Currently, there are no clear recommendations for diagnostic management of lip inflammation and cheilitis, which is evident in the varied nomenclature and subtypes found in medical literature on cheilitis. This can confound diagnostic management. We therefore recently put forth a proposal for cheilitis classification, defining three groups of cheilitis based on duration and etiology: mainly reversible cheilitis, mainly irreversible cheilitis, and cheilitis connected to other diseases. The most common forms of cheilitis are the reversible types, usually of short duration and commonly easily resolved or treated. In contrast, irreversible types of cheilitis are rare, are harder to treat, and are confirmed only after a biopsy of an inflamed lesion. To correctly diagnose and manage the different types, practitioners must consider several factors, including visible manifestations of the disease, related diseases and symptoms, personal habits, weather conditions, allergies, nutritional deficiencies, and results from tissue swabs and biopsies. In addition, multispecialty collaboration and communication involving dermatology, oral pathology, clinical immunology, otorhinolaryngology, rheumatology, and other fields can be crucial for patient outcome. We believe our classification system would be of great benefit to researchers, patients, and doctors by simplifying both nomenclature and disease recognition, thus ensuring timely and adequate treatment.

Thermoplastic materials are sensitive to humidity, temperature variations, enzyme activities, and cyclic loading. All these factors can cause changes to the mechanical properties of the material. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of different cleaning protocols on the surface roughness of orthodontic retainers. Samples of two brands of polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PET-G) material were exposed to four cleaning protocols: Corega (alkaline peroxide tablets), Toothbrush, Corega + toothbrush, Toothbrush + toothpaste, and Control. Measurement of the surface roughness of the sample on both the top and bottom side was carried out before and after cleaning. There was no statistical difference between the final values of the measured parameters. However, looking at the extent of the change in surface roughness, there was a statistically significant difference in the upper side of the Corega + toothbrush group between Materials A and B. This suggests that there was a greater change in the roughness of material A (Erkodur), given that the mean change in roughness of Material A was Ra 0.047, whereas the mean change in roughness of Material B was Ra 0.022. Almost all the tested cleaning procedures significantly increased the surface roughness of the PET-G retainer material. Of all the methods, the Corega tablets had the lowest influence on surface roughness.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the color stability of esthetic ceramic brackets and adhesive samples after immersion in most commonly consumed beverages. A hundred ceramic brackets from five different manufacturers (Forestadent®, G&H®, GC, DynaFlex®, and American Orthodontics) and 120 samples of adhesives (3M™Transbond™ XT and American Orthodontics BracePaste® color change adhesive and BracePaste® adhesive) were immersed into four different solutions: coffee, Coca-Cola®, the vitamin drink Cedevita®, and artificial saliva (control group). The samples were kept in an incubator at 37 °C. Color readings were evaluated before (T0), at 24 h (T1), 72 h (T3), 7 days (T4), and 14 days (T5) after initial immersion using a spectrophotometer according to the L*a*b* color scale. All the examined brackets showed a statistically significant difference in discoloration (p = 0.001). 20/40™ Brackets (American Orthodontics) showed the best color stability, while the greatest color modification was recognized in QuicKlear® III (Forestadent®) brackets. Regarding adhesives, the greatest staining was observed in the BracePaste® color change adhesive and the least in the Transbond™ XT samples. In conclusion, color change occurs in all solutions, including control groups, and coffee has the greatest impact on color stability.

Lip inflammation may manifest as mainly reversible cheilitis, mainly irreversible, or cheilitis connected to dermatoses or systemic diseases. Therefore, knowing a patient’s medical history is important, especially whether their lip lesions are temporary, recurrent, or persistent. Sometimes temporary contributing factors, such as climate and weather conditions, can be identified and avoided—exposure to extreme weather conditions (e.g., dry, hot, or windy climates) may cause or trigger lip inflammation. Emotional and psychological stress are also mentioned in the etiology of some lip inflammations (e.g., exfoliative cheilitis) and may be associated with nervous habits such as lip licking. To better manage cheilitis, it is also helpful to look for potential concomitant comorbidities and the presence of related diseases/conditions. Some forms of cheilitis accompany dermatologic or systemic diseases (lichen, pemphigus or pemphigoid, erythema multiforme, lupus, angioedema, xerostomia, etc.) that should be uncovered. Occasionally, lip lesions are persistent and involve histological changes: actinic cheilitis, granulomatous cheilitis, glandular cheilitis, and plasmacellular cheilitis. Perioral skin inflammation with simultaneous perioral dermatitis can have various causes: the use of corticosteroids and cosmetics, dysfunction of the skin’s epidermal barrier, a contact reaction to allergens or irritants (e.g., toothpaste, dental fillings), microorganisms (e.g., Demodex spp., Candida albicans, fusiform bacteria), hormonal changes, or an atopic predisposition. Epidermal barrier dysfunction can worsen perioral dermatitis lesions and can also be related to secondary vitamin or mineral deficiencies (e.g., zinc deficiency), occlusive emollient use, sunscreen use, or excessive exposure to environmental factors such as heat, wind, and ultraviolet light. Current trends in research are uncovering valuable information concerning the skin microbiome and disruption of the epidermal barrier of persons suffering from perioral dermatitis. Ultimately, an effective approach to patient management must take all these factors and new research into account.

The aim was to assess the impact of thermocycling and brushing on the surface roughness and mass of PETG material—the most commonly used for orthodontic retainers. A total of 96 specimens were exposed to thermocycling and brushing with three different kinds of toothbrushes depending on the number and thickness of the bristles. Surface roughness and mass were evaluated three times: initially, after thermocycling, and after brushing. In all four brands, both thermocycling and brushing increased surface roughness significantly (p < 0.001), with Biolon having the lowest and Track A having the highest. In terms of brushing, only Biolon samples showed statistically significant increased roughness after brushing with all three types of brushes, in comparison to Erkodur A1, where differences were not statistically significant. Thermocycling increased the mass of all samples, but a statistically significant difference was found only in Biolon (p = 0.0203), while after brushing, decreased mass was found in all specimens, statistically significant only in Essix C+ (CS 1560: p = 0.016). PETG material showed instability when exposed to external influences- thermocycling produced an increase in roughness and mass, and brushing mostly caused an increase in roughness and decrease in mass. Erkodur A1 demonstrated the greatest stability, whereas Biolon demonstrated the lowest.