Impact of bone defect morphology on the outcome of reconstructive treatment of peri-implantitis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess if (I) the alveolar bone defect configuration at dental implants diagnosed with peri-implantitis is related to clinical parameters at the time of surgical intervention and if (II) the outcome of surgical intervention of peri-implantitis is dependent on defect configuration at the time of treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective study, 45 individuals and 74 dental implants with ≥ 2 bone wall defects were treated with either an autogenous bone transplant or an exogenous bone augmentation material. Defect fill was assessed at 1 year. RESULTS: At baseline, no significant study group differences were identified. Most study implants (70.7%, n = 53) had been placed in the maxilla. Few implants were placed in molar regions. The mesial and distal crestal width at surgery was greater at 4-wall defects than at 2-wall defects (p = 0.001). Probing depths were also greater at 4-wall defects than at 2-wall defects (p = 0.01). Defect fill was correlated to initial defect depth (p < 0.001). Defect fill at 4-wall defects was significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: (I) The buccal-lingual width of the alveolar bone crest was explanatory to defect configuration, (II) 4-wall defects demonstrated more defect fill, and (III) deeper defects resulted in more defect fill.

Antibodies to citrullinated peptides in serum and saliva in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and their association to periodontitis.

OBJECTIVES: A connection between prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontitis has been reported. The hypothesis for this association involves increased citrullination in the oral mucosa in patients with periodontitis. Whether ongoing periodontitis has an effect on IgA antibodies to citrullinated peptides (ACPA) in saliva is unknown. We studied IgA ACPA in saliva and serum and their relation to periodontitis and smoking in a population-based elderly RA cohort. METHODS: A population-based cohort of patients with RA ≥61 years of age (n=132) was examined by rheumatologists and a dental hygienist. Analyses of IgG ACPA in serum and IgA ACPA in serum and saliva were performed. The presence of ACPA was compared in patients with RA with and without periodontitis. RESULTS: IgA ACPA in serum occurred in 35% of RA patients with periodontitis and in 43% of RA patients without periodontitis (p=0.740). IgG ACPA in serum was found in 66% of RA patients with periodontitis, and in 69% without periodontitis (p=0.740). IgA ACPA in saliva occurred in 20% with periodontitis and 55% without periodontitis (p=0.062). A logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, gender and smoking gave an odds ratio (OR) of 0.456 (95% CI=0.183-1.137, p=0.092) for saliva IgA ACPA positive individuals to have periodontitis. CONCLUSIONS: IgA ACPA in serum or saliva was not more common in RA patients with periodontitis. This implies that local production of ACPA by the oral mucosa is not enhanced by periodontal inflammation, in patients with established RA.

Cytokine and microbial profiles in relation to the clinical outcome following treatment of peri-implantitis.

AIM: To study whether cytokine levels and bacterial counts in p atients with peri-implantitis reflect clinical treatment outcome following non-surgical management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Luminex magnet bead technology and checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization were used to assess treatment outcome after treatment at the implant with the most severe peri-implantitis in 41 participants. RESULTS: Study group mean age was 40.3 years (SD ± 9.9). Stable treatment outcome after 6 months (no further bone loss, probing pocket depth decrease ≥0.5 mm, no bleeding/suppuration) was identified in 9 of 41 (22%) participants. Peri-implant crevicular fluid (PICF) levels were also lower for Il-1ß (P < 0.01), and with trends of lower cytokine levels in PICF for TNF-α (P = 0.071), PDGFBB (P = 0.071), as well as for VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) (P = 0.071), and bacterial counts for Actinomyces israelii, Aggregatibacter actonomycetemcomitans (Y4), Campylobacter gracilis, Echerichia coli, Fusobacterium periodonticum, Leptotrichia buccalis, Parvimonas micra, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Streptococcus anginosus, and Tannerella forsythia. Increasing levels of IL-1 ß and S. aureus (r2  = 0.856) were found only at implants with non-stable outcome. A reduction of PICF levels for selected cytokines and bacteria studied had a sensitivity of 0.77, and a specificity of 0.80 against the clinical outcome as gold standard. Data analysis failed to differences in treatments (PerioFlow® versus YAG: ER laser) for changes in the expression of cytokines and bacteria studied. CONCLUSIONS: At 6 months, clinically stable treatment outcome of peri-implantitis is associated lower levels of putative pathogens total bacterial load with ≥30% reduction of IL1-ß, L-6, and VEGF levels in PICF.

Relation of gelsolin amyloidosis and periodontal health.

