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OBJECTIVE: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is associated with risk for developing oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We performed a 7-year prospective study to assess the incidence of malignant transformation of OLP among adults. STUDY DESIGN: Three hundred twenty-seven OLP patients, 229 women (70.0%) and 98 men (30.0%), were observed during the follow-up period. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 81.7 months, 8 of 327 patients developed an OSCC in OLP areas (0.36%/y), yielding the high overall standardized incidence ratio of 17.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] 8.8-35.3). The standardized incidence ratio for OSCC was significantly higher in women [27.0 (95% CI 11.2-64.8)] than in men [11.2 (95% CI 3.6-34.9)]. Six OSCCs were well differentiated (75%) and 2 moderately differentiated (25%). Three subjects (37.5%) developed recurrences within 2 years (mean 16.1 ± 3.5 months). Disease-free survival rate after 69.8 months was 97.3%. CONCLUSIONS: OLP was associated with a significant increase in the risk for OSCC. Close surveillance may help to reduce the morbidity of OSCC arising from OLP at 24 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of occult cervical metastases due to squamous-cell carcinoma of the hard palate and maxillary alveolar ridge has not been studied systematically. We have observed that many patients return with a delayed cervical metastasis following resection of a primary cancer at these sites. Some of these patients have died as a result of a regional or distant metastasis, despite control of the primary cancer. The literature contains few recommendations to guide the treatment of maxillary squamous-cell carcinoma; prospective studies are difficult due to the rarity of such tumours. The aim of this study is to define the incidence of cervical metastasis and to investigate whether elective neck dissection is justified. We present a retrospective multicentre study of 65 patients with squamous-cell carcinomas of the maxillary alveolar ridge and hard palate and review of the existing literature. The overall incidence of cervical metastases was 21%. We evaluated the significance of primary-site tumours as indicator of regional disease. The maxillary squamous-cell carcinoma cases in our multicentre study and in the literature review exhibited aggressive regional metastatic behaviour, comparable with that of carcinomas of the tongue, mouth floor, and mandibular gingiva. Based on our findings, we recommend selective neck dissection in clinically negative necks as a primary management strategy for patients with maxillary squamous-cell carcinomas involving the palate, maxillary gingiva, or maxillary alveolus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the association between tinnitus and temporo-mandibular disorders (TMD) has been frequently reported, their rate of association in the literature shows a great variability., Objective: We aimed to investigate the prevalence of TMD in patients with somatosensory tinnitus and, vice versa, the occurrence of somatosensory tinnitus in patients with TMD., Methods: The study included patients with somatosensory tinnitus (audiological group) and patients with TMD (stomatological group), evaluated at the audiologic and stomatologic clinics of the Policlinic Hospital of Milan, Italy. Common causes of tinnitus, such as hearing and neurological disorders, were excluded. A cervicogenic somatic tinnitus was also ruled out. Different TMD symptoms, including joint noise and joint pain, were considered. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistical methods, and the Pearson's Chi-squared test was performed to study the prevalence of the different symptoms by clinical groups., Results: Audiological group included 47 patients with somatosensory tinnitus. Overall, TMD was diagnosed in 46 patients (97.8%), including TMJ noise in 37 (78.7%), clenching in 41 (87.2%) and pain in 7 (14.8%) patients. Stomatological group included 50 patients with TMD, including joint noise in 32 (64.0%), clenching in 28 (56.0%) and TMJ pain in 42 (84.0%) patients. A somatosensory tinnitus was diagnosed in 12 (24.0%) patients., Conclusion: Our study showed a high prevalence of TMD in patients with tinnitus, as well as a not uncommon occurrence of tinnitus in patients presenting with TMD. The distribution of TMD symptoms, such as joint noise, and joint pain was different between the two groups., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Mandibular tissue engineering aims to develop synthetic substitutes for the regeneration of critical size defects (CSD) caused by