Can hyaluronan injections augment deficient papillae at implant-supported crowns in the anterior maxilla? A randomized controlled clinical trial with 6 months follow-up

Evaluation of the efficacy of microneedling alone and in combination with injectable hyaluronic acid in augmentation of peri-implant soft tissues: A randomized controlled trial

Objectives

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of injectable hyaluronic acid (HA) combined with microneedling (MN) in augmenting peri-implant soft tissue.

Materials and Methods

Sixty-five patients were enrolled and divided into two groups. Group 1 received MN alone, while Group 2 received HA following MN on the peri-implant mucosa. Various parameters - including the plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), peri-implant probing depth, clinical attachment levels, Sulcus Bleeding Index, mucosal thickness (MT), keratinized tissue width (KTW), interproximal width (IPW), and papillary recession height (PRH) - were evaluated at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively. Patient-reported outcome measures were assessed to gauge treatment effectiveness and patient satisfaction.

Results

Group 2 patients exhibited reduced PI, GI, SBI, PIPD, and CAL compared to Group 1. Both groups showed a significant increase in MT and KTW after 6 months; MT increased to 1.03 ± 0.11 mm in Group 1 and 2.48 ± 0.45 mm in Group 2, while KTW increased to 2.44 ± 0.84 mm in Group 1 and 4.34 ± 1.02 mm in Group 2. In addition, the mean PRH was 1.67 ± 0.32 mm in Group 1 and 0.88 ± 0.25 mm in Group 2, with a mean IPW of 2.19 ± 0.52 mm in Group 1 and 0.90 ± 0.16 mm in Group 2.

Conclusion

HA combined with MN leads to increased MT and KTW, reduced inflammation, and improved papillary fill. Thus, HA with MN may serve as an effective short-term implant maintenance modality, assisting clinicians in achieving peri-implant soft tissue regeneration.

Histologic Evaluation of Early Papilla Healing after Augmentation with Injectable Hyaluronic Acid-A Proof of Concept

Objectives: This human histological study's purpose was to histologically evaluate papillae's healing after hyaluronic acid (HA) gel augmentation at three healing time points after one injection with hyaDENT BG®. Methods: Fifteen papillae from two patients with stage III, grade B periodontitis have been selected for this study. Every week for three weeks, five papillae were injected once with HA gel, and during the fourth week, the papillae were surgically removed as part of step 3 of the periodontal treatment. The histological analysis was performed on fifteen papillae, with five papillae corresponding to every timepoint of healing (weeks 1, 2, and 3). The primary outcome was considered to be the newly formed collagen fibers. The presence of residual HA, the integrity of epithelium or the presence of erosions/ulcerations, the presence and characteristics of inflammatory infiltrate, the presence of granulomatous reactions, and interstitial edema were considered to be secondary outcomes. Results: From the first to the third week, newly formed connective tissue begins to appear, while the observed HA pools (vesicles) content decreases. The density of inflammatory infiltrate was higher in the first week after injection, decreasing considerably by week 3; however, it was still visible throughout the healing time points. A granulomatous reaction was present in only three samples, while no signs of ulceration or necrosis could be observed; however, epithelial erosions could be observed on some samples after the first week. Conclusions: Papila augmentation with hyaluronic acid promotes new collagen formation from the second week of healing despite some foreign body granulomatous reactions.

The use of hyaluronic acid injection for treatment of black triangle and reconstruction of lost interdental papilla in anterior teeth: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Non-surgical therapeutics to reconstruct lost interdental papilla are evolving; these include hyaluronic acid injection. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and long-term outcomes of hyaluronic acid injection in the treatment of black triangles and reconstruction of lost interdental papilla in anterior teeth.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023446875) and in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis 'PRISMA'. The search involved four databases, PubMed/MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and ProQuest for ''grey literature' with additional manual search for studies published up to May 2024. Human clinical studies of a prospective nature (randomised clinical trials and prospective cohort studies) were included. Exclusion criteria were case reports, case series, review articles, letter to editor, personal opinion, and animal studies. Furthermore, studies which utilised hyaluronic acid injection in conjunction with other therapeutic material, tissue graft, or any surgical procedure were also excluded. The data were extracted independently by the two authors and incorporated after consensus. The risk of bias was assessed using the RoB2: the revised Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomised clinical trials and the Newcastle Ottawa scale for prospective cohort studies.

