Periodontitis and edentulism as risk indicators for mortality: Results from a prospective cohort study with 20 years of follow-up.

AIM: To investigate the association between periodontitis and edentulism with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality. METHODS: Baseline data of 506 subjects including 256 angiographically verified coronary artery disease patients and 250 matched participants in cardiovascular health from the Kuopio Oral Health and Heart study were collected from 1995-1996. Mortality data were accrued until May 31, 2015, and related to baseline periodontal health and edentulism, assessed as exposure and collected by means of clinical and radiographic examination by a single examiner. Cox proportional hazards regression models were fit using covariates such as age, gender, smoking, BMI, and education. The final sample size for the periodontitis models ranged from 358 to 376, while the edentate models included 413 to 503 subjects for CVD and all-cause mortality, respectively with no missing values in the predictor, confounders, and outcome. RESULTS: The strongest association was found between edentulism and CVD and all-cause mortality (HR: 1.9 CVD , HR: 1.6all-cause ; p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Edentulism considered as a poor oral health marker was associated strongly with CVD mortality while periodontitis was not.

Biomarkers for diagnosis of stage III, grade C with molar incisor pattern periodontitis in children and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: To explore the existing salivary, gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), blood, and serum biomarkers associated with grade C molar-incisor pattern (C/MIP) periodontitis in systemically healthy children and young adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies on stage III grade C periodontitis or former equivalent diagnosis with analysis of molecular biomarkers in saliva, GCF, blood, or serum were retrieved from six databases and screened based on the eligibility criteria. The risk of bias in included studies was evaluated. Meta-analysis was planned for biomarkers assessed using the same detection methods and sample type in at least two papers. RESULTS: Out of 5621 studies identified at initial screening, 28 papers were included in the qualitative analysis of which 2 were eligible for meta-analysis for IgG in serum samples. Eighty-seven biomarkers were assessed with the majority being higher in cases than in controls. Only the meta-analysis of total serum IgG with low heterogeneity value revealed a significant increase in its levels in C/MIPs compared to controls (standardised mean difference: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.76, 1.40). CONCLUSION: There is a paucity of data on biomarkers associated with molar-incisor pattern periodontitis. Although serum IgG levels are raised, other more specific biomarkers in saliva, GCF, and blood/serum may be promising but require further investigation.

Effects of chlorhexidine use on periodontal health during fixed appliance orthodontic treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Proper oral hygiene and absence of periodontal inflammation is pre-requisite for orthodontic treatment. Chlorhexidine (CHX) is an established oral antiseptic used in the treatment of periodontal disease, but its role in orthodontic therapy is unclear. OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy of adjunct use of CHX-containing products in maintaining gingival health among orthodontic patients with fixed appliances. SEARCH METHODS: Five databases were searched without limitations up to August 2021. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) assessing Gingival Index (GI) (primary outcome), Plaque Index (PI), Bleeding Index (BI), or Pocket Probing Depth (PPD). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were done independently in duplicate. Random-effects meta-analyses of mean differences (MDs) or standardized mean differences (SMDs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were conducted, followed by sensitivity and Grades of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation analysis. RESULTS: Twenty RCTs (1001 patients) were included assessing CHX-containing mouthwashes (n = 11), toothpastes (n = 2), gels (n = 3), or varnishes (n = 4) compared to placebo/control (n = 19) or sodium fluoride-products (n = 4). In the short-term, CHX-containing mouthwash was associated with lower GI (n = 9; MD = -0.68; 95% CI = -0.97 to -0.38; P < 0.001; high quality), lower PI (n = 9; MD = -0.65; 95% CI = -0.86 to -0.43; P < 0.001; high quality), lower BI (n = 2; SMD = -1.61; 95% CI = -2.99 to -0.22; P = 0.02; low quality), and lower PPD (n = 2; MD = -0.60 mm; 95% CI = -1.06 to -0.14 mm; P = 0.01; low quality). No considerable benefits were found from the use of CHX-gel or CHX-varnish in terms of GI, PI, or PPD (P > 0.05/low quality in all instances). Use of a CHX-containing toothpaste was more effective in lowering PI (Heintze-index) than adjunct use of fluoride-containing mouthwash (n = 2; MD = -5.24; 95% CI = -10.46 to -0.02; P = 0.04), but not GI (P = 0.68) or BI (P = 0.27), while sensitivity analyses indicated robustness. CONCLUSIONS: Adjunct use of CHX mouthwash during fixed-appliance treatment is associated with improved gingival inflammation, plaque control, and pocket depths, but caution is warranted and recommendations about CHX use during orthodontic treatment of children/adults should consider the heterogeneous patient response, cost-effectiveness, and potential adverse effects. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration (CRD42021228759).

