John W. Olson

The Influence of Preoperative Antibiotics on Success of Endosseous Implants Up to and Including Stage II Surgery: A Study of 2,641 Implants

According to the American College of Surgeons, complex oral surgical procedures, including the transoral placement of endosseous implants, are of the type that may require prophylactic antibiotics. However, the routine use of prophylactic antibiotics in the field of dental implantology continues to be controversial, and their utilization varies widely. No data from a randomized prospective clinical study of the prophylactic use of antibiotics in implant surgery have been previously published. As part of the comprehensive Dental Implant Clinical Research Group clinical implant study, the preoperative or postoperative use of antibiotics, the type used, and the duration of coverage was left to the discretion of the surgeon. These data were recorded and correlated with failure of osseointegration during healing (stage I) and at stage II surgery (uncovering). The results showed that significantly fewer failures occurred when preoperative antibiotics were used.

A laboratory study of changes in vertical dimension using a compression molding and a pour resin technique.

A controlled investigation was conducted to compare the increase in vertical dimension of complete dentures after processing with a compression molding technique and with a pour resin technique. The smallest increase in vertical dimension of occlusion was obtained with the compression molding technique.

The influence of maxillary sinus augmentation on the success of dental implants through second-stage surgery.

An interim evaluation of the status of 102 implants placed in 42 augmented sinuses in 27 patients involved in an alternate category of the Dental Implant Clinical Research Groups long-term, randomized, prospective clinical investigation is presented. Autogeneic, allogeneic, and alloplastic sinus grafts were used, individually or mixed. Through second-stage surgery, 101 implants were found to be integrated. The mean Periotest value at uncovering was -3.36, with a standard deviation of 4.19. The results suggest that root form implants placed in augmented sinuses are successful through second-stage surgery, regardless of the augmentation material or implant design used.

Postmortem histologic evaluation of hydroxyapatite-coated cylinder and titanium alloy basket implants in situ for 37 months in the posterior mandible. Dental Implant Clinical Research Group.

Histologic examination of the tissues surrounding a titanium alloy basket implant and a hydroxyapatite-coated titanium cylinder implant from the mandible of a cadaver were examined. The 67-year-old man died 37 months after first-stage surgery from cardiovascular failure. Clinical and radiographic examinations indicated that the implants were functional, immobile, and integrated. Light microscopy revealed that the gingival tissues adjacent to the implants were healthy and, in general, free of inflammatory cells. The transmucosal area demonstrated a tight connective tissue apposition to the implants. The sulcular epithelial appearance was similar to that of a natural tooth. Histomorphometric analysis revealed that 72.2 percent of the basket implant and 75.3 percent of the hydroxyapatite-coated implant were in direct contact with bone. Generally, the bone along the surface of the basket implant was thicker than the bone along the surface of the hydroxyapatite-coated cylinder. Bone grew through the vent hole areas of both implants.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: Prosthetic management and considerations

The dentist should be aware of the signs, symptoms, and significance of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. A patient who had unusual involvement of the masticatory mucosa and for whom construction and function of complete dentures did not result in discomfort or oral bleeding is described. Dentures may have a positive effect on the size and number of telangiectasias. A gradual decrease in the size of a nodular lesion of the mandibular edentulous ridge is documented over a 3-year period.