RESULTS

24 studies, 15 prospective clinical studies and nine randomised clinical trials, were included with a total of 898 interdental papillae injected with hyaluronic acid. The studies showed promising outcomes in the reconstruction of lost interdental papilla with minimal adverse reactions. Risk of bias assessment among prospective clinical studies revealed 13 good quality studies with only two poor studies while the randomised clinical trials consisted of three with low, one with some concern, and five studies with high risk of bias. However, due to the high heterogeneity, a meta-analysis was not feasible.  Conclusion: Hyaluronic acid injection is an effective minimally invasive approach in treating black triangles and reconstructing lost interdental papilla in the anterior teeth. Further long-term well-designed randomised clinical trials employing standardised procedures are essential to validate this treatment and provide better quality of evidence.

Occlusal caries detection and monitoring using a 3D intraoral scanner system. An in vivo assessment

OBJECTIVE

To assess the agreement in detecting and monitoring occlusal caries over thirty months using conventional visual and radiographic assessment and an intraoral scanner system which supports automated caries scoring.

METHODS

Ninety-one young participants aged 12-19 years were included in the study. All occlusal surfaces were examined visually, radiographically (when indicated), and scanned with the TRIOS 4 intraoral scanner. TRIOS Patient Monitoring software (vers. 2.3, 3Shape TRIOS A/S, Denmark) was used for automated caries detection on the 3D digital models.

RESULTS

Fifty-five of the study participants were re-examined after 30-months. Significant differences regarding caries detection were found between the conventional methods and the automated caries scoring system (p < 0.01), with moderate positive percent agreement (49-61%) and high negative percent agreement (87-98%). All methods reported significant caries progression over the follow-up period (p < 0.01). However, the automated system showed significantly more caries progression than the other methods (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The software for automated caries detection and classification showed moderate positive agreement and strong negative agreement with the conventional methods considering both the baseline and the follow-up assessments. The automated caries scoring system detected significantly fewer caries lesions and tended to underestimate the caries severity. All methods indicated significant caries progression over the follow-up period, while the automated system detected more caries progression.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The TRIOS system supporting automated occlusal caries detection and classification can assist in detecting and monitoring occlusal caries on permanent teeth as a complementary tool to the conventional methods. However, the operator should be aware that the automated system shows a tendency to underestimate the caries presence and lesion severity.

Orthodontic tooth extrusion to regenerate missing papilla adjacent to maxillary anterior single implants: A 2- to 7-year retrospective study

INTRODUCTION

Regeneration of the missing papilla adjacent to single implants in the esthetic zone has always been challenging, despite advances in vertical hard and soft tissue regeneration. Orthodontic tooth extrusion has been shown to effectively gain alveolar bone and gingival tissue. This retrospective study evaluated the effectiveness of orthodontic tooth extrusion on regenerating missing papilla between existing maxillary anterior single implant and its adjacent tooth.

METHODS

Patients who underwent orthodontic tooth extrusion to regenerate missing papilla adjacent to a single implant in the esthetic zone were included in this study. The gingival phenotype, orthodontic extrusion movement, proximal bone level, dento-implant papilla level, facial gingival level, mucogingival junction level, and keratinized tissue width, of the extruded tooth were recorded at pre-orthodontic extrusion (T0 ), post-orthodontic extrusion and retention (T1 ), and latest follow-up (T2 ).

RESULTS

A total of 17 maxillary single tooth had orthodontic tooth extrusion to regenerate missing papilla adjacent to 14 maxillary anterior single implants in 14 patients. After a mean follow-up time of 48.4 months, implant success rate was 100% (14/14), with none of the orthodontically extruded teeth being extracted. After a mean extrusion and retention period of 14.3 months, a mean orthodontic extrusion movement of 4.62 ± 0.78 mm was noted with a mean proximal bone level gain of 3.54 ± 0.61 mm (77.0% efficacy), dento-implant papilla level gain of 3.98 ± 0.81 mm (86.8% efficacy), and facial gingival tissue gain of 4.27 mm ± 0.55 mm (93.4% efficacy). A mean keratinized tissue width gain of 4.17 ± 0.49 mm with minimal mean mucogingival junction level change of 0.10 ± 0.30 mm were observed. The efficacy of orthodontic eruption movement on dento-implant papilla gain was less in the thin (80.5%) phenotype group when compared with that in the thick (91.5%) phenotype group.

