[Zirconia in removable prosthodontics. A case report]. / Zirconiumdioxid in der abnehmbaren Prothetik. Ein Fallbericht.

Zirconia as a framework material is well established in fixed prosthodontics. However, for its application for removable dentures little experience exists. Zirkonzahn® has developed a copy-milling unit, that is a manually operated machine for the manufacture not only of frameworks but also of complete removable dentures. The aim of this case report is to show the step-by-step clinical and technical fabrication of a zirconia bar on implants and of a corresponding zirconia complete denture. The advantages and disadvantages of the system are presented and problems are critically discussed.

[Locator or ball attachment: a guide for clinical decision making]. / Locator oder Kugelanker? Eine Hilfe für die klinische Entscheidungsfindung.

Various attachments are available to retain overdentures on natural roots or implants. Technical aspects, the clinical handling, the capability to adapt or repair and the costs are parameters to be considered when choosing the appropriate attachment. Ball attachments and bars are clinically established and well documented. Ball attachments as prefabricated, unsplinted units are easily replaceable and show hygienic advantages, while bars show favorable stability. The Locator is a newer, popular clinical alternative to these established attachments. The ball attachment and the Locator are compared from a technical and clinical point of view.

Selective COX-2 inhibitors and renal injury in salt-sensitive hypertension.

In view of the ongoing controversy of cardiorenal safety of selective COX-2 inhibitors (coxibs), the present study was designed to examine the effects of 2 different coxibs, celecoxib and rofecoxib, compared with a traditional NSAID, diclofenac, and placebo on renal morphology and function in salt-sensitive hypertension. Salt-sensitive (DS) and salt-resistant (DR) Dahl rats were fed with NaCl-enriched diet (4% NaCl) for 8 weeks. Diclofenac (DS-diclofenac), rofecoxib (DS-rofecoxib), celecoxib (DS-celecoxib), or placebo was added to chow from weeks 6 to 8. Immunostaining for monocytes/macrophages (ED1) and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD8) was performed. In addition, renal morphology and proteinuria were assessed. Renal cortex mRNA was isolated for determination of COX-2, eNOS, and CRP mRNA by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Untreated hypertensive animals showed glomerular injury including collapsing glomerulopathy, mesangial sclerosis, mesangiolysis, extracapillary proliferation, protein drops, and an especially high grade of glomerulosclerosis (P<0.05 versus DR-placebo) and CD8-positive and ED1-positive cells (P<0.01 versus DR-placebo), which was improved by celecoxib but not by diclofenac and rofecoxib. C-reactive protein mRNA in renal cortex was increased in DS-placebo animals (P<0.05 versus DR-placebo) and normalized by celecoxib (P<0.05 versus DS-placebo), whereas eNOS mRNA was decreased in the DS-rofecoxib group (P<0.05 versus DR-placebo, DS-celecoxib, and DS-diclofenac). Proteinuria was observed in hypertensive animals (P<0.0001 versus DR-placebo), increased by rofecoxib (P<0.05 versus DS-placebo), and normalized by celecoxib (P=0.0015 versus DS-placebo). This head-to-head comparison of selective and nonselective COX inhibitors demonstrates differential effects of coxibs on renal morphology and function in salt-dependent hypertension.