Clinical Evaluation of Short (6 mm) and Longer Implants Placed Side by Side in Posterior Partially Edentulous Area: A 3-Year Observational Study.

Background: Short implants have been proposed as an alternative solution for the rehabilitation of atrophic posterior region.

Purpose: To compare the clinical outcomes between 6 mm short implants and conventional implants placed under similar conditions of bone quality and occlusal loading.

Materials And Methods: Nine patients received atone 6 mm implant and one standard-length (8 mm length or longer) implants in a total of 10 partially edentulous areas.

Gap junctional intercellular communication attenuates osteoclastogenesis induced by activated osteoblasts.

Osteoblasts participate in both bone formation through the synthesis of extracellular matrix and osteoclast differentiation through the expression of osteoclast differentiation factor. Osteoblasts communicate with each other via gap junctions (GJ), which enable small molecules, such as cAMP, to move to adjacent cells. Therefore, we focused on the role of cAMP propagation between osteoblasts via GJ in the osteoclast-supporting activity of osteoblasts.

Staged Sinus Floor Elevation Using Novel Low-Crystalline Carbonate Apatite Granules: Prospective Results after 3-Year Functional Loading.

The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of staged sinus floor elevation (SFE) using novel low-crystalline carbonate apatite (COAp) granules. Patients who needed SFE for implant placement were recruited into this clinical trial. A staged procedure (lateral window technique using COAp granules, followed by implant placement after 7 ± 2 months) was employed in 13 patients.

Efficacy of a novel membrane comprising a copolymer of L-lactic acid and glycolic acid in osteoblasts in vitro.

In guided bone regeneration (GBR), a barrier membrane is applied to provide a space for bone regeneration to promote cell adhesion, cell proliferation, and bone regeneration by inducing cell migration to the surface of the bone-deficient site. We prepared a non-woven absorbable membrane for GBR comprised of a copolymer of L-lactic acid and glycolic acid (PLLGA) using the dry spinning method. A thin and dense membrane comprising unsintered hydroxyapatite (uHA) and poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) was used for comparison.

Factors influencing the sinus membrane thickness in edentulous regions: a cone-beam computed tomography study.

Background: During implant treatment in the maxillary molar area, maxillary sinus floor augmentation is often performed to ameliorate the reduced alveolar bone height attributable to bone remodeling and pneumatization-induced expansion of the maxillary sinus. However, this augmentation may cause complications such as misplaced implants, artery damage, and maxillary sinus mucosal perforation; infections like maxillary sinusitis; and postsurgical complications such as bone graft leakage and postoperative nasal hemorrhaging. To reduce the complications during maxillary sinus floor augmentation and postoperative infections, we performed retrospective investigations of various systemic and local factors that influence pre-operative sinus mucosal thickness (SMT) by using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Genetic and epigenetic regulation of osteopontin by cyclic adenosine 3' 5'-monophosphate in osteoblasts.

Osteopontin (OPN) is not only a marker of osteoblasts but it is also related to cancer progression and inflammation. The expression of OPN increases in response to inflammatory cytokines, hormones, and mechanical stress. Among them, cyclic-AMP (cAMP) elevating agents stimulate OPN expression in the presence of 1, 25-OH vitamin D (VD).

Evaluation of maxillary sinus floor augmentation with the crestal approach and beta-tricalcium phosphate: a cone-beam computed tomography 3- to 9-year follow-up.

Background: We performed maxillary sinus floor augmentation using the crestal approach and beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and a long-term evaluation using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Methods: Twenty-three patients (30 implants) underwent sinus floor augmentation using the osteotome technique. Subjects underwent CBCT imaging before surgery, immediately after surgery, and at follow-up (≥ 3 years after surgery).

Application of low-crystalline carbonate apatite granules in 2-stage sinus floor augmentation: a prospective clinical trial and histomorphometric evaluation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the efficacy and safety of carbonate apatite (COAp) granules in 2-stage sinus floor augmentation through the radiographic and histomorphometric assessment of bone biopsy specimens.

