Successful Regenerative Therapy of Periodontal Defects Associated With Tongue Piercing: A Clinical Report.

Oral piercing habits are associated with various degrees of complications. Tongue piercing increases the risk of gingival recession and infrabony defects, subsequently leading to localized periodontitis. In the case presented, the patient had persistent swelling and suppuration around her mandibular anterior teeth attributed to tongue piercing jewelry that was placed approximately 12 years prior. Intraoral examinations revealed a localized deep pocket, purulent discharge, swelling, plaque accumulation, bleeding on probing, gingival recession, and teeth mobility. The patient was diagnosed with localized stage III, grade C periodontitis. Following full-mouth debridement and the placement of an extracoronal lingual splint, minimally invasive, papillae-sparing incisions were made, and regenerative therapy with bone allograft and collagen membrane was used to manage the infrabony defects. During the 18-month postoperative follow-up, complete soft-tissue healing was observed along with a significant reduction in pocket depth and the absence of bleeding on probing or suppuration. Radiographic evaluation showed evidence of bone fill. The reported case demonstrates how careful diagnosis and treatment planning are crucial for managing different periodontal defects and emphasizes the importance of proficient periodontal management, which can save teeth that would otherwise be extracted and replaced with implant therapy or fixed bridgework.

Proposal regarding potential causes related to certain complications with dental implants and adjacent natural teeth: Physics applied to prosthodontics.

PURPOSE: Complications can and do occur with implants and their restorations with causes having been proposed for some single implant complications but not for others. METHODS: A review of pertinent literature was conducted. A PubMed search of vibration, movement, and dentistry had 175 citations, while stress waves, movement, and dentistry had zero citations as did stress waves, movement. This paper discusses the physics of vibration, elastic and inelastic collision, and stress waves as potentially causative factors related to clinical complications. RESULTS: Multiple potential causes for interproximal contact loss have been presented, but it has not been fully understood. Likewise, theories have been suggested regarding the intrusion of natural teeth when they are connected to an implant as part of a fixed partial denture as well as intrusion when a tooth is located between adjacent implants, but the process of intrusion, and resultant extrusion, is not fully understood. A third complication with single implants and their crowns is abutment screw loosening with several of the clinical characteristics having been discussed but without determining the underlying process(es). CONCLUSIONS: Interproximal contact loss, natural tooth intrusion, and abutment screw loosening are common complications that occur with implant retained restorations. Occlusion is a significant confounding variable. The hypothesis is that vibration, or possibly stress waves, generated from occlusal impact forces on implant crowns and transmitted to adjacent teeth, are the causative factors in these events. Since occlusion appears to play a role in these complications, it is recommended that occlusal contacts provide centralized stability on implant crowns and not be located on any inclined surfaces that transmit lateral forces that could be transmitted to an adjacent tooth and cause interproximal contact loss or intrusion. The intensity, form, and location of proximal contacts between a natural tooth located between adjacent single implant crowns seem to play a role in the intrusion of the natural tooth. Currently, there is a lack of information about the underlying mechanisms related to these occurrences and research is needed to define any confounding variables.

A Paradigm Shift Using Scan Bodies to Record the Position of a Complete Arch of Implants in a Digital Workflow.

The use of conventional scan bodies (SBs) with an intraoral scanner (IOS) to capture the position of a complete arch of dental implants has proven to be challenging. The literature is unclear about the accuracy of intraoral scanning techniques using SBs that are connected vertically to multiunit abutments (MUAs) for numerous adjacent implants in the same arch. Recently, there has been a paradigm shift from vertical SBs to horizontal SBs, which are positioned perpendicular to the long axis of the MUAs. Most IOSs available today can capture these horizontal SBs, called scan gauges (SGs), with better accuracy and consequently acquire the position of multiple adjacent implants using an effective scan path, thus reducing stitching and the number of images. The key to implementing this novel technology is to strategically arrange the SGs to optimize horizontal overlap of multiple adjacent SGs without touching each other. By superimposing two high-resolution intraoral scans of the SGs, an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm is employed to produce a calibrated digital best-fit model on which a passive complete-arch prosthesis can be designed and fabricated. The advantages and disadvantages of SBs and SGs are discussed, and a case report using a digital workflow is presented.

