Ecoflex is a commercial designation for elastomers developed based on the principles of environmental sustainability and flexibility. Various manufacturers offer different types of Ecoflex products with distinct compositions and functions. Among these, the platinum-catalyzed silicone rubber Ecoflex series has demonstrated considerable applicability in various fields of oral medicine due to its excellent flexibility, biocompatibility, stability across a wide temperature range, and tunable mechanical properties. In tissue engineering, it can simulate the mechanical behavior of oral mucosa, and is used in cleft lip surgical training models and preoperative evaluation for temporal bone defect reconstruction. In the field of wearable devices, leveraging its encapsulation protection and flexible characteristics, highly sensitive sensors constructed from Ecoflex can monitor signals such as oral bite force and masticatory muscle activity, thereby aiding in the diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorders and postoperative evaluation of cleft lip and palate. Moreover, when combined with bio-waste materials, it promotes the functionalization and sustainability of oral wearable devices.In drug delivery systems, its conformability and controlled-release capability address challenges in localized oral drug administration. Designs such as flexible microneedles and temperature-responsive composite systems provide precise solutions for treating periodontitis and oral ulcers. In minimally invasive surgical instruments, its softness enables the development of soft robots and magnetically controlled microfluidic valves, enhancing surgical safety and precision. In the field of oral rehabilitation, Ecoflex soft liner materials, inspired by the suction cup structure of octopus tentacles, improve denture retention. Their low modulus reduces mucosal irritation, ensuring both comfort and durability. Although Ecoflex shows great potential in biomedical applications, it still faces certain challenges, particularly regarding long-term stability after implantation, mechanical fatigue resistance, and microbial colonization, which require further investigation. In the future, with advancements in 3D printing technology, Ecoflex is expected to achieve more precise clinical translation across multiple fields and drive innovation in intelligent biomaterials.

Objective:To explore the effectiveness of applet-assisted teaching in the pedagogy of stomatology and gain suggestions for the improvement of the applet.Methods:Using digital technology, we built a professional atlas applet for Oral Histopathology that covered a wide range of contents including illustrations, histological slides, schematic diagrams, and hand-drawn pictures of knowledge points. Based on the WeChat platform, the applet had the functions of bilingual (Chinese/English) annotation and real-time interactive communication between teachers and students. Thirty dental students were given quizzes before and after using the atlas applet. The scores were analyzed using the t-test with SPSS 22.0 software. At the same time, 45 students filled a questionnaire after using the applet for one month, which involved comments on the use of the digital atlas, the degree of satisfaction and suggestions for the applet during learning, and suggestions for its co-use by teachers and students in the future. Results:After using the atlas applet to assist with learning, the test scores of the students were improved significantly in all domains. There were significant differences between the test and control groups in the score of completion questions [(17.00±2.61) vs. (15.03±1.85), P<0.05], the score of identification of images [(27.93±5.08) vs. (25.13±3.31), P<0.05], and the total score [(78.77±8.59) vs. (72.90±6.08), P<0.05]. The questionnaire feedback showed that the students were highly satisfied with the atlas applet-assisted learning, the function of teacher-student interaction, and the overall performance of the applet. Conclusion:An atlas is one of the crucial teaching tools of Oral Histopathology for its intuitionistic and realistic presentation of tissue structures, which plays an important role in the theoretical learning process for dental students. The combination of the atlas and electronic media based on portable mobile devices is beneficial for students' understanding of knowledge.