession (RW). Results: The mean width of attached gingiva at the control sites (A) was found to be 1.33 ± 0.50 mm (range 1.00–2.00), 2.00 ± 0.71 mm (range 2.00–3.00) and 2.22 ± 0.67 mm (range 2.00–3.00) on day 0, 90 and 180, respectively. Thus, it was increased by 0.67 mm and 0.89 mm on day 90 and 180 compared to that of the baseline, which are 50% and 67%, respectively. Conclusions: It can be concluded that combined coronally advanced flap and amniotic membrane have additional advantage in the outcome of periodontal therapy in the management of gingival recession.

Aims and Objectives:Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a common oral malignancy with a poor survival rate. Early tumorigenesis is marked by transdifferentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts (MFs), which is supported by growth factors and cytokines expressed by tumor cells. The expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) marker correlates with the activation of MFs. This study was undertaken to compare the frequency and distribution of αSMA immunoexpression in oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) and OSCC.Materials and Methods:This study was conducted on samples collected from patients with oral epithelial dysplasia and oral SCC who visited Rajarajeswari Dental College and Hospital, Bengaluru. Tissue sections were subjected to Immunohistochemistry using αSMA marker, and cells were counted. The obtained data was subjected to Kruskal–Wallis test and Mann–Whitney U-test.Results:On performing Kruskal–Wallis test and Mann–Whitney U-test between the three groups (normal oral mucosa, OED, and OSCC) statistically significant result was found in the frequency between OED and OSCC and between normal tissue and OSCC. On comparing the distribution pattern, statistically significant result was found between OED and OSCC and between normal tissue and OSCC.Conclusion:The expression of MFs increases as the disease progresses from high-grade epithelial dysplasia to invasive OSCC. Poorly differentiated SCC showed more attendance of positive MFs in the stroma than other grades of OSCC. The rise in the number of αSMA-positive MFs and change in distribution pattern in OSCC can be associated with tumor invasive characteristics. Thus, the proliferation of MFs may be used as a stromal marker of premalignancy and malignancy.

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