Insertion Torque and Resonance Frequency Analysis in Tapered and Parallel Dental Implants.

Primary implant stability (PIS) is known to vary with recipient bone mass and density, dental implant design and surgical technique. The objective of this preliminary study was to compare rotational and lateral PIS of same-coronal-diameter conical and parallel implants, using insertion torque recorded with a dental implant motor set and implant stability quotient obtained from resonance frequency analysis (performed with both Osstell and Penguin systems) as measures of rotational and lateral stability, respectively. Additionally, the relationship between PIS and alveolar ridge width (ARW) was explored in both implant types. Sixty dental implants (30 tapered and 30 parallel) were randomly placed with a split-mouth design in 17 patients. Bone density and ARW were estimated from cone beam computed tomography images taken with radiological-surgical templates. Density and width values were similar in the 2 groups (P > .05). Implant coronal diameters were 3.75 mm in all cases, while consistent with the manufacturer's recommendations, final drill bit diameters used were 3.25 and 3.4 mm for parallel and tapered implants, respectively. Insertion torque was higher (P < .05) with parallel implants, but between-group differences in implant stability quotient were not significant (P > .05). In tapered implants, insertion torque was inversely correlated with ARW (P < .001). Notably, significant differences were observed between resonance frequency analysis values from Osstell and Penguin systems (P < .001). In conclusion, future studies should explore how PIS may be influenced by final drill bit size regardless of implant design and potential limits on the effectiveness of tapered implants to achieve good stability in thick low-density bone.

León (Spain) Health professionals' knowledge and clinical practice towards the relationship between cardiovascular diseases and periodontal disease.

Background: Cardiovascular pathologies have a high prevalence in the geriatric population, with acute myocardial infarction being one of the main causes of death in Spain. These pathologies have a systemic inflammatory component that is of vital importance. We also know in dentistry that the main gingival pathogens are capable of generating a systemic inflammatory response, being indirectly involved in the development of the atherosclerotic lesion, assuming, therefore, that periodontal disease is a cardiovascular risk factor. The objective of this study is to determine the knowledge of health professionals who treat cardiovascular diseases about periodontal disease and its relationship with heart disease. Material and Methods: A health survey was carried out on 100 Cardiologists, Internists and General Practitioners in the province of León. Points of interest in this survey: the professional's own oral health, knowledge of the relationship between periodontal and heart disease and, lastly, the training received in medicine on oral health. Results: 60% of professionals reviewed their oral health annually and 20% randomly. 48% of health professionals were unaware of periodontal diseases, 77% claimed to have not received university training in this regard, only 13% of those surveyed acknowledged having received more than 10 hours of training on oral health in their experience and finally, 90% thought that training in both Medicine and Dentistry should be collaborative. Conclusions: The degree of knowledge of health professionals regarding oral health is poor (77%), therefore the number of collaborative consultations with dental professionals is low (<63%). Training projects targeting a correct preventive medicine are shown to be necessary. Key words:Cardiovascular disease, oral-systemic health, periodontitis, knowledge, physicians.

Efficacy of phentolamine mesylate in reducing the duration of various local anesthetics.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate changes in the effectiveness of phentolamine mesylate in combination with different local anesthetics (LAs) and vasoconstrictors. A prospective randomized double-blind study was conducted with 90 patients divided into three groups, with each group being administered one of three different LAs: lidocaine 2% 1/80,000, articaine 4% 1/200,000, and bupivacaine 0.5% 1/200,000. METHODS: We compared treatments administered to the mandible involving a LA blockade of the inferior alveolar nerve. Results were assessed by evaluating reduction in total duration of anesthesia, self-reported patient comfort using the visual analog pain scale, incidence rates of the most common adverse effects, overall patient satisfaction, and patient feedback. RESULTS: The differences among the three groups were highly significant (P < 0.001); time under anesthesia was especially reduced for both the lip and tongue with bupivacaine. The following adverse effects were reported: pain at the site of the anesthetic injection (11.1%), headaches (6.7%), tachycardia (1.1%), and heavy bleeding after treatment (3.3%). The patients' feedback and satisfaction ratings were 100% and 98.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Efficient reversal of LAs is useful in dentistry as it allows patients to return to normal life more readily and avoid common self-injuries sometimes caused by anesthesia. Phentolamine mesylate reduced the duration of anesthesia in the three studied groups, with the highest reduction reported in the bupivacaine group (from 460 min to 230 min for the lip and 270 min for the tongue [P < 0.001]).

