A successful implant-supported fixed prosthesis in a patient with osteopetrosis: A clinical report.

Osteopetrosis (marble bone disease) is a family of rare genetic disorders characterized by impaired osteoclast function leading to hyperdense, hypovascular, brittle bone. Typical imaging shows increased bone mass and thickened cortical and trabecular bone. Bones are more prone to fracture and osteomyelitis may develop. When considering dental implant placement in a patient with osteopetrosis, the potential for bony fracture and/or osteomyelitis should be considered along with the decreased likelihood of successful osseointegration because of hypovascularity. This clinical report describes an unusual imaging presentation and successful osseointegration of multiple dental implants supporting an implant-supported fixed mandibular prosthesis with long-term survival.

Are Oral Antibiotics an Effective Alternative to Intravenous Antibiotics in Treatment of Osteomyelitis of the Jaw?

PURPOSE: To review treatment of osteomyelitis of the jaw (OMJ) and determine whether antibiotic route and/or length of administration impacts resolution of infection postsurgically. METHODS: The investigators designed a retrospective cohort study enrolling a sample of patients treated at Harborview Medical Center from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2019. The primary predictor variable was antibiotic administration route: oral (PO) only, intravenous (IV) only, IV transitioned to PO (IV + PO), or none. The secondary predictor was duration of antibiotic therapy (≤6 weeks or >6 weeks). The primary outcome variable was resolution of infection at 2 months follow-up posttreatment completion. The secondary outcome variable was number of surgeries to resolution of infection. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple linear regression statistics were computed, with statistical significance set at P < .05. RESULTS: Sixty-seven individuals met inclusion criteria (38 male), mean age 51 years (18 to 88). Forty-nine (73%) received PO antibiotics, 12 (18%) IV + PO, 3 (4%) IV, and 3 (4%) none. Both PO and IV antibiotics were associated with clinical resolution (P = .022, .005, respectively) compared with debridement alone. Antibiotic duration of ≤6 weeks compared with >6 weeks was not significant. Seventy-six percent (51 of 67) required only 1 surgery. In the multivariate logistic regression, PO was associated with clinical resolution (P = .025, OR = 5.05). Penicillin allergy (P = 0.049, OR = 0.223) and diabetes (P = .008, OR = 0.104) were adversely associated with outcome. CONCLUSIONS: OMJ was successfully treated with oral antibiotics and surgery. Prescribing 6 weeks of IV antibiotics may be antiquated. Clinicians should consider oral penicillins as first line whenever possible. Further studies are recommended.

Adopting caries risk assessment in all practice environments.

Caries management by risk assessment (CAMBRA) is an evidence-based model intended to provide dentists with a protocol for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of caries by assessing and addressing a patient's overall oral health. The aim of this review was to examine the literature on CAMBRA to determine its efficacy. Clinical studies demonstrate that the CAMBRA approach is an effective concept that is both predictive of dental caries development and accurate in outlining appropriate treatment options and preventive strategies that can reduce the morbidity of this common disease process across all patient demographics.