[Utilization and expenses in dental care : An overview based on routine data from Germany]. / Inanspruchnahme und Ausgaben in der zahnmedizinischen Versorgung : Eine Übersicht auf Basis von Routinedaten aus Deutschland.

BACKGROUND: Utilization and expenses are among the most important parameters of healthcare systems. Moreover, they allow us to draw conclusions about the features and focus of currently practiced dentistry in Germany. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to describe the current status of the utilization of dental services and the related expenses in Germany based on routine data from the statutory health insurance system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The underlying analyses were taken from the annual dental reports of the statutory health insurance company BARMER. They were based on Germany-wide claims data from 2010 to 2018. RESULTS: The utilization of dental services in Germany with annual rates around 70% is distinctly above average. In 2018, utilization rates for dental fillings in the age groups between 30 and 79 years were consistently around 30% and for new prosthetic restorations and dental crowns in the age groups between 55 and 84 years it was at least 10%. In the field of prevention, there has been a steady increase of screening exams for children (31.9% in 2010 and 35.2% in 2018). For individual prophylactic measures in 6­ to 17-year-olds, no clear trend was discernible (64.0% in 2010 and 65.4% in 2018). The expenses of the statutory health insurance increased moderately. CONCLUSIONS: With the high utilization rate, good prerequisites for prevention-oriented dentistry exist. Although there is a positive trend towards a slight increase in the utilization of preventive services, dental care is still mostly oriented towards invasive intervention. Further promotion of health literacy of the population and incentives promoting prevention can be seen as useful instruments to implement a substantial paradigm shift.

5-year randomized multicenter clinical trial on single dental implants placed in the midline of the edentulous mandible.

OBJECTIVES: This multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted to investigate whether the loading protocol of single dental implants placed in the midline of edentulous mandibles will influence the implant survival or prosthetic maintenance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 158 patients were randomly assigned either to the immediate loading group (n = 81) or to the delayed loading group (n = 77). All implants were loaded with an overdenture retained by a ball attachment. RESULTS: After 5 years, 102 patients attended the follow-up investigation. Immediately loaded single implants in the midline of the edentulous mandible revealed a statistically significant lower survival rate than implants loaded conventionally over an observation period of 5 years. In the immediate loading group, 9 implants failed within the first three months of implant loading. No further implant loss was recorded for this group. Two implants failed in the delayed loading group, whereas one implant had to be removed during second-stage surgery and the second five years after implant loading. Non-inferiority of the survival rate of the midline implant of the immediate loading group, compared with the delayed loading group, could not be shown (p = .79, CI immediate loading: 74.9%; 100.0%, CI delayed loading: 73.0%; 100.0%). The observed difference in implant survival between the two treatment groups over time was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study indicate that immediate loading of a single mandibular implant in the edentulous mandible should be considered only in exceptional cases.

Prospective evaluation of zirconia based tooth- and implant-supported fixed dental prostheses: 3-year results.

OBJECTIVES: This prospective clinical study compared the performance of implant-retained (study group) and tooth-retained (control) zirconia based fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) with at least 4 units. The null-hypothesis stated that complication rates in both groups are equally distributed. METHODS: The study included patients in need of one 4- to 6-unit implant- or tooth-retained FDP each. All patients were examined 2 weeks after insertion (baseline) and then at 6 month intervals up to 3 years. At follow-up all restorations were examined for framework fracture, chipping, marginal integrity, surface roughness and biological complications. Kaplan-Meier estimation was used for data analysis. RESULTS: 20 patients received tooth-retained and 7 patients implant-retained FDPs. The study was halted early when differences in chipping rates reached a statistically significant level. One FDP in the study group was lost due to implant abutment failure. FDP related chipping rates were 71% in the study group (mean observation time 32 months) and 15% in the control (mean observation time 34 months). Unit (abutment crown/pontic) related chipping rates were 32% in the study group and 6% in the control. Chipping rates differed statistically significant (log-rank test, p<.05). However, all ceramic defects could be corrected by grinding and polishing. No framework fracture was detected. CONCLUSIONS: Within the study limitations, survival rates seem satisfactorily in both implant- and tooth retained long-span zirconia based FDPs. However, implant-supported FDPs seem more susceptible to veneering ceramic chippings. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The high chipping rates found in this study discourage the use of long-span implant-retained FDPs with zirconia frameworks. The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov with the ID Number NCT02220764.

Single dental implant retained mandibular complete dentures--influence of the loading protocol: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Over the years, there has been a strong consensus in dentistry that at least two implants are required to retain a complete mandibular denture. It has been shown in several clinical trials that one single median implant can retain a mandibular overdenture sufficiently well for up to 5 years without implant failures, when delayed loading was used. However, other trials have reported conflicting results with in part considerable failure rates when immediate loading was applied. Therefore it is the purpose of the current randomized clinical trial to test the hypothesis that immediate loading of a single mandibular midline implant with an overdenture will result in a comparable clinical outcome as using the standard protocol of delayed loading. METHODS/DESIGN: This prospective nine-center randomized controlled clinical trial is still ongoing. The final patient will complete the trial in 2016. In total, 180 edentulous patients between 60 and 89 years with sufficient complete dentures will receive one median implant in the edentulous mandible, which will retain the existing complete denture using a ball attachment. Loading of the median implant is either immediately after implant placement (experimental group) or delayed by 3 months of submerged healing at second-stage surgery (control group). Follow-up of patients will be performed for 24 months after implant loading. The primary outcome measure is non-inferiority of implant success rate of the experimental group compared to the control group. The secondary outcome measures encompass clinical, technical and subjective variables. The study was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German research foundation, KE 477/8-1). DISCUSSION: This multi-center clinical trial will give information on the ability of a single median implant to retain a complete mandibular denture when immediately loaded. If viable, this treatment option will strongly improve everyday dental practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial has been registered at Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien (German register of clinical trials) under DRKS-ID: DRKS00003730 since 23 August 2012. (http://www.germanctr.de).

