Clinical efficacy of minimally invasive surgical (MIS) and non-surgical (MINST) treatments of periodontal intra-bony defect. A systematic review and network meta-analysis of RCT's.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review was to explore the efficacy of different minimal invasive surgical (MIS) and non-surgical (MINST) approaches for the treatment of intra-bony defect in terms of clinical attachment level (CAL) gain and periodontal pocket depth (PPD) reduction. METHODS: A detailed review protocol was designed according to PRISMA guideline. Online search was conducted on PubMed, Cochrane library and Embase. Only randomized clinical trials (RCTs) testing MIS or MINST procedure, with or without the application of a regenerative tool for the treatment of intra-bony defect, were included. Cochrane checklist for risk of bias assessment was used. Network meta-Analysis (NMAs) was used to rank the treatment efficacy. RESULTS: Nine RCTs accounting for 244 patients and a total of 244 defects were included. Only two studies were at low risk of bias. CAL gain for included treatment ranged from 2.58 ± 1.13 mm to 4.7 ± 2.5 mm while PPD reduction ranged from 3.19 ± 0.71 mm to 5.3 ± 1.5 mm. On the basis of the ranking curve, MINST showed the lowest probability to be the best treatment option for CAL gain. Pairwise comparisons and treatment rankings suggest superiority for regenerative approaches (CAL difference 0.78 mm, (0.14-1.41); P < 0.05) and surgical treatment elevating only the buccal or palatal flap (CAL difference: 0.95 mm, (0.33-1.57); P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive surgical (MIS) and non-surgical (MINST) periodontal therapy show promising results in the treatment of residual pocket with intra-bony defect. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: MIS procedures represent a reliable treatment for isolated intra-bony defect.

Surgical Treatment of Oroantral Communications.

BACKGROUND: Oroantral communication (OAC) can be defined as a pathologic space created between the maxillary sinus and the oral cavity.This communication and subsequent formation of a chronic oroantral fistula is a common complication often encountered by oral and maxillofacial surgeons.Although various techniques have been proposed in published studies, long-term successful closure of oroantral fistulas is still one of the most difficult problems confronting the surgeon working in the oral and maxillofacial region.The decision of which treatment modality to use is influenced by many factors, such as the amount and condition of tissue available for repair, the size and location of the defect, the presence of infection, the time to the diagnosis of the fistula. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate an alternative technique for the treatment of oro-antral fistula, using a combined therapeutic ear nose and throat/intraoral approach. METHODS: Twelve consecutive patients affected by complicated OAC were included in this study.The protocol consisted of: clinical, endoscopic, and radiological preoperative evaluation (panoramic tomogram and computed tomography); systemic antibiotic and steroid therapy for 2 weeks before surgery; one-stage surgical procedure consisting of Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery technique associated with the closure of the OAC by a titanium mesh and a mucoperiosteal flap; postoperative antibiotic and cortisone-based therapy.A titanium mesh was used to obtain an optimal support and stabilization of soft tissues.Follow-up consisted of weekly clinical evaluation during the first month, a clinical evaluation at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 months and a nasal endoscopy at 3, 8, 24 weeks after surgery. A second surgical step took place to remove the mesh, after a period of healing, which went from 6 to 18 months. Samples were harvested from the surgical site after mesh removal for histological analysis. RESULTS: At 1 month follow-up, in 10 patients of 12, the Valsalva manoeuvre was negative, same result at the 3rd month follow-up, although in 11 of 12 patients. In 5 of 12 patients, the mesh was exposed. The histological analysis confirmed the formation of a pseudo-periosteum layer.One patient failed because the mesh lost its stability. The patient was operated again 8 months later and new mesh was fixed into place. CONCLUSION: The current study showed that one-stage, combined endoscopic and intraoral approach represents a feasible and minimally invasive procedure for the long-term effective treatment of chronic complicated OACs.The main advantage of the use of a titanium mesh to guide the regeneration is that it assures a predictable healing, mechanic scaffold, tissues stability and allows a possible following oral rehabilitation.

Long-Term Results (24 Years) of the Treatment of Amalgam Tattoo in the Anterior Maxillary Region: A Histologic and Clinical Case Report.