Implant-prosthetic Rehabilitation with and without Platform Switching: A Retrospective Clinical Cohort Study.

AIM: The study aimed to retrospectively compare peri-implant bone loss, prosthetic complications, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) after implant-prosthetic treatment on abutments with platform switch or platform match. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records of patients, who received implant-prosthetic treatment on abutments with/without platform switch in a single dental clinic between November 2015 and November 2018, were retrospectively analyzed. Analysis was restricted to the following patient selection criteria: no need for any bone grafting procedures before/during implant placement, and no serious systemic disease. Implants were conventionally loaded with screwed prosthetic restorations after a healing period of 3 months. Crestal bone loss was measured by digital radiography at implant placement and after at least 2 years under functional implant loading conditions. Patient satisfaction was recorded with the visual analogue scale (VAS) at the time of the follow-up examination. RESULTS: Clinical records of 59 patients were available for analysis. Patients of the study cohort received in total 128 implants with different lengths and diameters according to the manufacturer's specifications. Prosthetic restorations were fixed either on abutments with platform switch (BEGO PS-UNI: n = 74; 57.8%) or platform match (BEGO SUB-TEC Universal: n = 54; 42.2%). No implant was lost and no failure of prosthetic restoration was recorded during follow-up, except for prosthetic screw loosening in 32 implants (25.0%). Abutment type and location (maxilla vs mandible) had a significant impact on peri-implant bone loss (OR = 3.4; 2.8). A significant reduced rate of bone loss was observed at implant sites, provided with abutments according to the platform switch concept (35.1 vs 64.8%). No significant correlation was recorded between less bone loss and a higher patient satisfaction, while loosening of the prosthetic screw was significantly associated with lower satisfaction scores. CONCLUSION: BEGO PS-UNI abutments with a platform switch design revealed significant less crestal bone loss after a mean observation period of 20.8 months. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Abutments with a platform switch design may lead to less peri-implant bone loss. In order to maintain a higher patient satisfaction, clinicians should focus on the quality of the implant-prosthetic connection in screwed restorations.

Alveolar Bone Density and Width Affect Primary Implant Stability.

Primary implant stability (PIS) depends on surgical technique, implant design, and recipient bone characteristics, among other factors. Bone density (BD) can be determined in Hounsfield units (HUs) using cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT). Reliable prediction of PIS could guide treatment decisions. We assessed whether PIS was associated with recipient bone characteristics, namely, BD and alveolar ridge width (ARW), measured preoperatively by CBCT. We studied a convenience sample of 160 implants placed in 48 patients in 2016 and 2017. All underwent CBCT with a radiologic/surgical guide yielding values for ARW and BD. PIS measures used were the implant stability quotient (ISQ) from resonance frequency analysis and insertion torque (IT). IT was most influenced by the HU value at 0.5 mm outside the implant placement area, followed by the value within this area, and ISQ by the HU value at 0.5 mm outside the placement area, followed by implant placement site and apical ARW. ISQ values were significantly related to ARW in coronal (P < .05), middle (P < .01), and apical (P < .01) thirds. ISQs were higher with larger-diameter implants (P < .01). ISQ and IT were strongly correlated (P < .001). PIS in terms of ISQ and IT is positively correlated with edentulous alveolar ridge BD measured by CBCT, implying that implant stability may be predicted preoperatively. Wide alveolar ridges favored lateral PIS but did not affect rotational PIS. The most significant predictor of lateral and rotational PIS in our patients was the HU value at 0.5 mm outside the implant placement area.

