Flapless single-tooth immediate implant placement.

PURPOSE: This 15-year prospective study evaluated the success rate and preservation of the gingival margin of single implants placed in a flapless procedure loaded immediately after extraction or after a healing period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immediate flapless implant placement was performed in patients who fulfilled specified inclusion criteria. Implants were either immediately restored with a provisional crown or left unloaded (received healing abutment only). Implant success and gingival margin levels were evaluated after implant placement and after 1 to 15 years. RESULTS: A total of 305 healthy nonsmoking subjects (90 men, 215 women) were treated with 430 immediate implants during a 15-year period (December 1994 to December 2009) and monitored for 1 to 15 years. Two hundred seventy-five implants received an immediate provisional crown, and 155 received a healing abutment. The implant survival rate was 93.03% (± 3.74%). The immediate provisional helped to maintain the original gingival margin, although the implant survival rate was higher for implants that were not immediately restored (96.78%) than for the implants that were immediately restored with a provisional (90.9%). CONCLUSIONS: This 15-year prospective study showed a favorable implant success rate related to the flapless immediate implant placement protocol with healing abutment placement or an immediate provisional crown to replace a single missing tooth.

In vitro evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of endodontic sealers.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the endodontic sealers: N-Rickert, Sealapex, AH Plus, Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) and portland cement. The Agar diffusion method was used in plates previously inoculated with the following microorganisms: C. albicans, S. aureus, E. faecalis, E. coli. The diameters of microbial inhibition zones were measured after 24 hours of incubation in kiln at 37 degrees C. According to the methodology used, it was possible to conclude that only the sealers AH Plus and N-Rickert presented antimicrobial activity against C. albicans, S. aureus, and E. coli; no antimicrobial activity in MTA, Sealapex and portland cement was observed. N-Rickert presented the largest inhibition zones varying from 8 to 18 mm, and the microorganism E. faecalis was resistant against all sealers tested.

[Spectrophotometric and visual analysis of internal dental bleaching utilizing laser and heat as catalyzing sources]. / Análise espectrofotométrica e visual do clareamento dental interno utilizando laser e calor como fonte catalisadora.

This experiment aimed at evaluating, in vitro, the chromatic alteration of dental crowns submitted to internal bleaching. Color alterations were evaluated by means of spectrophotometric analysis and visual observation, at the following experimental phases: initial reading (LI), after-darkening reading (LE), immediate after-bleaching reading (LC), bleaching checked after 15 days (LC15) and after 30 days (LC30). After finding the values of L* (luminosity), a* and b* (shade and saturation), which made it possible to quantify the chromatic alterations of the specimens, color differences (deltaE ) were assessed by means of the CIE Lab Program. The statistical analysis of the results did not reveal any significant difference between conventional bleaching and bleaching activated by Er:YAG laser. No statistical difference was observed between the results after 15 and 30 days, for both experimental groups.