Daily Cosmetic Research Analysis
A registered randomized controlled trial shows toluidine blue-based photodynamic therapy can match chlorhexidine and fluoride varnish in reducing plaque and preventing white spot lesions during fixed orthodontic treatment. A systematic review maps current AI tools across oral and maxillofacial cosmetic surgery, highlighting promising accuracy but pervasive bias and limited validation. A long-term single-center case series demonstrates that customized, CAD/CAM titanium implants enable precise res
Summary
A registered randomized controlled trial shows toluidine blue-based photodynamic therapy can match chlorhexidine and fluoride varnish in reducing plaque and preventing white spot lesions during fixed orthodontic treatment. A systematic review maps current AI tools across oral and maxillofacial cosmetic surgery, highlighting promising accuracy but pervasive bias and limited validation. A long-term single-center case series demonstrates that customized, CAD/CAM titanium implants enable precise resection and excellent cosmetic reconstruction for cranial fibrous dysplasia.
Research Themes
- Noninvasive biofilm control and lesion prevention in orthodontics using photodynamic therapy
- Artificial intelligence for diagnosis, planning, and outcome assessment in cosmetic surgery
- Personalized, CAD/CAM-based craniofacial reconstruction with custom titanium implants
Selected Articles
1. The influence of photodynamic therapy on the supragingival plaque accumulation and bacterial composition in orthodontic patients: a randomized controlled trial.
In a registered, single-blind, four-arm RCT (n=48; 40 analyzed), toluidine blue-based 660 nm photodynamic therapy reduced plaque indices comparably to chlorhexidine and fluoride varnish and lowered total supragingival bacterial counts. No new white spot lesions occurred in PDT or CHX groups, and no harms were reported over 18 weeks.
Impact: Provides randomized evidence that PDT can substitute or complement chemical antiseptics for biofilm control during orthodontic treatment, with added benefit of WSL prevention and no reported harms.
Clinical Implications: Clinicians may consider protocolized PDT (toluidine blue plus 660 nm laser at bonding and 6–12 week intervals) to reduce plaque and gingival inflammation and help prevent white spot lesions without chlorhexidine-associated staining or taste disturbance.
Key Findings
- PDT and chlorhexidine groups had significantly lower plaque indices than control at 12 and 18 weeks.
- Total supragingival bacterial counts decreased significantly in PDT, chlorhexidine, and TCP-5% NaF groups over time.
- No new white spot lesions were observed in PDT or chlorhexidine groups; no harms were reported.
Methodological Strengths
- Prospective, randomized, four-arm, single-blind design with trial registration
- Objective, multi-timepoint outcomes including plaque index, quantitative bacterial counts, gingival index, and WSL assessment
Limitations
- Single-center study with modest sample size (40 analyzed)
- Short follow-up (18 weeks) and no significant effect on subgingival bacterial composition
Future Directions: Conduct multicenter, double-blind RCTs with longer follow-up to assess caries incidence, optimize PDT parameters and intervals, evaluate patient-reported outcomes, and perform cost-effectiveness analyses.
2. Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Oral and Maxillofacial Cosmetic Surgery: A Systematic Review of Diagnostic, Planning, and Outcome Assessment Tools.
Across 14 included studies, AI tools achieved high accuracy for tasks including extraction difficulty prediction, orthognathic diagnostics, soft-tissue change prediction, and perioperative blood loss forecasting, often outperforming conventional models. However, most studies were retrospective and single-center with small, homogeneous datasets, yielding high risk of bias and limited external validity.
Impact: Provides the first consolidated evidence map of AI applications specific to oral and maxillofacial cosmetic surgery, clarifying performance ranges and key methodological gaps to guide clinical translation.
Clinical Implications: AI decision support may augment diagnosis and planning, but clinicians should demand prospective, multicenter validation and transparent reporting before integrating models into routine care.
Key Findings
- Convolutional neural networks predicted third molar extraction difficulty with 78.9–90.2% accuracy; postoperative swelling prediction reached 98% accuracy.
- Orthognathic diagnostic models using cephalograms and facial photos exceeded 90% accuracy with specificity up to 99%.
- AI predicted soft-tissue changes with sub-millimeter errors and perioperative blood loss with mean errors <10 mL, but most studies were retrospective with high risk of bias.
Methodological Strengths
- Comprehensive multi-database search with explicit inclusion criteria
- Risk of bias appraisal using PROBAST-AI and detailed reporting of model performance
Limitations
- Predominantly retrospective, single-center studies with small or homogeneous datasets
- Heterogeneous tasks, inputs, and metrics precluded quantitative meta-analysis
Future Directions: Prioritize prospective multicenter validations, standardized reporting (TRIPOD-AI/CONSORT-AI), external test sets, and fairness auditing; integrate multimodal data and ensure model interpretability for safe deployment.
3. Customized Titanium Implants for Cranial Fibrous Dysplasia: A Personalized Surgical Approach and Single-Center Experience.
Over 12 years, 33 patients with cranial fibrous dysplasia underwent resection guided by computer-assisted templates and reconstruction with patient-specific 3D-printed titanium implants, achieving complete tumor removal, satisfactory cosmetic outcomes, and no reported complications, with a mean follow-up of 108 months.
Impact: Demonstrates the feasibility and long-term safety of CAD/CAM, patient-specific titanium cranioplasty for CFD, supporting personalized reconstruction with excellent cosmetic outcomes.
Clinical Implications: For craniofacial deformities due to fibrous dysplasia, surgeons can consider patient-specific titanium implants with computer-assisted planning to improve resection precision and cosmetic symmetry while minimizing complications.
Key Findings
- Computer-assisted templates enabled precise tumor margin determination and resection planning.
- Patient-specific, 3D-printed titanium implants achieved satisfactory cosmetic reconstruction with no reported intraoperative or postoperative complications.
- Mean follow-up of 108 months confirmed durable outcomes after complete tumor removal.
Methodological Strengths
- Standardized computer-assisted preoperative planning with patient-specific templates
- Long-term follow-up with postoperative CT verification of outcomes
Limitations
- Single-center case series without a control/comparator group
- Potential selection and reporting bias; generalizability may be limited
Future Directions: Prospective multicenter cohorts comparing implant materials and planning workflows, patient-reported outcomes, and cost-effectiveness analyses are needed.