Effect of orthodontic therapy in periodontitis and non-periodontitis patients: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

AIM: To answer these PICO questions: #1: In adult patients with malocclusion, what are the effects of orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) on clinical attachment level (CAL) changes in treated periodontitis patients with a healthy but reduced periodontium compared to non-periodontitis patients? #2: In adult patients with treated periodontitis and malocclusion, which is the efficacy of skeletal anchorage devices compared to conventional systems in terms of orthodontic treatment outcomes? MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seven databases were searched until June 2020 looking for randomized, non-randomized trials and case series. Mean effects (ME) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies with high risk of bias were included. PICO#1: In 26 patients without periodontitis and in 69 treated periodontitis patients, minimal changes in periodontal outcomes were reported after orthodontic therapy (p > 0.05). A significant CAL gain (mm) (ME = 3.523; 95% CI [2.353; 4.693]; p < 0.001) was observed in 214 patients when periodontal outcomes were retrieved before a combined periodontal and orthodontic therapy. PICO#2: Orthodontic variables were scarcely reported, and objective assessment of the results on orthodontic therapy was missing. CONCLUSIONS: Based on a small number of low-quality studies, in non-periodontitis and in stable treated periodontitis patients, OTM had no significant impact on periodontal outcomes.

Effect of periodontal-orthodontic treatment of teeth with pathological tooth flaring, drifting, and elongation in patients with severe periodontitis: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

AIM: To assess the beneficial and adverse effects on the dental and periodontal issues of periodontal-orthodontic treatment of teeth with pathological tooth flaring, drifting, and elongation in patients with severe periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine databases were searched in April 2020 for randomized/non-randomized clinical studies. After duplicate study selection, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment, random-effect meta-analyses of mean differences (MDs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were performed, followed by subgroup/meta-regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 30 randomized and non-randomized clinical studies including 914 patients (29.7% male; mean age 43.4 years) were identified. Orthodontic treatment of pathologically migrated teeth was associated with clinical attachment gain (-0.24 mm; seven studies), pocket probing depth reduction (-0.23 mm; seven studies), marginal bone gain (-0.36 mm; seven studies), and papilla height gain (-1.42 mm; two studies) without considerable adverse effects, while patient sex, gingival phenotype, baseline disease severity, interval between periodontal and orthodontic treatment, and orthodontic treatment duration affected the results. Greater marginal bone level gains were seen by additional circumferential fiberotomy (two studies; MD = -0.98 mm; 95% CI = -1.87 to -0.10 mm; p = .03), but the quality of evidence was low. CONCLUSIONS: Limited evidence of poor quality indicates that orthodontic treatment might be associated with small improvements of periodontal parameters, which do not seem to affect prognosis, but more research is needed.

Effectiveness of soft tissue augmentation procedures for coverage of buccal soft tissue dehiscence around dental implants: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of soft tissue augmentation procedures for complete coverage and mean coverage of buccal soft tissue dehiscence (BSTD) in patients with implant-supported restorations. METHODS: Three databases were surveyed for randomized (RCTs), non-randomized controlled clinical trials (CCTs), cohort studies, case-control studies, and case series with a minimum of five patients per control or test group. Studies dealing with soft tissue augmentation procedures to cover BSTD-occurring during implant function and not due to the result of peri-implantitis-were included. Risk of bias was evaluated with RoB 2 or the National Institutes of Health's Quality Assessment. Whenever possible, exploratory meta-analyses were performed to evaluate weighted mean effects (WME) for the different outcomes. The primary outcomes were the percentage of complete coverage and mean coverage of BSTD. RESULTS: Seven articles were included. Only one study was a RCT, with a high risk of bias. Meta-analyses showed that after 1 year (2 studies, n = 36 patients; WME = 70; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 50; 90; p = .23) as well as after 5 years (3 studies, n = 54 patients; WME = 70; 95%; CI = 60; 80; p = .44), complete coverage of BSTD could be achieved in 70% of the cases. CONCLUSION: Based on limited evidence, it can be concluded that BSTD can be substantially reduced with the use of soft tissue augmentation procedures. Further research with comparative trials using larger samples and longer follow-up periods is needed to study the stability of soft tissues in the long term.

