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Materials and methods 10 patients (5 men, 5 women) were treated with fixed partial dentures supported by implants. Each patient received at least 2 implants (1 control, 1 test) into an edentulous quadrant. The control implants (Osseotite, OSS) had a dual acid-etched (DAE) surface in the apical portion and a machined coronal part; test implants (Full Osseotite, FOSS) had a completely DAE surface. Machined healing abutments were placed on control implants and DAE abutments on test ones. After 3 months from surgery, a mini-invasive sample of soft tissue was collected from the first 7 patients recruited for the study (4 women and 3 men). The samples were analysed by microRNA (miRNA) microarray. Standardised periapical radiographs were taken to investigate interproximal bone levels at baseline (immediately after implant insertion), 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year post-implant placement. Plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP) and periodontal depth (PD) were recorded at 3 and 6 weeks, and at 2, 3, 6 and 12 months post-implant placement. Differences in bone resorption over time were evaluated with the Friedman test followed by post-hoc Wilcoxon signed ranks tests. Differences in bone resorption, PI, BOP and PD between the two types of implants over time were assessed by the repeated measures ANOVA test for ranked data. A p ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Statistical analyses were carried out with SPSS v.20. Microarray data were processed by GeneSpring- software, and their overall variability was examined by box-plot analysis, scatter-plot analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis (HC) and principal component analysis (PCA). Individual miRNAs modulated by the experimental treatments and measured clinical parameters were identified by volcano-plot (thresholds 2-fold and P<0.05), support vector machine and k-nearest neighbour analyses. Results Control implants showed greater bone resorption compared to test ones; however, the difference was not statistically significant. Greater plaque accumulation was found for test surfaces, but the difference was not statistically significant. No statistically significant differences in BOP and PD were found. miRNA microarray analysis led to the following findings: -Implant sites with low plaque accumulation and absence of BOP had a gene expression profile similar to those with plaque deposits and an absence of BOP; sites with both high PI and high BOP had a completely different profile. -Implant sites with BOP present presented similar gene expression profiles independently from the type of implant surface. -Implant sites with high PI and normal bone resorption had a different expression profile than the other experimental conditions. -Implant sites with normal bone resorption despite high BOP differed from the other experimental conditions. This gene expression profile resembled that of FOSS implants. -Implant surface affected bone resorption: groups having similar bone resorption characteristics (normal vs. increased) clustered differently according to the implant type. Conclusions DAE surfaces showed more plaque accumulation than machined ones; however, this did not affect the health of soft peri-implant tissue. In fact, BOP values did not differ between test and control implants. Furthermore, DAE surfaces induced lower bone resorption compared with machined ones. miRNA analysis suggested that soft tissue inflammation is more related to a specific host characteristic (gene expression profile) rather than to the presence of plaque or to a given implant surface. Some specific miRNA profile might be able to protect implant sites from bleeding and bone resorption irrespective of plaque accumulation. Possible future applications of the present findings include the use of the identified biomarkers for diagnosis and as drugs or coatings for implant surfaces in order to improve the health of peri-implant tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study clinically and histologically evaluated the performance of implants with different crestal morphologies: tissue-level implants and bone-level implants. Nine patients received at least two adjacent implants in an edentulous area: one bone-level implant (EO) and one tissue-level implant (TG) (total: 23 implants), placed beside each other using a single-stage delayed loading protocol. The implants were rehabilitated with screw-retained fixed partial dentures. Plaque Index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), and peri-implant bone level were recorded at various postsurgical follow-ups, including 2 and 6 months as well as 1 and 4 years. At 3 months postsurgery, soft tissue biopsy samples were taken from all implant sites and histologically analyzed. Longitudinal assessment of the results (TG vs EO implants) was performed using a linear mixed model with random intercept and by using Spearman correlation or chi-square after visual inspection of the probability distribution. Student t test was used to compare means, and chi-square test was used for dichotomic variables. P < .05 was considered statistically significant. All implants were functional at 4 years. Peri-implant bone resorption was limited, with means of 1.20 ± 0.71 mm and 1.24 ± 0.82 mm for TG and EO implants, respectively. No significant differences in clinical parameters were identified between EO and TG implants. Histologic analysis revealed normal peri-implant soft tissue healing with poor inflammatory infiltrate. Differences in the histologic appearance of soft tissues were more related to patients than implant type. Both implants appeared to be suitable for partial rehabilitation of edentulous arches without differences in the investigated clinical and histologic parameters. However, TG implants showed a greater risk of implant collar exposure.

