Complete denture prosthodontics in children with ectodermal dysplasia: review of principles and techniques.

Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is a hereditary condition in which a minimum of two ectodermal structures fail to develop. Anodontia, or hypodontia, is one of the most common manifestations of this condition. As a result, it is critical that prosthodontic habilitation or rehabilitation is started early. Complete dentures are a simple, inexpensive, and reversible option. Several case reports have demonstrated the successful use of complete dentures in children with ED. However, few articles have exclusively addressed the principles of complete denture prosthodontics in these individuals. This report critically analyzes the literature with respect to complete denture principles and techniques in children. Evidence to date is insufficient for advocating any one technique; therefore, the authors recommend a simplified yet scientific approach in fabricating complete dentures for children. This can aid the practicing dentist in using this simple therapeutic option to provide esthetic, functional, and psychological benefits for children with ED and other congenital anomalies related to missing teeth.

Osteoradionecrosis of the mandible: treatment outcomes and factors influencing the progress of osteoradionecrosis.

PURPOSE: The present study was undertaken to evaluate our recent experience with mandibular osteoradionecrosis (ORN) and to identify factors that contribute to its progress. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The medical records of 114 patients who had been treated for ORN during a 16-year period (1989 to 2004) were reviewed. The patients were then divided into 2 groups according to their response to conservative treatment. Group 1 consisted of patients whose ORN resolved with conservative treatment (n = 47). Group 2 consisted of patients whose ORN was unresolved with conservative treatment or who had required radical resection of the involved tissue (n = 67). The information was obtained from the medical records of the patients and analyzed. RESULTS: The patients whose ORN was associated with an early-stage tumor or preirradiation extraction had a favorable response to conservative treatment. However, those who had an advanced primary tumor, had continued smoking and drinking after radiotherapy, had received palliative radiotherapy or a radiation dose of more than 6,000 rads, and who had an orocutaneous fistula, a pathologic fracture, swelling, or trismus had a poor response to conservative treatment. In these latter cases, radical resection of the involved tissue proved useful. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study have indicated that several factors (ie, the stage of the primary tumor, signs of ORN) can influence the progress of ORN. Our results suggest that radical resection is a useful method for treating mandibular ORN that does not respond to conservative treatment.

Prosthodontic rehabilitation of a 10-year-old ectodermal dysplasia patient using provisional implants.

Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is a hereditary condition diagnosed in childhood that is characterized by developmental and morphological abnormalities of anatomic structures derived from the ectoderm. Multidisciplinary management and team approach are important to ensure the patient's quality of life and to provide the family members with needed support. Several conventional prosthetic treatment regimens have been available for the oral rehabilitation of ED patients, but definitive dental implants still remain a challenge for the growing patient. The purpose of this clinical report was to describe the use of provisional implants in the prosthodontic management of a young ectodermal dysplasia patient.

Salivary flow rates measured during radiation therapy in head and neck cancer patients: a pilot study assessing salivary sediment formation.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Xerostomia often occurs in patients being managed for head and neck cancer who receive radiation therapy. Although accurate salivary sampling can be therapeutically important to measure during radiation, sampling errors can occur because of salivary sediments. Determining the impact that salivary sediments have on measured salivary flow rates during radiation is important for management of patients. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the magnitude of error associated with the inclusion of nonsalivary components (sediment) in the calculation of whole stimulated saliva flow rates prior to and during radiation therapy (SS and SSR) in patients with head and neck cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Whole paraffin-stimulated saliva was collected in large-mouth centrifuge tubes from 20 patients with head and neck cancer prior to and during the third week of radiation therapy. Gravimetric methods were used to calculate the flow rates at g/5 min. After centrifugation, supernatant saliva was removed and the sediment was oven-dried to remove residual moisture. Sediment weight was subtracted from the original weight of saliva specimens and flow rates were recalculated. Means and standard deviations were determined and flow rate differences before (BC) and after (AC) sediment correction were evaluated statistically with the paired t test (alpha=.05). A nonparametric analysis of the flow rate data with the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test was also used to examine the magnitude and direction of the intrapair (BC-AC) differences (alpha=.05). RESULTS: On average, salivary sediment contributed less than 1% of the total uncorrected weight of saliva prior to radiation therapy. In specimens collected during radiation therapy, sediment contributed an average of 14% of the total uncorrected weight and as high as 95.4% in 1 patient. Sediment percentages were 20% and higher in 4 patients. In the Wilcoxon analysis, 19 out of 20 paired BC and AC flow rates were higher in the BC group in the SS and SSR samples. CONCLUSIONS: The error associated with the inclusion of salivary sediment in the calculation of saliva flow rates prior to radiation treatment was small, but statistically significant. The magnitude of the sediment effect was more pronounced in specimens taken during radiotherapy and was significant, as determined by the Wilcoxon test, but the mean paired differences were not significantly different according to the t test.