CONCLUSIONS

Within the confines of this study, orthodontic extrusion is an effective, noninvasive method in regenerating mid-term stable proximal bone and papilla adjacent to maxillary anterior single implants.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

This retrospective study presents a mid-term result on orthodontic extrusion as a mean to regenerate dento-implant papilla defect. The extended retention period following orthodontic extrusion showed stable and efficacious proximal bone and papilla gain.

Effectiveness of Hyaluronic Acid Gel Injection with and without PRGF for Management of Interdental Papillary Loss: A Randomized Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid (HA) gel injection with and without plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) for the management of interdental papillary loss.

METHODS

A single blinded randomized clinical trial was carried out on 21 subjects with 34 sites. Patients within the age group 18-45 years who had Class I and II papillary recession in the maxillary anterior region were selected. The sites involved were randomly assigned to Group HA alone and Group HA + PRGF. The patients were recalled 4 weeks after receiving supragingival and subgingival instrumentation. HA or HA + PRGF was injected into the defective papilla at baseline and at 3 and 6 weeks. Image based measurements of Papillary Width (PW), Papillary Deficient Height (PDH), Deficient Area (DA), Deficient Volume (DV) were registered at baseline, 3 weeks, 6 weeks and 12 weeks. A vernier caliper was used to measure the papillary depth in the impression made using additional silicone impression material pre- and post-intervention.

RESULTS

There was a significant improvement in the within-group comparison of PW, PDH, DA and DV in both the groups. Group HA + PRGF showed significantly greater improvement in comparison to Group HA alone in terms of PDH, DA and DV at 6 and 12 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

Even though HA gel has already been established as a promising injectable agent in the minimally invasive treatment of interdental papillary deficiency, PRGF may also have a significant adjuvant effect when used along with HA. Further clinical studies with longer follow up duration, larger sample size and standardization of the tooth shape are required for a better understanding of the adjuvant effect of PRGF when used along with HA.

Hyaluronic acid injection to restore the lost interproximal papilla: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy and safety of hyaluronic acid (HA) injections to restore the lost interproximal papilla.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Cochrane electronic databases with no time restriction up to September 2021. Any clinical study evaluating HA injection into the interproximal papilla loss Class I and II according to Norland & Tarnow, were included based on the following PICO questions (1) Are HA injections effective for the reconstruction of the interproximal papilla loss? (2) What are the side/adverse effects of using HA for the reconstruction of interproximal papilla loss? The risk of bias assessment was performed using the Cochrane Collaboration's the Newcastle Ottawa and Joanna Briggs institute tools.

RESULTS

A total of 1497 titles were retrieved. From these, eleven were included and underwent full data extraction. However, due to heterogeneity in the data among the included articles, a meta-analysis could not be performed. Three articles reported no-differences in term of papilla tip to contact point distance or the papilla fill reduction. Finally, five studies showed a reduction in the black triangle with a percentage range between 19 and 47%.

CONCLUSION

The non-surgical use of HA injection seems to have a positive effect on the re-establishment of interproximal papilla lost. However post-operative complications might develop.

Hyaluronic acid vs. physiological saline for enlarging deficient gingival papillae: a randomized controlled clinical trial and an in vitro study

Background

loss of the interdental papillae leads to the formation of a black triangle, which compromises smile esthetics and contributes to food impaction and plaque accumulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) and compare it to that of physiological saline solution in the restoration of deficient gingival papillae in vivo and in vitro.

Methods

Twenty-four patients with 68 deficient gingival papillae were recruited for this clinical trial with a split-mouth design. The deficient gingival papillae on one side of the anterior maxilla were injected with HA, and those on the other side were injected with physiological saline solution. The heights of the gingival papillae and the areas of the black triangles were measured from clinical photographs obtained before and 6 and 12 months after treatment. Additionally, the proliferation and migration of gingival fibroblasts were evaluated after HA and physiological saline treatment by an in vitro study.