Subcrestal Implantoplasty for Treating Peri-implantitis With Regenerative Care-How Deep Should Treatment Go?

Used to treat implants failing due to peri-implantitis, implantoplasty has traditionally been performed in conjunction with a resective approach or to smooth the portion of the dental implant above the bone to facilitate oral hygiene efforts. This article demonstrates the use of implantoplasty to decontaminate the implant surface both above and below the crest of bone in an attempt to reosseointegrate the failing implant; to the authors' knowledge this is the first time in the literature that implantoplasty was used in this manner and demonstrated potential regenerative efficacy.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Dental Implant Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are commonly prescribed to treat mental health disorders, and previously published literature, although scarce, has shown a significant association between SSRI use and dental implant failure. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine whether such an association exists and, if so, to determine its strength. Reviewers performed an extensive search of the literature, last accessed in June 2022 in PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases using MeSH terms. Retrospective and prospective observational cohort and experimental studies evaluating the role of SSRI on dental implant failure among individuals ≥18 years of age, with a minimum follow-up of 6 months after implant placement, were deemed eligible. The search yielded a total of 6 eligible studies, all retrospective cohorts. Statistical analyses were performed using the statistical software R 4.1.3. Results showed higher implant failure rates among SSRI users vs non-SSRI users at both the patient level (5.6%-19.6% vs 1.9%-8.0%) and the implant level (5.6%-12.5% vs 1.9%-5.8%). The pooled relative risk (RR) of implant failure was more than double among SSRI users at the patient level (pooled RR: 2.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.68-3.55, P < .01) and at the implant level (pooled RR: 2.34, 95% CI: 1.74-3.15, P < .01) compared with non-SSRI users. DerSimonian and Laird estimates showed homogeneity of the studies (I2 = 0%, P > .05), and funnel plots and Egger's test determined no publication bias across all selected studies at both patient and implant levels. In conclusion, SSRI use is significantly associated with higher implant failure. Providers should be aware of this association and educate patients on the risk of implant therapy when obtaining informed consent.

A decision-making tree for evaluating an esthetically compromised single dental implant.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a comprehensive decision-making tree for evaluating mid-facial peri-implant soft tissue dehiscence in the esthetic zone and provide a systematic approach for assessing various clinical case scenarios, determining appropriate treatment strategies, and considering factors such as the need for soft tissue augmentation, prosthetic changes, or implant removal. CLINICAL CONSIDERATIONS: This clinical decision tree illustrates numerous case scenarios with various esthetic complications around an esthetically compromised, but clinically healthy single implant and provides clinicians with possible solutions as a predictable map for horizontal and vertical soft tissue augmentation in order to manage different clinical circumstances. According to current evidence, the key to treating such esthetic complications is the use of an adequate pre-surgical prosthetic interdisciplinary approach with proper surgical techniques in order to optimize soft tissue dimensions and create better esthetic results. This may be accomplished through a purely surgical, combination of surgical and prosthetic, or purely prosthetic approaches. CONCLUSIONS: The present report describes a series of successfully treated peri-implant esthetic complication cases in accordance with the decision-making tree that the authors recommend in order to achieve better long-term esthetic outcomes. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The combination of adequate pre-surgical prosthetic interdisciplinary collaboration and proper surgical technique is critical in the optimization of sufficient soft tissue dimensions and contributes to a more highly esthetic result. This study demonstrates a clinical decision-making tree to provide comprehensive, effective therapy of an esthetically compromised dental implant by using one of the following approaches: purely prosthetic, purely surgical, or a combination of surgical and prosthetic with or without abutment removal.

A comparative analysis of dual-axis implants placed into maxillary anterior extraction sockets versus virtual planning with uniaxial implants: A simulated cone beam computed tomography study of implant length and diameter.