a variety of events, including tumor surgery and post-traumatic resections. Currently, the gold standard clinical treatment of mandibular resections (i.e., autologous fibular flap) has many drawbacks, driving research efforts toward scaffold design and fabrication by additive manufacturing (AM) techniques. Once implanted, the scaffold acts as a support for native tissue and facilitates processes that contribute to its regeneration, such as cells infiltration, matrix deposition and angiogenesis. However, to fulfil these functions, scaffolds must provide bioactivity by mimicking natural properties of the mandible in terms of structure, composition and mechanical behavior. This review aims to present the state of the art of scaffolds made with AM techniques that are specifically employed in mandibular tissue engineering applications. Biomaterials chemical composition and scaffold structural properties are deeply discussed, along with strategies to promote osteogenesis (i.e., delivery of biomolecules, incorporation of stem cells, and approaches to induce vascularization in the constructs). Finally, a comparison of in vivo studies is made by taking into consideration the amount of new bone formation (NB), the CSD dimensions, and the animal model., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Healthcare Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Central giant cell granulomas (CGCG) are rare intraosseous osteolytic lesions of uncertain aetiology. Despite the benign nature of this neoplasia, the lesions can rapidly grow and become large, painful, invasive, and destructive. The identification of molecular drivers could help in the selection of targeted therapies for specific cases. TRPV4, KRAS and FGFR1 mutations have been associated with these lesions but no correlation between the mutations and patient features was observed so far. In this study, we analysed 17 CGCG cases of an Italian cohort and identified an interesting and significant (p=0.0021) correlation between FGFR1 mutations and age. In detail, FGFR1 mutations were observed frequently and exclusively in CGCG from young (<18 years old) patients (4/5 lesions, 80%). Furthermore, the combination between ours and previously published data confirmed a significant difference in the frequency of FGFR1 mutations in CGCG from patients younger than 18 years at the time of diagnosis (9/23 lesions, 39%) when compared to older patients (1/31 lesions, 0.03%; p=0.0011), thus corroborating our observation in a cohort of 54 patients. FGFR1 variants in young CGCG patients could favour fast lesion growth, implying that they seek medical attention earlier. Our observation might help prioritise candidates for FGFR1 testing, thus opening treatment options with FGFR inhibitors., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Zygomatic implant insertion surgery is a challenging operation. The primary aim of this pilot study was to assess the accuracy of EZgoma® "Inverted Support Technique" for the zygomatic implant-guided surgery. Secondly, any factors which may affect the surgical protocol results, such as implant-prosthetic virtual plan, surgical model matching, intra or post-operative complications, time rate between surgical procedure and prosthetic loading, zygomatic implant survival rate and implant success rate were analyzed., Patients and Methods: A total of 20 zygomatic implants were placed in atrophic maxillae of 5 patients. The final position of zygomatic implants after surgery was compared with the pre-operative digitally planned position.  The analyzed parameters were zygomatic implants apex and base mean linear distance and zygomatic implants axis mean angular deviation., Results: The comparison was provided by a tridimensional imaging elaboration platform, provided by Geomagic, which allows the overlay of virtual plan STL data with post-operative control CT scan DICOM data. As a result, all the mean values regarding the 20 placed zygomatic implants respected the universally agreed values in guided zygomatic implant surgery: the mean linear distance of the implant platform and of the implant apex were 1.59 mm and 1.62 mm respectively, while the mean angular deviation of the implant axis was equal to 1.74°. One of the patients had mucositis as a post-operative complication. In one patient the anterior wall of the maxillary sinus fractured, and in one zygomatic implant primary stabilization was not achieved. No other complications occurred., Conclusions: As a conclusion, data obtained from this study suggested that guided zygomatic implant rehabilitation may represent a reliable, efficient, rapid, ergonomic, and safe surgical protocol, however further investigations are needed.