Results

the results revealed that the injection of HA yielded 0.198 and 0.28 mm gingival papilla increasement at 6 and 12 months, respectively, relative to the baseline (P<0.05). However, deficient gingival papillae also grew by 0.278 mm at 12 months in the group that received physiological saline solution (P<0.05). The injection of HA significantly improved deficient gingival papillae 6 months earlier than the injection of physiological saline solution. HA also significantly accelerated the proliferation and migration of gingival fibroblasts in vitro.

Conclusions

The present study confirms that the injection of HA could increase the height of gingival papillae for improving gingival papilla defects. However, the effect is not superior to that of physiological saline solution. This trial was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-ONC-17011781) (28/06/2017). http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=19931

Minimally invasive therapy for reconstruction of lost interdental papilla by using injectable hyaluronic acid filler

Background and Aim:

Reconstruction of interdental papillae (IDP) is among the most difficult periodontal therapy. Papillary recession is multifactorial, and several surgical, nonsurgical, and minimally invasive techniques have been suggested. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical application of injectable hyaluronic acid (HA) gel for the reconstruction of IDP in Nordland and Tarnow's Class I and II papillary recession cases.

Materials and Methods:

In the present in vivo clinical trial, 7 patients (2 males, 5 females) with 25 defects were selected. A volume of 0.2 ml HA gel was injected at the respective areas and massaged for 2–3 min. Photographs were obtained, and the assessment of the data was performed clinically (CP-GM, interproximal width [IPW]) and by Image analysis software (black triangle height [BTH], black triangle width [BTW]). Comparison of mean values was performed using the analysis of variance, followed by Post hoc Bonferroni test. Value of P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

Application of HA gel for the reconstruction of IDP was successful in 6 months. CP-GM, BTH, IPW, and BTW showed a statistically significant difference from baseline to 3 and 6 months interval (P = 0.01). Post hoc Bonferroni test for CP-GM, BTH, BTW, and IPW revealed a statistically significant difference from baseline to 3 months (P ≤ 0.05) and 6 months (P ≤ 0.05) and a nonsignificant difference at 3–6 months (P ≥ 0.05).

Conclusion:

Injectable HA gel is a promising minimally invasive therapy for enhancing papillary esthetics.

Is interdental papilla filling using hyaluronic acid a stable approach to treat black triangles? A systematic review

PURPOSE

To evaluate the stability of interdental papilla filling using hyaluronic acid (HA) to treat black triangles in esthetic regions.

METHODS

The protocol was registered in PROSPERO. Six databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Lilacs, SciELO, and Web of Science) were used as primary search sources, and OpenGrey and OpenThesis were used to capture the "gray literature." Only before-after studies were included. The JBI Checklist assessed the risk of bias. Only four studies met the inclusion criteria and were considered for the analyses. The studies were published from 2010 to 2016. All studies presented a low risk of bias. Considering the studies do not have control groups, a weighted average by sample size was calculated to obtain a general estimate of the percentage of papillary filling after 6 months and the number of HA applications.

RESULTS

The studies showed the percentage of papillary reconstruction after 6 months of application, the weighted average by sample size was 77.41% (SD = 20.68), with an average number of applications of 3.17 (SD = 0.31).

CONCLUSION

The application of HA may be used to repair anesthetic defects in the papilla.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Interdental papilla reconstruction with injectable HA is an option of nonsurgical treatment for interdental papilla deficiencies. However, there is still concern about the quality of the evidence available, considering that studies with different experimental designs can produce contradictory results. Moreover, further understanding is required on the stability of tissue gain promoted by HA in black triangles.

Interproximal attachment gain: The challenge of periodontal regeneration

The new classification of periodontal diseases recognizes the key role of the interdental clinical attachment for defining the periodontal status and the extent of disease severity. Regenerating interdental clinical attachment not only improves the prognosis of the tooth, but it also lessens the severity of the disease condition. This manuscript provides a state-of-the-art review on surgical reconstructive approaches for treating papillary deficiency associated with soft and hard tissue interproximal defects. Combination therapy of papilla preservation, connective tissue grafting, and coronally advanced flaps may result in regeneration of the intrabony defect coupled with root coverage. Future research highlighted here may have the potential, especially in combination approaches, to repair challenging interproximal soft and hard tissue deficiencies.

