Reconstruction of posterior mandibular alveolar ridge deficiencies with the piezoelectric hinge-assisted ridge split technique: a retrospective observational report.

Background: Reconstruction of alveolar defects in the posterior edentulous mandible can be a difficult task. In addition to complicating anatomic features, such as the inferior alveolar nerve, mental foramen, oblique ridge, and lingual undercut of the mylohyoid ridge, edentulous ridges in the posterior mandible have thicker cortices and decreased volumes of vascular trabecular bone than their maxillary counterparts. Traditionally, these areas have been treated with autogenous block grafts.

Surgical considerations and management of patients with mucocutaneous disorders.

Surgeons may be confronted with providing periodontal plastic or implant therapy for patients with gingival manifestations of systemic conditions. These conditions (often referred to as mucocutaneous disorders) commonly present with features of desquamative gingivitis, which was once believed to represent a disease entity. However, today, the term desquamative gingivitis is used to describe clinical features of various local or systemic diseases or disorders that result in chronic gingival lesions characterized by epithelial desquamation, erythema, ulceration, and/or vesiculobullous lesions of the gingiva.

Spontaneous pigmentation of non-pigmented palatal tissue after periodontal surgery.

Background: A 22-year-old African American female was referred for augmentation of keratinized gingiva around implants at the right and left maxillary second premolar sites. Presurgical evaluation revealed generalized melanosis of the buccal gingiva and a lack of keratinized tissue around implants at sites #4 and #13. No pigmentation was noted on the palatal tissues.

The effect of piezoelectric use on open sinus lift perforation: a retrospective evaluation of 56 consecutively treated cases from private practices.

Background: The lateral window approach to maxillary sinus augmentation is a well-accepted treatment option in implant dentistry. The most frequent complication reported with traditional techniques has been the perforation of the Schneiderian membrane, with perforation rates ranging from 11% to 56%. The purpose of this retrospective, consecutive case series from two private practices was to report on the rate of Schneiderian membrane perforations and arterial lacerations when a piezoelectric surgical unit was used in conjunction with hand instrumentation to perform lateral window sinus elevations.