Silicone index: an alternative approach for tooth fragment reattachment

Tooth fragment reattachment is a simple, conservative, fast, and affordable treatment option for fractured teeth when the fragment is available. However, this technique can present some difficulties, among which is the possibility of the fragment being positioned and bonded inadequately. To avoid this situation, it is necessary to establish a reference for the adequate positioning of the fragment using a silicone index. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This article presents an alternative approach for better handling of tooth fragments resulting from trauma by using a silicone index as a guide to proper positioning and bonding.     

Progressive facial hemiatrophy with associated osseous lesions

Progressive facial hemiatrophy (PFH) is a rare condition characterized by the slow, progressive appearance of a unilateral facial atrophy that affects the skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle and bone. We report the case of a 60-year-old female patient whose cutaneous symptoms commenced in 1987 in the form of a purplish erythema on the left side of her face and neck, which subsequently remitted giving rise to an indurated region in the left maxillary region. Since 1995 until the present day, she has developed facial hemiatrophy on the left side accompanied by progressive osseous reabsorption of the upper maxilla and left mandible with atrophy of soft tissue. The association of the onset of PFH with progressive osteolysis of the maxilla has not been previously reported in an adult patient.     

Aneurysmal bone cyst of the mandible: case presentation and review of the literature

The aneurysmatic osseus cyst is a very infrequent bone lesion which in some occasions can be found at the craniofacial skeleton. Among all the cystic lesions that can be found at the mandible or the maxilla it is very rare. On the other side it is at the same time very interesting in terms of its differential diagnose with other types of maxillary bone lesions We present the case of a Caucasian male with an aneurysmatic cyst located at the right angle of the mandible and a review of the literature concerning the case. We have focused on the differential diagnose, mainly with the malignancies that can be found at this location. We also comment the therapeutic options classically described for these kind of pathologies. In our patient, the surgical excision allowed a complete removal of the lesion and a posterior bone healing which made possible a implant-supported rehabilitation of the edentulous segment.     

The application of microscopic surgery in dentistry

The use of the microscope as a tool for practising Medicine, especially in surgical specialisations, has been established for decades. The microscope was first used in OdontologyDentistry back to the 1970s and 1980s, and was introduced more widely (although it was still far from being in general use) during 1990s. The purpose of this article is to describe the main applications of the microscope in OdontologyDentistry today, as well as providing odontologists and stomatologists, whether specialists or in general practice, with information about microscopic OdontologyDentistry for better patient care. This work also gives particular importance to matters needed to achieve the necessary manual dexterity to work in a magnified operating field using a surgical microscope (SM).     

A simplified approach for layering composite resin restorations

Although composite restorations can provide excellent results, it is possible that general dentists might find some of the currently proposed techniques to be complicated and demanding. This article reviews some of these concepts and presents a protocol that makes highly esthetic restorations simple yet predictable.     

Immediate provisionalization on a new implant design for esthetic restoration and preserving crestal bone

PURPOSE: This article describes how the concept of platform switching has been incorporated into a new implant design as a method of reducing crestal bone loss and maintaining the gingival papillae. A 6-month study of the effects of this implant on bone loss is described. MATERIALS: Ten new platform switched implants were placed into fresh anterior maxillary extraction sites in 3 men and 7 women, ranging in age between 29 and 45 years old, and immediately provisionalized. The adjoining bone height was evaluated with digital radiography on the day after implant placement, and at 15 days, 1, 2, 3, and 6 months later. RESULTS: After 6 months, the mean bone loss on the mesial of the central-incisor implants was 0.05 mm. The mean bone loss was 0.07 mm on the distal of the central incisor implants, 0.07 mm on the mesial of the lateral-incisor implants, and 0.06 mm on the distal of the lateral-incisor implants. CONCLUSIONS: An implant design that incorporates the concept of platform switching is a simple and effective way to control circumferential bone loss around dental implants, helping to ensure a predictable esthetic result.     

Clinical and histological evaluation of immediate-loaded posterior implants in nonhuman primates

PURPOSE: To evaluate a square-thread design implant and compare the bone-implant contact percentage between immediate-loaded and nonloaded implants (controls) in nonhuman primates. MATERIALS: Five nonhuman primates each received 3 implants, with a total of 5 control implants and 10 immediate-loaded implants in posterior regions of the mouth. Ninety days after surgery (and function was appropriate), block sections of the implants were removed and sectioned in 200-mum thick pieces. The block sections were stained with modified Masson for evaluation of the bone-implant contact percentage. RESULTS: One of the immediate-loaded implants failed. The bone-implant contact percentage of control implants ranged from 50.34% to 64.13% and averaged 56.3%. The bone-implant contact percentage of immediate-loaded implants ranged from 43.23% to 75.72%, with an average of 62.4%. Two implants had lower bone-implant contact percentage than the others, and when these are not included in the evaluation, the bone-implant contact percentage average increased to 67.6%. CONCLUSIONS: Immediate-loaded implants in the nonhuman primates often have a higher bone-implant contact percentage at 90 days than unloaded implants. The bone remodeling is different for loaded implant-bone interfaces than for unloaded conditions. However, 1 immediate-loaded implant failed, and 2 implants had lower bone-implant contact percentage than controls. Therefore, although there are benefits of immediate loading, there appear to also be some risks.     

Shear bond strength of precoated and uncoated brackets using a self-etching primer

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that there are no significant differences in the shear bond strength or the adhesive remaining on the tooth after debonding between precoated and uncoated brackets using a self-etching primer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: APC Plus precoated brackets and uncoated brackets were bonded with Transbond XT adhesive using the self-etching primer Transbond Plus Self-Etching Primer (TPSEP). The brackets were bonded to extracted human premolars and categorized into two groups: (1) TPSEP/Transbond XT and (2) TPSEP/APC Plus. Shear bond strength was measured with a universal testing machine. The adhesive remnant on each tooth after debonding was quantified with image analysis equipment. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations of enamel surfaces treated with TPSEP were also carried out. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in the shear bond strengths for the two groups evaluated (P < .05). TPSEP/APC Plus left significantly less adhesive on the tooth after debonding than did TPSEP/Transbond XT (P < .05). It was observed that SEM left a porous and potentially retentive surface. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in the bond strength of the two systems tested, but there was a significant difference in the percentage of area of adhesive remaining on the tooth.