Objective: Temporomandibular joint reconstructive surgery in a growing patient represents a challenging situation. Autogenous and alloplastic reconstructive options are being studied in literature; however, there are still some limitations. The objective of this case report is to evaluate a novel custom-made prosthetic system in a 12-year-old TMJ ankylosis patient., Case Presentation: The patient had complaints of temporomandibular joint ankylosis and hypoplasia. The patient had already been operated two times with autogenous grafts. Swelling and tumefaction were apparent on the right side of the face. Mouth opening was 1.5 centimeters, with limitations in lateral and protrusive movements of the jaws. Hypertonic muscles and pain upon palpation were registered. There were no signs of luxation, fracture, or traumatic avulsion. After examination, unilateral TMJ ankylosis was apparent on TC scans. Revision surgery was planned with the use of true plastic temporomandibular joint customized prosthesis. The patient underwent a TMJ reconstruction surgery using CADCAM custom-made patient specific prosthesis. The follow up period of this patient was 46 months and showed successful healing with no complications., Conclusions: Replacement of TMJ with custom made alloplastic material that is reported can be considered as a safe and useful option for growing young individuals in selected cases.

Objective: The aim of this retrospective case series report was to evaluate the results of oral rehabilitation with extra-sinus zygomatic implant surgery with a minimum follow-up of 7.5 years., Patients and Methods: A total of 35 patients with 87 zygomatic implants were included. The mean follow-up period of the patients was 93 months. The zygomatic implant survival and complications were evaluated as criteria for success., Results: There were no implant failures. Overall success rate without complications for zygomatic implant was 88.5%. Complications developed in 4 patients (1 cutaneous fistula and 3 mucositis). According to the results on an implant basis, patients with previously failed conventional implants had greater probability of complications. Patients with quad zygomatic implants had higher incidence of complications than those with two zygomatic implants. Fully threaded implant design was associated with higher incidence of mucositis than partially threaded design. No relation was found between implant success and smoking, prosthesis type, and antagonist dentition. When conducting the analysis using the patient as unit, only the antagonist dentition showed significant difference, the worst outcome being associated with the Toronto resin prosthesis., Conclusions: Zygomatic implants can be considered as a safe alternative to conventional implant insertions and bone grafting procedures in oral rehabilitation of patients with severely atrophic maxillary bone.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of orthognathic surgery on the patients' satisfaction and quality of life (QoL) in patients with dental skeletal dysmorphisms and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)., Subjects and Methods: Patients were grouped into two cohorts, patients with OSA (G1) and patients with dento-skeletal dysmorphisms (G2). SF-36 questionnaire was obtained from all subjects before interventions. A standardized follow-up protocol, including a second SF-36 questionnaire was planned as at least 6 months after surgery. The impact of surgery on satisfaction was evaluated by post-operative patient satisfaction-based survey., Results: 61 patients were included as: 21 OSA (G1), 12 Class II (G2-a) and 28 Class III (G2-b) patients. The mean post-operative follow-up was 65.47±26.36 months. In the SF-36 results, when pre and post operative surveys were compared, the quality of life increased significantly for G1 in all items except for body pain. In G2, when pre and post operative surveys were compared, the quality of life increased significantly in items related to emotional well-being, health transition, role limitations due to emotional problems, while other parameters did not significantly change. When groups were compared, there was no difference among them except for physical functioning which was improved for OSA patients. According to the Rustemeyer results, overall post-operative satisfaction score was 84.92±14.72%. There was a significant difference for patient satisfaction considering facial aesthetics in both groups. For chewing function there was no difference for patient satisfaction in G1, but there was a significant difference in G2 patients., Conclusions: Orthognathic surgery seems to be beneficial in terms of patients' satisfaction and patients' satisfaction for both dental skeletal dysmorphism and OSA patients.

