Search

To evaluate the performance of a computer-aided three-dimensional planning protocol in combination with previously inserted reference mini-implants and CAD/CAM technology to restore completely edentulous patients. The study evaluated implant and superstructure survival in a prospective clinical trial.The plan protocol called for treatment of 35 patients who were edentulous in either arch. Mini implants were used to establish a platform for computed tomography and fixation of the surgical template. The planning software based on three-dimensional simulation was used to plan ideal implant placement, digitally integrating the future prosthetic and anatomical situations to design the definitive superstructure.A total of 35 patients, 20 with edentulous maxillae, 10 with edentulous mandibles, and 5 patients with edentulism in both arches were treated. All patients received definitive prostheses on the day of surgery. The majority of patients treated in maxilla underwent a sinus graft procedure to achieve sufficient bone to place implants. A total of 40 superstructures were inserted and immediately loaded. Of the 240 inserted implants, 229 (95.4%) survived, with 146 (93.6%) and 83 (98.8%) implants in the maxillary and mandibular arches, respectively. Of the 10 implants that failed in the maxilla, 9 occurred in patients with an augmented sinus. All definitive restorations demonstrated clinically acceptable fit.When evaluating implant and superstructure survival, reference-based guided surgery seems to be a reliable treatment option for edentulous patients. The CAD/CAM superstructure, inserted and loaded immediately after guided implant insertion, demonstrated acceptable fit to the underlying implants.

This questionnaire-based study investigated the traumatic background and trauma-related symptomatology among 141 treatment-seeking individuals with high levels of dental anxiety and among a low-anxious reference group consisting of 99 regular dental patients. The highly anxious individuals reported a significantly higher number of traumatic events, both within and outside the dental or medical setting, than those in the reference group (73% vs. 21%). Horrific experiences in the dental setting were the most common traumatic events reported. Of the highly anxious individuals, 46.1% indicated suffering from one or more of the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom clusters (re-experiencing, avoidance, loss of interest, and insomnia), while in the reference group this percentage was 6%. Severity of dental anxiety was significantly associated with number of screening criteria for specific phobia and the extent to which the anxious subjects displayed symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Two variables were uniquely predictive for positive diagnostic screens for dental phobia and PTSD: having experienced a horrific dental treatment and having been a victim of a violent crime. In conclusion, post-traumatic symptoms are common accompaniments of severe forms of dental anxiety and are experienced even when dental treatment is not imminent.