Oral rehabilitation of a mandibular discontinuity defect: a clinical report.

Patients undergoing surgery to remove cancer resulting in mandibular discontinuity experience certain challenges with respect to function and esthetics. It is important to inform them that prosthetic reconstruction may restore structures and continuity, but it may not restore function.

Activity levels following hip resurfacing arthroplasty: A tool to help manage patient expectations.

BACKGROUND: When compared to total hip arthroplasty (THA), hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA) is usually undertaken in younger, more active patients with hip osteoarthritis. Previous research has noted that patients are able to return to pre-operative activity levels, with many even increasing their activity post HRA, but patterns in post-operative recovery have been less well investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY: A randomised controlled trial dataset was analysed to explore activity levels attained after HRA. Data was collected on 80 male patients. The primary outcome of focus was the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Activity Index, with follow-up at 6 weeks, 16 weeks and 1 year. RESULTS: Mean UCLA at baseline was 5.4 (SD; 2.1) which, after an initial fall to 4.7 (SD; 1.6, p = 0.008) at 6 weeks, increased at both the 16 week and 1 year follow ups (p < 0.001), with a final mean activity index of 7.2 (SD; 1.7). Mode UCLA at 1 year was 7 or 8, representing patients who are regularly taking part in activities such as cycling and golf. CONCLUSION: Following HRA, patients can achieve significant improvements in activity measured using the UCLA Activity Index. Activity levels have been shown to initially decrease following HRA, with improvement throughout the first postoperative year. The results of this study provide clinicians with a simple tool to help patients visualise their post-operative recovery. This may have implications when managing patient expectations of post-operative activity level in both HRA and large head THA populations.

Erratum to "Clinical evaluation of the intraoral fluoride releasing system in radiation-induced xerostomic subjects. Part 2: Phase I study".

