André Barbisan de Souza

Peri‐implant soft tissue and marginal bone adaptation on implant with non‐matching healing abutments: micro‐CT analysis

PURPOSE To assess (i) the outcome of changing the horizontal-offset dimension on the peri-implant soft tissues and the crestal bone and (ii) the effect of different healing abutments (flared vs. straight) on the marginal peri-implant soft tissues and crestal bone. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two-piece dental implants diameters of 3.5 and 4.5 mm were placed at least 1 mm subcrestal in five beagle dogs. Three different investigational groups: (i) 3.5-mm-diameter implant with narrow healing abutment (3.5N), (ii) 4.5-mm-diameter implant with narrow healing abutment (4.5N), and (iii) 3.5-mm-diameter implant with wide healing abutment (3.5W), were assessed. After 4 months of healing, the vertical distance from the marginal crestal bone (MB) to the implant shoulder (IS); the vertical distance from the IS to the first bone-to-implant contact; and the horizontal distance of bone ingrowth on the implant platform were measured with a high-resolution micro-CT (Xradia MicroXCT-200 system). RESULTS Implants with a narrow healing caps showed an interproximal MB located between 0 and 1 mm above the implant shoulder, while the 3.5W group exhibits a mean value -0.50 mm. As all implants in group 3.5N presented a fBIC located at the level of the IS. For the 4.5N group, the mean fBIC-IS distance was -0.52 mm apically to the IS. For the 3.5WC group, the mean fBIC-IS distance was -1.42 mm. Horizontal bone apposition was only observed for the 3.5N group and the 4.5N group. CONCLUSION The dimension of the horizontal offset would play a minimal role in reducing bone remodeling, whereas the configuration of the transmucosal component would directly influence marginal bone remodeling.

Early healing in alveolar sockets grafted with titanium granules. An experimental study in a dog model

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the placement of titanium granules in fresh extraction sockets on early bone formation. The mesial roots of the third maxillary premolars of five adult beagle dogs were removed. On one side of the maxilla (Test group) the fresh extraction socket was grafted with titanium granules, while the contra-lateral socket was left non-grafted (Control group). After 1 month of healing, the dogs were euthanized and biopsies were obtained. The healing tissues were described, and histometric measurements were performed to obtain the percentage area occupied by connective tissue, new mineralized bone, bone marrow, and biomaterial particles. After 1 month of healing the findings from the histological examination revealed the titanium graft to be well incorporated into the provisional connective tissue or newly formed woven bone. The histometric measurements showed, however, that less mineralized bone was formed in the Test group than in the Control group. The present study suggests that the use of titanium granules in fresh extraction sockets was conducive to new bone formation. The graft of titanium granules seems, however, to delay the early phase of the healing process.

The Anesthetic Effect of Anterior Middle Superior Alveolar Technique (AMSA)

Anesthesia of the soft and hard tissues of the maxilla may require up to 5 injections. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the anesthetic efficacy of the anterior middle superior alveolar (AMSA) and supraperiosteal injection techniques during subgingival scaling and root planing (SRP). Thirty individuals with periodontitis were scheduled for SRP on the buccal aspect of teeth in the anterior maxilla. Before SRP, on a randomly chosen side of the maxilla, the supraperiosteal injection was performed in 1 session, while the AMSA injection was conducted in the contralateral side of the same patient in another session. Immediately after each SRP session, patients rated their pain perception during the procedure with a visual analog scale. No statistically significant differences in mean pain ratings during SRP were found after both anesthetic techniques (P > .05). This preliminary study demonstrated that the AMSA and supraperiosteal injection techniques provided similar anesthetic comfort during SRP. The AMSA injection could be an alternative to anesthetize the buccal aspect of maxilla, without the undesirable effects on facial structures such as the upper lip, nostrils, and lower eyelids. However, further randomized clinical trials with larger samples are necessary to confirm such results.