Objective: Reconstruction after radical cancer surgery in terms of function and esthetics can be quite demanding. The aim of this study was to evaluate oral rehabilitation with autogenous flaps and dental implants for maxillofacial reconstruction in oncologic patients after implant insertions., Materials and Methods: The study consisted of 19 patients diagnosed with either squamous cell carcinoma, fusocellular carcinoma, or mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The reconstruction of the maxillofacial defects was done with autogenous flaps (free fibular flap, antero-lateral thigh flap, radial forearm flap, or rotational pedicled temporal muscle flap). Implants were inserted on the average 32.03±19.51 months after reconstructive operations. A total of 82 implants were inserted. Mean follow-up after maxillo-facial surgery was 7.2 years (mean 86.56±22.04 months). Mean follow-up after implant insertions was 4.5 years (mean 54.6±21.82). Primary outcome was implant survival. Secondary outcome was evaluation of post-surgical complications., Results: There were surgical revisions in seven patients after reconstructive surgery with flaps, mainly due to tumor relapse. Complications were seen in 11 patients. There was one implant failure. Overall implant survival rate was 98.8%. No relations were found between implant survival rate and gender, type of tumor, type of microvascular free flap, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and prosthesis type., Conclusions: According to the results of this study, oral rehabilitation with dental implants inserted in free flaps for maxillofacial reconstruction after ablative oncologic surgery can be considered as a safe treatment modality with successful outcomes.

Objective: This case report represents a solitary fibrous tumor, which is a very rare neoplasm in the parotid gland., Case Presentation: 80-year-old Caucasian female patient with palpable, immobile, painless, slow growing, semi-rigid-elastic neoplasm in the left parotid gland, that was existing for four months. There were no signs of inflammation and facial paralysis. The tumor was initially interpreted as a salivary gland neoplasm of uncertain origin. Fine needle aspiration was performed 2 times; however, the precise diagnosis was challenging. The tumor was excised, regional lymphadenectomy was performed. Morphological and immunophenotypical findings were consistent with solitary fibrous tumor of parotid gland. Currently, the patient is under regular follow-up period at 9 months with no evidence of metastasis or recurrence., Conclusions: Although very rare, solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) should be suspected in cases of slow growing, solid, well-defined nodules of the parotid gland. The SFT of the parotid gland are usually benign tumors, however there is a low risk of recurrency and malignant behavior with metastatic potential. Complete resection of the tumor should be performed since it is crucial for management without any recurrence.

The study aims to investigate the modifications in the temporalis and the masseter activity in adult patients before and after SARPE (Surgically Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion) by measuring electromyographic and electrokinesographic activity. 24 adult patients with unilateral posterior crossbite on the right side were selected from the Orthodontic Department of the University of Milan. Three electromyographic and electrokinesographic surface readings were taken respectively before surgery (T0) and 8 months after surgery (T1). The electromyographic data of both right and left masseter and anterior temporalis muscles were recorded during multiple tests: standardized maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)s, after transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and at rest. T0 and T1 values were compared with paired Student’s t-test (p < 0.05). Results: Significant differences were found in the activity of right masseter (p = 0.03) and right temporalis (p = 0.02) during clench, in the evaluation of right masseter at rest (p = 0.03), also the muscular activity of masseters at rest after TENS from T0 to T1 (pr = 0.04, pl = 0.04). No significant differences were found in the activity of left masseter (p = 0.41) and left temporalis (p = 0.39) during clench and MVC, in the evaluation of left masseter at rest (p = 0.57) and in the activity during MVC of right masseter (p = 0.41), left masseter (p = 0.34), right temporalis (p = 0.51) and left temporalis (p = 0.77). Results showed that the activity of the masseter and temporalis muscles increased significantly after SARPE during rest and clenching on the side where the cross-bite was treated.