A novel biofilm removal approach (Guided Biofilm Therapy) utilizing erythritol air-polishing and ultrasonic piezo instrumentation: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of biofilm removal of a treatment protocol combining an air-abrasive device using erythritol powder (AIRFLOW®) and an ultrasonic piezon instrumentation (Guided Biofilm Therapy/GBT) compared with the conventional mechanical approach (Scaling and Root Planing/SRP) during supportive periodontal treatment (SPT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients, scheduled for supportive periodontal treatment at the Department of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Implant Biology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki were randomly assigned to either a GBT (group A: 24 participants) or a SRP (Group B: 26 participants) treatment protocol. Therapeutic interventions and clinical measurements were performed at baseline and repeated at 6 weeks. Oral hygiene instructions were reinforced at each visit. A questionnaire was handed to the participants for evaluation of patient perception of both utilized approaches. RESULTS: At 6 weeks, the two groups showed statistically significant reduction in plaque score and in gingival bleeding index compared with baseline. GBT required approximately 15% less chair-time than SRP with a mean difference of 5.1 min, which was statically significant (p = 0.049). Patient perception was more favourable for GBT than SRP. CONCLUSIONS: Biofilm removal using erythritol AIRFLOW® and ultrasonic piezo-electric instruments (GBT) can be considered equally efficient compared with the conventional SRP. Moreover, GBT seemed to require shorter treatment time and to exhibit a more favourable patient perception than the conventional approach.

Does the timing of implant placement and loading influence biological outcomes of implant-supported multiple-unit fixed dental prosthesis-A systematic review with meta-analyses.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of timing of implant placement and loading on implant survival and biological outcomes of multiple-unit implant-supported fixed dental prosthesis (FDPs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A literature search was performed by three independent reviewers for studies reporting on ≥10 patients with FPDs supported by ≥two implants over ≥3 years of follow-up. Data were analyzed on implant survival and biological complications as primary outcomes and biological events, including changes in peri-implant marginal bone level (MBL), probing depth, soft-tissue level, and health condition as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: 7002 titles were identified, 360 full-texts were screened, and 14 studies were included. These comprised 6 randomized controlled studies (RCTs), 5 cohort studies, and 3 case series with identifiable implant placement and loading protocols in five of 09 possible combinations. All groups but one (IPIL) showed implant survival rates >90%. A meta-analysis based on 3 RCTs found no differences in survival rate between DPIL and DPDL (p = .227). CONCLUSIONS: High survival rates for all studied implant placement and loading combinations were shown for FPDs over ≥3 years of follow-up. When a delayed implant placement protocol is applied, immediate or delayed loading demonstrated similar survival rates. The heterogeneity of the data did not allow to draw any further conclusions on the occurrence of biological complications related to timing of implant placement/loading.

The efficacy of pocket elimination/reduction compared to access flap surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: To assess the efficacy and adverse effects of resective surgery compared to access flap in patients with periodontitis. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials with a follow-up ≥6 months were identified in ten databases. Screening, data extraction, and quality assessment were conducted by two reviewers. The primary outcome was probing pocket depth, and the main secondary outcome was clinical attachment level. Data on adverse events were collected. Meta-analysis was used to synthesize the findings of trials. RESULTS: A total of 880 publications were identified. Fourteen publications from nine clinical trials met the inclusion criteria and were included for analysis. Meta-analysis was carried out using all available results. The results indicated superior pocket depth reduction following resective surgery compared to access flap after 6-12 months of follow-up (weighted mean difference 0.47 mm; confidence interval 0.7-0.24; p = .010). After 36-60 months of follow-up, no differences were found between the two treatments in pocket depth and attachment level. The prevalence of adverse effects was not different between the groups. Post-operative recession tended to be more severe for the resective approaches. CONCLUSION: Resective surgical approach was superior to access flap in reducing pocket depth 6-12 months post-surgery, while no differences between the two modalities were found at 36-60 months of follow-up.