Methods: Two-stage sinus floor augmentation was performed on 13 patients with a total of 17 implants. Radiographic assessment using panoramic radiographs was performed immediately after augmentation and was also performed 2 additional times, at 7±2 months and 18±2 months post-augmentation, respectively.

Vertical ridge augmentation using a porous composite of uncalcined hydroxyapatite and poly-DL-lactide enriched with types 1 and 3 collagen.

Background: Previous studies have shown that porous composite blocks containing uncalcined hydroxyapatite (u-HA; 70 wt%) with a scaffold of poly-DL-lactide (PDLLA, 30 wt%) are biodegradable, encourage appropriate bone formation, and are suitable for use as a bone substitute in vertical ridge augmentation. The present study aimed to accelerate osteogenesis in vertical ridge formation by adding types 1 and 3 collagen to the u-HA/PDLLA blocks and assessing the effect.

Material And Methods: The bone substitute in the present study comprised porous composite blocks of u-HA (70 wt%) with a PDLLA (27-29 wt%) scaffold and enriched with types 1 and 3 collagen (1.

Maxillary Sinus Floor Augmentation Using Low-Crystalline Carbonate Apatite Granules With Simultaneous Implant Installation: First-in-Human Clinical Trial.

Purpose: Carbonate apatite (COAp), an inorganic component of human bone, can be fabricated in chemically pure form from calcium carbonate block via a dissolution-precipitation reaction. A first-in-human clinical trial was conducted in which low-crystalline COAp granules were evaluated for safety and efficacy in sinus floor augmentation and simultaneous implant installation.

Materials And Methods: Procedures were performed in 8 patients (9 implants) with 2 granule sizes: small (300 to 600 μm) and medium (600 to 1,000 μm).

Guided bone regeneration using a hydrophilic membrane made of unsintered hydroxyapatite and poly(L-lactic acid) in a rat bone-defect model.

The effectiveness of a previously developed unsintered hydroxyapatite (uHA) and poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) hydrophilic membrane as a resorbable barrier for guided bone regeneration (GBR) was evaluated. Critical-size 8-mm diameter bone defects were surgically generated in the parietal bones of 24 12-week-old male Wistar rats, which were then divided into three groups in which either a uHA/PLLA or a collagen membrane or no membrane (control) was placed onto the bone defect. Following sacrifice of the animals 2 or 4 weeks after surgery, bone defects were examined using microcomputed tomography and histological analysis.

Effective removal of calcified deposits on microstructured titanium fixture surfaces of dental implants with erbium lasers.

Background: Recently, the occurrence of peri-implantitis has been increasing. However, a suitable method to debride the contaminated surface of titanium implants has not been established. The aim of this study was to investigate the morphologic changes of the microstructured fixture surface after erbium laser irradiation, and to clarify the effects of the erbium lasers when used to remove calcified deposits from implant fixture surfaces.

Morphological Evaluation of Soft Tissue Augmentation Using Porous Poly-DL-Lactic Acid With Straight Holes.

Objectives: This study investigated the biological reaction to porous poly-DL-lactic acid (PDLLA) scaffolds with holes for soft tissue augmentation.

Materials And Methods: The control group was porous PDLLA with a diameter of 5.0 mm and a height of 2.

Long-term radiographic assessment of maxillary sinus floor augmentation using beta-tricalcium phosphate: analysis by cone-beam computed tomography.

Background: The long-term stability of maxillary sinus floor augmentation with β-TCP remains largely unknown. We report the long-term assessment of volumetric changes in maxillary sinus floor augmentation with β-TCP by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Methods: The subjects included 30 patients who underwent maxillary sinus floor augmentation using β-TCP and 58 implant placement for unilateral maxillary defect, simultaneously.

Involvement of CX3CL1 in the Migration of Osteoclast Precursors Across Osteoblast Layer Stimulated by Interleukin-1ß.

