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Background: In the last few years, skull base tumors involving the fronto-orbital region have been approached with complex, invasive, and time-consuming cranial reconstruction techniques. On the other hand, recent custom-made implants allow easier and faster procedures, with excellent aesthetic results. The authors propose an easy surgical-planned protocol with a synchronized "one-step" resection and reconstruction of these complex lesions, with a preformed poly-methyilmethacrylate (PMMA) cranioplasty., Methods: Our technique consists of a 2-phases procedure. In the first one, the so-called "virtual" phase, the authors get a tailored 3D-PMMA model based on high-resolution (HR) CT-scans of the patient's skull. Afterward, the authors perform the planned craniotomy on the 3D-PMMA model with the assistance of intraoperative navigation system. Therefore, a further CT-scan of the resected model is performed to develop the final implant. In the second phase, the "surgical phase," a single procedure consisting in a cranial resection and custom reconstruction is performed with the assistance of stealth-navigation. The authors describe 6 cases of complex fronto-orbital-sphenoidal benign tumors that required skull reconstruction. All patients were examined 3 months after surgery through cosmetic (facial and eyes symmetry and globe position) and ophthalmology tests (visual field, visual impairment, and diplopia). Postsurgical HR CT-scans of the head and MRI-scans of the brain documented a total resection of the tumor and an optimal accuracy of skull reconstruction., Results: In all cases, the authors obtained a highly accurate skull reconstruction following cranio-orbital tumor resection, with a less aggressive and faster procedure compared to autologous bone graft. Final cosmetic and functional results were excellent, with good results in cases of presurgical exophthalmos and orbital asymmetry. None of the patients developed implant-related complications., Conclusions: The "one-step" resection and reconstruction of benign tumors involving the spheno-orbital region with neuronavigation assistance is a technique that allows an accurate tumor removal and a cranial-bone reconstruction within a single surgical procedure, with fewer complications and excellent cosmetic and functional results., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.)

Introduction: In the last few years the surgical treatment of patients with maxillary sinus disease has shifted from more invasive maneuvers to more conservative approaches in order to save intraoral mucosa. Recently, some authors have proposed a modification to the classical Caldwell-Luc's approach (CL) for the removal of dental implants displaced into the maxillary sinus. The modified approach involves a fenestrated approach to the maxillary sinus. The bony pedicled windows of maxillary sinus in some selected cases may limit some of the most common complications and it may reduce healing times., Evidence Acquisition: Evaluation of the middle term results of a maxillary fenestrated sinus approach as an alternative technique to CL and review of literature., Evidence Synthesis: From 2013 to 2017 thirty-one patients were treated with the CL modified technique, most of which for foreign bodies, displacement of endodontic material and implants in the maxillary sinus, large mucoceles and odontogenic maxillary sinusitis. All patients were subjected to clinical, and in some cases radiological, from 6 months to 18 months follow-up. Different combinations of Keywords and MeSH term were used for the bibliographic research in the main search engines (PubMed, Cochrane library, Medline). Inclusion criteria - fenestrated approach to the maxillary sinus, postoperative complications, description of the operative case., Conclusions: No complications occurred in the intraoperative period and during the months of follow-up. There has been no recurrence of the starting problem and all treated patients were free from residual maxillary pathology 18 months after surgery. Four works meeting the inclusion criteria were identified. The surgical fenestrated approach to the maxillary sinus is a valid alternative to the classical Caldwell-Luc techniques that, alone or in combination with endoscopic sinus surgery, allow to treat foreign bodies of maxillary sinus, of mucoceles and other diseases of the maxillary sinus. The proposed technique does not require particular surgical skills, it does not increase the operating time and can also be performed under local anesthesia.

Purpose: To evaluate whether 5 × 5 mm dental implants with a novel nanostructured calciumincorporated titanium surface could be an alternative to implants at least 10 mm long placed in bone augmented with bone substitutes in posterior atrophic jaws., Materials and Methods: A total of 40 patients with atrophic posterior (premolar and molar areas) mandibles having 5 to 7 mm of bone height above the mandibular canal and 40 patients with atrophic maxillae having 4 to 6 mm below the maxillary sinus, were randomised according to a parallel group design to receive one to three 5 mm implants or one to three at least 10 mm-long implants in augmented bone at two centres. All implants had a diameter of 5 mm. Mandibles were vertically augmented with interpositional bovine bone blocks and resorbable barriers. Implants were placed after 4 months. Maxillary sinuses were augmented with particulated porcine bone via a lateral window covered with resorbable barriers and implants were placed simultaneously. All implants were submerged and loaded after 4 months with provisional prostheses. Four months later, definitive screw-retained or provisionally cemented metal-ceramic or zirconia prostheses were delivered. Patients were followed up to 1 year post-loading and the outcome measures were prosthesis and implant failures, any complications and peri-implant marginal bone level changes., Results: One maxillary grafted patient dropped out before the 1-year evaluation. In mandibles, 1 grafted patient did not want to go ahead with the treatment because of multiple complications and graft failure, and another grafted patient did not receive his prostheses due the loss of 2 implants. In maxillae, one 5 × 5 mm implant failed with its provisional crown 3 months post-loading. There were no statistically significant differences in prostheses and implant failures. Significantly more complications occurred at both mandibular and maxillary grafted sites: 17 augmented patients were affected by complications versus 8 patients treated with short implants in the mandible (P = 0.0079; difference in proportion = -0.45; 95% CI -0.67 to -0.15), and 5 sinus-lift patients versus none treated with maxillary short implants (P = 0.047; difference in proportion = -0.25; 95% CI -0.44 to -0.06). Patients with mandibular short implants lost on average 0.94 mm of peri-implant bone at 1 year and patients with 10 mm or longer mandibular implants lost 1.03 mm. Patients with maxillary short implants lost on average 0.87 mm of peri-implant bone at 1 year and patients with 10 mm or longer maxillary implants lost 1.15 mm. There were no statistically significant differences in bone level changes up to 1 year between short and longer implants in maxillae (mean difference -0.28 mm, 95% CI -0.56 to 0.01, P = 0.051) and in mandibles (mean difference -0.09 mm, 95% CI -0.26 to 0.08, P = 0.295)., Conclusions: One year after loading, 5 × 5 mm implants achieved similar results compared to longer implants placed in augmented bone. Short implants might be a preferable choice to bone augmentation especially in posterior mandibles since the treatment is faster, cheaper and associated with less morbidity, however 5 to 10 years of post-loading data are necessary before making reliable recommendations., Conflict-Of-Interest Statement: MegaGen partially supported this trial and donated implants and prosthetic components used in this study, whereas Tecnoss donated the biomaterials. The data belonged to the authors and by no means did the manufacturers interfere with the conduct of the trial or the publication of its results.