Methods, transparency and reporting of clinical trials in orthodontics and periodontics.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the methods, reporting and transparency of clinical trials in orthodontics and compare them to the field of periodontics, as a standard within dentistry. DESIGN/SETTING: Cross-sectional bibliographic study. METHODS: A total of 300 trials published in 2017-2018 and evenly distributed in orthodontics and periodontics were selected, assessed and analysed statistically to explore key aspects of the conduct and reporting of orthodontic clinical trials compared to trials in periodontics. RESULTS: Several aspects are often neglected in orthodontic and periodontic trials and could be improved upon, including use of statistical expertise (22.3% of assessed trials), blinding of outcome assessors (62.3%), prospective trial registration (12.0%), adequate sample size calculation (35.7%), adherence to CONSORT (14.3%) and open data sharing (4.3%). The prevalence of statistically significant findings among orthodontic and periodontic trials was 62.3%, which was significantly associated with several methodological traits like statistician involvement (odds ratio [OR] = 0.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.3-0.9), blind outcome assessor (OR = 0.5; 95% CI = 0.2-1.0), lack of prospective trial registration (OR = 2.8; 95% CI = 1.3-5.9) and non-adherence to CONSORT (OR = 4.5; 95% CI = 1.3-15.8). CONCLUSIONS: Although trials in orthodontics seem to be significantly worse compared to periodontics in aspects like trial registration, adherence to CONSORT and declaration of competing interests or financial support, their methods do seem to have improved considerably in recent years.

Serum parathyroid hormone and active vitamin D in chronic periodontitis.

OBJECTIVES: To study the association between periodontitis and serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and the response of PTH to periodontal therapy in type 1 diabetic patients (T1DM). We also investigated the PTH-1,25(OH)2 D axis in the T1DM group. METHODS: Periodontal health status was recorded in 54 periodontitis patients and 30 periodontally healthy controls (case-control data). Data were also collected from patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus at the baseline (n = 76) and after periodontal therapy (intervention data) (n = 53). RESULTS: Periodontitis was not associated with serum PTH in the case-control data or at the baseline of the intervention data. A post-therapy increase in serum PTH was found in 61% of the T1DM patients; in patients with moderate or severe periodontitis (n = 26) the average increase was 0.6 pmol/l (p = 0.016) and in patients with no or mild periodontitis (n = 27) 0.2 pmol/l (p = 0.250). In 47% of the T1DM patients, an increase in PTH was associated with an increase in serum 1,25(OH)2 D. CONCLUSION: An association between serum PTH and periodontal infection was found only after periodontal therapy in T1DM patients. This post-treatment response in serum PTH may partly explain the previously reported increase in serum 1,25(OH)2 D.

Clinical Performance of Two-Piece Zirconia Dental Implants After 5 and Up to 12 Years.

PURPOSE: To assess the clinical performance of a two-piece zirconia implant system, with a focus on biologic complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 39 patients received 91 two-piece zirconia implants. The patients were recruited from two private clinics and were monitored for 5 to 12 years (median: 5.6 years). The primary outcomes were biologic complications, such as peri-implant infections (peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis), and the secondary outcome was radiographically evident marginal bone loss (MBL). RESULTS: Three patients (7.7%) with 9 total implants (9.9%) presented with peri-implant mucositis. MBL that did not exceed the first thread was evident at 32 mesial sites (35%) and 25 distal sites (27.4%). MBL exceeding the first thread but not the third thread was evident at 6 mesial and 5 distal sites (thread pitch: 0.7 mm). Only one peri-implant pocket deepened (4 mm) and showed bleeding; however, the estimated MBL did not exceed 1.65 mm. No peri-implantitis occurred, and no implant was lost. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study shows high survival rates and a seemingly low prevalence of biologic and prosthetic complications for this two-piece zirconia implant system over an observation period of up to 12 years.

The Brain in Oral Clefting: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analyses.

Background: Neuroimaging of individuals with non-syndromic oral clefts have revealed subtle brain structural differences compared to matched controls. Previous studies strongly suggest a unified primary dysfunction of normal brain and face development which could explain these neuroanatomical differences and the neuropsychiatric issues frequently observed in these individuals. Currently there are no studies that have assessed the overall empirical evidence of the association between oral clefts and brain structure. Our aim was to summarize the available evidence on potential brain structural differences in individuals with non-syndromic oral clefts and their matched controls. Methods: MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science and Embase were systematically searched in September 2020 for case-control studies that reported structural brain MRI in individuals with non-syndromic oral clefts and healthy controls. Studies of syndromic oral clefts were excluded. Two review authors independently screened studies for eligibility, extracted data and assessed risk of bias with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Random effects meta-analyses of mean differences (MDs) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were performed in order to compare global and regional brain MRI volumes. Results: Ten studies from 18 records were included in the review. A total of 741 participants were analyzed. A moderate to high risk of bias was determined for the included studies. The cerebellum (MD: -12.46 cm3, 95% CI: -18.26, -6.67, n = 3 studies, 354 participants), occipital lobes (MD: -7.39, 95% CI: -12.80, -1.99, n = 2 studies, 120 participants), temporal lobes (MD: -10.53 cm3, 95% CI: -18.23, -2.82, n = 2 studies, 120 participants) and total gray matter (MD: -41.14 cm3; 95% CI: -57.36 to -24.92, n = 2 studies, 172 participants) were significantly smaller in the cleft group compared to controls. Discussion: There may be structural brain differences between individuals with non-syndromic oral clefts and controls based on the available evidence. Improvement in study design, size, methodology and participant selection could allow a more thorough analysis and decrease study heterogeneity.

