Prospective audit of mandibular fractures at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

Objective: This study was a prospective cross-sectional clinical audit of patients with mandibular fractures at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

Methods: Between 1 March and 31 August 2004, patients with mandibular fractures seen by one clinician had their details recorded.

Results: The female:male ratio of the study sample of 133 patients was 1:6.

Torque removal force for osseointegrated implants--two experimental studies.

Objective: To introduce a rabbit-based model for testing the torque removal force (TRF) of implants and to compare the TRF of a series of titanium implants.

Methods: Two experiments were performed at the University of the Witwatersrand. In the first, a Swedish- (SSM-N) or a South African-manufactured (SSM-S) implant was implanted into the tibiae of 12 rabbits and the TRF measured at 1, 3 and 6 months.

The zygomaticus implant protocol in the treatment of the severely resorbed maxilla.

The zygomaticus dental implant, designed by NobelBiocare, was developed primarily for the treatment of the severely resorbed maxilla. Brånemark has reported an overall success rate of 97.6% with the placement of over 200 zygomatic implants during the period 1989 to 2001.

Surgical modifications to the Brånemark zygomaticus protocol in the treatment of the severely resorbed maxilla: a clinical report.

Purpose: The Zygomaticus dental implant, designed by Nobel Blocare, was developed for the treatment of the severely resorbed maxilla. Brånemark has reported an overall success rate of 97.6% with the placement of 183 implants over the last 12 years.

Haematoma of the floor of the mouth following implant placement.

Placement of implants in the anterior mandibular region is generally regarded as a routine, safe procedure. This case report describes an extensive haematoma in the floor of the mouth, following such a procedure, which rapidly became life-threatening, requiring an emergency tracheostomy to establish a surgical airway. The anatomic, radiographic and surgical aspects to the problem are discussed.

Inter-abutment and peri-abutment mucosal enlargement with mandibular implant overdentures.

A variety of terms have been used to describe changes in the oral mucosa around abutments underneath fixed and removable implant prostheses such as mucosal inflammation, peri-implant mucosal hyperplasia, gingival hyperplasia, hyperplastic tissue, mucosal proliferation, proliferative gingivitis and peri-implant mucositis. Although such terms have become part of the evidence-based literature, there is no histological evidence to support the descriptive terminology used by authors. The use of the alternative term mucosal enlargement for clinical observations underneath mandibular implant overdentures is proposed.

Temperatures in and around mandibular fractures.

This study measured the temperature in and around mandibular fractures in 20 anaesthetized patients. A fine calibrated thermocouple attached to a digital thermometer was used to measure temperature at the bone surface margin of a mandibular fracture and 5 and 10 mm from the fracture; within the fracture against the bone at 5, 7 and 10 mm depths and at the base of 7 mm deep biopsy cavities 5 and 10 mm distant from the fracture line immediately after biopsy, then 1 and 2 min later. On the surface the temperature was approximately 1 degrees C warmer than at the 5 and 10 mm sites distant from the fracture.

Standardization of radiographs for mandibular implant-supported overdentures: review and innovation.

Radiographic monitoring of marginal peri-fixture bone is mandatory during prospective evaluation of different dental implant systems. Unyielding, uni-directional focus towards identifying the credibility of implant-supported overdenture therapy for the management of the edentulous predicament, has often neglected correct standardization of follow-up radiographs. Techniques for truly accurate location of film-holding devices have often not been applied to both unicentre and multicentre reports on mandibular implant-supported overdentures using Brånemark implants.

Long-term histologic changes in the dental pulp after posterior segmental osteotomies.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine pulp tissue for 18 months after segmental osteotomy in nonhuman primates.

Study Design: In this long-term experimental study, subapical, posterior, maxillary, and mandibular osteotomies were done in 26 baboons (Papio ursinus). Baboons were killed humanely immediately after operation and at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months, when tissues were perfusion-fixed.

Vascularity of the dental pulp after segmental osteotomy in the chacma baboon (Papio ursinus).

Objective: To assess the vascularity of the dental pulp after segmental operations with and without interpositional autogenous bone grafting.

Design: Experimental study.

Setting: University Department, South Africa.

Implant-supported prostheses in patients with Sjögren's syndrome: a clinical report on three patients.

Implant-supported prostheses offer a solution to the problems experienced by edentulous patients with Sjögren's syndrome. These patients often find it very difficult, if not impossible, to wear conventional complete dentures. Three clinical reports provide an insight into some of the difficulties involved in treating patients afflicted with this complex multifactorial disease using the Brånemark system.

Multi-planar and cross-sectional oblique scanning (CT) in implant surgery.

A comprehensive clinical examination followed by a radiographic assessment of the edentulous areas is a prerequisite to placing dental implants. Although radiographic assessment of the mandible is accurate using plain film radiography this is not so for the maxilla for which computed tomography is often necessary. In this study patients requiring the placement of maxillary implants were referred for multi-planar cross-sectional oblique and panoramic computed tomography (CT scan) in addition to standard radiographic views.

