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One of the current major challenges in implant therapy is to minimize marginal bone loss around implants, since it can trigger bacterial colonization of the implant&rsquo, s neck, leading to its failure. The present study aimed (1) to scientifically validate a new mathematical rule based on soft tissues thickness, for choosing the correct implant position with respect to the bone level, in order to provide a better tissue adaptation to the abutment/implant surface to avoid bacterial invasion, and (2) to apply this mathematical rule to the Biological Oriented Immediate Loading (B.O.I.L.) surgical protocol, avoiding peri-implant bone resorption. N. 127 implants were inserted following B.O.I.L. protocol: implants were placed according to the mathematical rule Y = X &minus, 3, which correlates the position of the implant from the bone crest level (Y) with the thickness of the soft tissues (X). All the implants were inserted in fresh extraction sockets, and immediately loaded with temporary abutments and prostheses. Bone levels were evaluated through radiographic examination just after surgical procedure (T0), and after 10 days (10D), 6 months (6M), 1 year (1Y), and 5 years (5Y). After 5 years, the implant survival rate was 100%, with a medium marginal bone loss around implants of 0.0704 mm (SD = 0.169 mm). One-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey&rsquo, s multiple comparison test was performed for statistical evaluations (p &lt, 0.05). This protocol provided a safe and successful procedure, with a good soft tissue seal against bacterial challenge. The application of the mathematical rule allows the implant placement in a correct vertical position from the bone crest, avoiding bone resorption and bacterial infiltrations. Moreover, the use of Multi Unit Abutment (MUA) determined a stable biological seal, favouring the implant healing and preserving the adhesion of hemidesmosomes to the titanium of MUA.

Oral squamous-cell carcinoma (OSCC) and most human tumors are characterized by an imbalance of regulatory mechanisms controlling cell processes such as apoptosis. Survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis family, is overexpressed in most solid and hematological malignancies and correlates with a reduced overall survival rate. Thus, the aim of this study was to find a correlation between nuclear Survivin expression and clinicopathologic data and the prognosis in OSCC patients. A total of 152 OSCC samples were investigated by immunohistochemistry for nuclear Survivin expression. Then, Survivin was scored semiquantitatively using an immunoreactivity score (IRS), calculated by multiplying the percentage of positive cells with the staining intensity. Using a digital image analysis software, OSCC patients were stratified into 4 groups. Results showed that patients with a lower IRS score displayed better survival rates than patients with a higher IRS score, reaching statistical significance. As the expression of Survivin at the nuclear level seems to suggest a poor prognosis in OSCC patients, the evaluation of nuclear Survivin IRS may be a useful tool to identify patients with more aggressive and disseminated disease, influencing follow-up and therapeutic protocols.

Objective The aim of this study was to perform an epidemiologic analysis of cases of jaw cysts treated from 1973 to 2012 at the Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit of the Verona Hospital, Italy, and to compare the data obtained with those published in the literature. Study Design A retrospective survey of 2030 patients treated for jaw cysts from 1973 to 2012 was performed. The lesions were classified according to the 2005 World Health Organization histologic classification, and the following variables were analyzed: age, gender, histopathologic diagnosis, and site of onset. Results Of 2030 total lesions, there were 1970 odontogenic cysts (97.04%), 50 nonodontogenic cysts (2.46%), and 10 pseudocysts (0.49%). Of the patients, 314 were children (15.47%), and 1716 were adults (84.53%). Mean age was 37.24 years, with a male/female ratio of 1.71:1. Conclusions There is a wide variety of cysts, some of which are subject to variations according to gender, localization, and age.

