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Purpose: This retrospective study reports the clinical outcome following placement of extraoral implants in severely resorbed posterior ridges to support distal-extension removable dentures. Material and Methods: Consecutively treated patients with partially or completely edentulous ridges, with available bone height in the posterior region of 6 mm or less, were included in the study. Implants originally intended for extraoral use (Straumann) were placed in second molar regions and allowed to heal for 4 to 6 months before abutment connection. At recall appointments, the peri-implant hard and soft tissues were evaluated. Complications with implant components, as well as mechanical and structural failures of the prostheses, were recorded. Two-year survival rates were calculated and life table analyses undertaken. Results: Twenty-nine patients (19 women and 10 men; average age 61.2 years, range, 44 to 75 years) were included in the study. Forty-seven extraoral implants in 26 patients were placed in the second molar site of the mandible. Two extraoral implants in 2 patients failed during the osseointegration phase, yielding an 8-year cumulative success rate of 91.8%. The mean distance from the extraoral implants to the most distal tooth/implant was 28.1 mm (range, 16.7 to 39.2 mm). Twenty-three extraoral implants were restored with magnets, 18 with ball anchors, and 4 with conical cylinders. Replacement of abutments and retention elements was necessary in 2 patients. Four abutments in 2 patients were disconnected from the restorations. Conclusions: Within the limits of the employed research design, extraoral implants may be used successfully to provide support for distal-extension removable dentures in severely resorbed posterior alveolar ridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft tissue closure is a critical factor in preprosthetic surgery and implant placement. In large transverse or vertical bone augmentations, there is often insufficient or very thin mucosa available. Soft tissue dehiscences and bone or implant exposure may result. Based on the application of a periosteal flap, the presented method solves this problem. The flap is prepared in the neighboring area and folded into the corresponding surgical area. It not only provides good soft tissue coverage but also results in soft tissue augmentation. Periosteoplasty has been successfully applied in over 60 patients over the last 2 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to levelling the teeth in the aesthetically relevant area, the aim of orthodontic treatment is also to achieve a stable periodontal and occlusal situation. It is also desirable to achieve a dental situation that requires little future dental intervention.

Current techniques for three-dimensional correction of the chin in patients with mandibular retrusion may increase mentolabial fold depth, but have limited effect on the lips. The authors present a single surgical technique to support the mentolabial fold and improve labial competence. The visor osteotomy is performed from canine to canine. The bone fragment pedicled to the lingual periosteum is coronally mobilized and fixed in the new position. Preserved vascularization is supposed to minimize the amount of bone resorbed. Visor osteotomy of the anterior mandible may improve the existing treatments for micrognathia by creating an aesthetic mentolabial fold and a competent lip seal.

Excessive cantilever lengths of fixed implant-supported prostheses may have functional and biomechanical disadvantages. This study reports the clinical outcomes of unconventional implants placed for distal support of a fixed implant-supported prostheses. Seven extraoral implants with intraosseous lengths of 2.5 to 4.0 mm were placed in four patients. Distal cantilevers had a mean length of 29.8 mm (range, 18.6 to 39.3 mm). No bone loss or other adverse events were found. The prosthetic plan was maintained in all patients. Within the limits of the employed research design, this concept seems to be a successful option for fixed complete implant-supported prosthesis treatment.

We report a new technique for vertical enlargement of the inferior border of the mandible., (2009 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We treated the mandibular retrusion of a 20-year-old man by distraction osteogenesis. Our aim was to avoid any visible discontinuities in the soft tissue profile that may result from conventional "one-step" genioplasty. The result was excellent. In addition to a good aesthetic outcome, there was increased bone formation not only between the two surfaces of the osteotomy but also adjacent to the distraction zone, resulting in improved coverage of the roots of the lower incisors. Only a few patients have been treated so far, but the method seems to hold promise for the treatment of extreme retrognathism, as these patients often have insufficient buccal bone coverage.

Purpose: This article describes a nonextraction therapy for patients with anterior tooth crowding in the mandible or with an unfavorable relation between the anterior dentoalveolar area and the skeletal base. The method involves the gradual repositioning of the dentate segment by use of distraction osteogenesis., Patients and Methods: The method was applied in 25 patients. Indications comprised skeletal Class II patients with crowding, Class I patients with crowding, and Class III patients requiring decompensation before orthognathic surgery. A special hinge-joint bone plate was developed to allow the rotation of the anterior bone segment into the desired position. The gradual repositioning was achieved with orthodontic appliances., Results: The procedure was successful in all patients. The typical advancement at the incisal edge was 2 to 5 mm., Conclusion: This method represents a new approach for nonextraction therapy in the mandible. It requires no soft or hard tissue grafting and results in favorable tissue conditions at the distraction site.

This paper presents a novel guide template technique for implant placement. In esthetic implant dentistry with its restoration-driven implant placement as well as in complete-arch cases with multiple implants, the precise positioning and angulation of dental implants is crucial for achieving the desired prosthetic results. Difficulties in implant positioning may arise especially with grafted jaws resulting from communication problems between surgeon and prosthodontist. This method may alleviate some of the problems common to conventional template techniques, where the drill is usually directly guided by the template. The key idea is to fixate the implant position and angulation by the help of Kirschner wires which are inserted in the alveolar ridge right through the mucosa before elevation of a mucoperiosteal flap. Thanks to this sequence, the template for guiding the wires may be positioned precisely, even on grafted edentulous ridges. After the insertion of the wires, the bone is exposed and the implant cavities prepared with a trephine drill guided over the wires alone or over wires combined with a special guidance cylinder fitting the trephine drill. The method may be combined with different planning and radiological techniques. Since the use of the template is detached from the actual drilling process, the danger of introducing debris of plastic or metal into the preparation site may be avoided. The present technique might be helpful for difficult cases by improving communication between prosthodontist and surgeon and also render additional security to the surgeon with less routine in dental implant insertion.