Radiation-induced xerostomia can result in the rapid onset and progression of dental caries in head and neck cancer patients. Topically applied fluorides have been successfully used to inhibit the formation of dental caries in this population. However, because intensive daily self-application is required, compliance is an issue. The intraoral fluoride-releasing system (IFRS) containing a sodium fluoride core is a newly developed, sustained-release, passive drug delivery system that does not require patient involvement except for periodic replacement, thus reducing the effect of patient compliance on its effectiveness in dental caries prevention. Twenty-two head and neck cancer patients from U. T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, with radiation-induced xerostomia, were entered into a pilot study to contrast the daily home use of a 0.4% stannous fluoride-gel-containing tray (control group) to IFRS (study group) with respect to tolerability and adherence, and to obtain information on relative caries preventive efficacy. Participants were stratified on the basis of radiation exposure and randomly assigned to treatment with either IFRS or stannous fluoride gel. Patients in both groups were fitted with two IFRS retainers and also were instructed to use a 1100-ppm fluoride conventional sodium fluoride dentifrice twice daily. The study was conducted as a single-blinded, parallel-cell trial. Pre-existing carious lesions were restored prior to the beginning of the study. The efficacy variable was determined by the mean number of new or recurrent decayed surfaces. Patients were examined for caries 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks after initiation of treatment. Reports of adverse reactions were based on information volunteered by patients and that were elicited during interviews. At baseline, the resting and stimulated salivary flow rates (g/5min) were significantly greater in the control group than in the study group (p<0.05). Patients in the control group had received significantly more radiation than those in the test group (68Gy vs. 60Gy; p=0.047). No marked differences in follow-up new and recurrent caries were found between the stannous fluoride gel control and IFRS groups during the study period. The rate of new or recurrent carious lesions in the group treated with the fluoride gel was slightly lower than in the IFRS group, based on carious lesions at the baseline examination (Poisson mean number of new or recurrent carious lesions for the control group=0.55 per year vs. 0.83 per year for the study group, p=0.705; odds ratio of the occurrence of any new or recurrent caries during follow-up for control group vs. the study group=0.80; p=0.781). This pilot study revealed that the IFRS was well-tolerated and safe in this study population associated with minimal complications during the duration of this study and was comparable in efficacy to a SnF(2) gel in preventing caries development. The IFRS provided similar rates of control for caries formation to a fluoride-gel-containing tray. The IFRS is designed to release a daily dose of 0.12mg of sodium fluoride, which can be evenly distributed throughout the oral cavity for a single application of 4 months. It would be more convenient than the daily home application of a tray of 0.4% stannous fluoride or 1.1% sodium fluoride gel, and avoids the problem of variable patient compliance.

Fenretinide activity in retinoid-resistant oral leukoplakia.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that the retinamide N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (fenretinide) would be clinically active potentially via receptor-independent apoptosis and receptor-dependent effects in natural retinoid-resistant oral leukoplakia patients--the first test of this hypothesis in any in vivo setting. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A phase II trial of fenretinide (200 mg/d for 3 months) in oral leukoplakia patients who had not responded (de novo resistance) or who had responded and then relapsed (acquired resistance) to previous treatment with natural retinoids. We analyzed apoptosis via the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling in situ DNA fragmentation assay. RESULTS: We accrued 35 evaluable patients with retinoid-resistant oral leukoplakia, 12 (34.3%) had partial responses to fenretinide (95% confidence interval, 19.2-52.4%), and response was associated with acquired resistance to natural retinoids (P = 0.015, Fisher's exact test). Nine responders progressed within 9 months of stopping fenretinide. Toxicity was minimal and compliance was excellent. Mean apoptosis values (SE) increased from 0.35% (0.25%) at baseline to 1.18% (0.64%) at 3 months (P = 0.001, sign test); this increase did not correlate with clinical response. The increases in 3-month mean serum concentrations of fenretinide (0.23 micromol/L) and N-(4-methoxyphenyl)retinamide (0.57 micromol/L) correlated with decreased retinol concentrations [Spearman correlation coefficient of -0.57 (P = 0.001) and -0.43 (P = 0.01), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose fenretinide was clinically active and produced a small increase in apoptosis in retinoid-resistant oral leukoplakia.

Prosthodontic Management and Treatment Considerations for an HIV-Positive Patient with a Nonhealing Lesion of the Maxilla: A Clinical Case History Report.

Osteonecrosis of the jaws has recently been associated with HIV infection and requires surgical and prosthetic intervention. The prosthetic management of an HIV patient with a maxillary lesion, as well as medical status-related treatment considerations, are discussed in this article.

Measurement of retromolar space dimensions using dental pantomograms for intubation feasibility.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to measure the dimensions of the retromolar space of a patient population. If the dimensions were found to exceed the outside diameters of commonly used tracheal tubes, the results could increase use of the retromolar approach for oral intubation in patients with trismus. METHODS: We reviewed 311 dental pantomograms. Retromolar space height was measured from the lowest point of the maxillary tuberosity to the mandibular alveolar ridge. Width was measured from the last mandibular molar to the junction of the anterior border of the ramus with the body of the mandible. RESULTS: Mean height and width were 17.87 mm and 17.48 mm for the right space and 18.07 mm and 16.51 mm for the left. CONCLUSION: These dimensions were usually larger than the outside diameters of commonly used tracheal tubes. The retromolar approach can be considered an option for flexible fiberoptic intubation in patients with trismus. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E638-E642, 2016.

