Opiorphin may be a measurable biomarker for chronic pain, which could help in objectifying otherwise exclusively a subjective experience. Increased opiorphin could serve as a universal objective indicator of painful conditions. Since opiorphin may also reflect emotional and socio-relational imbalances occurring with BMS, it could as well represent a biomarker for BMS. Knowledge on opiorphin's involvement in pain pathways could contribute to developing new clinical diagnostic methods for BMS.

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Melatonin’s role in circadian rhythm is well documented, as are its’ anti-oxidant, oncostatic and anti-inflammatory properties. Poor sleep quality has been associated as a potential risk factor for several malignancies, including head and neck cancers. The purpose of this study is to determine salivary melatonin (MLT) levels in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients, compare the salivary MLT levels with those in healthy individuals and compare the salivary and serum levels in OSCC patients. Furthermore, the aim is to investigate the potential relationship between sleep quality and salivary MLT levels in OSCC patients. Unstimulated (UWS) and stimulated (SWS) whole saliva was sampled from patients with T1N0M0 and T2N0M0 OSCC (N = 34) and 33 sex and age matched healthy subjects. Serum samples were taken from 11 OSCC patients. Sleep quality was measured using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. Melatonin levels in UWS and SWS were significantly higher in the OSCC group. Sleep quality was significantly lower in patients with OSCC (P = 0.0001). ROC analysis was found to be significant (P < 0.001) in evaluating MLT concentration limit in diagnosing OSCC. The expected relationship between sleep quality and salivary MLT levels in OSCC patients was not observed. Our results suggest salivary MLT as a potential biomarker that might facilitate non-invasive detection of early stage OSCC.

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Objective Permanent teeth trauma is most frequent in children aged 7-9 years, and the primary school teachers (PSTs) are often the first to notice it. The aim of this study was to evaluate the competence in tooth avulsion clinical issues and knowledge on dental trauma of PSTs, as they can occasionally take on the role of school nurses. Material and Methods Questionnaires were handed to 312 PSTs from 24 randomly selected primary schools in Zagreb, Croatia. An algorithm was designed for PST competence assessment. Results Response rate amounted to 81.37% (N=255). Only 3.14% (N=8) of the PSTs would replant the permanent tooth properly and only 43.92% of them (N=112) would immediately take the child to a doctor of dental medicine. Dry tissue, as a transport medium for an avulsed tooth, was chosen by 50.20% (N=128) of the respondents. Altogether, 4.71% (N=12) of PSTs were graded as competent in case of child’s tooth avulsion. Conclusion These results provided significant implications for school health, showed the educators' serious lack of knowledge in cases of dental trauma and stressed a need for continuous education of PSTs on the topic.

In modern times, all procedures in oral surgery need to be painless and management of postoperative pain needs to be adequate. The surgical extraction of the third molar or alveolectomy of the wisdom tooth is one of the most common surgical procedures carried out in oral surgery and it includes rising a flap, bone removal and suturing. These surgical procedures usually cause swelling, trismus and moderate to severe pain. Third molar surgery is often used as a model in clinical trials that are directed toward reducing postoperative pain and improving its management. Tramadol is a well-known central acting opioid analgesic that produces analgesia against multiple pain conditions such as postsurgical pain, obstetric pain, terminal cancer pain, pain of coronary origin and neuropathic pain. Tramadol is an atypical opioid. When administered locally, it has both analgesic and anesthetic properties. The aim of this paper was to present new findings on local effects of tramadol in oral surgery.

Regression analysis is a widely used statistical technique to build a model from a set of data on two or more variables. Linear regression is based on linear correlation, and assumes that change in one variable is accompanied by a proportional change in another variable. Simple linear regression, or bivariate regression, is used for predicting the value of one variable from another variable (predictor); however, multiple linear regression, which enables us to analyse more than one predictor or variable, is more commonly used. This paper explains both simple and multiple linear regressions illustrated with an example of analysis and also discusses some common errors in presenting the results of regression, including inappropriate titles, causal language, inappropriate conclusions, and misinterpretation.