Volumetric changes at implant sites: A systematic appraisal of traditional methods and optical scanning-based digital technologies

AIM

To evaluate techniques for assessing soft tissue alterations at implant sites and compare the traditionally utilized methods to the newer three-dimensional technologies emerging in the literature.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A comprehensive search was performed to identify interventional studies reporting on volumetric changes at implant sites following different treatments.

RESULTS

Seventy-five articles were included the following: 30 used transgingival piercing alone, one utilized calliper, six with ultrasonography, six on cone-beam computed tomography, and 32 utilized optical scanning and digital technologies. Optical scanning-based digital technologies were the only approach that provided 'volumetric changes,' reported as volumetric variation in mm³ , or the mean distance between the surfaces/mean thickness of the reconstructed volume. High variability in the digital analysis and definition of the region of interest was observed. All the other methods reported volume variation as linear dimensional changes at different apico-coronal levels. No studies compared volumetric changes with different approaches.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the emergence of optical scanning-based digital technologies for evaluating volumetric changes, a high degree of variation exists in the executed workflow, which renders the comparison of study results not feasible. Establishment of universal guidelines could allow for volumetric comparisons among different studies and treatments.

Comparative Evaluation of Two Hyaluronic Acid Gel Products for the Treatment of Interdental Papillary Defects

Objectives

The aim was to investigate the efficacy of single injections of two different hyaluronic acid products, Flex Barrier and Revident, in reducing the size of black triangles to treat Nordland-Tarnow Class I and II recessions.

Materials and Methods

Forty adult patients were recruited with at least two upper and two lower interdental papilla defects in the front region between canine teeth. According to the Nordland-Tarnow classification of papillary defects, both Class I and Class II recessions were included in the investigation. Patients were randomly assigned to experimental groups to receive single injections of two different hyaluronic acid products, either Flex Barrier or Revident. The untreated sites served as controls. Photographs were taken before and immediately after the treatment, and again after one week and one month. To determine the size of the black triangles, Image J software was used. For statistical analysis, a mixed-design ANOVA was applied.

Results

Both Flex Barrier and Revident significantly decreased the size of the treated defects immediately after the treatment and also one week later (p<0.001). The beneficial effect of Revident lasted longer than Flex Barrier as it remained significant even after one month in Revident-treated patients, however, not in the Flex Barrier-treated group. Furthermore, Nordland-Tarnow Class I lesions generally showed a greater improvement than Class II lesions.

Conclusion

In this proof-of-concept, randomized clinical trial we have demonstrated the clinical applicability of both Flex Barrier and Revident, although Revident gave longer-lasting improvements than Flex Barrier. Further trials are needed to optimize multiple-application protocols for treating gingival black triangles.

Effect of Hyaluronic Acid Filler Injection on the Interdental Papilla in a Mouse Model of Open Gingival Embrasure

The black triangle resulting from interdental papilla (IDP) loss is associated with poor aesthetics and difficulty in pronunciation and food impaction. There is limited knowledge of gingival tissue inflammatory response to hyaluronic acid (HA) filler injection, a minimally invasive IDP reconstruction method. This study aimed to examine the morphological and histological changes in IDP and the inflammatory cytokine localization to the IDP post-HA filler injection using an open gingival embrasure (OGE) mouse model. Mice from the control, sham, and OGE groups were attached with reference, inactive, and activated wires for 5 days, respectively. The degree of IDP loss was determined based on the spring-papilla distance (SPD). Morphological and histological changes in the OGE group injected with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or HA fillers were examined on days 2 and 7 post-injection. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to determine the localization patterns of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and Ki67. Five days post-wire attachment, the control and OGE groups exhibited a significantly higher SPD than the sham group (p < 0.0167). The SPD of the HA filler injection group was significantly lower than that of the PBS injection group on days 2, 4, and 7 post-injection (p < 0.05). The IDP of the OGE group was wide and flat. HA filler was stable in the connective tissue underlying the epithelial tissue even on day 7 post-injection. TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, MPO, and Ki67 were highly localized to the connective tissue surrounding the filler on day 2, which decreased on day 7 post-injection. Thus, HA filler can safely and successfully reconstruct the IDP in cases of OGE.

