Repair of a Gingival Fenestration Using an Acellular Dermal Matrix Allograft.

A case report illustrating the successful treatment of a gingival fenestration with an acellular dermal matrix (ADM) allograft. After 2½ months of healing, the ADM was completely integrated into the soft tissues of the mandibular anterior gingiva with complete resolution of the gingival fenestration, resulting in excellent gingival esthetics.

Modified approach to the Bio-Col ridge preservation technique: a case report.

With today's esthetic conscious population, the day of simply extracting a tooth and replacing it at a later date is unacceptable to many patients. It is vital to preserve and maintain the edentulous ridge and normal gingival architecture, which often collapses after tooth extraction. As clinicians, we must have multiple techniques available to preserve or restore the function and esthetics when teeth are unrestorable. This case report describes a modified approach to the "Bio-Col Technique." This modification simplifies the procedure without compromising the esthetic result.

Evaluation of pluronic polyols as carriers for grafting materials: study in rat calvaria defects.

BACKGROUND: Pluronic polyols are a family of non-ionic surfactants currently used as drug carriers for antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-neoplastic agents. Therapeutic administration of non-ionic surface-active agents is known to facilitate early collagen synthesis and microcirculation, thus promoting wound healing. The purpose of this study was to determine the in vivo effects of pluronic polyols combined with either an allograft or an alloplast on the healing of critical-sized calvarial defects. METHODS: One hundred fifty (150) adult (95 to 105 days old) male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing between 375 and 425 g were randomly and evenly assigned to each of 15 separate treatment groups and anesthetized, and 8 mm calvarial critical-sized defects were created. Pluronic F-68 (F-68) or pluronic F-127 (F-127) was administered either topically or systemically and in conjuction with demineralized bone powder (DBP), tricalcium phosphate (TCP), or non-grafted controls. Pluronic polyols are easily mixed with either DBP or TCP to improve handling ease. Calvaria were harvested at 12 weeks postsurgery and evaluated histomorphometrically, by contact radiography with subsequent densitometric analysis, through energy spectrometry utilizing a scanning electron microscope, and by fluorescent microscopy. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the percentage of bone fill among the control, TCP, and DBP only groups, P <0.05. The only significant difference within any of these groups was between the TCP control and TCP plus systemic F-127, P<0.05. CONCLUSIONS: Although there were isolated differences, the overall trend was that the pluronic polyol and the mode of administration did not result in a significant change in bone wound healing as measured by the percentage of bone fill. Pluronic polyols may be considered as carriers for osseous graft materials.