Impact of maxillary sinus augmentation on oral health-related quality of life

An epidemiological qualitative/quantitative SWOT-AHP analysis in order to highlight the positive or critical aspects of dental implants: A pilot study

OBJECTIVES

In recent years, dental implants are increasing in popularity due to their high success rate, demonstrated functionality, and aesthetic treatment results. Scientific research is very active in proposing improvements in the quality and survival of implants, taking into consideration various aspects. The objective of this study was to provide a holistic epidemiologic view of the state of dental implants, using a systematic approach based on a multimethod SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis and AHP (analytical hierarchical process) qualitative-quantitative analysis to identify the characteristics that can determine their success or failure.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study used the hybrid method of SWOT-AHP.

RESULTS

Analysis of the results showed that among strengths, the skill of the dentist was considered the most important factor, followed by the success of dental implants in the old people; among weaknesses, bruxism and chronic diseases were highlighted; for opportunities, biomechanical behavior, in terms of good mechanical strength and good tribological resistance to chemical and physical agents in the oral cavity, were considered the most important factors; finally, among threats, medical liability and biomechanical problems had equal weight.

CONCLUSIONS

This study applied a multimethod SWOT-AHP approach to bring out favorable or critical evidence on the topic of dental implants. In accordance with the result of the strategic vector identified in the Twisting zone Adjustment type section, showed that implant surgery is a widespread technique but always needs improvement to increase the likelihood of success and reduce the complications that can lead to implant failure.

Evaluation of crestal sinus floor elevation in cases exhibiting an oblique sinus floor with a residual bone height of 4.0-7.0 mm using Densah burs with simultaneous implant placement: a prospective clinical study

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effectiveness of using Densah burs for lifting the maxillary sinus membrane in cases with an oblique sinus floor with a residual bone height of 4-7 mm.

METHODS

The study was conducted on 16 patients, comprising 9 males and 7 females, aged 25-60 years, split into two groups of 8 each: group I with a residual bone height of 4-5.5 mm below the sinus floor and group II with a residual bone height of 5.5-7 mm. Exclusion criteria included smokers, presence of systemic or metabolic conditions that contraindicate implant placement and a local sinus pathology. The study involved the use of Densah burs, using the osseodensification concept to elevate the sinus floor, along with simultaneous dental implant placement. The integrity of the sinus membrane was verified via clinical examination and a confirmatory cone beam computed tomography scan.

RESULTS

The study revealed that out of the 16 cases, one case had a sinus membrane perforation, confirmed clinically at the time of the operation. The study achieved a mean lift of 4.42 mm and a mean final seating torque of 35.5 N/cm. At the 1-year follow-up, all cases showed clinical success, with no signs of sinus pathology or complications.

CONCLUSIONS

In cases with oblique sinus floors and a residual bone height of 4-7 mm in moderately atrophic posterior maxilla, the osseodensification concept proved to be a safe and effective method for performing sinus lift procedures with simultaneous implantation.

Clinical outcomes of titanium-zirconium alloy narrow-diameter implants for single-crown restorations: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Evidence is limited on whether titanium-zirconium alloy, narrow-diameter implants (Ti-Zr NDIs) have promising clinical outcomes when used to support single crowns. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate clinical evidence, including survival rates, success rates, and marginal bone loss (MBL) on Ti-Zr NDIs that support single crowns. An extensive search was performed in the databases of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for studies published in English up to April 2022. Only peer-reviewed clinical studies with at least 10 patients and a follow-up time of at least 12 months were included. Risk of bias in each study was assessed and data extraction was carried out independently by two reviewers. The outcome variables were survival rates, success rates, and MBL. The search returned 779 results. Eight studies were identified for qualitative analysis and seven for quantitative synthesis. Overall, a total of 256 Ti-Zr NDIs were included. Cumulative implant survival rates and success rates were 97.5% (95% confidence interval (CI): 94.5% to 98.9%) and 97.2% (95% CI: 94.2% to 98.7%), respectively, over a maximum follow-up period of 36 months, with no difference between Ti-Zr NDIs and commercial pure titanium (cpTi) implants. Cumulative mean (SD) MBL was 0.44 (0.04) mm (95% CI: 0.36 to 0.52) after one year. Meta-analysis of MBL indicated a mean difference of 0.02 mm (95% CI: -0.23 to 0.10), with no differences between Ti-Zr NDIs and cpTi implants. Short-term results of Ti-Zr NDIs for single-crown restorations are quite promising, although the number of published studies and follow-up periods are insufficient to determine the real benefit for single crowns. Long-term, follow-up clinical studies are needed to verify the excellent clinical performance of Ti-Zr NDIs.