The purpose of this commentary is to update the evidence reported in our previous review on the advantages and limitations of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing technology in the promotion of dental business, as well as to guarantee patient and occupational safety. The COVID-19 pandemic led to an unprecedented focus on infection prevention; however, waves of COVID-19 follow one another, asymptomatic cases are nearly impossible to identify by triage in a dental setting, and the effectiveness of long-lasting immune protection through vaccination remains largely unknown. Different national laws and international guidelines (mainly USA-CDC, ECDC) have often brought about dissimilar awareness and operational choices, and in general, there has been very limited attention to this technology. Here, we discuss its advantages and limitations in light of: (a) presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the oral cavity, saliva, and dental biofilm and activation of dormant microbial infections; (b) the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission by aerosol and fomite contamination; (c) the detection of various oral manifestations of COVID-19; (d) specific information for the reprocessing of the scanner tip and the ward from the manufacturers.

The aim of this study i.e., is to present the distribution of traumatic dental injuries (TDI) in 306 patients registered at the Unit of Dental Emergencies at a University Dental Clinic in Milan, Italy, between June 2019 and May 2021. This time frame includes the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Information regarding age, gender, number and type of injured teeth, type of traumatic injury, and data on where or how the injury happened were recorded. Seventy-nine percent of patients can be classified as pediatric (under 14 years old), and in all age groups, male patients were found to be more susceptible (1.6:1). A total of 480 teeth were involved, 59% of which were deciduous, and 41% permanent. The most affected teeth in both dentitions were upper central incisors. In deciduous teeth, periodontal lesions were more common, whereas in permanent dentitions, dental fractures were diagnosed more often. Most data found in this study confirms the results found in the literature. The biggest difference, due to changes in daily routine during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, can be found by analyzing the incidence and etiology. As a matter of fact, there was a decrease in school accidents, whereas domestic falls remained constant.

Background: Lymph node metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is associated with poor prognosis. The 8th edition of TNM has implemented new nodal staging criteria. We assess the prognostic utility of the lymph node ratio (LNR) and compare it to that of pN in the TNM 8th edition., Methods: One hundred and forty-two patients with OSCC were retrospectively studied. Nodal staging was performed using the TMN 8th edition and the prognostic value of the LNR in terms of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) was evaluated., Results: Fifty-seven patients were eligible for inclusion. The LNR was independently prognostic of OS (p = 0.02). Instead N classification was not significantly predictive of OS (p = 0.10). High LNRs resulted in decreases in OS of approximately 40% within 6 months after surgery., Conclusions: The LNR identifies patients with poor outcomes better than N classification. The lack of reliable LNR cutoffs compromises its utility in clinical practice., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Although arthrocentesis is an accepted safe treatment modality for the management of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in symptomatic patients, the benefit of hyaluronic acid (HA) injections remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether intra-articular HA injections adjunctive to arthrocentesis can be more effective than other medications for the improvement of TMD associated symptoms. Additionally, the impact of HA injections on quality of life of TMD patients was assessed with SF-36® questionnaire in a cohort of patients. An electronic search of Medline, Scopus and Cochrane databases was performed up to March 2020. The following search terms were used: "arthrocentesis", "hyaluronic acid", "intra-articular injections", "visco-supplementation", "temporomandibular disorders". Prospective and retrospective studies that reported the application of HA injections compared to other intra-articular drugs for the treatment of temporomandibular disorders were included. Systematic or narrative reviews and pre-clinical studies were excluded. Additionally, a retrospective clinical study was performed for evaluation of changes in quality of life before and after arthrocentesis with HA injections. In the systematic review, the initial search yielded 1327 articles. After screening of the titles, abstracts, and full texts, 29 studies were selected (26 randomized studies, 2 controlled clinical trials, 1 retrospective report). In the clinical study, 12 patients were included. Intra-articular injections of HA and other medications together with arthrocentesis seemed to be beneficial for improvement of functional symptoms of TMD and pain. The case series also supported the efficacy of HA injections showing an improvement of quality of life of these patients. However, from literature review, it was impossible to identify an optimum drug or a protocol for predictably improving the pain and/or functional symptoms of temporomandibular problems, due to different etiologies, diversity of treatment modalities and conflicting results. In conclusion, there is no consensus in the literature that HA injections shows better results in comparison with other treatment modalities. According to the results of the present clinical study, HA injections with/without arthrocentesis seems to be beneficial in terms of clinical symptoms and quality of life of the TMD patients., (Copyright 2020 Biolife Sas. www.biolifesas.org.)

