Implant dentistry in Australia: the present and future. A survey of Australian dentists and specialists.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, implant dentistry has become a routine part of many general dental practices in Australia. However, there has been little information regarding its extent and scope. This investigation aimed to address this issue by surveying Australian general dental practitioners (GDP) and relevant specialists regarding their practice of implant dentistry. METHODS: Anonymous electronic surveys were designed online using SurveyMonkey™ and delivered to the following professional bodies: all seven state/territory branches of the Australian Dental Association, the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Periodontists, the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and prosthodontist members of the Australian Prosthodontic Society. The surveys were completed online via SurveyMonkey in 2014. RESULTS: The response rates were 7.61% (N = 801) for GDP, 41.76% (N = 38) for prosthodontists, 34.16% (N = 55) for periodontists and 34.07% (N = 46) for oral and maxillofacial (OMF) surgeons. Among the respondents, 66.37% (N = 521) of GDP, 86.11% (N = 31) of prosthodontists, 82.98% (N = 39) of periodontists and 97.67% (N = 42) of OMF surgeons indicated that they currently practise implant dentistry. A strong perceived need for further education in this field was also expressed by the respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Implant dentistry presently appears to be practised by a significant proportion of GDP across Australia. This is likely to continue to grow in the future.

Retention of cast crown copings cemented to implant abutments.

BACKGROUND: The cementation of crowns to dental implant abutments is an accepted form of crown retention that requires consideration of the properties of available cements within the applied clinical context. Dental luting agents are exposed to a number of stressors that may reduce crown retention in vivo, not the least of which is occlusal loading. This study investigated the influence of compressive cyclic loading on the physical retention of cast crown copings cemented to implant abutments. METHODS: Cast crown copings were cemented to Straumann synOcta titanium implant abutments with three different readily used and available cements. Specimens were placed in a humidifier, thermocycled and subjected to one of four quantities of compressive cyclic loading. The uniaxial tensile force required to remove the cast crown copings was then recorded. RESULTS: The mean retention values for crown copings cemented with Panavia-F cement were statistically significantly greater than both KetacCem and TempBond non-eugenol cements at each compressive cyclic loading quantity. KetacCem and TempBond non-eugenol cements produced relatively low mean retention values that were not statistically significantly different at each quantity of compressive cyclic loading. Compressive cyclic loading had a statistically significant effect on Panavia-F specimens alone, but increased loading quantities produced no further statistically significant difference in mean retention. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of the current in vitro conditions employed in this study, the retention of cast crown copings cemented to Straumann synOcta implant abutments with a resin, glass ionomer and temporary cement was significantly affected by cement type but not compressive cyclic loading. Resin cement is the cement of choice for the definitive non-retrievable cementation of cast crown copings to Straumann synOcta implant abutments out of the three cements tested.

Coccidioidomycosis and neck mass 'single lesion' disseminated disease.

Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal disease endemic to parts of the southwestern United States, parts of Mexico, and parts of Central and South America. Headache and sore throat may be primary manifestations of the disease in its non-disseminated form, and laryngeal involvement has been reported. Except for the very rare appearance of supraclavicular nodes, neck nodes have not been previously reported. In two patients, a neck mass was the only manifestation of disease. In the first patient, excision was curative; in the second, treatment with ketoconazole resulted in cure. These two patients represent an example of "single lesion" disseminated disease. Coccidioidomycosis should be added to the list of causes of neck masses.