Clinical Assessment of Short Implants Retaining Removable Partial Dentures: 4-year Follow-up.

PURPOSE: To prospectively evaluate the survival at 1 and 4 years of short implants retaining removable partial dentures (RPDs) in Kennedy Class I and II edentulism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients (Kennedy Class I and II) rehabilitated with RPDs were selected for the insertion of one short implant in the distal edentulous ridge, connected to the RPD with a Locator attachment after osseointegration. The following data were recorded at the 1- and 4-year follow-up: bone loss, bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), implant mobility, and survival. RESULTS: Thirty-five implants were placed from September 2012 to April 2014. At the 4-year follow-up, 12 implants showed BOP, and for PD, 15 implants showed 2 mm, 16 implants showed 3 mm, and 2 implants showed 4 mm. One implant showed mobility, and two were lost (survival rate: 94.3%; 95% CI: 80.84 to 99.30). The mean bone loss was 1.04 ± 1.88 mm. CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, the implant survival rate and the mean bone loss values reported are comparable with those reported by other authors. The use of short implants for retaining RPDs may be considered a viable treatment option for patients with distal edentulism and contraindications for more complex implant rehabilitation.

Thickness Discrimination Thresholds in Patients Wearing Single-Implant Mandibular Overdentures: 6-Year Follow-up.

PURPOSE: To verify whether single-implant-supported mandibular overdentures improve thickness discrimination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A selection of edentulous patients treated with single-implant-supported overdentures underwent interocclusal thickness discrimination tests using dedicated metal strips. Fifteen patients were included, and recordings were repeated five times: with complete dentures in place before placement of implants, the day of the prosthetic connection, and 1 month, 1 year, and 6 years after the connection. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Thickness discrimination improved at the 1-month recall recording, while after 1 year, it remained stable at low levels.

Immediate Loading of Mandibular Overdentures Retained by Two Mini-Implants: A Case Series Preliminary Report.

PURPOSE: This preliminary case series report sought to evaluate the efficacy of an immediate loading protocol for mandibular overdentures retained by two mini-implants with the outcome measures patient satisfaction, masticatory cycles, and masticatory efficiency at 1 year. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A convenience sample of 11 patients was recruited, and the clinical protocol consisted of immediately loading two mini-implants (10 mm long and 2.4 mm or 2.9 mm in diameter) via a mandibular overdenture connection with Locator attachments. Each patient completed a satisfaction questionnaire and underwent masticatory cycle recordings and masticatory efficiency tests. Implant-related evaluations were carried out by assessing probing depth (PD), Plaque Index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), mobility, and pain. All tests and evaluations were carried out six times: before implant surgery (T0), just before implant surgery with patient under anesthesia (T1), following implant insertion with patient still under anesthesia (T2), and at 3 months (T3), 6 months (T6), and 1 year (T12) after implant insertion. RESULTS: Implant survival rate was 95%, and statistically significant increases (P < .05) in masticatory cycle patterns, masticatory efficiency, comfort, stability, and phonetics were also recorded. CONCLUSION: The employed treatment protocol suggests promise as a viable treatment option that in the short term provides improved prosthesis stability, comfort, and function while decreasing surgical invasiveness. Long-term follow-up outcomes in larger patient sample studies will be required to confirm and validate the merits of this preliminary report.

Simplified edentulous treatment: A multicenter randomized controlled trial to evaluate the timing and clinical outcomes of the technique.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The time and cost of conventional complete denture procedures have been questioned in favor of simplified and faster methods. Whether the simplified edentulous treatment (SET) method yields complete dentures with acceptable outcomes is unclear. PURPOSE: The purpose of this randomized clinical trial (RCT) was to evaluate the outcomes of 2 techniques in providing complete dentures: the conventional and the SET methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three Italian academic institutions participated in this single-blind parallel RCT. In total, 64 participants were selected and agreed to join the study. They were allocated randomly to 1 of 2 treatment groups, the conventional and SET group: 32 participants per group, 50% women in each group. Treatment was provided by final year predoctoral dental students. The time required for the clinical and laboratory procedures, the number of clinical sessions, and the laboratory returns were recorded. The clinical quality of the dentures and participant satisfaction were evaluated using questionnaires. Differences between treatment group outcomes were analyzed with 2-tailed independent sample Student t tests for clinical and technical timing and clinical and technical steps and Mann-Whitney U tests for denture quality and participant satisfaction (α=.05). RESULTS: The clinical time required (-34%, P<.001), number of clinical sessions (-34%, P<.001), and laboratory returns (-46.5%, P<.001) were significantly lower for the SET than for the conventional method. The laboratory time required (-10.6%) was not significantly less with the SET method (P=.06). Participant satisfaction (P=.816) and prosthodontist ratings of denture quality (P=.539) were comparable between the groups. The participants appreciated the reduced number of clinical sessions with SET (P=.003). CONCLUSIONS: Simplified edentulous treatment may be considered a reliable method for providing complete dentures in a shorter timeframe while maintaining denture quality and patient satisfaction.

The Role of Dietary Supplements in Postsurgical Bleeding: An Update for the Practitioner.

In the United States, dietary supplement use in adults aged 20 and older has increased significantly in the last 2 decades. Intraoperative and postoperative bleeding has been among the complications linked with usage, which is particularly problematic if patients do not disclose use to the dental practitioner. The aim of this article is to present a case report of a patient who had been taking dietary supplements for only 1 month and developed severe bleeding after receiving second-stage implant abutment insertion surgery. The article also presents a review of several supplements that can increase the risk for bleeding complications.

Simplified edentulous treatment technique for edentulous hemimaxillectomy patients: case history report.

Technical difficulties in the construction of hard palate obturators following oncologic surgery are due to the recording limitations of the entire defect area, plus prosthesis base instability during recording of maxillomandibular relationships. This article describes a time-saving technique that ensures stable and precise recording bases. A light-polymerizing acrylic resin layer is used for making the first impression of the defect, while simultaneously obtaining an acrylic resin impression tray and base for recording maxillomandibular relationships. Adhesive paper copies are used for the arrangement of the anterior teeth.

A novel method for defining and transferring to the laboratory the esthetic data of the edentulous patient: a randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: This trial aimed to compare a new technique for defining and transferring the esthetic arrangement to the laboratory with the traditional method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred twenty-three consecutive edentulous patients were randomly assigned to a case or control group. The case group received arrangement using adhesive paper teeth. The control group received traditional standard care selection and arrangement of anterior teeth. Measured outcomes were the time needed for arrangement and adjustments, patient satisfaction, and number of adjustments at the trial session. RESULTS: Satisfaction and number of adjustments needed were not statistically different in the two groups. The time needed for arranging teeth was statistically less in the case group. CONCLUSION: The technique reduces the time necessary for the esthetic arrangement while maintaining comparable quality of the trial and definitive denture.