Formulating a global prognosis and treatment plan for the periodontally compromised patient: a reconstructive vs. an adaptive approach.

The clinician faces treatment planning challenges when patients present with generalized severe chronic periodontitis that may result in tooth loss. This article provides a treatment planning discussion along with approaches for treating such patients. It presents the clinical question: What is the best means for approaching treatment planning in a patient with severe periodontitis requiring extraction and replacement of some teeth? Two treatment approaches are discussed—a reconstructive approach versus an adaptive one—both of which have an end goal of achieving periodontal health and occlusal stability, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Evaluation of healing following tooth extraction with ridge preservation using cortical versus cancellous freeze-dried bone allograft.

Background: The objective of this study is to compare histologic and clinical healing following tooth extraction and ridge preservation with either cortical or cancellous freeze-dried bone allograft (FDBA) in non-molar extraction sockets.

Methods: Forty patients requiring implant placement were enrolled, with 20 patients randomly assigned to each group (cortical versus cancellous FDBA). All of the allograft materials were obtained from the same donor to control for variability between donors and processing.