Purpose: This study compared two transferring methods for virtually planned orthognathic surgery - the CAD/CAM intermediate splint and the customized surgical guide with fixation plates., Methods: This was a prospective clinical study in which participants were consecutively recruited and underwent bimaxillary orthognathic surgery. They were divided into two groups based on the transferring method used. The pre- and postoperative CBCTs were aligned using voxel-based landmark-free registration, and the discrepancies for selected points were compared with the planned displacement of the virtually planned surgery. The maxilla and mandible were analyzed separately, and translation and rotation movements were considered., Results: A total of 16 patients, divided into two groups of eight patients each, were included in this study. The splintless group was significantly more accurate for the translation movement along the x-axes for points A (p = 0.008; mean absolute error 0.527 ± 0.387 for the splint group and 0.137 ± 0.067 for the splintless group) and Ans (p = 0.045; mean absolute error 0.535 ± 0.446 for the splint group and 0.156 ± 0.002 for the splintless group). For the mandible there was a significant difference in accuracy along the x-axes for points B (p = 0.049; mean absolute errors 1.728 ± 1.181 and 0.697 ± 0.519 for the splint and splintless groups, respectively), LL3 (p = 0.049; mean absolute error 1.629 ± 0.912 and 0.851 ± 0.797 for the splint and splintless groups, respectively), LR3 (p = 0.049; mean absolute error 1.711 ± 0.906 and 0.844 ± 0.780 for the splint and splintless groups, respectively), with the splintless group being more accurate. For the rotation the splintless group was significantly more accurate along the y-axes (p = 0.04; mean absolute error 1.62 ± 0.78 and 0.49 ± 0.31 for the splint and splintless groups, respectively) and z-axes (p = 0.04; mean absolute error 0.63 ± 0.45 and 0.17 ± 0.05 for the splint and splintless groups, respectively) for the maxilla, while no significant difference was found for the mandible., Conclusions: Overall, the customized fixation plate system is more accurate than the intermediate CAD/CAM splint for transferring the virtual plan into the operation room., (Copyright © 2020 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction/background: Persistent idiopathic craniofacial pain (PIFP) is a heterogeneous group of pain syndromes whose main characteristic is the daily presence of persistent pain for at least 3 months. The pathophysiology of PIFP is still not entirely known and probably related to biological and psychological factors. Although PIFP has been attributed to the central neuron activity, the importance of masticatory muscles as a possible pathogenic mechanism was recently demonstrated. The main purpose of our paper was to identify the physiological rest position of the mandible with minimal tonus of both the elevator and depressor muscles and the neuromuscular trajectory of mouth closing obtained by transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) and maintained with the use of an occlusal device, known as orthotic., Materials and Methods: The VAS scale for facial pain and the migraine disability assessment score (MIDAS) index for patient quality of life were evaluated at the beginning of the study for the 38 subjects that came to our attention. Our research included two phases. The first phase consisted of kinesiographic and electromyographic (EMG) examinations of the masticatory muscles and a 45-min application of TENS in order to deprogram the muscular activity. Kinesio-electromyographic examinations were repeated in the second phase. The main evaluated parameter was jaw deflection or deviation on the sagittal and frontal planes before and after TENS during patient tooth occlusion. Patients that showed a significant modification of this parameter were treated with orthotics for 12 months., Results: The results of a 12-month follow-up show a sharp reduction of the VAS (pre-orthotic 9.05, range 8-10, SD 0.8; post-orthotic 5.87, range 1-5, SD 0.7) and an improvement in the quality of life (MIDAS)., Conclusions: Our study demonstrated the usefulness of TENS as a screening method for the application of orthotics. This non-invasive and/or non-painful procedure could be a useful complementary treatment in this patient population. The results of the study also confirm the role of masticatory muscle dynamics as a possible pathogenic mechanism in patients with PIFP.