OBJECTIVE: The biaxial nature of the anterior maxilla poses a surgical and restorative challenge in implant dentistry. The present study sought to investigate the apical socket perforation rate (ASPR) from a simulated uniaxial implant placement and to determine the effect of implant length and diameter on ASPR when a uniaxial implant was placed compared with the orientation of the pre-existing dual-axis implant. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans from the database of three private practices were searched for patients who received dual-axis implants within the esthetic zone in immediate tooth replacement therapy. A uniaxial implant was virtually placed using the pre-existing screw access channel of the dual-axis implant as a reference. The closest length and diameter were selected for the simulated implant. ASPR by the uniaxial implant was recorded. In addition, the affordable maximum length of a corresponding uniaxial implant that would avoid apical socket perforation was measured. RESULT: Eighty-one patients with a total of 101 dual-axis dental implants were selected for analysis. A simulated virtual surgical planning with uniaxial implants revealed high ASPR (48.51%). When the length of the uniaxial implant was reduced to 11 and 9 mm, ASPR was decreased to 41.58% and 20.79%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Dual-axis implant design effectively evades anatomical challenges in the anterior maxilla (esthetic zone). Considering the current evidence, efforts should be made to carefully consider the angular disparity between the extraction socket-alveolus complex and the future restorative emergence so that a harmonious biologic-esthetic result may be more predictably and consistently obtained.

Ridge Augmentation in a Site of a Previous Implant Failure Using Tenting Screws With Allograft and Collagen Membrane.

Rehabilitation of a severely resorbed mandibular posterior ridge with implants poses a challenge to the clinician. Several techniques to address this challenge have been described in the literature. This case report describes the successful vertical and horizontal bone augmentation of a site of a previous implant failure with severe vertical and horizontal ridge deficiencies using tenting screws, cortico-cancellous particulate bone allograft, and a resorbable collagen membrane. A bone core was obtained at the time of implant placement, 8 months postoperatively, and histological findings showed the highest concentration of lamellar bone at the apical third; a 50-50% graft and lamellar bone proportion in the middle third; and a higher concentration of bone allograft at the coronal third of the bone core. Successful implant placement was achieved at the site. This case report demonstrates the effective use of tenting screws for vertical and horizontal bone augmentation and consequent implant placement in a severely resorbed ridge in the posterior mandible.

Evaluation of Dimensional Changes and Ridge Contour Around Ovate Pontics Inserted Immediately After Extraction with Alveolar Ridge Preservation in the Esthetic Zone.

Alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) is indicated to attenuate anatomic and physiologic changes following tooth extraction. A properly contoured ovate pontic placed immediately into an extraction socket may be adequate to maintain alveolar ridge architecture for improved esthetic results. This prospective clinical study evaluated the ability of immediately placed ovate pontics in conjunction with ARP to attenuate postextraction tissue dimensional changes in the esthetic zone and maintain alveolar ridge contour. Ten patients (11 sites) completed the study. All subjects received a combination of socket grafting with allogeneic particulate graft material and socket sealing with an ovate pontic provisional restoration. A set of clinical linear and volumetric outcomes were assessed after a 6-month healing period. At 6 months postoperative, the linear measurements for the mean ridge dimensional loss were 0.9 ± 0.6 mm (range: 0.2 to 1.8 mm) in height and 1.4 ± 0.6 mm (range: 0.1 to 2.4 mm) in width. The mean volumetric tissue loss observed was 24.4 ± 15.4 mm3 (range: 2.6 to 50.1 mm3) at 3 months postoperative and 32.2 ± 14.2 mm3 (range: 3.8 to 50.5 mm3) at 6 months postoperative. Resorption pattern assessment showed the overall cervical area to have less resorption than the apical areas at 6 months postoperative, with the least amount of resorption in the midbuccal cervical section. When compared to the data of a previous pilot study, no statistically significant difference was seen between the dimensional losses when using ovate pontics with and without ARP. This may be evidence that the use of an ovate pontic provisional restoration immediately after extraction effectively attenuates postextraction dimensional changes.

Interdisciplinary management of recession defects on maxillary single tooth implants: Diagnosis and treatment strategies.

