PURPOSE: The present study investigated the impact of 2 different suture techniques, the conventional crossed mattress suture (X suture) and the novel hidden X suture, for alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) with an open healing approach. METHODS: This study was a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. Fourteen patients requiring extraction of the maxillary or mandibular posterior teeth were enrolled and allocated into 2 groups. After extraction, demineralized bovine bone matrix mixed with 10% collagen (DBBM-C) was grafted and the socket was covered by porcine collagen membrane in a double-layer fashion. No attempt to obtain primary closure was made. The hidden X suture and conventional X suture techniques were performed in the test and control groups, respectively. Cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images were taken immediately after the graft procedure and before implant surgery 4 months later. Additionally, the change in the mucogingival junction (MGJ) position was measured and was compared after extraction, after suturing, and 4 months after the operation. RESULTS: All sites healed without any complications. Clinical evaluations showed that the MGJ line shifted to the lingual side immediately after the application of the X suture by 1.56±0.90 mm in the control group, while the application of the hidden X suture rather pushed the MGJ line slightly to the buccal side by 0.25±0.66 mm. It was demonstrated that the amount of keratinized tissue (KT) preserved on the buccal side was significantly greater in the hidden X suture group 4 months after the procedure (P<0.05). Radiographic analysis showed that the hidden X suture had a significant effect in preserving horizontal width and minimizing vertical reduction in comparison to X suture (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study provided clinical and radiographic verification of the efficacy of the hidden X suture in preserving the width of KT and the dimensions of the alveolar ridge after ARP.
Alveolar Process* ; Bone Matrix ; Bone Regeneration ; Bone Resorption ; Collagen ; Humans ; Membranes ; Prospective Studies ; Suture Techniques* ; Sutures* ; Tooth ; Tooth Extraction ; Transplants

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a policy change to expand Korean National Health Insurance (KNHI) benefit coverage to include scaling on access to dental care at the national level. METHODS: A nationally representative sample of 12,794 adults aged 20 to 64 years from Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (2010–2014) was analyzed. To examine the effect of the policy on the outcomes of interest (unmet dental care needs and preventive dental care utilization in the past year), an estimates-based probit model was used, incorporating marginal effects with a complex sampling structure. The effect of the policy on individuals depending on their income and education level was also assessed. RESULTS: Adjusting for potential covariates, the probability of having unmet needs for dental care decreased by 6.1% and preventative dental care utilization increased by 14% in the post-policy period compared to those in the pre-policy period (2010, 2012). High income and higher education levels were associated with fewer unmet dental care needs and more preventive dental visits. CONCLUSIONS: The expansion of coverage to include scaling demonstrated to have a significant association with decreasing unmet dental care needs and increasing preventive dental care utilization. However, the policy disproportionately benefited certain groups, in contrast with the objective of the policy to benefit all participants in the KNHI system.
Adult ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Dental Care* ; Dental Health Services ; Dental Scaling ; Education ; Health Policy ; Health Services Accessibility ; Humans ; Insurance Benefits ; Korea ; National Health Programs ; Periodontal Diseases

PURPOSE: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the association between dental implants in the posterior region and traumatic occlusion in the adjacent premolars, using data collected during from 2002 to 2015. METHODS: Traumatic occlusion in the adjacent premolars was assessed by examining clinical parameters (bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth, fremitus, and tooth mobility) and radiographic parameters (loss of supporting bone and widening of the periodontal ligament space) over a mean follow-up of 5 years. Clinical factors (gender, age, implant type, maxillary or mandibular position, opposing teeth, and duration of functional loading) were evaluated statistically in order to characterize the relationship between implants in the posterior region and traumatic occlusion in the adjacent premolars. RESULTS: The study inclusion criteria were met by 283 patients, who had received 347 implants in the posterior region. The incidence of traumatic occlusion in the adjacent premolars was significantly higher for splinted implants (P=0.004), implants in the maxillary region (P<0.001), and when implants were present in the opposing teeth (P<0.001). The other clinical factors of gender, age, and duration of functional loading were not significantly associated with traumatic occlusion. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that the risk of traumatic occlusion in the adjacent premolars increased when splinted implants were placed in the maxillary molar region and when the teeth opposing an implant also contained implants.
Bicuspid* ; Dental Implants* ; Dental Implants, Single-Tooth ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Molar ; Periodontal Ligament ; Retrospective Studies ; Splints ; Tooth ; Tooth Mobility

