Rehabilitation of irradiated patients with chemically modified and conventional SLA implants: five‐year follow‐up

The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical and radiological parameters of standard SLA surface implants compared to chemically modified hydrophilic SLActive implants in irradiated patients after the initial 12‐month loading period up to 5 years. Twenty patients with a mean age of 61·1 years were treated with dental implants after ablative surgery and radio‐chemotherapy of oral cancer. All patients were non‐smokers. The placement of 102 implants (50 SLA, 52 SLActive) was performed bilaterally according to a split‐mouth design. Mean crestal bone changes were evaluated using standardised orthopantomographies and clinical parameters. Data were analysed using a Kaplan–Meier curve, Mann–Whitney U‐test and two‐factorial non‐parametric analysis. The average observation period was 60 months. The amount of bone loss at the implant shoulder of SLA implants was mesial and distal 0·7 mm. The SLActive implants displayed a bone loss of mesial 0·6 mm as well as distal 0·7 mm after 5 years. Two SLA implants were lost before loading. One patient lost five implants due to recurrence of a tumour. The overall cumulative 12‐month, 3‐year and 5‐year survival rate of SLA implants was 92%, 80% and 75·8% and of SLActive implants 94·2%, 78·8% and 74·4%, respectively. Eighteen implants were considered lost because the patients had died. Sandblasted acid‐etched implants with or without a chemically modified surface can be used in irradiated patients with a high predictability of success. Lower implant survival rates in patients with irradiated oral cancer may be associated with systemic effects rather than peri‐implantitis.     

Rehabilitation of oral function with removable dentures – still an option?

Tooth loss is a chronic disability, which makes it difficult for patients to perform essential tasks such as eating, communicating with others and socialising. Numerous studies have revealed and addressed the recent rapid development of various prosthodontic materials and treatment patterns. Oral rehabilitation with dentures exerts a great influence on people's daily life and has tremendous social implications. Dentures help to restore an individual's sense of normality and ability to interact normally. With the introduction and progression of implant technology, many troublesome issues can now be solved simply. Nowadays, more and more attention has been paid to new trends (implant‐assisted restoration and fixed prostheses). However, removable dentures may be a more appropriate solution under some circumstances, such as if they are a patient's preferred option, if remaining oral tissues are in poor condition, or if they provide the most cost‐effective form of treatment. Thus, removable dentures are still an option for the rehabilitation of oral function. The purpose of this article was to retrospectively review the applications of removable dentures and to emphasise their indispensable status.     

Risk factors of peri‐implant pathology

This study aimed to identify risk factors for the incidence of peri‐implant pathology. One‐thousand, two‐hundred and seventy‐fifty patients (255 cases and 1020 controls), rehabilitated with dental implants, were included. Peri‐implant pathology was defined as the presence of peri‐implant pockets ≥ 5 mm, bleeding on probing, vertical bone loss, and loss of attachment ≥2 mm. Cases and controls were matched for age, gender, and duration of follow‐up. A logistic regression model was used, with estimation of the OR for each variable and interaction, with a level of significance of 5%. The risk factors for peri‐implant pathology were: history of periodontitis (OR = 19), bacterial plaque (OR = 3.6), bleeding (OR = 2.9), bone level on the medium third of the implant (OR = 13.9), lack of prosthetic fit or non‐optimal screw joint (OR = 5.9), metal–ceramic restorations (OR = 3.9), and the interaction between bacterial plaque and the proximity of other teeth or implants (PROXI) (OR = 4.3). PROXI (OR = 0.44) exerted a protective effect when independent. Based on the results, peri‐implant pathology represents a group of multifactorial situations with interaction of biological and biomechanical components in its pathogenesis. It was possible to model the condition and to assess, with high precision, the risk profile of each patient.     

Muscle functional MRI analysis of trunk muscle recruitment during extension exercises in asymptomatic individuals

The present study examined the activity levels of the thoracic and lumbar extensor muscles during different extension exercise modalities in healthy individuals. Therefore, 14 subjects performed four different types of extension exercises in prone position: dynamic trunk extension, dynamic–static trunk extension, dynamic leg extension, and dynamic–static leg extension. Pre‐ and post‐exercise muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging scans from the latissimus dorsi, the thoracic and lumbar parts of the longissimus, iliocostalis, and multifidus were performed. Differences in water relaxation values (T2‐relaxation) before and after exercise were calculated (T2‐shift) as a measure of muscle activity and compared between extension modalities. Linear mixed‐model analysis revealed higher lumbar extensor activity during trunk extension compared with leg extension (T2‐shift of 5.01 ms and 3.55 ms, respectively) and during the dynamic–static exercise performance compared with the dynamic exercise performance (T2‐shift of 4.77 ms and 3.55 ms, respectively). No significant differences in the thoracic extensor activity between the exercises could be demonstrated. During all extension exercises, the latissimus dorsi was the least activated compared with the paraspinal muscles. While all extension exercises are equivalent effective to train the thoracic muscles, trunk extension exercises performed in a dynamic–static way are the most appropriate to enhance lumbar muscle strength.     

Toys will be toys: gendered interaction frames in the Toy Story trilogy

The following qualitative textual analysis examined female characters within the Toy Story trilogy and used grounded theory to explore themes between female characters and male characters based on their interactions. The study, built upon past literature in gaze theory, revealed six distinct interaction themes between female and male characters. Findings included that female characters were often emotionally supportive of male characters, were lusted after by male characters, were romantically aggressive towards male characters, and were paired with male characters at the conclusion of each film. Changes in themes throughout the trilogy and the presence of these themes in children’s media, and in relation to existing theory, are also discussed.