Harmannus Reintsema

AUGMENTATION OF THE MAXILLARY SINUS FLOOR WITH AUTOGENOUS BONE FOR THE PLACEMENT OF ENDOSSEOUS IMPLANTS - A PRELIMINARY-REPORT

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.

Bone grafting of the floor of the maxillary sinus for the placement of endosseous implants

This study describes and evaluates a technique to augment the floor of the maxillary sinus and to widen the alveolar crest of the atrophic posterior maxilla with autogenous bone. The subjects were 43 patients whose maxillary alveolar crest was not high enough to permit reliable placement of endosseous implants in the posterior maxilla. Large autogenous cancellous bone grafts (n = 37) or smaller grafts from the mandibular symphyseal area (n = 5) or the maxillary tuberosity (n = 1) were harvested. The operations were done in either one stage (n = 20 patients, 36 sinuses) or two (bone grafting followed by placement of implants, n = 23, 45 sinuses). In 28 cases the sinus membrane was perforated with no subsequent problems. Nine of the 171 Brånemark implants that were inserted were lost during follow-up (mean 26 months, range 8-62 months). Augmentation of the maxillary sinus with autogenous bone is a reliable way of achieving placement of an implant.

Exercise adherence in patients with trismus due to head and neck oncology: a qualitative study into the use of the Therabite.

Trismus is a common problem after treatment of head and neck cancer. The Therabite is an effective treatment for trismus. To explore the factors that may influence Therabite exercise adherence, how these interrelate and to provide aims for interventions to increase adherence, the authors conducted a multi-centre, formal-evaluative qualitative retrospective study. 21 patients treated for head-neck cancer were interviewed in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Internal motivation to exercise, the perceived effect, self-discipline and having a clear exercise goal influenced Therabite exercise adherence positively. Perceiving no effect, limitation in Therabite opening range and reaching the exercise goal or a plateau in mouth opening were negative influences. Pain, anxiety and the physiotherapist could influence adherence both positively and negatively. Based on the results, a model for Therabite exercise adherence was proposed. It is important to signal and assess the factors negatively influencing Therabite adherence, specifically before there is a perceived effect. Research is needed to examine why some patients do not achieve results despite high exercise adherence, to identify effective exercise regimens and to assess proposed interventions aimed to increase Therabite exercise adherence.

Functional Outcomes for Clinical Evaluation of Implant Restorations

The functional outcomes related to treating patients afflicted with tooth loss are an important hallmark in substantiating prosthodontic intervention. The Oral Rehabilitation Outcomes Network (ORONet) conducted two international workshops to develop a core set of outcome measures, including a functional domain. The process followed the general format used in the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) workshops to develop consensus for clinical outcome measures in arthritis research, which included: developing a comprehensive list of potential outcomes in the literature; submitting them to a filter for validity, clinical discrimination, and feasibility; and ranking those measures meeting all the filter criteria for relative value. The search was conducted to include functional assessments of speech, swallowing, mastication, nutrition, sensation, and motor function as they relate to dental implant therapies. This literature review surveyed 173 papers that produced some result of these descriptors in the functional domain. Of these, 67 papers reported on functional assessments and further defined objective and subjective outcomes. Many of these results were patient-perceived improvements in function, while others were objective assessments based on established methodologies and instruments. Objective evaluations of masticatory function and speech may meet criteria for validity and discriminability for selected interventions, but are generally not feasible for routine use in clinical care settings. The current recommendation is to employ a well-validated survey instrument that covers mastication and speech, such as the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14, short form), recognizing that patient perceptions of function may differ from objective ability.

Clinical Outcomes Measures for Assessment of Longevity in the Dental Implant Literature: ORONet Approach

The Oral Rehabilitation Outcomes Network (ORONet) Longevity Working Group undertook a search of the literature from 1995 to 2009 on randomized controlled trials related to longevity of osseointegrated implants. Outcomes measures used in these studies were identified and subjected to the OMERACT component criteria of truth, validity, and feasibility. Through this process, it was a challenge to identify clinical outcomes measures that fully met the criteria. An attenuated version of the component criteria was applied, and clinical measures were identified for implant outcomes, prosthetic outcomes, and indices. A recommendation on standardized reporting periods was also presented for future consideration. The endpoint of the evaluation process is to develop consensus on clinical outcomes measures that can be applied across broad populations for osseointegrated implant care. The present ORONet initiative represents a beginning toward continual improvement and consensus development for clinical outcomes measures for osseointegrated implants.

Fluoridating Efficiency of Several Fluoride-Containing Dentifrice Systems in vivo

The fluoridating efficiencies of five fluoridated toothpastes have previously been studied in an in vivo model. The aim of this study was to correlate fluoride uptake in partially demineralized enamel

Psychologic Outcomes in Implant Prosthodontics

Consensus regarding outcomes of the treatment of tooth loss, especially the psychologic outcomes, is needed to guide discovery of best practices and enable a better understanding of patient management for this chronic condition. This paper presents the findings of the ORONet Psychological Working Group for prosthodontics and aims to identify psychologic outcomes with properties deemed critical to meet clinical trial and clinical practice needs for the future. References obtained using a PubMed/Medline search were reviewed for clinical outcomes measures of interest. Clinical outcomes measures were judged relative to the criteria of truth, discrimination, and feasibility. Of the psychologic outcome measures identified in this systematic review, only the OHIP-14 was thought to be suitable for use in general practice and multi-institutional outcome registries and clinical trials. Development of clinically useful psychologic outcomes for future use could benefit from developmental methods and tools outlined in the patient-related outcomes field of clinical care.

Surgery for extra-articular trismus: a systematic review.

The aim of this systematic review was to identify operations that are used to improve mouth opening in patients with extra-articular trismus (caused by cancer and its treatment, oral submucous fibrosis, or noma) and to find out if they work. We searched the electronic databases PubMed, Embase, Cinahl, and the Cochrane collaboration, and then systematically selected papers before we assessed their quality, extracted the data, and did a meta-analysis. We analysed 32 studies that included 651 patients, the median (IQR) size of which was 11 (7-26). The quality of the methods used and of reporting were relatively low. Median (IQR) duration of follow-up was 12 (8-22) months. Operations resulted in a weighted mean (SD) increase in mouth opening of 19.3 (6.3) mm. None of the operations was better than the others for the improvement of mouth opening. We conclude that operations can improve mouth opening in extra-articular trismus, but the evidence is of moderate quality and there is a need for further research.