PURPOSE: Alendronate has been proposed as a local and systemic drug treatment used as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) for the treatment of periodontitis. However, its effectiveness has yet to be conclusively established. The purpose of the present meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of SRP with alendronate on periodontitis compared to SRP alone. METHODS: Five electronic databases were used by 2 independent reviewers to identify relevant articles from the earliest records up to September 2016. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing SRP with alendronate to SRP with placebo in the treatment of periodontitis were included. The outcome measures were changes in bone defect fill, probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) from baseline to 6 months. A fixed-effect or random-effect model was used to pool the extracted data, as appropriate. Mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Cochrane χ² and I2 tests. RESULTS: After the selection process, 8 articles were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with SRP alone, the adjunctive mean benefits of locally delivered alendronate were 38.25% for bone defect fill increase (95% CI=33.05–43.45; P<0.001; I²=94.0%), 2.29 mm for PD reduction (95% CI=2.07–2.52 mm; P<0.001; I²=0.0%) and 1.92 mm for CAL gain (95% CI=1.55–2.30 mm; P<0.001; I²=66.0%). In addition, systemically administered alendronate with SRP significantly reduced PD by 0.36 mm (95% CI=0.18–0.55 mm; P<0.001; I²=0.0%) and increased CAL by 0.39 mm (95% CI=0.11–0.68 mm; P=0.006; I²=6.0%). CONCLUSIONS: The collective evidence regarding the adjunctive use of alendronate locally and systemically with SRP indicates that the combined treatment can improve the efficacy of non-surgical periodontal therapy on increasing CAL and bone defect fill and reducing PD. However, precautions must be exercised in interpreting these results, and multicenter studies evaluating this specific application should be carried out.
Alendronate* ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Periodontitis* ; Population Characteristics ; Root Planing*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between buccal bone thickness and gingival thickness by means of a noninvasive and relatively accurate digital registration method. METHODS: In 20 periodontally healthy subjects, cone-beam computed tomographic images and intraoral scanned files were obtained. Measurements of buccal bone thickness and gingival thickness at the central incisors, lateral incisors, and canines were performed at points 0–5 mm from the alveolar crest on the superimposed images. The Friedman test was used to compare buccal bone and gingival thickness for each depth between the 3 tooth types. Spearman's correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the correlation between buccal bone thickness and gingival thickness. RESULTS: Of the central incisors, 77% of all sites had a buccal thickness of 0.5–1.0 mm, and 23% had a thickness of 1.0–1.5 mm. Of the lateral incisors, 71% of sites demonstrated a buccal bone thickness <1.0 mm, as did 63% of the canine sites. For gingival thickness, the proportion of sites <1.0 mm was 88%, 82%, and 91% for the central incisors, lateral incisors, and canines, respectively. Significant differences were observed in gingival thickness at the alveolar crest level (G0) between the central incisors and canines (P=0.032) and between the central incisors and lateral incisors (P=0.013). At 1 mm inferior to the alveolar crest, a difference was found between the central incisors and canines (P=0.025). The lateral incisors and canines showed a significant difference for buccal bone thickness 5 mm under the alveolar crest (P=0.025). CONCLUSIONS: The gingiva and buccal bone of the anterior maxillary teeth were found to be relatively thin (<1 mm) overall. A tendency was found for gingival thickness to increase and bone thickness to decrease toward the root apex. Differences were found between teeth at some positions, although the correlation between buccal bone thickness and soft tissue thickness was generally not significant.
Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Gingiva ; Healthy Volunteers ; Incisor ; Maxilla ; Methods* ; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; Tooth

