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Simple Summary: This review comprehensively examines curcumin's therapeutic potential in cancer treatment. It addresses the limitations of curcumin therapy due to its low bioavailability and potential side effects. It discusses how modern approaches can overcome these limitations to support its consistent and effective use in cancer therapy. Indeed, the role of curcumin in photodegradation and photodynamic therapy is emphasized through its use in combination with phototherapy. In addition, improved therapeutic efficacy, increased cellular uptake, and enhanced cytotoxicity have been demonstrated in various cancer models using curcumin-loaded nanoparticle drug delivery. Overall, the present review highlights the promising impact of curcumin in cancer treatment and the importance of optimizing its therapeutic efficacy, considering potential interactions with drugs used to manage side effects and collateral effects of cancer treatment. Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound derived from Curcuma longa, exhibits significant therapeutic potential in cancer management. This review explores curcumin's mechanisms of action, the challenges related to its bioavailability, and its enhancement through modern technology and approaches. Curcumin demonstrates strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, contributing to its ability to neutralize free radicals and inhibit inflammatory mediators. Its anticancer effects are mediated by inducing apoptosis, inhibiting cell proliferation, and interfering with tumor growth pathways in various colon, pancreatic, and breast cancers. However, its clinical application is limited by its poor bioavailability due to its rapid metabolism and low absorption. Novel delivery systems, such as curcumin-loaded hydrogels and nanoparticles, have shown promise in improving curcumin bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. Additionally, photodynamic therapy has emerged as a complementary approach, where light exposure enhances curcumin's anticancer effects by modulating molecular pathways crucial for tumor cell growth and survival. Studies highlight that combining low concentrations of curcumin with visible light irradiation significantly boosts its antitumor efficacy compared to curcumin alone. The interaction of curcumin with cytochromes or drug transporters may play a crucial role in altering the pharmacokinetics of conventional medications, which necessitates careful consideration in clinical settings. Future research should focus on optimizing delivery mechanisms and understanding curcumin's pharmacokinetics to fully harness its therapeutic potential in cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental implants are intended to provide long-term reliable dental restorations. Limited data exist on the comparison between different implant surfaces. This study aims to clarify whether there is a difference between airborne particle– abraded and acid-etched (SLA implants) and only acid-etched surfaces (Osseotite) in healthy and periodontally compromised patients. After comprehensive evaluation of all 109 patients, including nonsurgical and surgical therapy for the treatment of periodontal disease, 109 implants were placed according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. Each treatment site was examined radiographically 3 to 6 months after the final coronal restorations were placed. Patients were enrolled in the follow-up maintenance program, and radiologic evaluations were carried out at 5 and 10 years. Data recorded from 91 patients who completed the final 10-year follow-up were included in the analysis (SLA: n = 50; Osseotite: n = 41). At 10 years, the difference between bone-to-implant distances (DIBs) for SLA and Osseotite was significantly different (P = .001; 95% confidence interval: 0.55, 1.89 mm). Mean ± SD DIB for SLA implants was 2.1 ± 1.1 mm and 0.9 ± 2.1 mm for Osseotite implants. The overall survival rates of SLA and Osseotite implant surfaces were high during the observation period. History of previous periodontal disease plays an important role in the incidence of complications, regardless of the surface type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Personalized medicine and overcoming healthcare inequalities have gained significant popularity in recent years. Polymers offer an ideal solution due to their cost-effectiveness, ease of customized 3D printing, and potential for wide-scale expansion. Polymers blended with β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) have been found to synergize with the environmental tissues of maxillary bones and promote osteoconductivity. However, little is known about their properties after printing and their ability to maintain their biological role; additionally, limitations exist in 3D printing when high TPC concentrations are added. Our study demonstrated that poly ε-caprolactone (PCL)+β-TCP 20% composite can be successfully printed and is a suitable material for commercial 3D printing. The material also demonstrated biocompatibility, supporting osteoblast adhesion and promoting cell proliferation and differentiation. The composite can also sustain ISO14937:200935 sterilization procedures, which makes it an ideal material for printing medical devices that can be used by clinicians worldwide. The concept of personalized medicine and overcoming healthcare inequalities have become extremely popular in recent decades. Polymers can support cost reductions, the simplicity of customized printing processes, and possible future wide-scale expansion. Polymers with β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) are well known for their synergy with oral tissues and their ability to induce osteoconductivity. However, poor information exists concerning their properties after the printing process and whether they can maintain an unaffected biological role. Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) polymer and PCL compounded with TCP 20% composite were printed with a Prusa Mini-LCD-®3D printer. Samples were sterilised by immersion in a 2% peracetic acid solution. Sample analyses were performed using infrared-spectroscopy and statical mechanical tests. Biocompatibility tests, such as cell adhesion on the substrate, evaluations of the metabolic activity of viable cells on substrates, and F-actin labelling, followed by FilaQuant-Software were performed using a MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts line. PCL+β-TCP-20% composite is satisfactory for commercial 3D printing and appears suitable to sustain an ISO14937:200937 sterilization procedure. In addition, the proper actin cytoskeleton rearrangement clearly shows their biocompatibility as well as their ability to favour osteoblast adhesion, which is a pivotal condition for cell proliferation and differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tooth extraction is followed by a sequence of elaborate local changes affecting hard and soft tissues. Dry socket (DS) can occur as intense pain around and in the extraction site, with an incidence from 1–4% after generic tooth extraction to 45% for mandibular third molars. Ozone therapy has gained attention in the medical field because of its success in the treatment of various diseases, its biocompatible properties and its fewer side effects or discomfort than drugs. To investigate the preventive effect of the sunflower oil-based ozone gel Ozosan® (Sanipan srl, Clivio (VA), Italy) on DS, a double-blind split-mouth randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted according to the CONSORT guidelines. Ozosan® or the placebo gel were put in the socket, and the gels were washed off 2 min later. In total, 200 patients were included in our study. The patient population comprised 87 Caucasian males and 113 Caucasian females. The mean age of the included patients was 33.1 ± 12.4 years. Ozosan reduced the incidence of DS after inferior third molar extraction from 21.5% of the control to 2% (p < 0.001). Concerning the dry socket epidemiology, the incidence was not significantly correlated with gender, smoking or mesioangular, vertical or distoangular Winter's classification. Post hoc power calculation showed a power of 99.8% for this data, with alpha = 0.001. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemotrophic choice as a metabolic source of energy has characterised animal cell evolution. However, light interactions with animal cell photoacceptors that are able to increase energetic metabolism (photo-biomodulation (PBM)) have been previously described. In the present study, we cut three specimens of Chondrosia reniformis into four equal parts (12 fragments), and we irradiated the regenerating edge of six fragments with the previously characterised 810 nm near-infrared light, delivered at 1 W, 60 J/cm2, 1 W/cm2, and 60 J in a continuous-wave mode for 60 s through a flat-top hand-piece with a rounded spot-size area of 1 cm2. Six fragments were irradiated with 0 W for 60 s as the controls. We performed irradiation at the time 0 h and every 24 h for a total of five administrations. We monitored the regeneration process for five days (120 h) in aquaria by examining the macroscopic and histological changes. We analysed the gene expression profile of the inflammatory processes, apoptosis, heat stress, growth factors, and collagen production and determined oxidative stress enzyme activity and the total prokaryotic symbiont content. PBM sped up C. reniformis regeneration when compared to the controls. Particularly, transforming growth factor TGF3 and TGF6 upregulation during the early phase of regeneration and TGF5 upregulation 120 h postinjury in the irradiated samples supports the positive effect of PBM in sponge tissue recovery. Conversely, the expression of TGF4, a sponge fibroblast growth factor homologue, was not affected by irradiation, indicating that multiple, independent pathways regulate the TGF genes. The results are consistent with our previous data on a wide range of organisms and humans, suggesting that PBM interaction with primary and secondary cell targets has been conserved through the evolution of life forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This study provides information about the effects of laser irradiation provided against peri-implant infection on titanium and supports the best choice of having lesser titanium implant damage. Over the past 10 years, the number of dental implants has grown significantly. This increase has consequently led to an elevation of the statistics related to cases of peri-implantitis. Laser therapy has conquered a place among the therapies of excellence to treat peri-implantitis. However, the laser device used could influence the therapy's success. The aim of this comparative experimental work was to highlight the differences in the work on grade 4 titanium surfaces of the most commonly used laser lights in this field, taking into consideration any structural damage that lasers could cause to implant surfaces. The lasers examined were a 980 nm diode laser; a 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser; and a new generation of 1064 nm Nd:YAG Q-switch nano pulsed laser. We evaluated the titanium temperature increase, the pre- and post-treatment two-dimensional surface appearance observed under the scanning electron microscope; finally, the three-dimensional pre- and post-treatment topographic analysis was assessed using atomic force microscopy. We showed that the 1064-nm Q-switch Nd:YAG nanosecond pulsed laser appears to be more suitable for the preservation of implant morphology because of the absence of the induction of metal damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]