Effectiveness of Oroantral Communication Closure Using Solid Platelet-Rich Fibrin Compared to a Conventional Treatment Approach: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of platelet-rich fibrin clot (PRF) and conventional oroantral communication (OAC) repair techniques following tooth extractions from the maxilla. The study involved 22 patients, divided into 2 groups: a study group treated with PRF and a control group undergoing conventional OAC repair. The primary outcome measured was the effectiveness of OAC closure, with pain intensity and postoperative complications as secondary outcomes. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) was used to evaluate post-extraction bone regeneration. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) on days 0, 1, 7, and 14 postoperatively. The results showed that the PRF group experienced a significant decrease in pain within the first 24 hours and after 7 days (P < .0001; P < .05). In contrast, complications were reported in 45.45% of patients in the conventional repair group and 18.18% in the A-PRF group. Three months postsurgery, CBCT revealed appreciable bone healing in both groups, with no significant difference (P > .05). In conclusion, the study suggests that A-PRF treatment for OACs resulted in fewer complications and quicker pain reduction than traditional repair methods, making it a promising alternative for managing OACs. However, future studies are needed to confirm these findings and establish the full therapeutic potential of PRF.

AAID White Paper: Management of the Dental Implant Patient During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond.

The scientific community's understanding of how the SARS-CoV-2 virus is transmitted and how to best mitigate its spread is improving daily. To help protect patients from acquiring COVID-19 from a dental office nosocomial infection, many state or local governments have classified dental treatments as "nonessential" and have paused routine dental care. Dentists have been instructed to perform only procedures designated as emergencies. Unfortunately, there is not a good understanding of what a dental emergency is among governmental leaders. What a government agency may perceive as an elective procedure may be seen as "essential" by the dental clinician responsible for maintaining the oral health of the patient. Each dental specialty understands the effects delayed care has on a patient's oral and systemic health. Dentistry has made extensive progress in improving oral health through prevention of the dental emergency. The dental profession must work together to prevent the reversal of the progress dentistry and patients have made. This American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) White Paper discusses what COVID-19 is and how it impacts dental treatments, presents guidelines for dentistry in general and for dental implant related treatments, specifically. Recommendations for implant dentistry include the following: (1) what constitutes a dental implant related emergency, (2) how patients should be screened and triaged, (3) what personal protective equipment is necessary, (4) how operatories should be equipped, (5) what equipment should be used, and (6) what, when, and how procedures can be performed. This paper is intended to provide guidance for the dental implant practice so patients and dental health care providers can be safe, and offices can remain open and viable during the pandemic.

The Biomaterial-Induced Cellular Reaction Allows a Novel Classification System Regardless of the Biomaterials Origin.

Several different biomaterials are being introduced for clinical applications. However, no current material-specific systematic studies define parameters for evaluating these materials. The aim of this retrospective animal study is to classify biomaterials according to the in vivo induced cellular reaction and outline the clinical consequence of the biomaterial-specific cellular reaction for the regeneration process. A retrospective histologic analysis was performed for 13 polymeric biomaterials and 19 bone substitute materials (BSMs) (of various compositions and origins) that were previously implanted in a standardized subcutaneous model. Semiquantitative analyses were performed at days 3, 15, and 30 after implantation according to a standardized score for the induction of multinucleated giant cells (MNGCs) and vascularization rate. The induced cellular reaction in response to different polymeric materials allowed their classification according to the MNGC score in the following groups: class I induced no MNGCs at any time point, class II induced and maintained a constant number of MNGCs over 30 days, and class III induced MNGCs and provided an increasing number over 30 days. All BSMs induced MNGCs to varying extents. Therefore, the resultant BSM classifications are as follows: class I induced MNGCs with a decreasing number, class II induced and maintained constant MNGCs over 30 days, and class III induced MNGCs with increasing number over 30 days. These observations were mostly related to the biomaterial physicochemical properties and were independent of the biomaterial origin. Consequently, the induction of MNGCs and their increase over 30 days resulted in disintegration of the biomaterial. By contrast, the absence of MNGCs resulted in an integration of the biomaterial within the host tissue. This novel classification provides clinicians a tool to assess the capacity and suitability of biomaterials in the intended clinical indication for bone and soft tissue implantations.