Osseoincorporation of Porous Tantalum Trabecular-Structured Metal: A Histologic and Histomorphometric Study in Humans.

Porous tantalum trabecular-structured metal (PTTM) has been applied to titanium orthopedic and dental implants. This study evaluated the healing pattern of bone growth into experimental PTTM cylinders (N = 24; 3.0 × 5.0 mm) implanted in the partially edentulous jaws of 23 healthy volunteers divided into four groups. Six PTTM cylinders per group were explanted, prepared, and analyzed histologically/metrically after 2, 3, 6, and 12 weeks of submerged healing. PTTM implant osseoincorporation resulted from the formation of an osteogenic tissue network that over the course of 12 weeks resulted in vascular bone volume levels in PTTM that are comparable to clinically observed mean trabecular volumes in edentulous posterior jaws.

Prospective, Multicenter Evaluation of Trabecular Metal-Enhanced Titanium Dental Implants Placed in Routine Dental Practices: 1-Year Interim Report From the Development Period (2010 to 2011).

BACKGROUND: A prospective, multicenter study is currently evaluating a novel titanium implant with a highly porous tantalum midsection (tantalum material [TM]) placed in an uncontrolled patient population. PURPOSE: Interim 1-year results from the development period (2010-2011) are reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Investigators in 22 clinical sites located in five European countries randomly selected and treated partially edentulous patients in accordance with the implant's instructions for use and the investigators' professional judgments. Oversight was provided by the local institutional review boards. Subjects were treated with 1 to 2 TM dental implants in maxillary or mandibular location(s). RESULTS: To date, 105 patients with 57 maxillary and 88 mandibular implants have completed 1 year of clinical monitoring. Within this interim group, 28 patients had concomitant health conditions that may elevate risks for long-term crestal bone loss and/or implant survival. Three implants failed due to local or systemic infection, and four implants failed to integrate. Cumulative implant survival was 95.2% (n = 138/145) with 0.43 ± 0.57 mm of mean marginal bone loss in this interim group. CONCLUSION: TM dental implants were clinically effective under various clinical conditions in an uncontrolled patient population with and without concomitant health conditions.

Physiological bases of bone regeneration II. The remodeling process.

Bone remodeling is the restructuring process of existing bone, which is in constant resorption and formation. Under normal conditions, this balanced process allows the renewal of 5-10% of bone volume per year. At the microscopic level, bone remodeling is produced in basic multicellular units, where osteoclasts resorb a certain quantity of bone and osteoblasts form the osteoid matrix and mineralize it to fill the previously created cavity. These units contain osteoclasts, macrophages, preosteoblasts and osteoblasts, and are controlled by a series of factors, both general and local, allowing normal bone function and maintaining the bone mass. When this process becomes unbalanced then bone pathology appears, either in excess (osteopetrosis) or deficit (osteoporosis). The purpose of this study is to undertake a revision of current knowledge on the physiological and biological mechanisms of the bone remodeling process; highlighting the role played by the regulating factors, in particular that of the growth factors.

Physiological bases of bone regeneration I. Histology and physiology of bone tissue.

Bone is the only body tissue capable of regeneration, allowing the restitutio ad integrum following trauma. In the event of a fracture or bone graft, new bone is formed, which following the remodeling process is identical to the pre-existing. Bone is a dynamic tissue in constant formation and resorption. This balanced phenomena, known as the remodeling process, allows the renovation of 5-15% of the total bone mass per year under normal conditions. Bone remodeling consists of the resorption of a certain amount of bone by osteoclasts, likewise the formation of osteoid matrix by osteoblasts, and its subsequent mineralization. This phenomenon occurs in small areas of the cortical bone or the trabecular surface, called Basic Multicellular Units (BMU). Treatment in Traumatology, Orthopedics, Implantology, and Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, is based on the biologic principals of bone regeneration, in which cells, extracellular matrix, and osteoinductive signals are involved. The aim of this paper is to provide an up date on current knowledge on the biochemical and physiological mechanisms of bone regeneration, paying particular attention to the role played by the cells and proteins of the bone matrix.