Changes in Lower Facial Height and Facial Esthetics with Incremental Increases in Occlusal Vertical Dimension in Dentate Subjects.

PURPOSE: To determine if there are objective changes in lower facial height and subjective changes in facial esthetics with incremental increases in occlusal vertical dimension in dentate subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty subjects of four different races and both sexes with a Class I dental occlusion had custom diagnostic occlusal prostheses (mandibular overlays) fabricated on casts mounted on a semi-adjustable articulator. The overlays were fabricated at 2-mm, 3-mm, 4-mm, and 5-mm openings of the anterior guide pin of a semi-adjustable articulator. Direct facial measurements were made between pronasale and menton on each subject while wearing the four different overlays. Thereafter, two digital photographs (frontal and profile) were taken for each subject at maximum intercuspation (baseline) and wearing each of the four mandibular overlays. The photographs of eight subjects were standardized and displayed in a random order to 60 judges comprising 30 laypeople, 15 general dentists, and 15 prosthodontists. Using a visual analog scale, each judge was asked to rate the facial esthetics twice for each of the 80 images. RESULTS: For objective changes, although an anterior guide pin-lower facial height relationship of 1:0.63 mm was observed, the findings were not correlated (P>.20). For subjective changes, the visual analog scale ratings of judges were uncorrelated with increases in anterior guide pin opening up to 5 mm, irrespective of the judge's background status or the sexes of the judges or the subjects (P>.80). CONCLUSIONS: Incremental increases in anterior guide pin opening up to 5 mm did not correlate to similar increases in lower facial height. Additionally, it made no difference in a judge's evaluation of facial esthetics irrespective of the judge's background status (layperson, general dentist, or prosthodontist) or sex.

A nonsurgical approach to treating aggressive inflammatory papillary hyperplasia: a clinical report.

Preprosthetic interventions in patients with aggressive forms of inflammatory papillary hyperplasia have historically involved surgery. These procedures often involve significant postoperative discomfort and morbidity. Additionally, some patients who present with dental phobias, aversions to surgery, or underlying systemic disease may not be amenable to this type of surgical intervention. In this report, a patient with severe inflammatory papillary hyperplasia and phobias regarding the dentist and dental surgery was treated nonsurgically, following strict adherence to a clinical protocol. The methodology involved greater patient comfort during treatment, encouraged positive reinforcement to visiting the dentist for recall appointments, and effectively eliminated the underlying inflammatory papillary hyperplasia, allowing for the successful fabrication of the definitive removable prostheses.