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We describe a technique for immediate reconstruction of bone after removal of failed dental implants in the esthetic region to optimize the esthetic outcome of retreatment. We conducted a study of 16 consecutive patients in whom the bony defect resulting from implant removal was immediately reconstructed with a combined autogenous bone and soft tissue graft harvested from the maxillary tuberosity. After a healing period of 3 months, implants were inserted. At 1 year after placement of the definitive restoration, no implants had been lost, the peri-implant tissues were healthy, the aesthetics scored with the pink esthetic score were favorable, and the patients were satisfied. With this technique, it appears that immediate reconstruction of the hard and soft tissue components with a combined bone-soft tissue graft after removal of an implant is a feasible treatment option, from the perspective of both patients and professionals. It expedites rehabilitation, reduces morbidity, and results in a favorable esthetic outcome., (Copyright © 2017 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Early in the implant era, transmandibular implant systems were used for retention of implant-retained mandibular overdentures in the severely resorbed mandible. These transmandibular systems require very thorough aftercare, especially when patients become frail and dependent on care. As a result, oral care often receives less attention in frail elderly patients or the patient cannot maintain the needed level of oral care. Care providers often are unfamiliar with the level of oral care needed to preserve transmandibular implants in good condition. This case series describes the risk for severe complications, including chronic pain and fracture of the mandible, in frail elderly patients who were unable to maintain oral care at the desired level and whose caregivers did not provide the needed level of oral care., (Copyright © 2015 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The treatment need is high in children with severe oligodontia and anodontia, because they often have functional and esthetic problems owing to missing teeth. Because the intraforaminal region barely grows after eruption of the permanent mandibular incisors, dental implant treatment should be considered a treatment option for these children. The purpose of our study was to assess the treatment outcomes regarding satisfaction and the care and aftercare of implant-retained mandibular overdentures in a series of 4 young children without erupted mandibular teeth from either severe oligodontia (n = 3) or anodontia (n = 1)., Patients and Methods: Four children without erupted mandibular teeth, aged 6 to 13 years, were provided with an implant-retained overdenture on 2 implants. The surgical and prosthetic care and aftercare were scored by the clinicians. Also, the patients and their parents were queried about how satisfied they were with the overdenture., Results: The median follow-up of the patients was 5.2 years (range 3.2 to 8.4). No implants were lost, no cases of peri-implantitis occurred, and the need for treatment and aftercare was low. Patient and parent satisfaction with this treatment was high., Conclusions: A 2-implant, retained overdenture in children with no erupted mandibular teeth is a safe treatment modality when appropriate treatment and aftercare can be provided., (Copyright © 2014 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Calvarial bone is a readily available source of bone for preimplantation augmentation procedures of the alveolar process. However, the calvaria consist mostly of cortical bone, and cancellous bone of the diploic space is scarce. A bone scraper (Safescraper Twist; META, Reggio Emilia, Italy) was used to create a beveled trough around the calvarial outer table graft to facilitate its removal with an oscillating saw. Using the scraper, copious amounts (>10 mL) of "cancellous"-like bone could be collected. This new application of the Safescraper Twist obviated milling down additional cortical pieces., (Copyright © 2012 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To assess whether augmentation in the proximity of the incisive foramen with an intraoral bone graft to allow for reliable placement of implants is achievable, not jeopardizing the nasopalatine nerve and vessels in a way causing patients' distress., Patients and Methods: Five patients who had lost a central maxillary incisor due to trauma, and in whom a deficiency of bone at the palatal side was present in the proximity of the incisal canal, were augmented with autogenous cancellous bone harvested from the retromolar region. After a healing period of 3 months, implants were inserted. Patients' acceptance, complications, and postoperative morbidity of the procedure were prospectively evaluated by standardized clinical and radiographic examinations up to 12 months after augmentation., Results: At the time of implant surgery, in all cases there was sufficient bone for insertion of the implants with adequate primary stability. Up to now (follow-up of 12-15 months) no fixtures have been lost and all peri-implant tissues have a healthy appearance. All patients were satisfied., Conclusion: Augmentation in the proximity of the incisive foramen to enable implant placement appears to be feasible, both from the perspective of the patient and the professional., (Copyright 2010 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Because of the limitations of the body to heal large maxillofacial bone defects, an attempt was made to stimulate mandibular defect healing with low intensity pulsed ultrasound in rats. This ultrasound consists of a 1.5-MHz pressure wave administered in pulses of 200 microsec, with an average intensity over space and time of 30 mW. cm(-2)., Materials and Methods: In 72 rats, a 5.0-mm-diameter circular mandibular defect was created. Three groups were studied: an ultrasound treatment group, a placebo treatment group, and a control group. Ultrasound and placebo treatment involved a daily treatment for 20 minutes at the site of the defect under general anesthesia. At 2 and 4 weeks, the region of bone growth within the defect was measured using microradiographs and the amount of defect healing was expressed as the percentage of defect closure., Results: At 2 and 4 weeks, there was no statistical significant difference in the percentage of defect closure between the groups., Conclusion: Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound does not stimulate bone defect healing in the case of a large mandibular defect in the rat.

