The Customized Alveolar Ridge-Splitting (CARS) Technique Combined with Guided Bone Regeneration or Sinus Elevation Augmentation in Maxillary Deficient Ridges.

Various techniques have been proposed to regenerate deficient ridges after tooth removal, including guided bone regeneration, block grafting, distraction osteogenesis, and ridge splitting. However, these procedures are technique-sensitive and often present complications which prevent reconstruction of the deficient ridge and implant placement. In an atrophic anterior or posterior maxilla, these techniques often fail to produce satisfactory long-term outcomes due to the poor bone quality, pneumatization of the maxillary sinus, and the highly cosmetic patient demands. The customized alveolar ridge-splitting (CARS) technique was introduced to improve outcomes and minimize the risk of complications. The synergistic combination of this technique with another augmentation procedure-including lateral window sinus augmentation and guided bone regeneration-allows implant placement into ridges with deficient bone volume both vertically and horizontally. This study presents two case reports that were successfully treated with the CARS technique and additional augmentation techniques to treat severely atrophic ridges in the anterior and posterior maxilla.

Treatment of a Soft Tissue Depression with a Xenograft Bone Substitute at the Second Stage of an Implant Procedure: A Case Report.

Following the extraction of a compromised tooth, the edentulous alveolar ridge undergoes physiologic bone remodeling, which may create a bone volume too deficient for implant placement. Guided bone regeneration (GBR) provides a predictable treatment option to increase the alveolar bone volume for implant placement, but a soft or hard tissue deficiency may remain even after this augmentation procedure has been completed. These deficiencies can be especially challenging in the esthetic zone, where patient expectations and esthetics often determine the satisfaction of the treatment outcome. This paper presents a case report of a xenograft bone substitute used at the second-stage surgery and abutment insertion to provide a solution to these deficiencies even after the patient had undergone a GBR procedure, thus improving the esthetic and functional outcomes of the final implant-supported restoration.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome in Prosthodontics, Periodontology, and Implant Dentistry: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is one of the most common congenital connective tissue disorders, affecting the synthesis and production of collagen cells. The medical implications for joints, muscles, soft tissue, and blood circulation have been documented in the literature. Many oral manifestations are displayed in EDS patients, including gingival recession, lack of attached gingiva, early severe periodontitis, and dental anomalies and dental caries. However, the literature is limited and oftentimes contradictory, and therefore provides no consensus for guidelines regarding prosthodontic, periodontal, and implant treatment of patients with EDS. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review was to analyze the pertinent literature regarding prosthodontics, periodontology, and implant dentistry in EDS patients.