Following tooth extraction, alveolar ridge undergoes a physiological and inevitable remodeling process that could influence the prosthodontic rehabilitation. Therefore, augmentation of an insufficient bone volume is often indicated, although it remains a significant challenge in clinical practice. The aim of this case report was to scientifically validate a new minimally invasive surgery technique called “Simplified Apposition Technique” (S.A.T), which consists in the use of deproteinized bovine bone, human fibrin glue and collagen membrane in association with a post-extraction socket, in order to obtain an increase of the horizontal ridge dimension in the nearby atrophic bone crest. A 69-years-old man patient was enrolled in this study. The hopeless tooth 4.7 was extracted and the ridge reconstruction and the socket preservation were carried out following S.A.T. After 11 months, the formation of newly bone was evaluated through radiographic analysis (Cone Beam Computed Tomography, CBCT) comparing the status before and after surgery and at 2.5 years of follow-up. Simultaneously, an implant was placed in the regenerated site and the bone chips remaining in the drills were used for the histological evaluation. The CBCT revealed an increase of the bone crest width from 3.7 to 6.5 mm and, after 2.5 years of follow-up, the bone width has remained stable. The histological evaluation showed various stages of bone formation and maturation with a good integration of the regenerated area. According to these results, S.A.T can be considered a good surgical technique for horizontal ridge augmentation in the atrophic bone, near the extraction site.

AIM To compare the available potential bone-implant contact (PBIC) area of standard and short dental implants by micro-computed tomography (μCT) assessment. METHODS Three short implants with different diameters (4.5 × 6 mm, 4.1 × 7 mm, and 4.1 × 6 mm) and 2 standard implants (3.5 × 10 mm and 3.3 × 9 mm) with diverse design and surface features were scanned with μCT. Cross-sectional images were obtained. Image data were manually processed to find the plane that corresponds to the most coronal contact point between the crestal bone and implant. The available PBIC was calculated for each sample. Later on, the cross-sectional slices were processed by a 3-dimensional (3D) software, and 3D images of each sample were used for descriptive analysis and display the microtopography and macrotopography. RESULTS The wide-diameter short implant (4.5 × 6 mm) showed the higher PBIC (210.89 mm) value followed by the standard (178.07 mm and 185.37 mm) and short implants (130.70 mm and 110.70 mm). CONCLUSIONS Wide-diameter short implants show a surface area comparable with standard implants. Micro-CT analysis is a promising technique to evaluate surface area in dental implants with different macrodesign, microdesign, and surface features.

Since raloxifene, a drug used in osteoporosis therapy, inhibits osteoclast, but not osteoblast functions, it has been suggested to improve recovery during implant surgery. The present paper describes an effective method to link raloxifene, through a covalent bond, to a nano-Hydroxyapatite-based biomaterial by interfacing with (3-aminopropyl)-Triethoxysilane as assessed by Infra Red-Fourier Transformed (IR-FT) spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). To evaluate the safety of this modified new material, the vitality of osteoblast-like cells cultured with the new biomaterial was then investigated. Raloxifene-conjugated HA-biomaterial has been shown to be a safe material easy to obtain which could be an interesting starting point for the use of a new functional biomaterial suitable in bone regeneration procedures.

A comparative study of 96 Spline and Threadloc implants is presented. The authors examined the possibility of the failure of the retaining screws of two different antirotational systems (the Threadloc system with hexagonal polyhedral extension and the Spline system), and the possible incorrect link between the abutment and the transfer. After an observation period of 36 months starting from the day of prosthesis insertion, three single Threadloc fixtures (20%) and five pairs of joint Threadloc fixtures (5.7%) presented problems and a partial prosthetic screw loosening. For the Spline series fixtures, no screw loosening was encountered. Regarding the safety of the link between abutment and implant, the best results were obtained from the Spline system, which did not hinder the dentist in positioning the link with the abutment. This is the result of the different geometries of the two antirotational mechanisms which are present on the two fixtures. It is believed that the precise contact between the abutment and the fixture avoids the triggering of a phlogistic process, which can develop into periimplantitis. Therefore, when hex systems are used, an x-ray, which verifies this correct situation, is always recommended during the follow-up.