Combining Electrostimulation with Impedance Sensing to Promote and Track Osteogenesis within a Titanium Implant

(1) Background: Electrical stimulation is a promising alternative to promote bone fracture healing but with the limitation of tracking the osteogenesis progress in vivo. To overcome this issue, we present an opportunity to combine the electrical stimulation of a commercial titanium implant, which promotes osteogenesis within the fracture, with a real-time readout of the osteogenic progress by impedance sensing. This makes it possible to adjust the electrical stimulation modalities to the individual patient’s fracture healing process. (2) Methods: In detail, osteogenic differentiation of several cell types was monitored under continuous or pulsatile electrical stimulation at 0.7 V AC/20 Hz for at least seven days on a titanium implant by electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS). For control, chemical induction of osteogenic differentiation was induced. (3) Results: The most significant challenge was to discriminate impedance changes caused by proliferation events from those initiated by osteogenic differentiation. This discrimination was achieved by remodeling the impedance parameter Alpha (α), which increases over time for pulsatile electrically stimulated stem cells. Boosted α-values were accompanied by an increased formation of actin stress fibers and a reduced expression of the focal adhesion kinase in the cell periphery; morphological alterations known to occur during osteogenesis. (4) Conclusions: This work provided the basis for developing an effective fracture therapy device, which can induce osteogenesis on the one hand, and would allow us to monitor the induction process on the other hand.

Is one-stage lateral sinus lift and implantation safe in severely atrophic maxillae? Results of a comparative pilot study

PURPOSE

The aim of this retrospective comparative study was to evaluate the survival of dental implants placed in the posterior maxilla with a residual bone height less than 3 mm using a one-stage lateral sinus lifting approach. The research question was whether in very severely atrophied maxillary bones (residual height < 3 mm), a sinus lift with simultaneous implant placement would be associated with a higher complication rate compared to single-stage sinus lifts at average residual alveolar process heights.

METHODS

Complications of 63 implants, where the residual bone height was below 3 mm, were compared to a reference group of 40 implants, which were inserted using a one-stage lateral sinus lift in maxillae with at least 3 mm residual bone height. Implant survival, bleeding-on-probing, the presence of peri-implant mucositis and the occurrence of peri-implantitis were documented.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up time for implant survival was 80.3 ± 25.9 months. One implant out of 63 was lost in the severely atrophic maxilla group and two implants out of 40 were lost in the reference group. There were no differences in the occurrence of implant loss (p = 0.558), bleeding-on-probing (p = 0.087), peri-implantitis (p = 0.999) and peri-implant mucositis (p = 0.797) between the severely atrophic alveolar ridge group and the reference group.

CONCLUSIONS

Even in severely atrophic maxillae with < 3 mm residual bone height, a one-stage maxillary sinus lift and immediate implant placement can be carried out safely.

Simultaneous placement of short implants (≤ 8 mm) versus standard length implants (≥ 10 mm) after sinus floor elevation in atrophic posterior maxillae: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Purpose

The objective of this meta-analysis was to compare the clinical outcomes of using short implants (≤ 8 mm) inserted with osteotome sinus floor elevation (OSFE) and standard implants (≥ 10 mm) inserted with sinus floor elevation (SFE) in atrophic posterior maxillae with insufficient residual bone height (RBH).