Demographic profile of patients who present for emergency treatment at Wits' Dental School.

The faculties of dentistry and medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand will soon amalgamate into a faculty of health sciences. To help plan service provision a demographic profile was determined for 500 patients who attended for emergency treatment in the dental faculty over all four seasons. Mean daily rates were Autumn 7.

A radiographic analysis of the mandibular canal of the edentulous mandible in different racial and gender groups.

Studies on the mandibular canal in the edentulous mandible have rarely been correlated with mandibular canal position, mandibular body width, mandibular canal width, thickness of bony plates, gender and race. The aim of this investigation was to examine the above parameters by studying the bucco-lingual relationship of the mandibular canal in dry edentulous mandibles of Black and White, males and females (n = 13 in each group), of similar age (mean 58, 17 yrs). The mandibles were radiographed cross-sectionally.

Nerve degeneration within the dental pulp after segmental osteotomies in the baboon (Papio ursinus).

Following dentofacial surgical procedures, teeth in segments often do not sense thermal or electric stimuli. This study was undertaken to assess changes in the neural component of the dental pulp after posterior maxillary and mandibular segmental osteotomies, with or without interpositional autogenous bone grafting, in 26 Chacma baboons. Innervation was assessed histologically immediately after operation, and at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months.

Maxillofacial injuries in a group of South Africans under 18 years of age.

Objective: To find out the incidence of maxillofacial injuries in South African children aged 18 years or less.

Design: Retrospective study of casenotes.

Setting: Six teaching hospitals affiliated to the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, serving a population of about 5 million people.

Oral manifestations of leprosy.

A total of 37 out of 187 patients with leprosy had oral lesions. All were biopsied. Oral lesions were found most frequently in patients with lepromatous leprosy.

Comparison of the safety and efficacy of a combination analgesic Myprodol and Ponstan in the treatment of dental pain.

A comparison of the efficacy of Myprodol, a combination analgesic (Ibuprofen, Paracetamol and Codeine phosphate) and Ponstan (Mefenamic acid) was undertaken in a randomised double blind trial of 52 patients who underwent surgical removal of impacted or unerupted teeth. Pain scores were measured for patients pre- and post operatively by means of a visual analogue scale and data was analysed using the BMPD package on the ISM main frame computer at the Medical Research Council. The results indicated that although Myprodol and Ponstan were equally adequate and well tolerated in the control of post operative dental pain, Myprodol exceeded Ponstan in duration of analgesia and in the degree of pain intensity control experienced by the patient.

Biocompatibility testing of a silicone maxillofacial prosthetic elastomer: soft tissue study in primates.

Little information exists on the biocompatibility of maxillofacial prosthetic materials. Cosmesil material is a purpose-designed facial prosthetic elastomer that has an established clinical profile in humans but results of biocompatibility testing have not been published. Cosmesil, acrylic resin (positive control), black surgical gutta-percha (negative control), and Silastic 382 material (Dow Corning, Midland, Mich.

Provision of "comprehensive dental care" in various dental schools.

The purpose of this survey was to solicit information about comprehensive dental care (CDC) programs in various dental schools. Seventy-four schools responded to a questionnaire that sought information about a range of topics pertaining to CDC. The 19 questions used were categorized under the following headings: implementation and success, physical nature of clinics, staffing, and student involvement.

Provision of "comprehensive dental care" in various dental schools.

The purpose of this survey was to solicit information about comprehensive dental care (CDC) programmes in various dental schools. Seventy-four schools responded to a questionnaire which sought information about a range of topics pertaining to CDC. The 19 questions used were categorized under the following headings: implementation and success; physical nature of clinics; staffing; and, student involvement.

Effect of topical application of doxycycline on pulp revascularization and periodontal healing in reimplanted monkey incisors.

Maxillary incisors in 47 monkeys, 54 in the experimental group (I) and 117 in the control group (II), were extracted and reimplanted, either immediately or after 30 or 60 min wet or dry storage. Incisors in the experimental group I were additionally kept 5 min in a suspension of 1 mg doxycycline in 20 ml physiologic saline, freshly prepared for each of the 15 animals before reimplantation. The observation time varied from 6 to 8 weeks.

Pulp revascularization in reimplanted immature monkey incisors--predictability and the effect of antibiotic systemic prophylaxis.

In 32 monkeys 105 immature maxillary incisors were extracted and reimplanted either immediately or after 30 or 60 min wet or dry storage. Of the monkeys, 17 (group I) did not receive and 15 (group II) received prophylactic treatment with 4 mg/kg doxycycline before extraction and 2 mg/kg for 5 d after reimplantation. The observation time varied from 6 to 8 weeks.