PURPOSE: The increasing demand for esthetically pleasing results has contributed to the use of ceramics for dental implant abutments. The aim of this study was to compare the biological response of epithelial tissue cultivated on lithium disilicate (LS₂) and zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) ceramics. Understanding the relevant physicochemical and mechanical properties of these ceramics will help identify the optimal material for facilitating gingival wound closure. METHODS: Both biomaterials were prepared with 2 different surface treatments: raw and polished. Their physicochemical characteristics were analyzed by contact angle measurements, scanning white-light interferometry, and scanning electron microscopy. An organotypic culture was then performed using a chicken epithelium model to simulate peri-implant soft tissue. We measured the contact angle, hydrophobicity, and roughness of the materials as well as the tissue behavior at their surfaces (cell migration and cell adhesion). RESULTS: The best cell migration was observed on ZrO₂ ceramic. Cell adhesion was also drastically lower on the polished ZrO₂ ceramic than on both the raw and polished LS2. Evaluating various surface topographies of LS2 showed that increasing surface roughness improved cell adhesion, leading to an increase of up to 13%. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that a biomaterial, here LS2, can be modified using simple surface changes in order to finely modulate soft tissue adhesion. Strong adhesion at the abutment associated with weak migration assists in gingival wound healing. On the same material, polishing can reduce cell adhesion without drastically modifying cell migration. A comparison of LS2 and ZrO2 ceramic showed that LS2 was more conducive to creating varying tissue reactions. Our results can help dental surgeons to choose, especially for esthetic implant abutments, the most appropriate biomaterial as well as the most appropriate surface treatment to use in accordance with specific clinical dental applications.
Biocompatible Materials ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Movement ; Ceramics* ; Chickens ; Dental Abutments* ; Dental Implants ; Embryo Culture Techniques ; Epithelium ; Esthetics, Dental ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Interferometry ; Lithium* ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Surgeons ; Tissue Adhesions ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries ; Zirconium*

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: This retrospective study evaluated the relationship between the timing of peri-implantitis diagnosis and marginal bone level after a 5-year follow-up of non-surgical peri-implantitis treatment. METHODS: Thirty-three patients (69 implants) were given peri-implantitis diagnosis in 2008-2009 in Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. Among them, 31 implants from 16 patients were included in this study. They were treated non-surgically in this hospital, and came for regular maintenance visits for at least 5 years after peri-implantitis treatment. Radiographic marginal bone levels at each interval were measured and statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: Timing of peri-implantitis was one of the significant factors affecting initial bone loss and total bone loss not additional bone after peri-implantitis diagnosis. Patients with cardiovascular disease and diabetic mellitus were positively influenced on both initial bone loss and total bone loss. Patients who needed periodontal treatment after implant placement showed a negative effect on bone loss compared to those who needed periodontal treatment before implant placement during entire periods. Implant location also significantly influenced on amounts of bone loss. Mandibular implants showed less bone loss than maxillary implants. Among surgical factors, combined use of autogenous and xenogenic bone graft materials showed a negative effect on bone loss compared to autogenous bone graft materials. Use of membrane negatively affected on initial bone loss but positively on additional bone loss and total bone loss. Thread exposure showed positive effects on initial bone loss and total bone loss. CONCLUSIONS: Early peri-implantitis diagnosis led to early non-surgical intervention for peri-implantitis treatment, which resulted in the maintenance of the bone level as well as preservation of the implant.
Alveolar Bone Loss ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diagnosis* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Membranes ; Peri-Implantitis* ; Radiography ; Regression Analysis ; Retrospective Studies* ; Seoul ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Korea

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the immunosuppressants FK506 and cyclosporin A (CsA) on the osteogenic differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). METHODS: The effect of FK506 and CsA on rat MSCs was assessed in vitro. The MTT assay was used to determine the deleterious effect of immunosuppressants on stem cell proliferation at 1, 3, and 7 days. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was analyzed on days 3, 7, and 14. Alizarin red S staining was done on day 21 to check mineralization nodule formation. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was also performed to detect the expressions of bone tissue-specific genes on days 1 and 7. RESULTS: Cell proliferation was promoted more in the FK506 groups than the control or CsA groups on days 3 and 7. The FK506 groups showed increased ALP activity compared to the other groups during the experimental period. The ALP activity of the CsA groups did not differ from the control group in any of the assessments. Mineralization nodule formation was most prominent in the FK506 groups at 21 days. RT-PCR results of the FK506 groups showed that several bone-related genes-osteopontin, osteonectin, and type I collagen (Col-I)-were expressed more than the control in the beginning, but the intensity of expression decreased over time. Runx2 and Dlx5 gene expression were up-regulated on day 7. The effects of 50 nM CsA on osteonectin and Col-I were similar to those of the FK506 groups, but in the 500 nM CsA group, most of the genes were less expressed compared to the control. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that FK506 enhances the osteoblastic differentiation of rat MSCs. Therefore, FK506 might have a beneficial effect on bone regeneration when immunosuppressants are needed in xenogenic or allogenic stem cell transplantation to treat bone defects.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Anthraquinones ; Bone Regeneration ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Collagen Type I ; Cyclosporine ; Durapatite ; Gene Expression ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Osteoblasts ; Osteonectin ; Rats ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells ; Tacrolimus