Purpose: The goal of this multicenter prospective clinical trial was to compare clinical outcome and post-treatment care and patient satisfaction with different implant systems used for mandibular overdenture treatment during a 6-year follow-up period., Patients and Methods: A total of 87 edentulous patients with a severely resorbed mandible (bone height, 8 to 15 mm) received treatment involving either 2 Intra Mobiele Zylinder implants (IMZ group, n = 41) (Friedrichsfeld AG, Mannheim, Germany), 2 Brånemark implants (Brå group, n = 17) (Nobel Biocare AB, Gothenburg, Sweden) or a Transmandibular Implant (TMI; Krijnen Medical, Beesd, The Netherlands) (TMI group, n = 29). The evaluation involved clinical parameters, radiographs, surgical and prosthetic post-treatment care, clinical implant performance (CIP scale), and patient satisfaction., Results: After 6 years, there was a significant difference in the mean plaque index:the mean plaque index of the TMI group was significantly higher than that of the IMZ and Brå groups. Other clinical parameters showed no significant differences. The implant survival rate of 97.5% was noted in the IMZ group, 97.1% in the Brå group, and 72.0% in the TMI group. The CIP scale were significantly worse for the TMI group., Conclusion: It was concluded that the IMZ and the Brånemark implant systems have a better survival rate and clinical implant performance than the TMI system. Based on these data, these systems should be the choice for the edentulous mandible with a height between 8 and 15 mm., (Copyright 2001 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the crestal incision with the labial flap design when inserting a 2-stage implant system in a nonsubmerged manner., Patients and Methods: Ten consecutive edentulous patients with a severely resorbed mandible (Cawood Class V to VI) that resulted in reduced stability and insufficient retention of the lower denture were included. In all patients, 2 IMZ implants were inserted in a 1-stage procedure in the mandibular canine regions as part of an implant overdenture treatment. In 5 patients, the labial flap approach was used, and a crestal incision approach was used in the other 5 patients. Standardized evaluations were performed at 2, 6, and 12 weeks after implant placement and 12 months after placement of the new prosthesis., Results: In the first postoperative weeks, more hyperplasia occurred around the implants inserted by the crestal incision than the labial flap. However, after 1 year of function, no striking differences between the 2 groups were present with regard to the clinical and radiographic parameters., Conclusions: From this pilot study, it was concluded that both the crestal incision and the labial flap approach are reliable procedures for insertion of IMZ implants in a 1-stage procedure. However, because of the smaller risk of soft tissue overgrowth, there is a preference for the labial flap approach.

Purpose: A retrospective study was performed to assess the success of short endosseous implants in combination with an implant-retained overdenture in the extremely resorbed mandible., Patients and Methods: Patients included had a mandible not exceeding a median height of 12 mm measured on a standardized lateral cephalometric radiograph. Seventeen patients (14 women, 3 men; mean age, 65 years) with 68 endosseous implants were clinically and radiographically evaluated., Results: During the follow-up period (mean, 77 months; range, 60 to 97 months), 8 implants were lost, bringing the cumulative survival rate to 88%. The peri-implant tissues were in good condition, and the bone loss around the implants was minimal., Conclusion: Because of the relative simplicity and low morbidity of this treatment strategy, it is a justified treatment option.

Purpose: This study evaluated the treatment outcome of intentional replantation of molars., Patients and Methods: Twenty-nine patients were treated with intentional replantation because conventional apicoectomy was not possible. The success rate was judged by clinical and radiographic parameters., Results: One molar (3%) had to be removed because of pain and mobility 4 weeks postsurgery, and three molars (11%) had to be removed during the first year because of periodontal problems. Four molars (14%) showed periodontal problems or root resorption, but are still in function and causing no obvious problems to the patients. Twenty-one molars (72%) were successfully treated., Conclusion: Intentional replantation is a reliable and predictable treatment for those cases in which conventional apicoectomy is hampered because of anatomic limitations or patient factors.