Clinical Performance of Dental Implants Following Sinus Floor Augmentation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials with at Least 3 Years of Follow-up.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the survival of implants placed in augmented sinuses on a medium- to long-term basis, and identify factors affecting implant survival such as surgical technique, bone grafts, and timing of implant placement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature search up to July 2016 was performed to identify prospective clinical studies on sinus floor augmentation in conjunction with implant placement with a minimum follow-up of 3 years. Meta-analytic methods were implemented to calculate implant survival rates and relative risks (RR) for failure and the effect of surgical technique, use of bone graft, graft type, use of membrane, mean residual bone height, and timing of implant insertion. RESULTS: A total of 17 clinical trials (1 randomized and 16 prospective nonrandomized) were included, which pertained to 637 patients (at least 48% male) and 1,610 implants placed after sinus floor augmentation with the osteotome (transalveolar) or lateral window approach. The pooled implant survival rate at 3 to 6 years of follow-up was 97.7% (17 studies; 95% CI = 94.4% to 99.7%) with high heterogeneity. Smoking was associated with significantly worse implant survival (2 studies; RR = 4.8; 95% CI = 1.2 to 19.4; P < .05). However, evidence of influencing factors varied from very low to moderate after adopting the GRADE approach, due to risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, and small-study effects. CONCLUSION: Current evidence suggests that implants in augmented sinuses have high survival rates, with smoking playing a potentially important negative role in their prognosis. Both indirect and direct maxillary sinus floor augmentation seem to have a low frequency of manageable complications.

Randomized clinical trials in orthodontics are rarely registered a priori and often published late or not at all.

A priori registration of randomized clinical trials is crucial to the transparency and credibility of their findings. Aim of this study was to assess the frequency with which registered and completed randomized trials in orthodontics are published. We searched ClinicalTrials.gov and ISRCTN for registered randomized clinical trials in orthodontics that had been completed up to January 2017 and judged the publication status and date of registered trials using a systematic protocol. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, chi-square or Fisher exact tests, and Kaplan-Meier survival estimates. From the 266 orthodontic trials registered up to January 2017, 80 trials had been completed and included in the present study. Among these 80 included trials, the majority (76%) were registered retrospectively, while only 33 (41%) were published at the time. The median time from completion to publication was 20.1 months (interquartile range: 9.1 to 31.6 months), while survival analysis indicated that less than 10% of the trials were published after 5 years from their completion. Finally, 22 (28%) of completed trials remain unpublished even after 5 years from their completion. Publication rates of registered randomized trials in orthodontics remained low, even 5 years after their completion date.

Recurrence rates of intraosseous ameloblastomas of the jaws: a systematic review of conservative versus aggressive treatment approaches and meta-analysis of non-randomized studies.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to define and evaluate the post-treatment recurrence of unicystic and solid or multicystic ameloblastoma lesions, measured as counts of first time recurrences. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis was planned according to the PRISMA statement and in order to include randomized and non-randomized clinical trials and observational studies in humans. Seven electronic databases were searched from their start up to December 2013 without limitation to year, language or publication status. RESULTS: A total of seven non-randomized studies with 229 cases of treated ameloblastoma lesions were included in the quantitative synthesis. The summary recurrence rate of ameloblastomas for the unicystic and solid or multicystic variants ranged from 0.2% to 12% and 0.8% to 38% respectively. The comparison of a conservative treatment approach versus radical in solid or multicystic ameloblastoma favored the radical. CONCLUSIONS: The absence of studies with low risk of bias precludes the making of strong clinical recommendations while resection may be preferable in both unicystic and solid or multicystic. ameloblastomas.