The trigger for bone remodeling is bone resorption by osteoclasts. Osteoclast differentiation only occurs on the old bone, which needs to be repaired under physiological conditions. However, uncontrolled bone resorption is often observed in pro-inflammatory bone diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Differences in knowledge related to dental implants between patients with and without a treatment history of dental implants.

Objective: This aim of this study was to investigate the differences between patients with and without a treatment history of dental implants by use of a questionnaire survey in order to determine the information that is required for patients undergoing dental implants.

Materials And Methods: The questionnaires were given to 4512 patients who visited the Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital for oral implants between January 2012 and December 2014, and 2972 (66%) valid questionnaires were collected.

Results: There were 857 patients with a treatment history of dental implants and 2115 patients without.

Histological and micro-computed tomographic observations after maxillary sinus augmentation with porous hydroxyapatite alloplasts: a clinical case series.

Background: It is important to visualize the phenomenon which occurs in actual clinical cases to decide the timing of implant placement subsequently after sinus graft. Although several clinical cases of bone augmentation using xenograft have been evaluated, the number of those reports which have described bone remodeling by alloplasty are not sufficient.

Findings: In the present report, to investigate bone remodeling histologically after maxillary sinus augmentation with porous hydroxyapatite alloplast, bone cores from the sinus floor of three female nonsmoking patients (aged 64-73 years) were collected 6 months after sinus lift surgery, embedded in methyl methacrylate resin, and prepared by conventional methods.

A diversity of peri-implant mucosal thickness by site.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine peri-implant mucosal thickness at different sites of peri-implant crevice around 70 implants placed in 35 patients.

Material And Methods: The peri-implant mucosal thickness was defined as distance of the peri-implant mucosal margin and the coronal edge of bone/implant contact and measured using the cast models and dental radiography.

Results: The overall mean peri-implant mucosal thickness was 3.

The Maxillary Sinus Floor Elevation Using a Poly-L-Lactic Acid Device to Create Space Without Bone Graft: Case Series Study of Five Patients.

Maxillary sinus floor elevation using autologous or alloplastic bone grafting is often performed for implant treatment of maxillary molars; however, issues related to the donor site and complications such as infection have been reported. We performed maxillary sinus floor elevation using poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) as a space-making material in patients with an insufficient bone mass (<3 mm) for simultaneous implantation between the alveolar crest and floor of the maxillary sinus and evaluated the newly formed bone. Conventional antrostomy of the maxillary sinus from the lateral wall was performed, and PLLA was placed on the floor of the maxillary sinus after elevating the sinus membrane.

Rehabilitation of a Bilateral Maxillectomy Patient with a Free Fibula Osteocutaneous Flap and with an Implant-Retained Obturator: A Clinical Report.

A 47-year-old man underwent surgical resection and reconstruction with a fibula osteocutaneous flap. After the surgery, a surgical obturator was placed and adjusted. After flap healing, a conventional obturator was fabricated with polymethyl methacrylate resin and retained by the anatomical undercuts around the reconstructed fibula bone flap and the posterior part of the defect.

Verification of posterior superior alveolar artery distribution in lateral wall of maxillary sinus by location and defect pattern.

Objective: Maxillary sinus augmentation is used when performing implant treatment in the maxillary molar region with inadequate bone height. Posterior superior alveolar artery (PSAA) is the branch of the maxillary artery that supplies the lateral sinus wall and sinus membrane. When performing an osteotomy via lateral approach, however, damage to the PSAA can occur, because it runs inside the lateral wall of the maxillary sinus, causing hemorrhage and hampering surgery.

[A clinical investigation of new patients who had already received treatment with dental implants at other clinics in seventeen years].

The purpose of this study was to investigate new patients who had already received treatment with dental implants. The subjects were patients who visited the clinic for oral implants at Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital from April 1995 to March 2012. The results were as follows: 1) Of the total number of patients, there were 2,419 patients (14.