Methods

An electronic search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from 1994 to July 2022, in combination with a manual search of references in relevant articles. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the clinical results between short and standard implant placement with SFE were included. The primary outcomes were implant survival rate and marginal bone loss (MBL); the secondary outcome was complication rate.

Results

Three RCTs were included, totaling 138 short and 156 standard implants. The results of the meta-analysis showed no significant differences between the short and standard implant groups in survival rate (RR = 1.02, 95% CI   0.96–1.08, p = 0.570), MBL (MD = − 0.13, 95% CI   − 0.32 to 0.07, p = 0.190) and complication rate (intra-surgical complication: RR = 1.14, 95% CI   0.46–2.83, p = 0.770; post-operative complication: RR = 1.34, 95% CI   0.71–2.55, p = 0.370).

Conclusions

Using short implants (≤ 8 mm) combined with OSFE might be an alternative to standard implants (≥ 10 mm) with SFE when the RBH of the posterior maxilla is insufficient. Based on a short-term clinical observation, short implants with OSFE show good results in terms of survival rate, MBL, and complication incidence.

Graphical Abstract

Comparison of Osteoimmunological and Microbiological Parameters of Extra Short and Longer Implants Loaded in the Posterior Mandible: A Split Mouth Randomized Clinical Study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the levels of TNF-α, PGE2, RANKL, RANK, OPG, the markers of periimplant bone loss in peri-implant crevicular fluid obtained around standard and extra short implants. Moreover, the levels of putative oral pathogens were investigated in the submucosal biofilm samples.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The implants were divided into two groups according to their lengths: standard (≥8 mm) and extra short (4 mm). A total of 60 implants were researched in 30 patients. The probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), presence of bleeding on probing (BOP), 3-year survival rate (CSR), and bone loss (BL) were measured.

RESULTS

No statistically significant difference was found in the values of PD, CAL, BOP, CSR, and BL between the groups (P> 0.05). Total amounts of PGE2, TNF-α, RANKL, RANK, OPG, and RANKL/OPG were not statistically significantly different between the groups (P> 0.05). The abundance of F. nucleatum, T. forsythia, P. intermedia, P. gingivalis, S. oralis and T. denticola was compared between the groups and the results were not statistically significant (P> 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study suggested that PGE2, TNF-α, RANKL, RANK, OPG, and RANKL/OPG in PICF, as well as microbiological parameters in submucosal biofilms, were similar between standard (≥8 mm) and extra short (4 mm) implants. Therefore, the implant length does not seem to influence the bone loss, levels of osteoimmunological and microbiological markers in the peri-implant tissues and survival rates.

Treatment concepts of horizontally deficient ridges-A retrospective study comparing narrow-diameter implants in pristine bone with standard-diameter implants in augmented bone

OBJECTIVES

To compare clinical and radiological outcomes of narrow-diameter implants (NDI) placed in pristine bone to standard-diameter implants placed in combination with horizontal bone augmentation procedures (SDI+A) for horizontally deficient alveolar ridges.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

For this retrospective study, the outcome of 597 NDI (∅ 3.3 mm, 272 patients), inserted in pristine bone, were compared with 180 SDI (∅ 4.1 mm, 83 patients), inserted in combination with horizontal augmentation procedures. Oral health-related quality of life was assessed in patients available for recall.

RESULTS

After a mean follow-up of 37.6 ± 40 months for the NDI and of 42.4 ± 49 months for the SDI+A, survival rates were 96.1% for NDI and 95.6% for SDI+A. Cumulative 5-year and 10-year implant survival rates were 94.3% and 92.2% for the NDI group and 97.0% and 88.3% for the SDI+A group, indicating no significant difference (p = .89). According to the criteria of Buser et al., an implant success rate of 84.3% was obtained for the NDI and an implant success rate of 81.3% for the SDI+A (p = .79). Regarding oral health-related quality of life, a similar and high patient satisfaction could be observed in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

NDI without augmentation procedures showed a similar clinical outcome as SDI in combination with augmentation procedures after a follow-up of more than 3 years. Therefore, NDI might be a reasonable alternative in cases of horizontal bone atrophy (no clinical trial registration as patient inclusion started 2003).