Osseointegrated implant-based dental rehabilitation in head and neck reconstruction patients.

BACKGROUND: Dental restoration is an integral part of head and neck cancer reconstruction. METHODS: We evaluated the success rate of osseointegrated implants in patients with head and neck cancer, comparing outcomes between implants placed in fibula free flaps to those placed in native mandibular and maxillary bone. RESULTS: A total of 1132 implants were placed in 246 patients. The overall implant loss rate was 3.7% and was higher in fibula flaps (8.2%) compared to the native mandible (2.6%) and maxilla (2.2%), although these differences did not reach statistical significance (p = .059 and p = .053, respectively). The failure rate was 8.0% for implants placed after radiation and 3.6% in patients who did not undergo radiation (p = .097). Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) occurred in 19 patients (7.7%) after implant placement, and tobacco use was found to be a risk factor (p = .027). CONCLUSION: Osseointegrated implants are reliable in patients with head and neck cancer, including those undergoing bony free flap reconstruction. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E321-E327, 2016.

Erlotinib and the Risk of Oral Cancer: The Erlotinib Prevention of Oral Cancer (EPOC) Randomized Clinical Trial.

IMPORTANCE: Standard molecularly based strategies to predict and/or prevent oral cancer development in patients with oral premalignant lesions (OPLs) are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To test if the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor erlotinib would reduce oral cancer development in patients with high-risk OPLs defined by specific loss of heterozygosity (LOH) profiles. Secondary objectives included prospective determination of LOH as a prognostic marker in OPLs. DESIGN: The Erlotinib Prevention of Oral Cancer (EPOC) study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-bind trial. Accrual occurred from November 2006 through July 2012, with a median follow-up time of 35 months in an ambulatory care setting in 5 US academic referral institutions. Patients with OPLs were enrolled in the protocol, and each underwent LOH profiling (N = 379); they were classified as high-risk (LOH-positive) or low-risk (LOH-negative) patients based on their LOH profiles and oral cancer history. The randomized sample consisted of 150 LOH-positive patients. INTERVENTIONS: Oral erlotinib treatment (150 mg/d) or placebo for 12 months. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Oral cancer-free survival (CFS). RESULTS: A total of 395 participants were classified with LOH profiles, and 254 were classified LOH positive. Of these, 150 (59%) were randomized, 75 each to the placebo and erlotinib groups. The 3-year CFS rates in placebo- and erlotinib-treated patients were 74% and 70%, respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 1.27; 95% CI, 0.68-2.38; P = .45). The 3-year CFS was significantly lower for LOH-positive compared with LOH-negative groups (74% vs 87%, HR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.25-3.83; P = .01). Increased EGFR gene copy number correlated with LOH-positive status (P < .001) and lower CFS (P = .01). The EGFR gene copy number was not predictive of erlotinib efficacy. Erlotinib-induced skin rash was associated with improved CFS (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this trial, LOH was validated as a marker of oral cancer risk and found to be associated with increased EGFR copy number (the target of the intervention). Erlotinib did not, however, improve CFS in high-risk patients with LOH-positive or high-EGFR-gene-copy-number OPLs. These results support incorporation of LOH testing as a prognostic tool in routine clinical practice but do not support erlotinib use in this setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00402779.

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase IIb trial of the cyclooxygenase inhibitor ketorolac as an oral rinse in oropharyngeal leukoplakia.

