Lip impressions: a new method for monitoring morphological changes in orofacial granulomatosis

AIM: To develop and evaluate an objective method for assessing lip size and treatment-related morphological changes in orofacial granulomatosis (OFG) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with swollen lips because of OFG (n=21) were enrolled. A light-body polyvinylsiloxane material was used to take lip impressions before and after treatment (n=10), or during treatment (n=11). Plaster models were cast from the impressions and the lips were measured using callipers. The intra-examiner and inter-examiner reproducibility of the technique were assessed. RESULTS: OFG patients had significantly larger lips than controls (P<0.0001). The coefficient of variation on repeated measurements of the same impression was 1.6% and for duplicate impressions was 2.6%. Significant reduction in lip size was shown in all 10 patients after diet restriction (P<0.002). Seven of 11 patients whose impressions were taken at least 3 months after the initiation of cinnamon- and benzoate-free diet also showed reduction in lip size during follow up (P<0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Serial lip impressions appear to be reliable for routine quantification of morphological changes of the lips in OFG patients. We present a new reproducible and sensitive method for assessing changes in lip size in response to treatment in OFG.     

Cementum and dentin in hypophosphatasia

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) often leads to premature loss of deciduous teeth, due to disturbed cementum formation. We addressed the question to what extent cementum and dentin are similarly affected. To this end, we compared teeth from children with HPP with those from matched controls and analyzed them microscopically and chemically. It was observed that both acellular and cellular cementum formation was affected. For dentin, however, no differences in mineral content were recorded. To explain the dissimilar effects on cementum and dentin in HPP, we assessed pyrophosphate (an inhibitor of mineralization) and the expression/activity of enzymes related to pyrophosphate metabolism in both the periodontal ligament and the pulp of normal teeth. Expression of nucleotide pyrophosphatase phosphodiesterase 1 (NPP1) in pulp proved to be significantly lower than in the periodontal ligament. Also, the activity of NPP1 was less in pulp, as was the concentration of pyrophosphate. Our findings suggest that mineralization of dentin is less likely to be under the influence of the inhibitory action of pyrophosphate than mineralization of cementum.     

Respiratory outcome of mid-face advancement with distraction: a comparison between Le Fort III and frontofacial monobloc

Upper airway stenosis in patients with faciocraniosynostosis is very common and often severe. Mid-face advancement, either with a Le Fort III or concomitantly to a monobloc frontofacial advancement, may prevent a tracheotomy or result in its ablation. The amelioration of respiratory function appears to be much better if the mid-face advancement is combined with distraction osteogenesis, although large studies with long-term follow-up are rare. In this study we reviewed the respiratory outcome between Le Fort III with distraction and monobloc advancement with distraction in 55 faciocraniosynostotic patients. Early respiratory results of both procedures were very good and stable at long-term follow-up. The choice between a Le Fort III and a monobloc procedure is made based on presenting morphology, previous surgery, and age. Both can be expected to give a long-lasting improvement of upper airway obstruction.     

Progression of periodontal disease and interleukin-10 gene polymorphism

Background and Objective:  Interleukin-10 is a key immunoregulatory cytokine that may be of significance in the immunopathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases such as periodontal disease. Molecular genetic studies have defined a number of haplotypes that may be associated with differing levels of interleukin-10 secretion. The present study investigated the possible association between interleukin-10 gene polymorphism and periodontal disease progression.
Material and Methods:  Genomic DNA was obtained from 252 adults who were part of a prospective longitudinal study on the progression of periodontal disease in a general adult Australian population. Single nucleotide polymorphisms at positions −592 and −1082 in the interleukin-10 promoter were analysed using an induced heteroduplex methodology and used to determine interleukin-10 promoter haplotypes in individual samples. Periodontitis progression was assessed by measuring probing depths and relative attachment levels at regular intervals over a 5-year period. A generalized linear model was used to analyse the data, with age, gender, smoking status, interleukin-1 genotype and Porphyromonas gingivalis included as possible confounders.
Results:  There was a significant ( p  ≈ 0.02) main effect of interleukin-10 haplotypes, with individuals having either the ATA/ACC or the ACC/ACC genotype experiencing around 20% fewer probing depths of ≥ 4 mm compared to individuals with other genotypes. Age and smoking had significant ( p  < 0.001) additional effects.
Conclusion:  These data suggest that the interleukin-10 genotype contributes to the progression of periodontal disease.     

Clinical evaluation of freeze-dried block allografts for alveolar ridge augmentation: a case series

Various grafting materials have been used in guided bone regeneration procedures to augment alveolar ridges deficient in horizontal or vertical dimensions or both. Autogenous block grafts from intraoral and extraoral sites have been used for ridge augmentation with encouraging results. However, the risk of vascular and neurologic injury at the donor site as well as postoperative patient morbidity have been reported following these surgical procedures. The use of a cancellous block allograft could be one alternative to avoid potential donor site complications. Five deficient alveolar ridges in three patients were each grafted with a freeze-dried cancellous block allograft and a resorbable barrier membrane. Ridge measurements taken at baseline, graft placement, and a 6-month reentry surgery demonstrated an increase in alveolar ridge width from 2 to 4 mm. These gains in ridge width compare favorably with other guided bone regeneration studies, suggesting that a freeze-dried cancellous block allograft in conjunction with a resorbable membrane may be an acceptable alternative to the autogenous block graft in the treatment of compromised alveolar ridge deficiencies.     

The effects of an immediately pre-surgical chlorhexidine oral rinse on the bacterial contaminants of bone debris collected during dental implant surgery

Dental implant surgery produces bone debris that can be used in the "simultaneous augmentation" technique. Although this debris is contaminated with oral bacteria, a stringent aspiration protocol has been shown to reduce the levels of contamination. Chlorhexidine mouthrinse is a well-proven antibacterial rinse that has been shown to reduce infectious complications associated with dental implants. This study examined the effect of pre-operative rinsing with a 0.1% chlorhexidine digluconate mouthrinse on the bacterial contaminants present in collected bone debris bone (CBD). Twenty partially edentate patients were randomly allocated into equal groups and underwent bone collection using the Frios Bone Collector (FBC) during the insertion of two dental implants. In group T a pre-operative chlorhexidine rinse was used, whilst in group C sterile water was used. For both groups, a stringent bone collection protocol was used. Bone samples were immediately transported for microbial analysis. Colonial and microscopic morphology, gaseous requirements and identification kits were utilised for identification of the isolated microbes. Thirty-nine species were identified including a number associated with disease, in particular Actinomyces odontolyticus, Clostridium bifermentans, Prevotella intermedia, and Propionibacterium propionicum. Samples from group T (chlorhexidine mouthrinse) yielded significantly fewer organisms (P < 0.001) than in group C (sterile water mouthrinse). Gram-positive cocci dominated the isolates from both groups. It is concluded that if bone debris is to be used for the purpose of immediate simultaneous augmentation, a preoperative chlorhexidine mouthrinse should be utilised in conjunction with a stringent aspiration protocol to reduce further the bacterial contamination of CBD.