Amalgam tattoos are a serious cosmetic problem for patients. A 35-year-old woman came to a private periodontal practice complaining of black pigmentation (amalgam tattoo) above temporary crowns on the lateral and central maxillary incisors and asked that the cosmetic problem be solved before the new permanent crowns were cemented into place. A full-thickness coronoapical incision was made to raise a thick flap; another incision parallel to the surface of the alveolar mucosa made it possible to remove the pigmented connective tissue, which was sent for histologic examination. Due to the fact that the pigmentation extended into the gingival epithelium, the gingiva of the lateral and central incisors was completely removed, with a horizontal incision in the alveolar mucosa from the ends of the distal releasing incisions. Therefore, partially denuded alveolar bone was used as the recipient site for a free gingival graft (FGG). The histologic analysis revealed the presence of amalgam fragments of different sizes in both connective tissue and epithelium. At 6 months, 3 years, and 24 years postoperatively, the periodontal tissues appeared healthy, and the treated area was pink, without pigmentation or scarring, and was perfectly integrated with the adjacent tissues. The patient was very pleased with her appearance. A one-stage procedure, namely an FGG, should be considered an effective treatment of amalgam tattoo providing positive morphologic and cosmetic outcomes over a 24-year follow-up period.

Effect of gingival augmentation procedure (free gingival graft) on reducing the risk of non-carious cervical lesions: A 25- to 30-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this long-term case series was to assess the development/prevalence of non-carious cervical lesions (NCCLs) at sites that have and have not been treated with gingival augmentation following free gingival graft (FGG). METHODS: Fifty-two patients had at least one test and one control site: 1) test site showing absence of attached gingiva (AG) associated with gingival recession (GR) treated with FGG; and 2) contralateral site with or without AG. Patient/tooth/site-associated variables were recorded for each tooth/site at baseline (T0), 12 months after surgery (T1), during the follow-up period (T2) (15 to 20 years), and at the end of the follow-up period (T3) over 25 to 30 years. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used throughout the study. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients/130 sites were available for analysis at T2 whereas 44 patients/120 sites at T3. Twenty-two NCCLs >0.5 mm were restored in the test sites and in 35 in the untreated sites. The development of NCCL over time appeared associated with sites with attached KT <2 mm (i.e., odds ratio [OR]: 3.80 [P = 0.045] and 3.47 [P = 0.046], 15- to 20- and 20- to 30-year follow-ups, respectively), as well as to teeth presenting a thin/non-modified periodontal phenotype (i.e., OR: 3.53 [P = 0.037] and 5.51 [P = 0.008], 15- to 20- and 20- to 30-year follow-ups, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Periodontal phenotype modification achieved by FGG may prevent the development/progression of NCCL. Evidence suggests that the thickness and width of the AG had a direct influence on the need of restoring these lesions during the 25- to 30-year observation period.

Surgical procedures for soft tissue augmentation at implant sites. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Different procedures were proposed to augment soft tissue around dental implants. OBJECTIVE: Aims of this Systematic Review (SR) were to evaluate (a) clinical benefit of soft tissue augmentation at implant sites (b) which is the best surgical procedure to augment soft tissue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Manual/electronic searches were performed to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Change in keratinized tissue thickness (STT) and height (KT) were primary outcomes. Random effects meta-analyses were performed where suitable and expressed as weighted mean differences (MD) with their associated 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Fourteen RCTs accounting for 475 patients and 538 implants were included. Only five studies were judged at low risk of bias. In the single studies, soft augmentation lead to higher STT and KT compared to no augmentation. Considering primary outcomes, connective tissue graft (CTG) was more effective than xenogeneic collagen matrix (XCM) to improve STT (MD: -0.30 mm; 95% CI -0.43; -0.17; P < .00001) in the meta-analysis for different techniques for augmentation. CONCLUSIONS: Even if further studies at low risk of bias are needed, soft tissue augmentation techniques improved quantity and quality of peri-implant soft tissue. Among the augmentation procedures, CTG was associated to higher STT change compared to XCM.