Narrow Diameter Dental Implants as an Alternative Treatment for Atrophic Alveolar Ridges. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

To determine the marginal bone loss and the survival, success and failure rates of narrow dental implants, a systematic literature search was carried out in the MEDLINE (Pubmed), Cochrane, Scopus, and Scielo databases for articles published between 2010 and 2021. The exclusion criteria were: systematic reviews, case reports, expert opinions; animal studies; samples of less than 10 subjects; follow-up periods of less than 36 months; smokers of minimum 10 cigarettes/day; and articles about mini-implants for orthodontic anchorage. Meta-analyses were performed to assess marginal bone loss and implant survival, success, and failure rates. Fifteen studies were included: 7 clinical trials, 3 randomized clinical trials, 3 cohort studies, and 2 case series. The total number of subjects was 773, in whom 1245 implants were placed. The survival rate for the narrow diameter implants was 97%, the success rate 96.8%, and the failure rate 3%. Marginal bone loss was 0.821 mm. All these data were evaluated at 36 months. Based on the literature, it can be considered that there is sufficient evidence to consider small diameter implants a predictable treatment option. These show favorable survival and success rates and marginal bone loss. All of them are comparable to those of standard diameter dental implants.

Implant-supported rehabilitation following transcrestal and lateral sinus floor elevation: analysis of costs and quality of life from a bi-center, parallel-arm randomized trial

AIM

to comparatively evaluate costs and specific aspects of oral-health related quality of life (OhRQoL) related to the period between the surgery phase of transcrestal and lateral sinus floor elevation (tSFE and lSFE, respectively) and 6 months after delivery of implant-supported prosthesis.

METHODS

A bi-center, parallel-arm, randomized trial comparatively evaluating tSFE and lSFE when applied concomitantly with implant placement was conducted. At 6 months after prosthesis delivery, data on cost-associated items related to the post-surgery period and selected aspects of OhRQoL were collected.

RESULTS

Analyses of costs and quality of life was conducted on 56 patients (tSFE: 28; lSFE: 28) and 54 patients (tSFE: 26; lSFE: 28), respectively. Significantly lower dose of anesthetic (2 vs 3 vials), amount of xenograft (420 mg vs 1975 mg), and duration of surgery (54' vs 86') were observed for tSFE compared to lSFE. No significant differences in the number of additional surgical sessions, postoperative exams, specialist consultations and drug consumption were found between groups. In a limited fraction of patients in both groups, improvements were observed for pain (tSFE: 3.8%; lSFE: 7.4%), comfort in eating any food (tSFE: 11.5%; lSFE: 3.6%), self-consciousness (tSFE: 19.2%; lSFE: 14.3%), and satisfaction about life (tSFE: 19.2%; lSFE: 10.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

The surgery phase of maxillary sinus floor elevation is characterized by more favorable cost-associated items for tSFE compared to lSFE. Differently, tSFE and lSFE do not differ for either costs related to the post-surgery phases or impact of the implant-supported rehabilitation on specific aspects of OhRQoL.

Does the Modification of the Apical Geometry of a Dental Implant Affect Its Primary Stability? A Comparative Ex Vivo Study