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) is a hereditary condition transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait with complete penetrance and variable expressivity. The syndrome is characterised by numerous basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), odontogenic keratocysts of the jaws, palmar and/or plantar pits, skeletal abnormalities and intracranial calcifications. In this paper, the clinical features of 37 Italian patients are reviewed. Jaw cysts and calcification of falx cerebri were the most frequently observed anomalies, followed by BCCs and palmar/plantar pits. Similar to the case of African Americans, the relatively low frequency of BCCs in the Italian population is probably due to protective skin pigmentation. A future search based on mutation screening might establish a possible genotype phenotype correlation in Italian patients.

Introduction. Despite their histological resemblance to colorectal adenocarcinoma, there is some information about the molecular events involved in the pathogenesis of intestinal-type sinonasal adenocarcinomas (ITACs). To evaluate the possible role of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) gene defects in ITAC, by investigating the immunohistochemical expression of TRAIL gene product in a group of ethmoidal ITACs associated with occupational exposure.Material and Methods. Retrospective study on 23 patients with pathological diagnosis of primary ethmoidal ITAC. Representative formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded block from each case was selected for immunohistochemical studies using the antibody against TRAIL. Clinicopathological data were also correlated with the staining results.Results. The immunohistochemical examination demonstrated that poorly differentiated cases showed a higher percentage of TRAIL expressing cells compared to well-differentiated cases. No correlation was found with other clinicopathological parameters, including T, stage and relapses.Conclusion. The relationship between upregulation of TRAIL and poorly differentiated ethmoidal adenocarcinomas suggests that the mutation of this gene, in combination with additional genetic events, could play a role in the pathogenesis of ITAC.

Scientific interest in saliva as a diagnostic matrix has greatly increased over the last decade. The Triage® screening test (Biosite Diagnostics), a rapid immunological test used to detect recreational drugs in the urine, was used to compare two biological matrixes: a non-conventional one, saliva, and a traditional one, urine. Twenty-one drug abusers collected one urine and one saliva specimen, both of which were tested with the Triage kit. Data were validated by gas-chromatography-mass-spectrometry (GC-MS). Results were positive for methadone in 9 saliva and 14 urine specimens, for opiates in 2 and 10, respectively, and for barbiturates in 2 specimens. Saliva specimens were negative for cannabis, THC, benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressants, although the GC-MS analysis revealed low concentrations of these drugs in the saliva. The study demonstrates the possibility of using saliva as a diagnostic matrix to test for drug-taking; however, the Triage kit must be improved before being used with saliva.

Since Raloxifene, a drug used in osteoporosis therapy, inhibits the osteoclast functions but not osteoblast functions, it could improve the recovery during implant surgery. This preliminary report describes a simple method to link, through a covalent bond, Raloxifene to titanium by interfacing with (3-aminopropyl)-Triethoxysilane as assessed by the IR-FT and SEM. To evaluate the biological response of osteoblast-like cells to this implant, we compared expression gene profiling of cell cultures on Raloxifene conjugated implant and normal implant by DNA microarray. By using DNA microarrays containing 19,200 genes, we identified differently expressed genes in osteoblast-like cell line (MG-63). Surface Raloxifene conjugated implants have been shown to have a relevant importance in modifying cell response. This result could be an interesting starting point for the use of an immediate functional loading of implants.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation plays a pivotal role in skin damage and photocarcinogenesis. The basic mechanism of phototoxicity lies in DNA damage, and involves mutation of tumor suppressor genes, oncogenes and genes directly involved in the control of the stability of genome, such as the mismatch repair (MR) genes. The goal of this study was to evaluate the role of p53 and hMSH2 in the UV-related carcinogenetic process. An immunohistochemical study for p53 and hMSH2 was performed in a series of 43 basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and 60 melanomas (MM) from photoexposed areas of head and neck region, comparing the findings with follow-up. A deregulated p53 expression characterized less differentiated, more aggressive BCC (BCC2) but not the well-differentiated ones (BCC1). The hMSH2 protein was present, though expressed at varying levels, in 18 out of 21 BCC I cases and in 4 out of 22 BCC2. In the remaining 3 cases of BCC1 and 18 cases of BCC2, a complete absence of hMSH2 expression was found, correlating directly with the presence of recurrence and/or death of the disease in case of melanoma (p