Aim: The aim of this paper is to provide clinicians useful information for the management of impacted central incisor due to early childhood trauma., Case Report: It is reported the case of an impacted right maxillary central incisor in an 8-year-old male patient who had an intrusive luxation trauma of primary tooth at the age of 4. After clinical and radiographic evaluation, a multidisciplinary treatment plan was planned. Therapy involved a surgical and orthodontic approach in order to expose the tooth and move the incisor in the normal position with a self-ligating appliance system., Results: Through a multidisciplinary approach it was possible to move the impacted incisor in the occlusal plane, preserving periodontal tissues and tooth vitality., Conclusion: When a permanent tooth is impacted, the multidisciplinary approach of surgery and orthodontic treatment is the best way to obtain a suitable outcome in terms of gingival contour, occlusal plane and aesthetics, when compared with other treatment options.

Three-dimensional virtual surgical planning has become routine practice in orthognatic and reconstructive surgery for the possibility to realize presurgical evaluation of intraoperative bones movements, the prediction of postoperative results and the high level of accuracy. Thanks to surface superimposition between 3D planned and 3D postoperative model of maxillo-facial skeleton, a medium discrepancy less than 1 mm was found in scientific literature, considering 15 different points of maxillofacial skeleton. In our study we decided to evaluate different factors that could invalidate that result in the same cohort of patients, such as sex, kind of dentofacial deformity, asymmetry, type of surgical approach and entity of maxillo-mandibular movements (more or less than 1 mm). We found out no significant differences among groups. We can state that virtual surgical planning and 3D surgical splints are a valid means of diagnosis, treatment and predictivity regardless factors that could influence post-operative results. In conclusion, virtual surgical planning and 3D surgical splints facilitated diagnosis, treatment planning and accuracy regardless of sex, dentofacial deformity class, surgery techniques, entity of advancement and asymmetry., (Copyright 2020 Biolife Sas. www.biolifesas.org.)

In modern orthognathic surgery, the functional results cannot disregard a good aesthetic outcome. In this study, a stereophotogrammetric longitudinal analysis of the symmetry of facial thirds was performed in 18 patients affected by Class III skeletal malocclusion, with clinical asymmetry, treated with a bimaxillary osteotomy. Their 3-dimensional facial images were acquired in the preoperative phase and 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery, and compared to those obtained in a control group of 23 subjects with Class I skeletal occlusion, without clinical asymmetry and no history of traumas or alterations at the maxillo-facial area. Images of the hemi-faces of the subjects were divided into thirds (upper, middle, lower), mirrored and superimposed to their contralateral ones; soft-tissue facial symmetry was obtained as the root mean square distance between the hemi-faces in the three thirds.In patients, no significant differences in facial symmetry (root mean square distance) were found among the study time points (analysis of variance, P > 0.05); the lower facial third was more asymmetric than the upper one (Tukey honestly significant difference P < 0.05). Patients were significantly more asymmetric than the control subjects (Student t, P < 0.05). In conclusion, patients with Class III malocclusion exhibited a higher level of facial asymmetry than control subjects; their asymmetry did not change significantly in the different phases of the surgical and orthodontic treatment and throughout a 24-month follow-up. In skeletal Class III patients, bimaxillary osteotomy did not modify the level of asymmetry in any facial third.

