Given class IV laser therapy appears to be safe, non-invasive, and potentially effective, prospective, randomized, controlled trials are necessary to further assess efficacy and to determine optimal treatment parameters.

Mucormycosis and aspergillosis are two opportunistic fungal infections, which can evolve into life-threatening complications. They generally affect patients with relevant risk factors such as immunocompromisation or long-term use of antibiotics or corticosteroids. Treatment usually combines medical and surgical approaches, often including extended necrosectomies, although the prognosis of generalized fungal infections is very poor. In this paper, we present the case of a 17-year-old girl affected by combined aspergillosis and mucormycosis, following treatment of a recurrent glioma. The patient was hospitalized for a suspected cellulitis of the right hemi-face, involving frontal maxillary area and the upper airways and was immediately put on intravenous antibiotic therapies; after performing nasal septum and maxillary biopsies, concomitant mucormycosis and aspergillosis were diagnosed and antimycotic therapy with liposomal B-amphotericin was administered. After evaluation by the oral surgeon and otolaryngologist, surgical cranio-facial necrosectomy was suggested, but refused by the parents of the patient. The girl died only few days later, due to a respiratory arrest. Awareness of this pathology with prompt diagnosis and early treatment may improve the outcome of these infections and reduce the mortality.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of ozone therapy in (1) increasing the compactness of decayed dentin (main aim), (2) reducing dentin hypersensitivity, (3) decreasing the salivary bacterial count, and (4) improving the quality of life in ECC-affected children during a 3-month follow-up. A total of 20 subjects uncooperative with conventional restorative treatment were treated with a 60 s ozone application/week (OzoneDTA®) for 4 weeks. Patients were evaluated at T0 = baseline; T1 = after ozone cycle and T2, T3, T4 = 1, 2, 3-month follow-up, respectively. Dentin compactness was evaluated according to the Affected Dentine Scale (ADS) proposed by the authors; dentin hypersensitivity was recorded with the Wong–Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBFPRS); salivary bacteria were measured with the Saliva Check Mutans Test and quality of life with the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS). ADS values and salivary bacteria count results were analyzed using non-parametric tests. Statistically significant differences were detected for both parameters between T0 and T1 (p < 0.01). At T1, dentin hypersensitivity was resolved and quality of life improved. Ozone therapy is a simple and painless approach, which might be useful for controlling caries’ progression in uncooperative children until appropriate cooperation is achieved.

Background: Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in children as a treatment for obstructive sleep apnea due to tonsil hypertrophy or highly recurrent tonsillitis. Odynophagia, associated with food refusal for the first few days, is a common post-operative complaint. Available drugs for pain management, while efficacious, present some drawbacks, and a novel strategy would be welcome. Photobiomodulation (PBMT), in this context, can represent a possible choice, together with pharmacological therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate PBMT effects compared to standard pain therapy on nociceptive sensation at different time points and administration of painkiller. Methods: A registered, controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trial was performed. Twenty-two patients were recruited and divided into laser-treated (T) or untreated (UT) groups, based on random assignment. In T group, immediately after tonsillectomy, performed with cold dissection technique, laser light was applied to the surgery site (using a Cube 4 from Eltech K-Laser s.r.l., Treviso, Italy), and then hemostasis was performed using bismuth subgallate paste. In C group, the same procedure was performed, except that laser light was switched off. The primary outcome was the difference in pain scores between subject receiving photobiomodulation (PBMT) and subjects receiving standard care after 24 h; the secondary outcomes were pain scores at awakening and at 48 h together with distress (delirium) at awakening. Results: Two patients from the T group experienced a post-surgery bleeding, and one of them required revision of the hemostasis under general anesthesia. A preliminary analysis of pain sensation reported by the patients or caregivers did not show differences between treated and untreated subjects. Conclusion: These data suggest that PBMT could increase post-surgical bleeding.

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