Site development interim removable dental prosthesis.

Transitioning a patient with partial edentulism through hard and soft tissue grafting to an implant restoration with an interim removable dental prosthesis (IRDP) presents a challenge to the restorative dentist. The management of grafted sites requires care, and without the appropriate design, an IRDP may impede surgical outcomes and place the graft at risk for displacement or necrosis. A site development IRDP (SDIRDP) for a grafted site must fulfill restorative goals and promote the surgical objectives for site development. A technique is described for fabricating an SDIRDP that facilitates surgical procedures and maintains prosthetic goals.

Treatment of Deficient Attached Gingiva and Recession: A Primer.

Gingival recession involves apical displacement of the soft-tissue margin and root exposure that can negatively affect smile esthetics, increase susceptibility to root caries, and lead to dentin hypersensitivity. Regardless of the predisposing conditions leading to its inflammatory etiology, gingival recession can be treated with tissue grafting (eg, free gingival grafts or connective tissue grafts) or acellular dermal matrix. Because each therapy is characterized by the type of grafting material used, the manner in which the grafting material is harvested, and the respective technique for placing the grafting material, understanding their differences will benefit dentists when determining the most appropriate treatment for patients who present with gingival recession and areas of deficient attached gingiva.

A Prospective Clinical and Radiographic Assessment of Platform-Switched Laser-Microchannel Implants Placed in Limited Interimplant Spaces.

This multicenter clinical trial of platform-switched laser-microchannel implants supports findings from a previous preclinical trial. Previous information indicated that an interimplant distance narrower than 3 mm would result in decrease in the crestal bone level, but the results of this investigation suggest that a more optimistic clinical result can be anticipated for implants and abutments with a laser-microchannel surface.

Thick vs. thin gingival tissue: a key determinant in tissue response to disease and restorative treatment.

During the treatment planning process, it is important for clinicians to appreciate that the differences in gingival tissue can affect treatment outcomes. The concept of thick vs. thin gingiva has previously been introduced. This concept has been expanded to describe the different ways these tissue types respond to inflammation, restorative trauma, and parafunctional habits. The resulting defects from these traumatic events will dictate varying treatment management modalities. As restorative dentists begin to appreciate the differences in gingival morphology, they will discover that working with thick gingiva is easier and more predictable. In the past, restorative dentists had no options for influencing the tissue quality they had to work with during restorative procedures. Recent advances in periodontal surgery have made it possible not only to reposition tissues to meet esthetic demands, but also to change the tissue quality of the restorative environment for more-predictable treatment outcomes.