Purpose: Clinical and radiographic parameters and denture satisfaction were evaluated in a long-term retrospective study of patients treated with the mandibular staple bone plate., Patients and Methods: Fifty-six edentulous patients were treated with the mandibular staple bone plate to stabilize their lower denture. The mean evaluation period was 103 months (range, 84 to 139 months). Peri-implant mucosa and bone height were scored, together with quality of the prosthesis and prosthodontic maintenance care. Denture satisfaction was assessed by using two questionnaires., Results: Four staple bone plates were removed during the evaluation period, and one appeared to be fractured. The remaining 51 staple bone plates were functional without any signs of major complications (survival rate, 91%). No further alveolar resorption in the interforaminal region of the mandible took place during the evaluation period. Patients were very satisfied with the prosthetic construction., Conclusions: The mandibular staple bone plate is a good modality to stabilize the lower denture. However, endosseous implant systems are preferred because of comparable success rates with a more simple operative procedure.

Purpose: The influence of bone augmentation of the floor of the maxillary sinus for the insertion of dental implants on sinus function has not been well investigated. In this study, the influence of the sinus lift on the development of maxillary sinus pathology was evaluated using generally accepted diagnostic criteria., Material and Methods: A group of 45 patients in whom a sinus lift procedure had been performed were evaluated for sinus pathology 12 to 60 months after bone transplantation and implant insertion, using a questionnaire, conventional radiographic examination, and nasoendoscopy., Results: Postoperative maxillary sinusitis was detected in two of five patients with a predisposition for sinusitis, but in none of the other 40 patients. The occurrence of iatrogenic sinus membrane perforations during surgery was not related to the development of postoperative sinusitis in patients with healthy sinuses., Conclusion: The occurrence of postoperative chronic sinusitis appears to be limited to patients with a predisposition for this condition. These predisposing factors need to be considered when evaluating patients for sinus lift procedures.

Purpose: The iliac crest is the most common donor site for autogenous bone grafting in maxillofacial surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the morbidity of bone harvesting from the inner table of the anterior iliac crest., Patients and Methods: Sixty-five patients were recalled 1 to 4 years after iliac crest bone harvesting. The morbidity as well as the patient's satisfaction were evaluated by a survey of the medical record, a mail-in questionnaire, and a standardized physical examination., Results: There was good acceptance of this bone harvesting procedure, and the morbidity was low., Conclusion: Bone harvesting from the inner table of the anterior iliac crest is a good option for reconstructing bone defects.

Purpose: This study evaluated the applicability of intraorally harvested autogenous bone grafts for the augmentation of the narrow maxillary alveolar ridge to enable insertion of implants for single tooth replacement., Materials and Methods: Local defects of the anterior maxilla were reconstructed in 27 patients with autogenous bone grafts from the mandibular symphysis (n = 12), maxillary tuberosity (n = 8), or mandibular retromolar area (n = 7). Three months after grafting, either Branemark (n = 23) or ITI Bonefit implants (n = 8) were inserted., Results: At the time of implantation, all grafted sites showed sufficient bone volume for insertion of the implants. Twenty-four to 68 months after insertion, all implants were functioning well., Conclusion: Augmentation of local alveolar defects in the maxilla with intraorally harvested autogenous bone grafts appears to be a reliable method to enable implant placement.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare denture satisfaction and chewing ability of edentulous patients treated with dental implant-retained overdentures or with full dentures with or without previous preprosthetic surgery., Patients and Methods: This study was a controlled clinical trial. Thirty-eight men and 52 women participated in the study. The mean height of the anterior mandible was 21 mm (range, 16 to 25 mm), measured on a lateral cephalometric radiograph. The subjects were randomly assigned to the three treatment modalities. The main outcome measures were denture satisfaction and chewing ability, which were assessed using questionnaires focusing on denture-related complaints and the ability to chew different types of food, and an overall denture satisfaction score., Results: Based on the baseline data from the "denture complaints" and "chewing ability" questionnaires, nine interpretable factors could be extracted. Two factors did not vary following treatment and were excluded from the outcome analysis. At the 1-year evaluation five of seven factors showed significantly better scores for the two surgical groups than for the control group. The same was found for the overall denture satisfaction rate., Conclusion: Overdentures retained by dental implants or complete dentures made after a vestibuloplasty and deepening of the floor of the mouth provide a more satisfactory solution for denture-related problems than complete dentures alone. For the scale "functional complaints lower denture," the overdenture group showed even a significantly better score than the preprosthetic surgery group.