(1) Background: Primary stability—one fundamental criterion for the success of dental implants—is influenced by implant geometry even if the effect of apical shape modifications on implant primary stability has not yet been examined. Therefore, the aim of the ex vivo study was to compare primary stability of implants differing in apically located screw threads (J-line) or a flat tip (K-line) only. (2) Methods: 28 implants of each group of the same diameter (4.3 mm) were randomly inserted into porcine bone blocks. The first group (9, 11 and 13 mm) was inserted into “hard”, the second (11 mm) into “soft” bone, here using a normal and an undersized drilling protocol. Insertion torque (Ncm), Periotest^® value, resonance frequency (implant stability coefficient, ISQ) and push-out force (N) were measured. (3) Results: In “hard” bone, primary stability increased with increasing length in both groups but it was significantly higher in J-line (p < 0.03). An undersized preparation of the implant bed in “soft” bone resulted in a significant increase in primary stability in both groups. Here, J-line also showed a significantly increased primary stability when compared to equally prepared K-line (insertion torque: 37 Ncm vs. 26 Ncm; Periotest^®: −6.5 vs. −4.3; push-out force: 365 N vs. 329 N; p < 0.05 each). (4) Conclusions: Primary stability is significantly higher with increasing implant length and apically located screw threads as well as with undersized drilling protocols. When preparing the implant site and subsequently selecting the implant system, modifying factors such as implant geometry (also at the tip) should be taken into account.

Continuous Electrical Stimulation Affects Initial Growth and Proliferation of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells

The aim of the study was to establish electrical stimulation parameters in order to improve cell growth and viability of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSC) when compared to non-stimulated cells in vitro. hADSC were exposed to continuous electrical stimulation with 1.7 V AC/20 Hz. After 24, 72 h and 7 days, cell number, cellular surface coverage and cell proliferation were assessed. In addition, cell cycle analysis was carried out after 3 and 7 days. After 24 h, no significant alterations were observed for stimulated cells. At day 3, stimulated cells showed a 4.5-fold increase in cell numbers, a 2.7-fold increase in cellular surface coverage and a significantly increased proliferation. Via cell cycle analysis, a significant increase in the G2/M phase was monitored for stimulated cells. Contrastingly, after 7 days, the non-stimulated group exhibited a 11-fold increase in cell numbers and a 4-fold increase in cellular surface coverage as well as a significant increase in cell proliferation. Moreover, the stimulated cells displayed a shift to the G1 and sub-G1 phase, indicating for metabolic arrest and apoptosis initiation. In accordance, continuous electrical stimulation of hADSC led to a significantly increased cell growth and proliferation after 3 days. However, longer stimulation periods such as 7 days caused an opposite result indicating initiation of apoptosis.

Patients' appreciation of pre-implant augmentation of the severely resorbed maxilla with calvarial or anterior iliac crest bone:a randomized controlled trial

Background

Little is known about the impact of bone graft harvesting for pre-implant augmentation of the maxilla from a patient’s perspective. To assess patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) related to augmentation of the extremely resorbed edentulous maxilla with calvarial or anterior iliac crest bone.

Materials and methods

For this randomised controlled trial, 20 consecutive edentulous patients needing extensive pre-implant surgery of the maxilla were randomly assigned to either calvarial (n = 10) or anterior iliac crest (n = 10) bone harvesting. Patient reports on procedure-related satisfaction, questionnaires on oral functionality (denture satisfaction, chewing ability) and oral health-related quality of life (OHIP-49NL) and subjective donor site-related outcomes (e.g. of post-operative pain, scar formation, physical mobility) were assessed.

Results

Irrespective of the harvesting site, patients were generally satisfied (median VAS score 93 (86–99) mm, p = 0.400) with the procedure and its final results. Post-operative pain was mild (median 40 (20–40) mm) and decreased to no pain (4 (0–16) mm) within 14 days. Early post-operative pain was significantly higher following anterior iliac crest harvesting (p < 0.00). Impact on physical mobility, daily functioning and satisfaction with the scar formation were similar in both groups.

Conclusions

The assessed PROMs confirmed that bone graft harvesting from the calvarium or anterior iliac crest is an appropriate procedure, reflected by high levels of satisfaction, minor long-term sequela and improvement of perceived oral health. For clinical decision-making, decisions can be based on individual features and preferences.

Trial registration

NTR, NTR3968, registered 1 July 2013.