OBJECTIVE: One of the most common complications with dental implants placed in the smile zone is the development of mid-facial recession, creating an undesirable esthetic result. When deciding how to remediate these clinical scenarios, the question becomes whether it may be feasible to save the problematic implant or if it is more predictable to remove the implant and start all over again. However, patients may be invested emotionally, physically, and financially in the implant and remediation may be a viable option depending on the diagnosis of the specific issues at hand and multi-disciplinary clinical execution. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: What is crucial to understand in order to remediate these cases is answering four separate criteria: (1) is the implant in a restorable position, (2) is the implant healthy, (3) is the implant placed at an adequate depth, and (4) are components available to restore the implant. CONCLUSIONS: Two different clinical reports are presented that demonstrate various treatment remedies when saving implants in the esthetic zone.

The effect of implant macrogeometry in immediate tooth replacement therapy: A case series.

The concept of immediate tooth replacement therapy (ITRT) in the esthetic zone has become a viable treatment modality and widely accepted in clinical practice. However, achieving adequate primary stability that enables immediate provisional restoration and desirable space for bone-grafting with conventional tapered body implant designs is challenging. The macro-hybrid implant design with a prosthetic angle correction and body-shift feature in a singular form provides not only greater primary stability of a wider diameter implant but also circumferential gap distance both facially and interproximally preserve the labial bone plate and interdental attachment apparatus of the adjacent natural teeth thereby maintaining the interdental papilla. The present clinical series exemplifies the clinical advantages of this inverted body-shift implant design in ITRT in various clinical scenarios in (1) single tooth replacement in a Type 1 intact socket with a thin periodontal phenotype, (2) single tooth replacement in a Type 2 socket with a dentoalveolar dehiscence of the labial bone plate, and (3) multiple adjacent teeth replacement of two maxillary central incisor. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The macro-hybrid design implant with a prosthetic angle correction and body-shift feature in a singular form provides greater midfacial gap distance as well as tooth-to-implant distance to preserve the interdental attachment of the adjacent natural teeth thereby leaving the interdental papilla undisturbed, without sacrificing higher primary stability afforded by larger diameter implants.

Outcomes of a 1-Year Prospective Single-Arm Cohort Study Using a Novel Macro-Hybrid Implant Design in Extraction Sockets: Part 1.

A novel macro-hybrid implant design was introduced to afford high apical primary stability and more coronal space to preserve the circumferential extraction socket architecture. This study presents 1-year data from a prospective single-arm cohort study. The data was distilled based on the following criteria: (1) single-tooth immediate tooth replacement therapy (ITRT) in the maxillary anterior and premolar regions in intact (Type 1) extraction sockets that were (2) treated with the dual-zone grafting technique. The clinical and radiographic outcomes of 48 ITRT implants were evaluated. The mean ± SD labial plate dimension changes were 0.33 ± 0.41 mm at the implant abutment interface (L1) and 0.34 ± 0.40 mm at 5.0 mm below (L2). The mean labial plate dimension (thickness) at the 1-year recall was 2.27 ± 0.88 mm (L1) and 1.95 ± 0.95 mm (L2). At ITRT, the ridge contour at the free gingival margin and 3.0 mm below it were 7.54 ± 0.93 mm and 9.44 ± 2.36 mm, respectively; after final restoration delivery, the corresponding values were 7.45 ± 0.95 mm and 10.23 ± 2.30 mm, respectively. The peri-implant soft tissue thickness (PISTT) at the time of implant-level impression-making was 3.29 ± 0.73 mm, with an average Pink Esthetic Score of 12.79. A macro-hybrid implant design showed high levels of primary stability (~60 Ncm), stable ridge contour at 1 year, a labial plate dimension between 1.5 and 2.0 mm, and PISTT > 3.0 mm, which may be a critical factor in providing stable, long-term esthetic outcomes.

When to save or remove implants in the smile zone: A clinical report of maxillary lateral incisor implants in malposition.