Purpose: In oral and maxillofacial surgery palatal mucosal grafts are routinely used to cover mucosal defects caused by vestibuloplasty. However, the quantity of palatal mucosa is a limiting factor in more extensive operations. This study investigated whether autologous cultured sheets of mucosa can serve as a dressing for these wounds., Materials and Methods: Punch biopsies (diameter, 4 mm) were taken from the hard palate of eight patients (five men, three women; mean age 43 years). Epithelial cells were enzymatically dissociated from these tissue specimens and grown in vitro in the presence of a fibroblast feeder layer. Within 3 weeks, a transplantable epithelial sheet of about 20 cm2 was obtained. The sheet was detached from the culture flask by enzyme treatment and fixed to a carrier of Vaseline (Cheeseborough Ponds Inc, Greenwich, CT) gauze. Using a split-mouth technique, the sheet was placed on half of a mucosal defect created by vestibuloplasty, while the other half of the defect was covered by a conventional split-thickness palatal graft. Both the cultured and conventional graft were held in place by the patient's relined denture fixed with perimandibular sutures. One week postsurgery, the denture and Vaseline gauze were removed. Three months after vestibuloplasty, biopsy specimens of each grafted site were taken and processed for light and transmission electron microscopy (LM, TEM)., Results: Three months postsurgery, the grafted mucosa of both sites bore close resemblance to palatal mucosa. Both the cultured and split-thickness grafts were vascularized, did not evoke a homograft reaction, and showed a smooth graft/lip mucosal junction and minimal wound contraction. LM and TEM revealed that both types of grafts formed a fully differentiated keratinizing mucosa with a well-developed basement membrane and rete ridges, comparable with the histology and ultrastructure of palatal mucosa in situ., Conclusion: It was concluded from this study that cultured mucosa can serve as a proper dressing for mucosal defects after vestibuloplasty.

Placement of endosseous implants in the atrophic maxilla is often restricted because of lack of supporting bone. In this article, experience with augmentation of the maxillary sinus floor with autogenous bone grafts to enable insertion of endosseous implants is described. The technique is aimed at providing a cortical layer on top of the graft to ensure a reliable seal of the maxillary sinus and to achieve optimal stability of the bone graft in case of simultaneously placement of dental implants. The procedure was used in 25 patients, using iliac crest grafts (22 patients, 86 implants), symphyseal bone grafts (two patients, six implants), or a maxillary tuberosity bone graft (one patient, one implant). Ninety-three Brånemark implants (Nobelpharma, Götenburg, Sweden) were inserted in 47 grafted maxillary sinuses. The mean follow-up was 16 months (range, 6 to 36 months). No inflammation of the bone grafts nor of the maxillary sinus occurred. The sinus membrane was perforated accidentally in eight cases during the surgical procedure. Five implants (5.4%), all inserted in iliac crest grafts, were lost during the healing period. The patients received implant supported overdentures (16 patients) or bone-anchored bridges (nine patients). From this preliminary study it is concluded that augmentation of the maxillary sinus floor with bone grafts for the insertion of endosseous implants is a promising solution for patients with atrophic maxillae and functional problems with their partial or full dentures.

The effect of five different treatments for retained permanent molars was evaluated in 59 patients to develop a rational guideline for adequate therapy. The results showed that a prosthetic buildup is the proper treatment if retention develops after the growth spurt, because in these cases the extent of infraocclusion is slight and relatively stable. If retention develops before the growth spurt, immediate removal of the retained molar followed by orthodontic treatment is the way to maximal success. When retention develops during the growth spurt, the tooth affected has to be observed at 6-month intervals. In such a case, no active treatment is indicated if the neighboring teeth show no tilting and the extent of infraocclusion is minor and stable. In all other cases, the teeth affected have to be removed, followed by orthodontic closure of the edentulous space. Finally, all patients must be screened regularly, because in this investigation, new cases of retention were observed relatively frequently.