International Journal of Periodontics & Restorative Dentistry, 05/2010

To avoid the necessity of a removable provisional prosthesis, and therefore preserve the patient's functional outcome, esthetics, and quality of life, a clinical protocol was developed to approach periodontally compromised patients presenting a full-arch irreversibly lost dentition: full-arch extraction and immediate replacement with a provisional acrylic resin implant-supported fixed partial denture (FPD). A total of 23 periodontally compromised patients (11 women, 12 men; 4 smokers, 4 controlled diabetics) were included in this study. Pretreatment casts were taken and vertical dimension of occlusion was determined. In most patients, 6 Straumann implants were distributed along the arch according to the surgical guide or bone availability, with the most distal ones in the maxilla slightly tilted so they could emerge more distally. A total of 168 implants (146 Straumann, 10 Nobel Biocare, 8 Biomet 3i, and 4 Lifecore) were placed (83 in the maxilla, 85 in the mandible). Of those in the maxilla, 74 were loaded immediately (implant stability quotient mentor [ISQm] > 70) and 9 placed with delayed loading (ISQm 70). If an FPD had not been fabricated already, impressions were taken during surgery to do so. The prosthesis was then adapted (cemented or screwed) to the 6 implants within the first 48 hours postsurgery. After 2 months, definitive impressions were taken, and a definitive porcelain-fused-to-metal implant-supported 12-element FPD was fabricated and cemented or screwed to all 6 implants. Of the 168 implants, 108 were immediate implants and 159 immediately loaded. Only 2 implants (1 in the mandible, 1 in the maxilla) did not osseointegrate. This yields a 3-year cumulative survival rate of 98.74% (98.65% in the maxilla, 98.82% in the mandible). From a total of 26 immediately loaded prostheses (12 in the maxilla, 14 in the mandible), 6 were cemented and 20 screw-retained. The 3-year cumulative survival rate was 100%. Immediate loading in mandibular and maxillary periodontally compromised patients presents itself as a predictable technique with a 100% cumulative survival rate for provisional and definitive prosthetic rehabilitations.

The loss of multiple teeth in the posterior mandible often results in deficient ridge width for prosthetic tooth rehabilitation. Multiple approaches have been used to regenerate lost bone; however, the outcomes are highly variable. Several approaches use combination therapy to make the procedure more predictable. In this experimental study in dogs, a chronic defect was created and then treated with one of four therapies: (1) autograft, (2) recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) in absorbable collagen sponge (ACS), (3) ACS wrapped around a collagen-ceramic matrix, and (4) rhBMP-2 in ACS around the collagenceramic matrix. Two metal screws were used for space maintenance. After 2 months, the metal pins were removed and an endosseous dental implant was placed in the regenerated bone. Two months later, the animals were sacrificed and specimens prepared for histologic evaluation. Only five animals were used, with each condition evaluated in each animal. With this low number of animals and with the observed variability, no quantitative differences were found between each of the four conditions evaluated. All conditions resulted in new bone growth. Dense native bone was found in the autograft sites and the sites treated with rhBMP-2 and ACS. Sites treated with the collagen-ceramic matrix with and without rhBMP-2 in the ACS had residual ceramic and large porous areas. Bone was found in varying degrees along the implant surfaces. These results suggest that multiple approaches can be used to augment bone horizontally in the posterior mandible of dogs. Interestingly, rhBMP-2 combined with a non-space maintaining collagen carrier yielded new bone densities similar to the autograft in this model.

The goal of this study was to quantify the apicoincisal extent of the proximal contact area (PCA) between the eight maxillary anterior teeth. A total of 140 PCA sites and 160 crown lengths were measured in 20 healthy patients. The percentage ratio of PCA to clinical crown length was computed and defined as the proximal contact area proportion (PCAP). Mean PCA dimensions between central incisors (CI/CI), central and lateral incisors (CI/LI), lateral incisors and canines (LI/CA), and canines and first premolars (CA/PM) were 4.2, 2.9, 2.0, and 1.5 mm, respectively. Mesial mean PCAPs were 41%, 32%, 20%, and 18%, respectively. The paired sample t test demonstrated significant differences between all PCAs (P < .0001), except for CA/PM sites (P = .24). Contact areas, not contact points, were observed between neighboring maxillary anterior teeth. Natural PCAPs emerged as well defined in the maxillary anterior dentition bilaterally. Therefore, PCAPs should be taken into consideration for clinical anterior restorations since they determine the papillary and incisal embrasures.