PURPOSE: Nonselective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors have been reported to decrease the frequency of upper aerodigestive cancers. Ketorolac tromethamine oral rinse has been shown to resolve another COX-dependent process, periodontal disease, without incurring gastrointestinal side effects. This trial evaluated if a topically delivered oral rinse containing ketorolac was as safe as and more effective than oral rinse alone in reducing the area of oral leukoplakia. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: 57 patients were randomized (2:1 ratio) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of ketorolac (10 ml of a 0.1% ketorolac rinse solution; n = 38) or placebo (10 ml of rinse solution; n = 19) given twice daily for 30 s over 90 days. Primary end point was evaluated visually obtaining bidimensional measurement of the size of leukoplakia lesion(s) at entry and at 90 days. Secondary end point was histological assessment of the leukoplakia as sampled by serial punch biopsy and independently reviewed by three pathologists. RESULTS: The patients included 67% males, 11% non-Caucasian, and 86% used tobacco with no significant differences between the two arms. Both rinses were well tolerated with good compliance, and there was no significant difference in adverse events (P = 0.27). Major response rate (complete response and partial response) was 30% for ketorolac and 32% for the placebo arm. There was no significant difference in change in histology between the two arms. CONCLUSION: Local delivery of a COX-containing oral rinse was well tolerated but produced no significant reduction in the extent of leukoplakia compared with the placebo. However, the favorable response rate to placebo arm remains unexplained and additional investigation of the tissue penetration with ketorolac is warranted.

Facial prosthetic rehabilitation: preprosthetic surgical techniques and biomaterials.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Attention to detail ensuring a successful facial prosthetic rehabilitation must be considered a priority at the time of presurgery, surgery, and at every stage in fabricating the prosthesis. Teamwork between the surgeon and maxillofacial prosthodontist will ensure an optimal surgical preparation and definitive prosthesis. RECENT FINDINGS: Evidence of interaction between team members can most certainly be encouraging to the patient. During the prosthetic phase of treatment, focusing on tissue assessment, impression making, sculpting, mold fabrication, familiarity with materials, appreciation of color, delivery of instructions, and patient education will ensure a satisfactory outcome. With the desire, determination, and encouragement from the restorative team to make the most of this artificial replacement, a patient can have a higher quality of life and a more normalized lifestyle. SUMMARY: This review presents current concepts regarding facial prosthetic rehabilitation of patients with head and neck cancer and facial prosthetic biomaterials.

Mutans streptococci in xerostomic cancer patients after pilocarpine therapy: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Opiod- and/or radiation-induced xerostomia in cancer patients is frequently associated with elevated levels of cariogenic mutans streptococci (MS). STUDY DESIGN: In a single-center, single blind 8-week clinical trial at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and from an initial sample of 32 patients, we evaluated MS counts in 28 cancer patients receiving chronic analgesic treatment for cancer pain. All patients received escalating doses of pilocarpine (Salagen) tablets, either 2.5 mg to 5 mg or 5 mg to 7.5 mg qid for 6 weeks, followed by placebo qid for a 2-week washout period. Whole resting saliva flow rates (g/5 min) and MS counts were evaluated at pretreatment, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 8 weeks. MS samples were obtained by 5-mL saline rinse (15 sec) at each visit prior to sialometry. RESULTS: In 19 patients (59%), MS counts exceeded 10(5) CFU/mL. At the end of the 6-week trial, 96% of patients showed a positive response to pilocarpine following a 30-minute postdosing evaluation (P=.001). MS counts were lower in 17 patients, higher in 6 patients, and nondetectable before and after pilocarpine in 5 patients (P=.03). CONCLUSION: The reduced MS counts associated with improved saliva flow rates following pilocarpine therapy in this short-term pilot study are encouraging, but further investigation in a larger group of patients over a longer study period is indicated.

Treatment strategy for patients with ectodermal dysplasia: a case report.

Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is a hereditary condition characterized by abnormal development of the skin, hair, nails, sweat glands, and the stomatognathic system. There are many different types of ectodermal dysplasia of which X-linked anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia is the most common. Multiple genes have been discovered to cause ectodermal dysplasias. With any form of ED, children may display a range of symptoms and challenging rehabilitation. This clinical report presents the treatment plan for a young patient with ED and anodontia requiring prosthetic restoration.