Purpose: To evaluate whether short (5 to 8.5 mm) dental implants could be a suitable alternative to longer (>11.5 mm) implants placed in atrophic maxillae augmented with autogenous bone for supporting dental prostheses., Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight patients with fully edentulous atrophic maxillae having 5 to 9 mm of residual crestal bone height at least 5 mm thick, as measured on computerised tomography scans, were randomised into two groups either to receive 4 to 8 short (5 to 8.5 mm) implants (15 patients) or autogenous bone from the iliac crest to allow the placement of at least 11.5 mmlong implants (13 patients). Bone blocks and the windows at maxillary sinuses were covered with rigid resorbable barriers. Grafts were left to heal for 4 months before placing implants, which were submerged. After 4 months, provisional reinforced acrylic prostheses or bar-retained overdentures were delivered. Provisional prostheses were replaced, after 4 months, by definitive screw-retained metal-resin cross-arch fixed dental prostheses. Outcome measures were: prosthesis and implant failures, any complications (including prolonged postoperative pain) and patient satisfaction. All patients were followed for 5 months after loading., Results: All patients could be rehabilitated with implant-supported prostheses and none dropped out. One bilateral sinus lift procedure failed due to infection, though short implants could be placed. One implant failed in the augmented group versus 2 short implants in 2 patients. All failures occurred before loading. Significantly more complications occurred in augmented patients: 8 complications occurred in 5 augmented patients (all complained of pain 1 month after bone harvesting from the iliac crest). No complications occurred in the short implant group. All patients were fully satisfied with the treatment and would do it again., Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that short implants may be a suitable, cheaper and faster alternative to longer implants placed in bone augmented with autogenous bone for rehabilitating edentulous atrophic maxillae. However, these preliminary results need to be confirmed by larger trials with follow-ups of at least 5 years.

Purpose: To evaluate whether 5 × 5 mm dental implants with a novel nanostructured calcium-incorporated titanium surface could be an alternative to implants at least 10 mm long placed in bone augmented with bone substitutes in posterior atrophic jaws. Materials and methods: A total of 40 patients with atrophic posterior (premolar and molar areas) mandibles having 5 to 7 mm of bone height above the mandibular canal and 40 patients with atrophic maxillae having 4 to 6 mm below the maxillary sinus, were randomised according to a parallel group design to receive one to three 5 mm implants or one to three at least 10 mm-long implants in augmented bone at two centres. All implants had a diameter of 5 mm. Mandibles were vertically augmented with interpositional bovine bone blocks and resorbable barriers. Implants were placed after 4 months. Maxillary sinuses were augmented with particulated porcine bone via a lateral window covered with resorbable barriers and implants were placed simultaneously. All implants were submerged and loaded after 4 months with provisional prostheses. Four months later, definitive screw-retained or provisionally cemented metal-ceramic or zirconia prostheses were delivered. Patients were followed up to 1 year post-loading and the outcome measures were prosthesis and implant failures, any complications and peri-implant marginal bone level changes. Results: One maxillary grafted patient dropped out before the 1-year evaluation. In mandibles, 1 grafted patient did not want to go ahead with the treatment because of multiple complications and graft failure, and another grafted patient did not receive his prostheses due the loss of 2 implants. In maxillae, one 5 × 5 mm implant failed with its provisional crown 3 months post-loading. There were no statistically significant differences in prostheses and implant failures. Significantly more complications occurred at both mandibular and maxillary grafted sites: 17 augmented patients were affected by complications versus 8 patients treated with short implants in the mandible (P = 0.0079; difference in proportion = -0.45; 95% CI -0.67 to -0.15), and 5 sinus-lift patients versus none treated with maxillary short implants (P = 0.047; difference in proportion = -0.25; 95% CI -0.44 to -0.06). Patients with mandibular short implants lost on average 0.94 mm of peri-implant bone at 1 year and patients with 10 mm or longer mandibular implants lost 1.03 mm. Patients with maxillary short implants lost on average 0.87 mm of peri-implant bone at 1 year and patients with 10 mm or longer maxillary implants lost 1.15 mm. There were no statistically significant differences in bone level changes up to 1 year between short and longer implants in maxillae (mean difference -0.28 mm, 95% CI -0.56 to 0.01, P = 0.051) and in mandibles (mean difference -0.09 mm, 95% CI -0.26 to 0.08, P = 0.295). Conclusions: One year after loading, 5 × 5 mm implants achieved similar results compared to longer implants placed in augmented bone. Short implants might be a preferable choice to bone augmentation especially in posterior mandibles since the treatment is faster, cheaper and associated with less morbidity, however 5 to 10 years of post-loading data are necessary before making reliable recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]