OBJECTIVE: The following is a clinical report addressing when to save or remove implants with esthetic deficiencies in the smile zone as well as the sequence and timing of interdisciplinary treatment. CLINICAL CONSIDERATIONS: Key factors in the decision-making process in treating implants in malposition are whether the implants are (1) in a reasonable restorative position, (2) free of disease, and (3) placed with adequate depth. This clinical report encompassed periodontal corrective surgery, non-surgical soft tissue sculpting through subgingival crown contour, material selection for definitive restorations, and cementation techniques for cement-retained restorations. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Knowledge and understanding of interdisciplinary treatment planning, sequencing, and respective techniques that can be implemented when confronting implants in malposition in the smile zone will allow the interdisciplinary team to achieve the desired esthetic restorative result.

Immediate Tooth Replacement Therapy in Postextraction Sockets: A Comparative Prospective Study on the Effect of Variable Platform-Switched Subcrestal Angle Correction Implants.

Immediate tooth replacement therapy (ITRT), ie, immediate implant placement and provisional restoration in postextraction sockets, has been shown to achieve favorable outcomes in reference to soft tissue stability and esthetics. However, avoiding socket perforation with uniaxial implants in the anterior maxilla can be challenging due to the inherent anatomy. Dual or co-axis subcrestal angle correction (SAC) implants have been developed to change the restorative angle of the clinical crown restoration subcrestally at the implant-abutment interface to enhance the incidence of screw-retained definitive restorations. An additional benefit of this macrodesign implant feature is variable platform switching (VPS) that increases soft tissue gap distance above the implant platform. The purpose of this prospective study on ITRT in maxillary anterior postextraction sockets was to investigate the effect of SAC with VPS (SAC/VPS) compared to conventional platform-switch-design implants (PS) relative to ridge dimension stability and peri-implant soft tissue thickness. A total of 29 patients had undergone ITRT and received either a PS or SAC/VPS implant; previously described measurements were made compared to the contralateral natural tooth sites. When the comparison of buccal soft tissue thickness was made, SAC/VPS showed a greater increase compared to PS (3.12 mm vs 2.39 mm, respectively) with statistical significance (P = .05). The increase was independent from periodontal phenotype. Therefore, SAC/VPS may increase peri-implant soft tissue thickness and help minimize recession following ITRT.

Tapered Versus Inverted Body-Shift Implants Placed Into Anterior Post-extraction Sockets: A Retrospective Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: A retrospective comparative radiographic and clinical studywas performed to evaluate primary stability, bone volume, and esthetic outcomes of tapered (T) implants (control group) versus inverted body-shift (INV) implants (test group). METHODS: A total of 42 platform-switched implants, 21 T and 21 INV, were used to replace nonrestorable teeth in maxillary central incisor post-extraction sockets. Implant primary stability and insertion torque values in addition to radiographic differences in labial plate dimension, tooth-to-implant distance, and marginal bone levels were correlated with clinical outcomes using the pink esthetic score (PES). RESULTS: Statistically significant differences (P ≤ .05) were found between groups, with T implants having not only lower primary stability at immediate implant placement than INV implants but also less circumferential bone volume at recall. Consequently, lower PESs were seen in the T implant group that equated to an increased frequency of midfacial recession, tissue discoloration, and papilla loss. CONCLUSIONS: INV implants, which feature a unique macro hybrid design, may offer advantages over T implants in maxillary anterior post-extraction sockets with regard to achieving both higher primary stability and superior esthetic outcomes.

A Paradigm Change in Macro Implant Concept: Inverted Body-Shift Design for Extraction Sockets in the Esthetic Zone.

An innovative macro hybrid implant design is aimed at enhancing labial plate dimension and tooth-implant distance while achieving consistent esthetic outcomes. This unique "body-shift" concept in diameter and shape combines a tapered apical portion with a cylindrical coronal portion in a singular implant body design. The overall configuration of the implant is inverted and "convergent" in form toward the implant-abutment interface where bone is thinnest. Conversely, the tapered apical portion is wider where the bone is greatest in volume and vascularity. By reducing the coronal portion of the implant with the inverted body-shift design, a coronal circumferential chamber is created, thereby allowing larger amounts of graft material to be placed labially and interdentally to create a net increased bone dimension. Use of the implant is demonstrated in a case report.

