Recent Publications

• A narrative review of preclinical animal models for bone regeneration: comparative and translational insights from rodents to large animals 2026.06.08
  Preclinical animal models are essential for evaluating the biological performance, safety, and translational potential of bone regeneration strategies before human application. Because no single species can fully replicate human skeletal biology, careful selection of an appropriate model is necessary to generate reliable and clinically meaningful evidence. This narrative review summarizes the characteristics, advantages, and limitations […]
• Influence of pulp chamber geometry and intraoral scanner on the accuracy of one-piece endodontic crown preparation scans 2026.06.06
  CONCLUSIONS: The pulp chamber geometry and the interaction between the scanner and the pulp chamber geometry affected the accuracy of scans. Axial wall presence tended to result in higher scan trueness, and iTero scanner enabled higher trueness than TRIOS for the scan of a shallow preparation with no axial wall.
• Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of precision in dental 3D facial scanning across handheld, fixed multicamera, and smartphone depth-sensing systems 2026.06.06
  CONCLUSIONS: IHS had the highest precision, followed by SFS and SDC. IHS's handheld nature may reduce unscannable areas, improving accuracy. While SDC showed lower precision, its deviation of 0.36 mm was still clinically acceptable for facial scanning.
• Impact of scan body geometry and library file modifications on matching between intraoral implant scans and library files 2026.06.05
  CONCLUSIONS: Edge removal in library files and the use of simpler rounded scan body geometry enhanced the accuracy of library automatching between intraoral implant scans and scan body library files.
• Integrative genomic analysis of 21 orofacial diseases identifies shared genetic architecture with systemic diseases 2026.06.04
  Orofacial diseases are closely linked to systemic health, yet their genetic architecture and causal relationships remain incompletely understood. Here we show that integrative genomic analyses of 21 orofacial diseases in the UK Biobank, combining genome-wide, transcriptome-wide, rare variant association studies and Mendelian randomization, identify 48 novel loci and prioritize 160 putative causal genes. Among these, […]
• In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Yttria-Niobia-Stabilized Zirconia Sandblasted Surface at Bone-Implant Interface with 3-Dimensional Visualization via Advanced Hard Tissue Clearing 2026.06.03
  Titanium is widely acknowledged as the "gold standard" for dental implants because of its superior biocompatibility and osseointegration capabilities. However, it is limited by the possibility of metal allergies, aesthetic concerns such as gray discoloration visible through the thin gingiva, and the risk of corrosion. To overcome these limitations, metal-free implant materials, particularly yttria-niobia-stabilized tetragonal […]
• [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 PET enables non-invasive monitoring of hepatic fibrosis progression during TGF-β inhibition 2026.06.02
  Hepatic fibrosis, a precursor to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, affects millions worldwide but lacks effective therapies and depends on invasive liver biopsies for diagnosis, which hinder early intervention and monitoring. Non-invasive imaging with [^(68)Ga]Ga-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) positron emission tomography (PET) targets fibroblast activation protein (FAP) in fibrotic tissues, enabling assessment of disease progression […]
• Hydrogel soft tissue expander for gingiva-periosteal expansion: a narrative literature review 2026.06.02
  CONCLUSION: Hydrogels in STEs need to balance effective expansion with minimal toxicity or morbidity. A key challenge is finding a patient-compliant, economic solution for tissue expansion before bone augmentation. Proper understanding and application of STEs can lead to successful outcomes in reconstructive surgery. Despite the usefulness of STEs, a comprehensive synthesis of their underlying biological […]
• Impact of Storage Temperature and Duration on Dimensional Stability and Mechanical Properties of 3D-Printed Implant Surgical Guides 2026.05.29
  CONCLUSIONS: Storage temperature did not affect dimensional stability or hardness but influenced flexural properties in standardized specimens. Time-dependent dimensional changes were detected. Based on mechanical data, storage at 20°C or 30°C may be preferable to refrigeration for maintaining flexural performance.