This paper describes a new suturing method, the subpapillary continuous sling suture, for use with soft tissue grafts in tunnel procedures to treat gingival recession. This method combines the graft suture and the sutures used to advance the pouch margins over the graft into a single continuous sling suture. It is indicated particularly for sites with shallow recessions and those treated for augmentation rather than root coverage because of a lack of graft access for standard suture placement. The single-suture method may also be used for sites with moderate to severe recession. The advantages of this method include elimination of the need to place additional sutures for coronal advancement of the pouch, resulting in reduced suturing time and reduced opportunity to inadvertently cut the continuous suture with the needle when suturing the pouch.

An increasing number of adult patients are seeking orthodontic treatment to enhance their smile or their masticatory function. In this fast-paced and selfconscious society, time and esthetics have become increasingly important. One of the biggest challenges an adult orthodontic patient faces is the time spent wearing brackets. Over the years, several surgical techniques have been developed to address this issue and reduce overall treatment time. Although very effective, these techniques have proven to be quite invasive. A new, minimally invasive procedure (piezocision) is presented that combines microincisions and localized piezoelectric surgery to achieve similar results rapidly and with minimal trauma.

This technical report describes the simple and valuable technique of controlled assisted ridge expansion (CARE) for the esthetic zone of the anterior maxilla. Atrophic bone and narrow alveolar crests make implant bed preparation difficult. The highly predictable surgical technique of CARE for alveolar expansion uses periosteal containment and subperiosteal intrabony vertical releasing incisions efficiently. This allows for the expansion of narrow, anatomically limiting edentulous ridges. The precise and conservative use of Piezosurgery and assisted manipulation of the labialized bony pedicle by horizontal spreaders and rotary osteocondensers affords a highly predictable surgical procedure, which allows implants to be placed at the time of surgery, reducing patient treatment time, morbidity, functional losses, and overall cost, as well as increasing the native bone volume in the atrophic maxillary ridge.

Achieving an esthetic outcome in tooth replacement and implant treatment requires a proper tooth shape and stable surrounding soft tissue profiles. Bone augmentation is considered vital to support the esthetic soft tissue profile around definitive restorations. To prevent recession of the peri-implant soft tissue in cases with multiple implants, buccal bone augmentation of more than 2 mm from the implant platform is necessary to overcome the normal pattern of bone remodeling. Drawing an imaginary horizontal line spanning the space between the remaining healthy interproximal bone peaks is the most reliable vertical augmentation target to create esthetic papillae around an implant prosthesis. Provided that the adjacent bone peaks are at an ideal height and the bone is augmented vertically up to this line, the accepted general guideline of 2 to 3 mm of interproximal vertical bone augmentation from ideally placed implant platforms will invariably also be achieved. In addition, placing pontics in strategic positions to avoid consecutively placed implants has been suggested to facilitate vertical bone height preservation after bone augmentation. Even with esthetically successful results, there have been very few long-term studies on compromised cases with multiple implants. This will become more and more critical over time and must be remedied.

Conventional surgical procedures designed for autogenous tissue material may not be appropriate when using acellular dermal matrix (ADM) for the treatment of gingival recessions. This article describes a new surgical technique that addresses the unique and sensitive aspects of ADM specifically to improve esthetic outcomes and gain increased clinical predictability when treating Miller Class I and II gingival recession defects. In this paper, a root coverage case is described and the specific steps and rationale for this new technique are explained. This technique has been predictable clinically, with results comparable to those achieved using autogenous tissue.

Alveolar ridge defects resulting from tooth loss, trauma, periodontal disease, or congenital lesions often require correction prior to dental implant therapy. Numerous classifications proposed to describe alveolar ridge defects have been limited to describe intra-arch relationships. To provide sufficient jaw-to-jaw alveolar ridge (interarch) relationship information for both restorative and surgical treatment decision-making, this article introduces a new interarch alveolar ridge relationship classification system. This article also discusses cone beam computed tomography and multidisciplinary treatment planning options for approaching each classification.