Parenchymal and stromal tissue regeneration of tooth organ by pivotal signals reinstated in decellularized matrix.

Cells are transplanted to regenerate an organs' parenchyma, but how transplanted parenchymal cells induce stromal regeneration is elusive. Despite the common use of a decellularized matrix, little is known as to the pivotal signals that must be restored for tissue or organ regeneration. We report that Alx3, a developmentally important gene, orchestrated adult parenchymal and stromal regeneration by directly transactivating Wnt3a and vascular endothelial growth factor. In contrast to the modest parenchyma formed by native adult progenitors, Alx3-restored cells in decellularized scaffolds not only produced vascularized stroma that involved vascular endothelial growth factor signalling, but also parenchymal dentin via the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. In an orthotopic large-animal model following parenchyma and stroma ablation, Wnt3a-recruited endogenous cells regenerated neurovascular stroma and differentiated into parenchymal odontoblast-like cells that extended the processes into newly formed dentin with a structure-mechanical equivalency to native dentin. Thus, the Alx3-Wnt3a axis enables postnatal progenitors with a modest innate regenerative capacity to regenerate adult tissues. Depleted signals in the decellularized matrix may be reinstated by a developmentally pivotal gene or corresponding protein.

Layperson's Esthetic Preference to the Presence or Absence of the Interdental Papillae in the Low Smile Line: A Web-based Study.

PURPOSE: To determine the layperson's esthetic preference to the visual display (presence) or lack thereof (absence) of the interdental papillae during minimum smiling or the low smile line patient type. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred lay-people were shown three-paired smile images indicative of a low gingival smile line patient type in which the vermillion border of the maxillary lip covered the mid-facial gingiva of the anterior teeth. The three images differed only with respect to [1] presence of interdental papillae, [2] absence of the interdental papilla ("black triangle"), or [3] absence of the interdental papillae (replaced with a long restorative contact area). The three images were paired in multiple groupings; group-1 consisted of a comparison of the presence of interdental papillae vs the lack of the interdental papillae "black triangle," group-2 compared the long restorative contact compared to the presence of the interdental papillae and Group-3 compared the long restorative contact replacing a missing papilla to the absence of the interdental papillae "black triangle." The comparisons were designed to determine the subjective preference of lay individuals between these groupings. RESULTS: Ninety-eight percent of lay-people demonstrated a preference to the presence of the interdental papillae in the smile (image 1) when compared to its absence ("black triangle"; image 2) with a low smile line. Seventy percent preferred the visual display of the interdental papillae, that is, pink tissues (image 1), compared to the absence of the interdental papillae replaced with a long contact area (image 3), that is, white restorative materials, when viewing a low gingival smile line. And when comparing the absence of the interdental papillae "black triangle" to a long contact area, 92% of lay-people preferred a long contact area vs the absence of the interdental papillae with a "black triangle" with a low smile line. CONCLUSIONS: The visual display [presence] of the interdental papillae, that is, pink tissues, is notably preferred to the absence of the interdental papillae when replaced by either a "black triangle" or long contact area in the commonly known low smile line. This emphasizes the need to assess the Interdental Smile Line (ie, visual display of interdental papillae during smiling) in all patients and the importance to preserve and/or re-establishment of the interdental papillae, that is, pink tissues, even in patients with a low smile line.

Immediate Placement of Dental Implants in Molar Extraction Sockets: An 11-Year Retrospective Analysis.

The authors present an 11-year retrospective analysis of 300 immediately placed implants in molar extraction sockets. The protocol used for the placement and restoration of these implants is based upon a previously published article by the authors regarding the classification of molar extraction sockets. Four different implant systems were used during this study, and implants varied in diameter, length, and texture. Some implants were immediately provisionalized, and some were immediately loaded. The overall survival rate of 97.3% is similar to previously reported survival rates in delayed molar implant placement protocols. The benefits of immediate molar implant placement include a reduced number of surgical procedures and patient visits, lower cost of treatment, and shorter time required from beginning to completion of treatment.