Investigation of factors relating to neuropsychological change following cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: An analysis of neuropsychological impairment following cardiopulmonary bypass was performed in 55 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: Neurocognitive function was measured preoperatively using the MicroCog: Assessment of Cognitive Functioning computer-based testing tool. Testing was repeated in the postoperative period immediately prior to discharge from hospital. Analysis of significant score decline was performed using the standardised regression-based technique. A patient was classified as overall impaired when > or = 20% of test scores were significantly impaired. The proposed marker of neurological damage S-100beta was also used. Prothrombin Fragment 1+2 (F1+2) was measured as a marker of thrombin development to test the hypothesis that excessive haemostatic activation may lead to thromboembolic damage to the brain. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: 32.7% of patients were classified as significantly impaired. No relationship was detected between F1+2 and any neuropsychological test score; however, the study was limited due to small sample size. F1+2 levels were higher in patients undergoing prolonged bypass times. Neuropsychological decline was significantly correlated with patient age, suggesting a degree of caution is warranted when operating on an elderly cohort. An unexpected relationship was detected between higher heparin concentrations and increased risk of neuropsychological impairment; however, this requires re-evaluation.

Awareness typologies, long-term emotional adjustment and psychosocial outcomes following acquired brain injury.

Previous research suggests considerable heterogeneity within groups of individuals identified as having low self-awareness or good self-awareness following acquired brain injury (ABI). The present study aimed to identify typologies of individuals according to neuropsychological and psychological factors related to awareness deficits and compare emotional adjustment and psychosocial outcomes at the initial assessment and 12-month follow-up. Eighty-four participants with ABI (mean time since injury = 3.9 years) were assessed on the Self-Awareness of Deficits Interview, Awareness Questionnaire, Symptom Expectancy Checklist, Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, Sydney Psychosocial Reintegration Scale, and an error self-regulation index. A 12-month follow-up assessment of emotional adjustment and psychosocial outcomes was conducted. A hierarchical cluster analysis distinguished four awareness typologies, namely, "poor self-awareness" (n = 12), "high defensiveness" (n = 13), "high symptom reporting" (n = 15), and "good self-awareness" (n = 44). An overall comparison of outcomes indicated that the poor self-awareness and high symptom reporting typologies experienced poorer outcomes than the high defensiveness and good self-awareness typologies. The findings confirm that there are different awareness typologies and highlight the need to tailor interventions according to the nature of awareness deficits.

Test-retest norms and reliable change indices for the MicroCog Battery in a healthy community population over 50 years of age.

The increasing availability of computerized test batteries used to assess neuropsychological changes requires the availability of suitable test-retest normative data. Reliable change indices can then be used to evaluate significance of change in an individual's performance on retesting. We tested (N = 40) neurologically normal adults on three occasions (initially, two weeks, and three months) on the MicroCog: Assessment of Cognitive Functioning computerized testing instrument. Normative retest data are presented for two analytic techniques: the Reliable Change Index adjusted for practice and the Standardized Regression-Based technique. At two weeks, the correlation coefficients ranged from .49 to .84, with all scores demonstrating significant practice effects. At 3 months, coefficients ranged from .50 to .83, with all scores except Attention / Mental Control demonstrating significant practice compared to baseline. Regression equations were generated for all scores using age, sex, education level, and score at Time 1 as predictors. For all measures the only significant predictor was the Time 1 score. The reliable change indices and regression equations presented here can be used to determine the significance of change from predicted retest scores in a matched interventional cohort.

Assessment of statistical change criteria used to define significant change in neuropsychological test performance following cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: This paper compares four techniques used to assess change in neuropsychological test scores before and after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), and includes a rationale for the classification of a patient as overall impaired. METHODS: A total of 55 patients were tested before and after surgery on the MicroCog neuropsychological test battery. A matched control group underwent the same testing regime to generate test-retest reliabilities and practice effects. Two techniques designed to assess statistical change were used: the Reliable Change Index (RCI), modified for practice, and the Standardised Regression-based (SRB) technique. These were compared against two fixed cutoff techniques (standard deviation and 20% change methods). RESULTS: The incidence of decline across test scores varied markedly depending on which technique was used to describe change. The SRB method identified more patients as declined on most measures. In comparison, the two fixed cutoff techniques displayed relatively reduced sensitivity in the detection of change. CONCLUSIONS: Overall change in an individual can be described provided the investigators choose a rational cutoff based on likely spread of scores due to chance. A cutoff value of > or =20% of test scores used provided acceptable probability based on the number of tests commonly encountered. Investigators must also choose a test battery that minimises shared variance among test scores.