Background: Oral rehabilitation of patients after maxillofacial reconstructive surgery represents a challenge and stable prosthetic retention can be achieved with the use of dental implants., Purpose: This retrospective report aimed to evaluate implant-based oral rehabilitation following maxillofacial reconstruction with free fibula flaps., Materials and Methods: A total of 14 patients who had reconstruction with fibula flaps either by CAD/CAM or conventional surgery were included in this study. A total of 56 implants (40 in flaps, 16 in native bone) were evaluated. Follow-up after reconstructive surgery ranged between 3.25 and 6.3 years. Follow-up after implant surgery ranged between 1.5 and 3.8 years., Results: Overall survival rate was 85.7% in free fibula flaps and 85.6% in dental implants. Eight implants were lost in three patients and all of these failures were in dental implants inserted in free flaps. According to the results on patient basis, the implant survival was not influenced by any variable., Conclusions: The maxillofacial reconstruction with free fibula flap and oral rehabilitation with implant-supported prostheses after ablative surgery can be considered as an effective and safe procedure with successful aesthetic and functional outcomes., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Maxillofacial departments in 23 surgical units in Italy have been increasingly involved in facing the COVID-19 emergency. Elective surgeries have been progressively postponed to free up beds and offer human and material resources to those infected. We compiled an inventory of 32 questions to evaluate the impact of the SARS-COV2 epidemic on maxillofacial surgery in 23 selected Italian maxillofacial departments. The questionnaire focused on three different aspects: the variation of the workload, showing both a reduction of the number of team members (-16% among specialists, -11% among residents) due to reallocation or contamination and a consistent reduction of elective activities (the number of outpatient visits cancelled during the first month of the COVID-19 epidemic was about 10 000 all over Italy), while only tumour surgery and trauma surgery has been widely guaranteed; the screening procedures on patients and physicians (22% of maxillofacial units found infected surgeons, which is 4% of all maxillofacial surgeons); and the availability of Personal Protective Equipment, is only considered to be partial in 48% of Maxillofacial departments. This emergency has forced those of us in the Italian health system to change the way we work, but only time will prove if these changes have been effective., (Copyright © 2020 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The cost of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technology has created obstacles for its widespread use despite its several advantages. This study compared the cost of CAD-CAM technology with that of the conventional freehand technique in fibula reshaping for mandibular reconstruction., Materials and Methods: A retrospective comparative study was conducted at the Maxillofacial and Dental Unit of the Fondazione Ca' Granda IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico (Milan, Italy). The study compared 15 patients in the CAD-CAM group with 10 patients in the conventional freehand group. Only benign pathologic lesions that required at least 3 fibular segments for reconstruction were included. The consumption of resources was estimated using micro-costing analysis (activity-based costing approach)., Results: The CAD-CAM group included 15 patients (7 men and 8 women) with a mean age of 42.2 ± 1.5 years, and the conventional freehand group included 10 patients (4 men and 6 women) with a mean age of 40.8 ± 0.9 years. Although CAD-CAM was a statistically expensive procedure in the perioperative phase (P < .0001), no significant difference was shown in total health care costs between the 2 groups (P = .98)., Conclusion: CAD-CAM technology had a comparable expense to the conventional freehand technique, specifically for defects requiring at least 3 fibular segments., (Copyright © 2019 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), which is characterised by repetitive episodes of pharyngeal collapse during sleep, is gaining much attention because of the important deleterious consequences it might have on the patient's health. We therefore organised a retrospective longitudinal study to report the long-term follow-up of maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) as a treatment for OSAS. A total of 19 patients with severe OSAS was treated during the period 2007-2016. They were followed up six months postoperatively (T1) and after a mean follow up of 6.7 (range 4-10) years (T2, between November 2017 and February 2018) for the polysomnography variables, and the Epworth sleeping scale (ESS) and body mass index (BMI) were recorded. All polysomnographic variables improved significantly from baseline to T1 and from baseline to T2. The ESS significantly improved from baseline to T2. Nearly all patients at T1 and over two-thirds at T2 had a 50% reduction of the apnoea/hypopnoea index when compared with baseline, and a value lower than 20 of the same index. The BMI did not change significantly from T0 to T2. Our long-term follow-up has documented the stability of the outcomes of the MMA for the treatment OSAS., (Copyright © 2020 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)