G. Szabó

Five-Year 224-Patient Prospective Histological Study of Clinical Applications Using a Synthetic Bone Alloplast

Clinical and histologic evaluations of a synthetic bone were performed in 224 patients in a well monitored environment. This material (Bioplant HTR, Bioplant Inc., South Norwalk, CT) was used to obliterate cysts, treat periodontal defects, correct jawbone contours and deficiencies, and gain sufficient support for the placement of dental implants in maxillary subantral augmentation. Implants were positioned either at the time of the synthetic bone graft or after the new supporting tissue was formed. Evidence of new bone formation between the synthetic granules and host tissue was observed during histological examinations. After the material was placed, tissue that could strengthen and augment the inferior wall of the maxillary sinus formed in 3 months. This was observed both clinically and radiographically. After 8 to 12 months, this tissue provided sufficient hard tissue support for the placement of dental implants. This clinical study reconfirmed the applicability of a synthetic bone for bone replacement and augmentation in oral and maxillofacial surgery. No complications caused by infection, inflammation, or rejection of the implanted graft material were observed.

The relationship between pacifier use, bottle feeding and breast feeding

Objective: To investigate the influence of pacifier use and the introduction of formula milk on breast feeding. Methods: The mothers of 356 healthy newborn infants who initiated breast feeding while in-patients were interviewed within 3 days of birth and later at 2 and 6 months postpartum. Information regarding previous birth, breast-feeding frequency, pacifier use and the adoption of formula milk were obtained. The data were analyzed using χ2 and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: At the end of the second month, 264 (74%) of the mothers were still breast feeding; by the end of the sixth month this had fallen to 236 (66%). Among the 356 mothers, 152 had at least one previous infant, and 132 (86.8%) of them had breast fed a previous infant. Of the women who breast fed their previous infant for more than 2 months, 112 (84.8%) breast fed the current child until the end of the second month and 104 (78.7%) until the end of the sixth month after delivery. Of all investigated patients, 204 were primiparous (57.3%). Of these, 152 (74.5%) breast fed until the end of the second month, and 132 (64.7%) until the end of the sixth month after delivery. Among the 204 primiparae, 92 (45%) gave formula to their newborn infants. Forty-four of these 92 mothers (47.8%) had discontinued breast feeding by the end of the second month. Among the 356 newborn infants, 220 used pacifiers at the end of the second month. Within this group, 72 (33%) of the infants did not breast feed, while 148 (67%) did breast feed. Of all investigated mothers, 136 did not give pacifiers to their infants and only eight of these mothers (6%) had stopped breast feeding at the end of the second month. Conclusions: We found an inverse correlation between pacifier usage and breast feeding. Breast feeding was most common among multiparous mothers.

Microarchitectural study of the augmented bone following ridge preservation with a porcine xenograft and a collagen membrane: preliminary report of a prospective clinical, histological, and micro-computed tomography analysis

Socket preservation using a combination of porcine xenograft and collagen membrane maintains the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the ridge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microarchitecture of the grafted area by histological analysis and micro-computed tomography. Patients in the test group (group 1; nine patients) underwent socket preservation, while the sockets in the control group (group 2; eight patients) were allowed to heal without preservation. After a 6-month healing period, bone core biopsy samples were obtained and implants were placed in the augmented sites in the test group (12 biopsy samples) and the non-augmented sockets of the control group (12 biopsy samples). Analysis of the biopsy samples obtained from group 1 revealed that particles of the graft were surrounded by newly formed bone in eight cases and by granulation tissue in four cases. Micromorphometric data showed statistically significant differences in several parameters between the microarchitecture of the native bone and the newly formed bone within the augmented sites, which suggests that the xenograft particles interfere with the bony healing of the alveoli.