Interim three-dimensional printed overlay prosthesis for an adolescent patient with oligodontia.

Oligodontia is a developmental anomaly which represents the congenital absence of more than six teeth in primary, permanent, or both dentitions and may or may not be associated with a syndrome. These patients suffer from occlusal disharmony, problems in speech and esthetic appearance. A multidisciplinary approach becomes mandatory to manage such patients to rehabilitate their oral function. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment become important. This is a case report of a 15-year-old female patient with oligodontia, who was rehabilitated with removable overlay prostheses fabricated digitally, without modifying her existing dentition, to restore mastication, phonetics, and esthetics. Such an approach is essential for children who have not completed their growth. The monolithic three-dimensional (3D) printed denture has increased fracture resistance and higher wear resistance compared to conventional denture. It can also be easily adjusted, repaired and if required, reproduced. This article highlights the methodology, pros and cons of fabricating 3D printed dentures for such patients.

Maxillary hollow-bulb obturator: A paradigm shift.

Maxillary defects, whether congenital or acquired, make a patient encounter an array of physical and psychological difficulties, leading to an extremely poor quality of life. Rehabilitation of such a patient is often challenging due to the extent of the defect area coupled with the absence of adequate retention caused by the size and weight of the prosthesis. Further, providing a proper seal of the oronasal communication is of utmost importance to restore function. Taking the above factors into consideration, a combination of hollow-bulb obturator consisting of a titanium framework and a flexible, snap-on silicone cap is an effective prosthesis providing a long-term treatment, increased retention, and a happy patient. The fabrication protocol included the use of computer-aided design, titanium along with laser welding, and an intraoral trial before final fabrication, hence, reconfirming the success of the prosthetic design. The maxillary obturator presented in this article eliminates several disadvantages associated with a conventional hollow-bulb obturator, thereby providing a novel, viable option for a maxillofacial prosthodontist.

A comparative evaluation of intraoral and extraoral digital impressions: An in vivo study.

AIM: The accuracy of a dental impression is determined by two factors: "trueness" and "precision." The scanners used in dentistry are relatively new in market, and very few studies have compared the "precision" and "trueness" of intraoral scanner with the extraoral scanner. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare accuracy of intraoral and extraoral digital impressions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten dentulous participants (male/female) aged 18-45 years with an asymptomatic endodontically treated mandibular first molars with adjacent teeth present were selected for this study. The prepared test tooth was measured using a digital Vernier caliper to obtain reference datasets. The tooth was then scanned using the intraoral scanner, and the extraoral scans were obtained using the casts made from the impressions. The datasets were divided into four groups and then statistically analyzed. The test tooth preparation was done, and dimples were made using a round diamond point on the bucco-occlusal, mesio-occlusal, disto-occlusal, and linguo-occlusal lines angles, and these were used to obtain reference datasets intraorally using a digital Vernier caliper. The test tooth was then scanned with the IO scanner (CS 3500, Carestream dental) thrice and also impressions were made using addition silicone impression material (3M™ ESPE) and dental casts were poured in Type IV dental stone (Kalrock-Kalabhai Karson India Pvt. Ltd., India) which were later scanned with the EO scanner (LAVA™ Scan ST Design system [3M™ ESPE]) thrice. The Datasets obtained from Intraoral and Extraoral scanner were exported to Dental Wings software and readings were obtained. Repeated measures ANOVA test was used to compare differences between the groups and independent t-test for comparison between the readings of intraoral and extraoral scanner. Least significant difference test was used for comparison between reference datasets with intraoral and extraoral scanner, respectively. A level of statistical significance of P < 0.05 was set. RESULTS: The precision values ranged from 20.7 to 33.35 µm for intraoral scanner and 19.5 to 37 µm for extraoral scanner. The mean deviations for intraoral scanner were 19.6 µm mesiodistally (MD) and 16.4 µm buccolingually (BL) and 24.0 µm MD and 22.5 µm BL for extraoral scanner. The mean values of the intraoral scanner (413 µm) for trueness were closest to the actual measurements (459 µm) than the extraoral scanner (396 µm). CONCLUSION: The intraoral scanner showed higher "precision" and "trueness" values when compared with the extraoral scanner.

A novel and easy technique for restoring grossly decayed mandibular molar with a modified cast-post.

The article addresses the difficulty of restoring a grossly carious molar tooth, where very little tooth structure is left after caries excavation. When enough sound tooth structure is missing for satisfying the ferrule effect, a clinician can follow this technique and easily restore such teeth. A step by step procedure, including instrumentation and materials and a new impression technique, is described in detail, with clinical photographs. This technique results in the fabrication of a robust and extremely retentive post and core on which to place fixed prosthodontic restorations. A 2 and half year study showed that the tooth well in function with no signs of any problem. The author has restored around many decayed molars using this technique. Over a period of three years, no failure was reported. With an increasing demand on the dentist for restoring a structurally compromised teeth, this technique provides the patients with a robust prosthodontic solution.

A novel approach to treat peri implantitis with the help of PRF.

A new field of biomédical science, known as tissue engineering, applies the principles of biology and engineering to the development of functional substitutes for tissues and organs. Little is known about the influence of Keratinised Mucosa dimension around implants on the soft and hard tissue health The purpose of this case report is to understand the importance of healthy tissue around the implants for long term success and how biomimetic materials like PRF Membrane can be incorporated in treatment plan as an important modality in selected cases.