A novel multi-phosphonate surface treatment of titanium dental implants: a study in sheep.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate a new multi-phosphonate surface treatment (SurfLink®) in an unloaded sheep model. Treated implants were compared to control implants in terms of bone to implant contact (BIC), bone formation, and biomechanical stability. The study used two types of implants (rough or machined surface finish) each with either the multi-phosphonate Wet or Dry treatment or no treatment (control) for a total of six groups. Animals were sacrificed after 2, 8, and 52 weeks. No adverse events were observed at any time point. At two weeks, removal torque showed significantly higher values for the multi-phosphonate treated rough surface (+32% and +29%, Dry and Wet, respectively) compared to rough control. At 52 weeks, a significantly higher removal torque was observed for the multi-phosphonate treated machined surfaces (+37% and 23%, Dry and Wet, respectively). The multi-phosphonate treated groups showed a positive tendency for higher BIC with time and increased new-old bone ratio at eight weeks. SEM images revealed greater amounts of organic materials on the multi-phosphonate treated compared to control implants, with the bone fracture (from the torque test) appearing within the bone rather than at the bone to implant interface as it occurred for control implants.

Safety and efficacy of a biomimetic monolayer of permanently bound multi-phosphonic acid molecules on dental implants: 1 year post-loading results from a pilot quadruple-blinded randomised controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of a novel surface treatment (SurfLink®, Nano Bridging Molecules, Gland, Switzerland) on titanium dental implants. SurfLink consists of a monolayer of permanently bound multi-phosphonic acid molecules, which mimics the surface of naturally occurring hydroxyapatite. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients requiring at least two single dental implants had their sites randomised according to a split-mouth design to receive one titanium grade 4 implant treated with SurfLink and one untreated control implant. Additional SurfLink-treated implants were placed if needed. Implants were submerged for 3 months in mandibles and 6 months in maxillae, were loaded with definitive metal-ceramic crowns, and followed up for 1 year after loading. Outcome measures were crown/implant failures, any complication, radiographic peri-implant marginal bone level changes and marginal bleeding. RESULTS: One patient dropped out after abutment connection. All remaining patients were followed up to 1 year post-loading. No implant failed and only 1 postoperative complication (pain) occurred, but it may not have been related to the implant treatment. No bleeding was observed when a periodontal probe was used to examine the peri-implant soft tissues around the implants. There were no statistically significant differences in marginal bone level changes between the two groups (P = 0.057, mean difference = -0.27, SE = 0.13; 95% CI -0.55 to 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary short-term data (1 year post-loading) of implants with a biomimetic monolayer of permanently bound multi-phosphonic acid molecules (SurfLink surface treatment) presented no safety issues. Clinical healing in both the control and SurfLink-treated implant group was uneventful and did not differ significantly between groups. More challenging clinical situations need to be investigated to evaluate the real effectiveness of this surface treatment.

Associations between diet and disease activity in ulcerative colitis patients using a novel method of data analysis.

BACKGROUND: The relapsing nature and varying geographical prevalence of ulcerative colitis (UC) implicates environmental factors such as diet in its aetiology. METHODS: In order to determine which foods might be related to disease activity in UC a new method of dietary analysis was developed and applied. Eighty-one UC patients were recruited at all stages of the disease process. Following completion of a 7 d diet diary, clinical assessment including a sigmoidoscopic examination (scale 0 (normal mucosa) to 6 (very active disease)) was conducted. Food weights for each person were adjusted (divided) by the person's calorific intake for the week. Each food consumed was given a food sigmoidoscopy score (FSS) calculated by summing the products of the (adjusted) weight of food consumed and sigmoidoscopy score for each patient and occurrence of food and dividing by the total (adjusted) weight of the food consumed by all 81 patients. Thus, foods eaten in large quantities by patients with very active disease have high FSSs and vice versa. Foods consumed by <10 people or weighing <1 kg for the whole group were excluded, leaving 75 foods. RESULTS: High FSS foods were characterized by high levels of the anti-thiamin additive sulfite (Mann-Whitney, p < 0.001), i.e. bitter, white wine, burgers, soft drinks from concentrates, sausages, lager and red wine. Caffeine also has anti-thiamin properties and decaffeinated coffee was associated with a better clinical state than the caffeine containing version. Beneficial foods (average intake per week) included pork (210 g), breakfast cereals (200 g), lettuce (110 g), apples and pears (390 g), milk (1250 ml), melon (350 g), bananas (350 g), bacon (120 g), beef and beef products (500 g), tomatoes (240 g), soup (700 g), citrus fruits (300 g), fish (290 g), yogurt (410 g), cheese (110 g), potatoes (710 g) and legumes (120 g). CONCLUSIONS: The dietary analysis method described provides a new tool for establishing relationships between diet and disease and indicates a potentially therapeutic diet for UC.

Contribution of dietary protein and inorganic sulfur to urinary sulfate: toward a biomarker of inorganic sulfur intake.

BACKGROUND: Sulfiting agents are widely used as food additives. Limits are set on their use in foods because they may adversely affect health. Sulfiting agents are excreted in urine as sulfate, which is indistinguishable from sulfate derived from sulfur amino acids. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to assess the contribution of inorganic sulfur to urinary sulfate excretion and of dietary protein to urinary sulfate and nitrogen excretion with the aim of developing a urinary biomarker of inorganic sulfur intake. DESIGN: Nine healthy men were fed a sequence of 3 diets for 15 d (n = 7), 5 diets for 10 d (n = 6), or both. The diets contained 51-212 g protein/d (0.43-1.71 g S/d) and 0.17-0.27 g inorganic S/d; p-aminobenzoic acid-validated 24-h urine samples (n = 47) were analyzed for sulfate and nitrogen. RESULTS: Dietary inorganic sulfur was efficiently excreted as sulfate in urine. Urinary sulfate derived from protein correlated strongly (r(2) = 0.86) with urinary nitrogen. Urinary recovery of protein sulfur and nitrogen decreased from 84% at average protein intakes (72 g/d) to 70% at high protein intakes (212 g/d). The nitrogen:sulfur ratio (in g) of the protein in the study diets was 18.9, which was maintained in urine (18.4 +/- 0.1) after dietary inorganic sulfur intake was subtracted from urinary sulfate. Therefore, inorganic sulfur intake (g/d) = urinary sulfur (g/d) - 0.054 x urinary nitrogen (g/d). For typical UK intakes of inorganic sulfur (0.25 g/d), this biomarker should produce mean (+/- SD) values of 0.24 +/- 0.10 g S/d. CONCLUSION: Twenty-four-hour urinary nitrogen and sulfate values can be used to predict inorganic sulfur intake.