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Purpose: To assess the impact of different types of dental prostheses, including definitive and interim restorations, on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) before and after prosthetic treatment.Materials and Methods: A total of 151 patients received prosthetic treatment at one of two German departments of prosthetic dentistry. The patients' OHRQoL was assessed using the German version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-G53) at baseline (T0) and at 1 week (T1) and 3 months (T2) after treatment. Patients were divided into 10 subgroups according to their pre- and posttreatment status. The effect of the type (no prosthesis; fixed prosthesis; removable prosthesis) and duration of wear (definitive; interim) of the restorations was evaluated. Results were analyzed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U tests with a significance level of P = .05.Results: The highest OHRQoL was recorded for patients with fixed restorations, as indicated by the fact that their OHIP scores were lowest. A significant improvement in OHRQoL (P ≤ .034) was observed for patients who needed prostheses and were then treated with removable or fixed restorations. The OHIP score was affected by a change in restoration type. Rehabilitation with definitive prostheses had a significant effect on posttreatment OHRQoL (P ≤ .006).Conclusion: In general, prosthetic rehabilitation by use of fixed or removable prostheses resulted in an improvement in OHRQoL. The use of the same type of restoration before and after treatment had a positive effect on OHRQoL. If possible, a change of restoration type should be avoided. For patients who require permanent prostheses, the use of fixed and removable restorations is recommended. For oral rehabilitation, fixed restorations should be preferred in order to achieve best possible improvement of OHIP score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this preliminary, longitudinal, and explorative cohort study were to assess changes in and the onset of osteoarthrosis (OA)-related pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and to address factors that might impact the development or reduction of associated pain symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The number of clinicians performing dental implant treatment has increased in recent years. Evidence-based information is necessary to support dentists' decision making. This study was undertaken to present a strategy for searching, selecting, and appraising scientific literature and applying the information in the clinical setting. Materials and Methods: A focused question in the PICO format (patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome) was developed to optimize the literature search process. Systematic reviews (SRs) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the treatment of peri-implantitis were retrieved from the PubMed and Cochrane electronic databases on January 1, 2009. The methodologic quality of the two SRs selected was assessed by two referees using three checklists (CASP, QUOROM, and AMSTAR). The level of agreement between the referees was determined by use of the intraclass correlation coefficient. The evidence retrieved served as the basis for development of a treatment algorithm. Results: The selected SRs reported that subgingival debridement, subgingival debridement plus use of antibiotics, and regenerative procedures can be effective treatments for peri-implantitis. Although the RCTs included in both SRs had several limitations, the checklists demonstrated that the SRs were methodologically rigorous. Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from substantial to good, indicating that reviewers agreed in their assessment. The evidence-based algorithm visually illustrated the options for the management of peri-implantitis of different severity. Conclusions: This scheme may help clinicians to understand research evidence and to apply it directly in a clinical setting. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 2010;25:960-969. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this prospective randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the influence of clinical baseline characteristics on the survival of 2 post systems. Materials and Methods: One hundred patients needing a post were included. Half the patients received a glass fiber--reinforced post (FRP), and the other half received metal screw posts (MSP). The posts were assigned randomly. In addition to demographic data, the following parameters were recorded: type of tooth (incisor/canine versus molar/premolar), length of the post in relation to root length (percentage), extent of coronal tooth destruction (percentage), ferrule height (in millimeters), type of restoration (fixed or removable partial denture), and presence of antagonistic contacts (yes/no). After at least 1 year (mean: 13.84 months), the patients were recalled. Statistical analysis was performed using the log-rank test and Cox regression analysis. Results: The survival rate of FRPs was 93.5%. In the MSP group, the survival rate was significantly lower (75.6%; log-rank test, P = .049). Additionally, the metal posts were associated with more unfavorable complications, for example, root fracture. The type of the tooth and the degree of coronal tooth destruction influenced the survival of MSPs, whereas no influence of these variables could be seen for FRPs. Conclusion: FRPs are superior to MSPs with respect to short-term clinical performance. Especially for MSPs, clinical survival depends on several variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to investigate interexaminer reliability in the clinical measurement of the L*C*h* (lightness/value, chroma, hue) values of anterior teeth using a spectrophotometer (Vita Easyshade). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The basic color of the maxillary right central incisors and canines of 23 subjects was spectrophotometrically determined by 4 clinicians and an experienced user (development manager) of the spectrophotometer. Also, to analyze the effect of different training with the instrument on interexaminer reliability, 2 of the clinicians were instructed in the use of the spectrophotometer by the experienced examiner, whereas the others instructed themselves by studying the operating manual. RESULTS: Agreement between all examiners was acceptable to excellent (intraclass coefficient > 0.4). The mean value of the measured differences for the central incisors of all subjects for L* values was 5 (for C* = 3.8, h* = 2.7 degrees) and for canines, the mean L* was 4.5 (C* = 3, h* = 1.6 degrees). Results from comparison of the 2 different training methods were inconsistent. Agreement with the experienced examiner ranged from not acceptable (C* values for incisors of self-instructed examiners) to excellent. CONCLUSION: The distribution of the measurements of 1 subject could lead to deviations in color, probably with clinical impact. For canines, the measurements were at least equally reproducible (in some cases significantly more reproducible) compared to central incisors. Because of the small number of examiners and the inconsistent results, it was not possible to reach a definite conclusion about the effect of different training methods on interexaminer reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnoses to predict pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Materials and Methods: One hundred forty-nine patients were examined by 2 calibrated examiners in strict accordance with the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD). All patients who presented with a defined clinical RDC/TMD diagnosis were included and underwent bilateral coronal and sagittal MRI of the TMJ. Two raters blinded to the clinical diagnosis interpreted the MRI scans for TMJ pathology. The results were tested against the clinical diagnosis according to the RDC/TMD, including pain-related disability and psychosocial status, for associations to TMJ arthralgia using logistic regression analysis (GENMOD procedure, P < .05). Results: MRI-depicted anatomic changes, such as joint effusions, disc displacement, and osteoarthrosis, were not significantly correlated with the presence of pain in the TMJ. However, a significant relationship between pain on palpation of the masseter muscle origin (P = .0050) and psychosocial factors (P = .0452) and pain in the TMJ was demonstrated. Conclusions: Pain in the TMJ caused by the anatomic proximity of the muscle masseter origin and the lateral TMJ pole and the possible existence of trigger points in the musculature may lead to a false-positive or a false-negative diagnosis of arthralgia. Additionally, clinicians must consider the psychosocial aspects of pain in ideal treatment planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]