Minimally invasive procedures for deficient interdental papillae: A review

OBJECTIVE

Deficient interdental papillae cause a series of problems, including food impaction, phonetic difficulties, and esthetic concerns. The purpose of this article is to provide valid clinical recommendations for clinicians to address these problems in a predictable and less invasive way.

OVERVIEW

Numerous treatments are available for interdental papillae reconstruction, but most of them involve surgery and yield unpredictable outcomes. Minimally invasive treatments have the advantages of being effective, predictable, and involving only slight injury as compared to surgical treatments. We included 66 studies obtained after searching for relevant papers in PubMed and Web of Science. The etiology and classification of deficient interdental papillae are explained and minimally invasive procedures for deficient interdental papillae reconstruction are summarized.

CONCLUSIONS

Minimally invasive procedures are promising ways to reconstruct deficient interdental papillae, and have the advantages of slight pain and rapid recovery. It should be noticed that some of the minimally invasive treatments still require further long-term observation to confirm their efficacy.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Familiarity with etiology and classification of deficient interdental papillae can help clinicians to choose the appropriate minimally invasive approach as well as help with case collection to enhance esthetics status in patients with deficient interdental papillae.

Treatment of peri-implant soft tissue defects: a narrative review

Soft tissue defects around dental implants, such as papilla or volume loss, peri-implant recession and alterations of the ridge color and/or texture, lead to esthetic and functional complaints. Treatments of these defects in implants are more demanding than in teeth because peri-implant tissue exhibits different anatomical and histological characteristics. This narrative review discusses the proposed treatments for soft tissue defects around implants in the current literature. Several clinical and pre-clinical studies addressed methods to augment the quantity of the peri-implant keratinized mucosa. Autogenous grafts performed better than soft tissue substitutes in the treatment of soft tissue defects, but there is no clinical consensus on the more appropriate donor area for connective tissue grafts. Treatment for facial volume loss, alterations on the mucosa color or texture and shallow peri-implant recessions are more predictable than deep recessions and sites that present loss of papilla. Correction of peri-implant soft tissue defects may be challenging, especially in areas that exhibit larger defects and interproximal loss. Therefore, the regeneration of soft and hard tissues during implant treatment is important to prevent the occurrence of these alterations.

Efficacy Evaluation of Hyaluronic Acid Gel for the Restoration of Gingival Interdental Papilla Defects

PURPOSE

This clinical study aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of reconstruction of the gingival interdental papilla via injection of hyaluronic acid gel.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eight female participants with Class I or II gingival papilla loss in anterior sites were included in this study. The gingival biotype was evaluated previously. Hyaluronic acid gel was injected into the base of the deficient papilla, which was repeated twice at 3 and 6 weeks after the initial injection. The height of the gingival papilla and the area of papilla loss were examined on clinical photographs before treatment and 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. The data were tested for a normal distribution and analyzed by the Wilcoxon signed rank test. P < .05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

The height of the gingival papilla increased 0.311, 0.45, and 0.4 mm from baseline at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively, after treatment (P < .05), whereas the area of the black triangle was reduced by 0.31, 0.41, and 0.36 mm² at the same time points (P < .05). In addition, patients with a thick gingival biotype showed a better effect of treatment on the increase in the height of the gingival papilla and decrease in the area of the black triangle.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study verified a remarkable effect of hyaluronic acid gel injection in restoring the deficient gingival papilla of the natural teeth, especially in patients with a thick gingival biotype.

Assessment of Hyaluronic Acid Gel Injection in the Reconstruction of Interdental Papilla: A Randomized Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND

Various techniques have been implemented to reconstruct the deficient interdental papilla.

AIM

The present trial was conducted to assess the effect of injection of hyaluronic acid gel for the reconstruction of deficient interdental papilla.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Thirty-six deficient interdental papilla sites in ten patients were randomly allocated into two equal groups; intervention group who received the injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) gel and control group who received the injection of saline solution as a placebo. Each deficient papilla received three injections. The first injection was given one week following the re-evaluation period (four weeks after performing full mouth supra-gingival scaling and sub-gingival debridement). The second and third injections were given after three and six weeks, respectively. The height and surface area of black triangles were recorded at baseline before the injection procedures. The participants were recalled after three and six months from the first injection for re-measuring the recorded parameters. At 6 months, patients' satisfaction was also assessed.