• Effect of different washing and post-curing protocols on the fracture resistance of 3D-printed pediatric crowns after thermal cycling 2026.05.29
  Three-dimensional (3D) printing is increasingly used for pediatric crown restorations; however, post-processing procedures may critically influence their mechanical performance. This in vitro study evaluated the effects of washing and post-curing durations on the fracture resistance and fracture pattern distribution of 3D-printed pediatric crowns after thermal cycling. Ninety crowns fabricated using a digital light processing (DLP) […]
• Oral function and physical function converge: national evidence linking functional teeth, scaling care, and muscle strength 2026.05.28
  CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a significant association between a reduced number of functional teeth and low HGS in older adults. While these results highlight the potential relevance of oral health to physical capacity, further longitudinal studies are required to clarify the temporal relationship and to determine whether preserving functional dentition may be associated with better […]
• From tooth to gut: Proteomic evidence of systemic dysregulation in fluorosis 2026.05.27
  Excessive fluoride intake during early tooth development causes dental fluorosis, yet chronic high fluoride exposure may also disrupt gastrointestinal physiology and host-microbe interactions. We profiled the host fecal proteome of school-aged children with severe dental fluorosis (PF; TF 5-9; n = 10) and age-matched controls (CF; TF 0; n = 10) from a fluoride-endemic region […]
• Discovery of a KLHL41 Ligand for Muscle Specific Protein Degradation 2026.05.26
  Despite the recent advancement of proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) development, they remain predominantly dependent on two E3 ligases, CRBN and VHL, which are ubiquitously expressed in all types of cells. Recently, efforts to discover tissue-specific E3 ligase ligands get attention as a promising strategy to enable tissue-specific protein degradation and avoid off-target tissue effects. Advancing this […]
• Comparative Circulating Interleukin-6 Levels in Human and Mouse Periodontitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis 2026.05.21
  CONCLUSIONS: Circulating IL-6 is elevated in periodontitis across species but exaggerated in ligation models, suggesting possible overestimation of systemic inflammation in preclinical studies.
• Genipin-crosslinked CeO₂-incorporating Janus patch for oral ulcer treatment 2026.05.21
  Oral ulcers and mucositis are difficult to manage clinically due to the persistently wet oral environment, continuous mechanical stress, and the complex inflammatory and oxidative microenvironment at lesion sites. Conventional topical therapies, including corticosteroid gels, often suffer from poor mucosal retention and limited therapeutic durability. Here, we report a dual-layered Janus oral patch that integrates […]
• Three-dimensional CT imaging features of impacted first permanent molars and their correlation with prognosis 2026.05.16
  CONCLUSIONS: Furcation area root resorption is a relatively common CT imaging feature in impacted first permanent molars and is associated with poor prognosis. Because this feature is often undetectable on plain radiographs, 3D CT evaluation should be considered for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment planning.
• From brainstem arousal to cortical prediction: A circuit-based framework for active flavor inference 2026.05.16
  Flavor perception exhibits substantial variability across physiological and contextual states, yet how peripheral gustatory signals are transformed into these subjective experiences remains incompletely understood. Traditional models of taste processing have largely focused on bottom-up sensory relay from peripheral receptors to cortical regions, and have limited capacity to explain this variability across physiological and contextual conditions. […]
• Accuracy and hallucination behaviors of artificial intelligence-based large language models for dental implant identification on radiographs 2026.05.16
  CONCLUSIONS: Current LLMs have limited capability for the definitive radiographic identification of dental implant systems, particularly for specific brands. Recent model iterations show a promising trend toward reduced hallucinations and increased reliability through abstention; however, their high error rates indicate that they can only be considered as supplementary tools requiring clinician verification.
• Clinical Performance of 3D-Printed Resin versus Prefabricated Zirconia Crowns in Primary Molars: A Split-Mouth Clinical Study 2026.05.16
  CONCLUSIONS: While 3D-printed resin crowns demonstrated comparable functional performance to prefabricated zirconia crowns, they were associated with inferior periodontal and esthetic outcomes.
• Use of soft intraoral appliance for refractory burning mouth syndrome: an exploratory case series 2026.05.15
  CONCLUSION: Soft intraoral appliances may present a feasible adjunctive therapeutic option for selected patients with refractory BMS, particularly those with a limited response to pharmacologic treatments. However, given the small sample size and exploratory design of this case series, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary observations and require confirmation in larger prospective studies.