Specific microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles have been reported to be predictive of specific clinical outcomes of dental implants and might be used as biomarkers in implant dentistry with diagnostic and prognostic purposes. The aim of the present narrative review was to summarize current knowledge regarding the use of miRNAs in implant dentistry. The authors attempted to identify all available evidence on the topic and critically appraise it in order to lay the foundation for the development of further research oriented towards the clinical application of miRNAs in implant dentistry., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The aim of this study was to assess oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of patients before, during, and after completion of implant-supported full-arch immediate loading rehabilitation according to the Columbus Bridge Protocol. Twenty-five patients with compromised dentition were rehabilitated according to the Columbus Bridge Protocol and were assessed for OHRQoL using 4 questionnaires specifically designed for this study and inspired by the Oral Health Impact Profile questionnaire. Patients assessed themselves before surgery, during the healing period (1 week and 2 months after surgery), and after definitive prosthodontic treatment (4 months after surgery). The questionnaires specifically investigated patients' pain, comfort, home oral hygiene habits, satisfaction related to esthetics, masticatory ability, phonetics and general satisfaction with the treatment. Patients reported an improvement of OHRQoL after full-arch immediate-loading rehabilitation. A statistically significant improvement in esthetics and chewing ability was found. After 4 months 92% of the patients did not feel tense about their smile, 96% did not indicate problems relating to other people or smiling, and 92% did not have difficulty eating some foods. Phonetics were a critical issue, especially in the intermediate phase of healing. One week after surgery, the percentage of patients who were very satisfied with phonetics slightly decreased from 48% to 36%. The assessment of patients' OHRQoL related to full-arch immediate-loading implant therapy exhibited a significant improvement in quality of life. The questionnaires herein presented could be an effective tool to evaluate patients' reaction to oral rehabilitation.

Purpose: This pilot study was conducted to evaluate the cleaning efficacy of an angled implant brush for home oral hygiene of full-arch fixed-implant prostheses., Methods: Forty-one patients treated with a full-arch implant rehabilitation in the maxilla or mandible (164 implants) for at least 4 months were enrolled. The screw-retained fixed prostheses were removed and baseline (T0) parameters were recorded, including plaque index (PI), probing depth (PD), and bleeding on probing (BOP). All patients completed a 5-item questionnaire on hygiene maintenance and received an implant brush for home hygiene. After 1 month (T1) PI, PD, and BOP were recorded again and patients completed a 7-item questionnaire to evaluate their satisfaction with the implant brush. One-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate the significance of changes in PI, PD, and BOP. A P value <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance., Results: A statistically significant reduction of BOP (0.62±0.6 at T0 vs. 0.5±0.5 at T1; P =0.032) was found, while no statistically significant changes in PD (1.74±0.5 mm at T0 vs. 1.77±0.5 mm at T1; P =0.050) or PI (1.9±0.7 at T0 vs. 1.7±0.7 at T1; P =0.280) occurred. According to the 7-item questionnaire, patients reported no difficulty in using the angled brush (63.4%) and deemed it highly (46.3%) or very highly (4.8%) effective in improving their home oral hygiene., Conclusions: Within the limits of the present pilot study, the patients experienced a reduction of BOP 1 month after being instructed to use the angled implant brush. The angled implant brush appeared to be a well-accepted device for home-care hygiene of full-arch fixed-implant rehabilitations., Competing Interests: No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article was reported., (Copyright © 2020. Korean Academy of Periodontology.)

Objectives: To compare the cleaning efficacy of glycine air polishing against two different professional oral hygiene techniques on implants supporting full-arch fixed prostheses., Method and Materials: Thirty patients with a total of 32 implant fixed full-arch rehabilitations in the maxilla and/or mandible (134 implants) were included. After the removal of the screw-retained prostheses, baseline peri-implant spontaneous bleeding (SB), Plaque Index (PI), probing depth (PD), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were recorded (T0). Three oral hygiene treatments were assigned randomly following a split-mouth method: all the patients received glycine air polishing (G) in one side of the arch (n = 32), and sodium bicarbonate air polishing (B) (n = 16) or manual scaling with carbon-fiber curette (C) (n = 16) was performed in the opposite side. After the hygiene procedures, PI and SB were recorded and patient's comfort degree towards the three techniques was analyzed by questionnaires using a rating scale from 1 to 5 (T1)., Results: PI reduction was significantly higher for G (T0, 2.88 ± 1.37; T1, 0.04 ± 0.21) and B (T0, 3.13 ± 1.34; T1, 0.0 ± 0.0) as compared with C (T0, 2.15 ± 1.46; T1, 0.44 ± 0.7) (P < .001). B reported the highest mean value of SB (T0, 0.0 ± 0.0; T1, 3.42 ± 0.75) compared with G (T0, 0.05 ± 0.21; T1, 1.60 ± 1.05) and C (T0, 0.07 ± 0.24; T1, 0.73 ± 0.91) (P < .001). A significant difference in comfort mean score was found between G (4.8 ± 0.5) and B (3.5 ± 1.7) (P = .014), no difference between G and C (4.7 ± 0.7) (P = .38)., Conclusion: Professional oral hygiene on implants using glycine air polishing showed high levels of both cleaning efficacy and patients' acceptance.