RESULTS

After three and six months from baseline, the results revealed a statistically significant higher mean decrease in height and surface area of black triangles in favour of the HA group. From three to six months, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in both parameters. At 6 months, the HA group showed a statistically significant higher mean satisfaction score than the saline group.

CONCLUSION

The use of hyaluronic acid gel for the reconstruction of interdental papillary deficiency was effective with promising levels of patients' satisfaction.

Reproducibility of intraoral photography for pink and white tissue assessment - Is it worth the hassle?

PURPOSE

To assess the effect of the shooting angle variation on linear and planimetric measurements of the pink and white tissues on intraoral photographs.

METHODS

From intraoral three-dimensional (3D) scans of the anterior region in 10 patients, ninety-nine two-dimensional (2D) "scan pictures" each were generated with different shooting angles, each varying in 5° horizontal and vertical increments. Eleven intraoral photographs of each patient and tooth site were taken free-hand: one shot at baseline and 5 shots after 3 and 6 months at slightly varying shooting angles. Papilla height (PH) and area (PA) and tooth crown area (TCA) were estimated on all photographs; the "best-match-to-baseline" photograph from those taken at 3 and 6 months was chosen by 6 evaluators.

RESULTS

Within the first 10° of deviation from the baseline shooting angle, measurements on the 2D "scan pictures" distorted ≤0.5 mm for PH and ≤10% for PA and TCA. Compared to baseline, only 6 out of 100 photographs presented ≥0.5 mm difference in PH, none of the TCA measurements showed distortion ≥10%, and only in 4 instances a ≥10% distortion of the PA was observed. Poor to moderate inter- and intra-rater agreement in choosing the "best-match-to-baseline" photograph was found, but photographs with clinically relevant changes were only seldomly chosen.

CONCLUSIONS

Deviations in the shooting angle ≤10° from the baseline shot cause clinically negligible distortions in linear and planimetric measurements. Highly comparable intraoral photographs of the anterior maxillary teeth can be captured "free-hand" in slightly varying perspective, and then selecting the "best-match-to-baseline".

Use of different concentrations of hyaluronic acid in interdental papillary deficiency treatment: A clinical study

Background:

In the present era, demand of beauty and esthetics has increased rapidly. Interdental papilla construction, especially in the esthetic zone, is one of the most challenging tasks. Interdental papilla loss might occur due to several reasons as a consequence of periodontal surgery, trauma, and others.

Aim and Objective:

The present study was aimed to prepare economically feasible injectable form of hyaluronic acid (HA) gel in three different concentrations – 1%, 2%, and 5% HA to evaluate its efficacy in the enhancement of deficient interdental papilla (IDP).

Materials and Methods:

A total of 42 sites (mean age range was 29.6–30.6 years) was categorized into three groups; 1% HA group (16 sites), 2% HA group (14 sites), and 5% HA group (12 sites). Total 35 sites were followed up out of 42 in which 2% HA group included only 7 sites. Both maxillary (17 sites) and mandibular (18 sites) sites were included in this study. HA was injected at 2 mm apical to papillary tip at weekly interval for 3 weeks. The IDP augmentation was measured using UNC-15 probe and modified stent at 1, 3, and 6 months. The photographic analysis was done using Image J software.

Results:

On clinical measurement, 5% of HA showed highly significant enhancement (P = 0.001) of 19.2%, 20.6% 18.2% at 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. On photographic analysis, 5% of HA showed 41%, 42.9%, and 39.8% at 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively. However, intergroup comparison showed nonsignificant improvement.

Conclusion:

This study results suggest that the use of 5% of HA is effective for interdental deficiency treatment with minimal rebound at the end of 6 months. The modified stent for IDP measurement used in this study for the first time in the literature is highly recommended. The photographic analysis using image J Analyzer serves a useful and dependable tool. Further, long-term clinical studies would throw more insight in this regard.