OBJECTIVE: Hereditary gelsolin amyloidosis (AGel amyloidosis) is a rare, dominantly inherited systemic disease with worldwide distribution, caused by a gelsolin gene mutation. We studied the periodontal conditions and microbiological plaque composition of AGel amyloidosis patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A voluntary study group of 36 AGel amyloidosis patients (mean age 61) filled in a questionnaire. A thorough periodontal examination included periodontal pocket depth and attachment level measurements, registrations of visible plaque, bleeding on probing and panoramic radiographs. The presence of oral Candida was studied by fungal culture method. Bacterial samples from deepened pockets (≥4 mm) were analyzed with checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization method. RESULTS: VPI (15.3 %) and BOP (11.2 %) of the patients were modest reflecting relatively adequate oral self-care. Still 89 % of the patients had at least one PPD of ≥4 mm; 78.5 % of the PPDs ≥6 mm were found in molars. Patients had lost one third of the molars due to periodontitis and/or tooth decay. Half of the patients (53 %) were Candida carriers. Bacterial analysis of subgingival plaque samples revealed bacterial species common to chronic periodontitis. CONCLUSION: AGel amyloidosis may increase the risk for periodontitis even when the oral self-care is adequate. Molar teeth appear to be mostly affected, leading to tooth loss. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: AGel amyloidosis as a systemic disease is related with a vast variety of symptoms with variable severity. Even though a causal relationship of the systemic disease and periodontitis has not yet been proven, increased risk for periodontal problems should be considered when examining AGel amyloidosis patients.

Periodontitis in older Swedish individuals fails to predict mortality.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess mortality risk and its association to health aspects in dentate individuals 60 years of age and older. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical and periodontal data from 870 dentate individuals (age range 60­96) participating in the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Blekinge (SNACBlekinge)with survival statistics over 6 years were studied. RESULTS: During 6 years of follow-up, 42/474 of the individuals(8.9 %), who at baseline were between age 60 and 75, and 134/396 individuals of the individuals (33.9 %), who at baseline were ≥75 years, died. Surviving dentate individuals had more teeth (mean 19.3, S.D.±7.9) than those who died (mean 15.9,S.D.±7.3; mean diff 3,3; S.E. mean diff 0.7; 95 % CI 2.0, 4.6;p=0.001). A self-reported history of high blood pressure (F=15.0, p<0.001), heart failure (F=24.5, p<0.001, observed power=0.99), older age (F=34.7, p<0.001), male gender(F=6.3, p<0.01), serum HbA1c with 6.5 % as cutoff level(F=9.3, p=0.002) were factors associated with mortality. A medical diagnosis of heart disease, diabetes, any form of cancer,or periodontitis failed to predict mortality. CONCLUSIONS: A self-reported history of angina pectoris, chronic heart failure, elevated serum HbA1c, and few remaining teeth were associated with mortality risk. A professional diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, or periodontitis was not predictive of mortality. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Self-health reports are important to observe in the assessment of disease and survival in older individual.

Tongue piercing: the effect of material on microbiological findings.

PURPOSE: Biofilms on oral piercings may serve as a bacterial reservoir and lead to systemic bacteremia or local transmission of pathogenic microbiota. The use of piercing materials which are less susceptible to biofilm accumulation could contribute to prevention of problems. The present study investigated whether there are microbiological differences in bacterial samples collected from tongue piercings made of different materials. METHODS: A total of 85 subjects with tongue piercings participated in this study. After a baseline dental examination, sterile piercings of four different materials were randomly allocated to the study subjects. After 2 weeks, microbiologic samples were collected and processed by checkerboard deoxyribonucleic acid- deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization methods. RESULTS: About 28.8% of subjects reported 61 lingual recessions (1.91 ± .96 mm), whereas 5% reported tooth chipping on one tooth each. With the exception of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Y4), Fusobacterium nucleatum species, and Parvimonas micra, bacteria associated with periodontitis were not commonly found in the samples from studs or piercing channels. Of the 80 bacterial species, 67 were found at significantly higher levels (p < .001) in samples from stainless steel than from polytetrafluoroethylene or polypropylene piercings. CONCLUSION: The low bacterial counts from piercing channels suggest that having a tongue pierced would not contribute to an increased risk for oral infection. The present study demonstrated that studs made of steel might promote the development of a biofilm, whereas those made of polytetrafluoroethylene or polypropylene may be rather inert to bacterial colonization. The finding of Staphylococci on steel and titanium studs may suggest an elevated risk for complication if the piercing channel is infected.