Several factors contribute to distortion of implant prostheses during fabrication and could prevent passive, accurate adaptation between implants and implant frameworks. The misfit between implants and restorative components may be significant and possibly lead to biologic or mechanical complications. The aim of this article is to describe a laboratory luting technique used to lute implant cylinders to metal frameworks in implant prostheses. This technique provides accurate, passive fits. According to this technique, titanium implant cylinders provided with corresponding external castable cylinders are used. Implant cylinders are screwed into the analogs in the master cast while the castable cylinders on top are splinted together using castable resin to realize a castable resin pattern. After casting, the framework is adjusted and cemented to the titanium cylinders on the master cast. Due to its ease and quickness of use and clinical efficiencies, this technique is deemed particularly useful in immediate loading rehabilitations., (© 2015 by the American College of Prosthodontists.)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the behavior of hard and soft tissue around implants with different surface treatments., Materials and Methods: Eight patients were identified for this study. Each patient received at least 2 implants (1 control, 1 test) into an edentulous quadrant, for a total of 10 pairs of implants. Two types of implants were used: hybrid implants (control) with a dual acid-etched surface in their apical portion and a machined coronal part, and test implants with an acid-etched surface throughout their entire length. Standardized periapical radiographs were taken at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year post implant placement and then annually until the 6-year follow-up. Bleeding on probing (BOP) and Plaque Index (PI) were recorded annually. Probing depth (PD) was recorded at the 6-year follow-up., Results: Moderate crestal bone remodeling was observed during the 1-year postimplant placement evaluation (P=.001), and test implants revealed smaller marginal bone resorption (P=.030). No significant changes in bone level were observed between the 1-year and the 6-year follow-up appointments, and a significantly smaller bone resorption was found at test implants. No statistically significant differences in bone resorption were found between maxilla and mandible. No statistically significant differences were detected between test and control implants for BOP, PI, or PD., Conclusions: The preliminary results suggest that implant surface characteristics might affect the bone remodeling phase subsequent to the surgical trauma. However, once osseointegration was established, implant surfaces did not affect bone maintenance over time. Implant surfaces did not affect soft tissue behavior. The results of this pilot study need to be confirmed in a study with a larger sample size and over a longer time frame.

Objectives: This in vitro study investigated possible morphological and chemical changes induced by glycine or sodium bicarbonate powder air polishing on machined and acid-etched titanium surfaces., Materials and Methods: The glycine powder (granulometry <65 μm) and sodium bicarbonate powder (granulometry <150 μm) were applied on 2 machined healing abutments and on 2 acid-etched healing abutments. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The analyses were performed at different steps: (1) as received, right after opening the abutment packaging; (2) after 20 minutes air exposure; (3) after aging in artificial saliva; (4) after glycine or sodium bicarbonate powder air polishing for 5 seconds; (5) after repetition of steps 3 and 4 with longer time of polishing (20 seconds)., Conclusions: Air polishing using glycine and sodium bicarbonate powder seemed to be safe for professional oral hygiene of titanium dental implants, although acid-etched abutments and abutments treated with bicarbonate harbored more salts. This might indicate a greater plaque accumulation in a clinical situation. However, this result has to be investigated in vivo to understand its clinical relevance.

Guillain-Barré syndrome is an acute demyelinating disease which presents in a classic form with muscular weakness and the lack of reflexes. There are multiple variations and atypical forms of the disease, being facial diplegia with paresthesia one of them. Also, the absence of reflexes in this syndrome is typical but not constant, since 10% of patients present reflexes. We describe a case of atypical presentation with bilateral facial palsy, paresthesia, brisk reflexes and weakness in the lower limbs in a 33 year old woman.

Four species of bacteria were isolated from one soil of Corrientes (Argentina). They were first classified as Beijerinckia genus based on their cultural, morphological and physiological characteristics. The basic criteria were: growth media without combined nitrogen and fixation of high amounts of gaseous nitrogen (as determined by the acetylene-ethylene assay). Further studies permitted the classification of these microorganisms in the following species: Beijerinckia indica, Beijerinckia fluminensis, Beijerinkia mobilis and Beijerinckia derxii.