Osseointegration of magnesium-incorporated sand-blasted acid-etched implant in the dog mandible: Resonance frequency measurements and histomorphometric analysis.

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the bone responses of novel magnesium (Mg)-incorporated sand-blasted and acid-etched (SLA) titanium (Ti) implant in an experimental animal model. Novel Mg-incorporated SLA Ti implant was obtained via vacuum arc source ion implantation method and Mg-ions were implanted into the SLA implant surface. Control group consisted of two commercial implants; resorbable blasting media (RBM) and SLA. Twelve implants from each group were placed into the mandibles of 6 mongrel dogs. Experimental animals were divided into 2 groups of 3 animals, with 4 weeks and 8 weeks healing time points. Resonance frequency analysis was performed at the time of fixture installation, 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after installation. Bone to implant contact (BIC) measurements were assessed at the 4 and 8 weeks healing time points. The overall implant survival rate was 97.2%. The Mg-incorporated SLA Ti implants showed more rapid osseointegration than control group implants at follow-up periods of 4 weeks. Histomorphometric analysis showed a tendency for BIC% values of Mg-incorporated SLA Ti implant to be higher than that of other the implant groups. The results of this study suggest that Mg-incorporated SLA Ti implant may be effective in enhancing the bone responses by rapid osseointegration in early healing periods.

Sequential treatment for a patient with hemifacial microsomia: 10 year-long term follow up.

Hemifacial microsomia (HFM) is the most common craniofacial anomaly after cleft lip and cleft palate; this deformity primarily involves the facial skeleton and ear, with either underdevelopment or absence of both components. In patients with HFM, the management of the asymmetries requires a series of treatment phases that focus on their interception and correction, such as distraction osteogenesis or functional appliance treatment during growth and presurgical orthodontic treatment followed by mandibular and maxillary surgery. Satisfactory results were obtained in a 9-year-old girl with HFM who was treated with distraction osteogenesis. At the age of 19, genioplasty and mandible body augmentation with a porous polyethylene implant (PPE, Medpor®, Porex) was sequentially performed for the functional and esthetic reconstruction of the face. We report a case of HFM with a review of the literature.

Low-level laser therapy induces the expressions of BMP-2, osteocalcin, and TGF-ß1 in hypoxic-cultured human osteoblasts.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the cell viability and the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1s (HIF-1s), bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2), osteocalcin, type I collagen, transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), and Akt in hypoxic-cultured human osteoblasts. Human fetal osteoblast cells (cell line 1.19) were cultured under 1 % oxygen tension for 72 h. Cell cultures were divided into two groups. At the experimental side, low-level laser (808 nm, GaAlAs diode) was applied at 0, 24, and 48 h. After irradiation, each cell culture was incubated 24 h more under hypoxia. Total energy was 1.2, 2.4, and 3.6 J/cm(2), respectively. Non-irradiated cultures served as controls. Comparisons between the two groups were analyzed by t test; a p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Hypoxia resulted in a decrease in the expression of type I collagen, osteocalcin, and TGF-ß1 (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p < 0.01, respectively). Cell viability and BMP-2 expression were not decreased by hypoxic condition. On the other hand, LLLT on hypoxic-cultured osteoblast promoted the expression of BMP-2, osteocalcin, and TGF-ß1 (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.001, respectively). Cell proliferation was also increased time-dependently. However, hypoxia decreased in type I collagen expression (p < 0.001), and LLLT did not affect type I collagen expression in hypoxic-cultured osteoblasts. Furthermore, LLLT inhibited HIF-1 and Akt expression in hypoxic conditioned osteoblasts. We concluded that LLLT induces the expression of BMP-2, osteocalcin, and TGF- ß1 in 1 % hypoxic-cultured human osteoblasts.

Maxillary yaw as the primary predictor of maxillary dental midline deviation: 3D analysis using cone-beam computed tomography.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate which factors affect upper dental midline deviation in dentofacial deformity patients using cone-beam computed tomography analysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight patients were selected for this study. Subjects were divided into 2 groups according to the amount of upper incisor (U1) midline deviation from the clinical facial midline: group 1 (U1 deviation <2 mm) and group 2 (U1 deviation >2 mm). Linear measurements, angles, and reference planes on 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomograms were obtained. The predictor variables were maxillary yaw, palatal plane angle, differences of maxillary point to the coronal and sagittal planes, and maxillary canting. The outcome variable was U1 deviation. The variables between the 2 groups and 2 sides were analyzed with a t test. Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were also calculated within each group for each measurement against the U1 deviation to determine which variables affect U1 deviation. P < .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The patients were evenly distributed between each group (n = 14 in each group). There was significant deviation of U1 from the sagittal plane in group 2 compared with group 1 (0.99 mm in group 1 vs 1.73 mm in group 2, P < .05). When we compared yaw with the sagittal plane, group 2 was more rotated than group 1 (1.16° in group 1 vs 2.28° in group 2, P < .01). Through multiple regression analysis, the primary predictor variable for U1 deviation was maxillary yaw (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that maxillary yaw is the primary contributing factor for upper dental midline deviation. The use of maxillary yaw should be considered when one is performing orthognathic surgery in patients with U1 deviation to achieve optimum esthetics.

Expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor -kappaB ligand, receptor activator of nuclear factor -kappaB, and osteoprotegerin, following low-level laser treatment on deproteinized bovine bone graft in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate by immunohistochemistry the effects of low-level laser (LLL) irradiation on the expression of the receptor activator of nuclear factor -kappaB ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and the receptor activator of nuclear factor -kappaB (RANK) in deproteinized bovine bone grafts in rats. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 15 weeks were allocated to either an experimental group that underwent LLL irradiation during bone healing at the bone graft sites of the rats' calvarial bone defects or a control group. In the experimental group, gallium-aluminum-arsenide (Ga-Al-As) diode LLL (wavelength 808 nm; output 96 mW) was used to irradiate three areas on and around bone defects. The radiation was administered by the contact method for 10 s at 8.3 J/cm(2), once a day for 7 days. The total dose over the complete schedule was 40.32 J. The animals were killed on days 7, 14 or 21. The results of immunohistochemical analysis showed that the expression of RANKL (P = 0.199), OPG (P = 0.035), and RANK (P = 0.020) in the experimental group significantly increased from day 7, with a more even distribution than in the control group, and that this difference prevailed until the end of the experiment. Bone density of the experimental group after trichrome staining was also higher than in the control group. These results suggest that LLL irradiation facilitates bone metabolism during bone healing at the sites of deproteinized bovine bone grafts in rats.