Postsurgical use of prosthetic palatal appliances. Two case reports.

Patients with cleft lip or palate encounter a myriad of difficulties in their early years of life, some of which begin at birth. The defect often impairs suckling and deglutition in the neonate. It can hinder appropriate speech development and may impose undue social and psychological stresses. Surgical and orthodontic interventions are essential and prosthetic palatal appliances play an important role not only throughout the patient's treatment course, but also in the treatment of unfavorable surgical sequelae.

How I do it: a technique for oral wound irrigation following maxillectomy and mandibulectomy.

BACKGROUND: Numerous devices have been recommended for ensuring appropriate hygiene and care of wounds resulting from maxillectomy and mandibulectomy. This article describes an irrigation device for use in the oral cavity after these procedures. METHODS: The system consists of: a prepackaged, disposable, 50-cc piston syringe; a nonconductive connecting tube; and, a saliva ejector that can be assembled for oral irrigation. RESULTS: The modified piston syringe allows physicians, nurses, and patients to efficiently irrigate mucosal wounds, maxillary or mandibular defects, and oropharyngeal or oral and pharyngeal wounds. CONCLUSION: This system is efficacious, more adaptable, and less expensive than other self-irrigating gravimetic instruments and is thus recommended for use in patients who have undergone maxillectomy or other ablative procedures in the oral cavity.

Three synchronous HPV-associated squamous cell carcinomas of Waldeyer's ring: case report and comparison with Slaughter's model of field cancerization.

BACKGROUND: Patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oropharynx have an 8% to 20% risk of a synchronous or metachronous second malignancy. The rate of synchronous lesions in human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal cancers is unknown. METHODS: We report the case of a 46-year-old man with 3 simultaneous primary malignancies of Waldeyer's ring: HPV-positive SCC of both tonsils and the nasopharynx, with bilateral neck metastases. RESULTS: The patient received induction chemotherapy followed by definitive radiotherapy and remains free of disease at 18 months. CONCLUSION: Comparison with the Slaughter model of field cancerization suggests that HPV-positive SCC of the head and neck may have a distinct mechanism for the development of multifocal disease. Therefore, the emerging population of young patients with head and neck SCC with HPV-positive cancers presents a new opportunity for understanding the molecular origins of synchronous tumors.

Randomized trial of 13-cis retinoic acid compared with retinyl palmitate with or without beta-carotene in oral premalignancy.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether retinyl palmitate (RP) alone or plus beta-carotene (BC) would be as effective and less toxic than low-dose 13-cis retinoic acid (13cRA) in treating oral premalignant lesions (OPLs) and reducing the risk of oral cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Initially, patients were randomly assigned to receive low-dose 13cRA or BC plus RP for 3 years (plus 2 years follow-up). After other randomized trials established an adverse effect of BC on lung cancer incidence/mortality, BC was dropped (patients randomly assigned to 13cRA or RP alone). The primary end point was OPL clinical response at 3 months. RESULTS: We randomly assigned 162 eligible patients. The 3-month clinical response rate of the combined BC plus RP and RP alone arm (32.5%) was not statistically equivalent to that of 13cRA (48.1%). The clinical response rate of RP alone (20.0%) was significantly lower than that of BC plus RP (42.9%; P = .03). Similar oral cancer-free survival rates were observed across all arms. There was no significant association between 3-month OPL response and subsequent oral cancer development (P = .11). Grades 2 and higher adverse events were more common in the 13cRA than other groups (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: This large chemoprevention trial did not establish the equivalence of RP plus BC or RP alone with low-dose 13cRA in reducing the long-term risk of oral cancer. At present, 13cRA, BC plus RP, and RP alone cannot be recommended for chemoprevention, and new, better agents are needed in this setting. Our results did not establish short-term OPL response as a surrogate end point for oral cancer-free survival.