Choice of effect measure for meta-analyses of dichotomous outcomes influenced the identified heterogeneity and direction of small-study effects.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the use of odds ratio (OR), risk ratio (RR), and risk difference (RD) in meta-analyses of dichotomous outcomes and assess their influence on their results. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Initially, we included meta-analyses from a meta-epidemiologic database and reanalyzed them with OR, RR, and RD as summary metric. The primary outcomes were the effects of metric choice on the (1) statistical significance, (2) heterogeneity, and (3) Egger's test for publication bias. Additionally, meta-analyses that originally used OR were reanalyzed using RR to assess the differences in their results. RESULTS: In the 235 meta-analyses (147 reviews) that were included, the conclusions in terms of significance rarely changed. On the other hand, use of OR displayed the lowest I(2) values (median 42%), followed by RR (+5.1%) and RD (+15.0%). The Egger's test was most often significant with RR (32%), followed by RD (29%) and OR (24%). Substitution of RR for OR led to a change of the observed effects in 3%, change of between-study heterogeneity in 6% to 24%, and change in Egger's test results in 7% of the cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: The choice of metric for meta-analyses of dichotomous outcomes might influence the identified between-study heterogeneity and the results of Egger's test.

Associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin d and periodontal pocketing and gingival bleeding: results of a study in a non-smoking population in Finland.

BACKGROUND: Apart from the effects of vitamin D on bone metabolism, it is also known for its immunomodulatory properties. However, so far, it is not clear whether serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] exerts any beneficial effect on the periodontium. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether the serum level of 25(OH)D is related to periodontal condition, measured by means of pocketing and gingival bleeding. METHODS: This cross-sectional study is based on a non-smoking subpopulation without diabetes of the Finnish Health 2000 Survey (N = 1,262). Periodontal condition was measured as the number of teeth with deep (≥4 mm) periodontal pockets and the number of bleeding sextants per individual. Serum 25(OH)D level was determined by means of a standard laboratory measurement. Prevalence rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using Poisson regression models. RESULTS: There were practically no associations between serum 25(OH)D level and teeth with deep (≥4 mm) periodontal pockets or bleeding sextants. A somewhat lower proportion of teeth with deep periodontal pockets was found in higher serum 25(OH)D quintiles among individuals with a good oral hygiene level. CONCLUSION: Serum 25(OH)D did not seem to be related to periodontal condition, measured as periodontal pocketing and gingival bleeding in this low-risk, low-25(OH)D status population.

Bias and small-study effects influence treatment effect estimates: a meta-epidemiological study in oral medicine.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the influence of the following study characteristics on their study effect estimates: (1) indexing in MEDLINE, (2) language, and (3) design. For randomized trials, (4) trial size and (5) unequal randomization were also assessed. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: The CAtegorical Dental and Maxillofacial Outcome Syntheses meta-epidemiologic study was conducted. Eight databases/registers were searched up to September 2012 for meta-analyses of binary outcomes with at least five studies in the field of dental and maxillofacial medicine. The previously mentioned five study characteristics were investigated. The ratio of odds ratios (ROR) according to each characteristic was calculated with random-effects meta-regression and then pooled across meta-analyses. RESULTS: A total of 281 meta-analyses were identified and used to assess the influence of the following factors: non-MEDLINE indexing vs. MEDLINE indexing (n = 78; ROR, 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05, 1.19; P = 0.001), language (n = 61; P = 0.546), design (n = 24; P = 0.576), small trials (<200 patients) vs. large trials (≥200 patients) (n = 80; ROR, 0.92; 95% CI: 0.87, 0.98; P = 0.009) and unequal randomization (n = 36; P = 0.828). CONCLUSION: Studies indexed in MEDLINE might present greater effects than non-indexed ones. Small randomized trials might present greater effects than large ones.

Non-syndromic and syndromic keratocystic odontogenic tumors: systematic review and meta-analysis of recurrences.

BACKGROUND: Keratocystic odontogenic tumors (KCOTs) are locally aggressive benign tumors which occur in the bones of both jaws with a high recurrence rate. The aim of the present study was to define and evaluate the post-treatment recurrence of KCOT lesions in non-syndromic and syndromic patients. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis was conducted according to the PRISMA statement. Seven electronic databases were searched from their start up to August 2013 for clinical studies on human patients without limitation to year, language or publication status. RESULTS: A total of five case series studies with 323 treated KCOT lesions were included in the quantitative synthesis. The recurrence rate of KCOTs for three treatment forms ranged from 7% to 28%. Comparisons among the various treatments suggest that resection or marsupialization might be associated with fewer recurrences. However, high risk of bias and effect imprecision preclude the making of clinical recommendation. Existing evidence regarding nevoid basal cell carcinoma patients was likewise scarce. CONCLUSIONS: The absence of studies with low risk of bias precludes the making of safe recommendations about the optimal management of KCOTs.