Survival Rates of Amalgam and Composite Resin Restorations from Big Data Real-Life Databases in the Era of Restricted Dental Mercury Use.

Tooth decay, also known as caries, is a significant medical problem that harms teeth. Treatment is based on the removal of the carious material and then filling the cavity left in the tooth, most commonly with amalgam or composite resin. The consequences of filling failure include repeating the filling or performing another treatment such as a root canal or extraction. Dental amalgam contains mercury, and there is a global effort to reduce its use. However, no consensus has been reached regarding whether amalgam or composite resin materials are more durable, and which is the best restorative material, when using randomized clinical trials. To determine which material is superior, we performed a retrospective cohort study using a large database where the members of 58 dental clinics with 440 dental units were treated. The number of failures of the amalgam compared to composite resin restorations between 2014 and 2021 were compared. Our data included information from over 650,000 patients. Between 2014-2021, 260,905 patients were treated. In total, 19,692 out of the first 113,281 amalgam restorations failed (17.49%), whereas significantly fewer composite restorations failed (11.98%) with 65,943 out of 555,671. This study indicates that composite is superior to amalgam and therefore it is reasonable to cease using mercury-containing amalgam.

A novel porcine dentin-derived bone graft material provides effective site stability for implant placement after tooth extraction: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: Assessment of the clinical performance of a porcine dentin-derived particulate bone graft material for bone regeneration after tooth extraction with implant placement at 4 months, in comparison to a commercially available porcine bone-derived graft. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was a randomized, parallel-group, semi-double-blinded clinical trial evaluating the clinical safety, tolerability, and performance of Ivory Dentin Graft™ in comparison with a commercial bone-derived material in alveolar ridge preservation following tooth extraction (registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, May 12th, 2017, Identifier NCT03150472). Extraction sites were grafted with test or comparator material and a titanium implant placed at 4 months after taking a graft site biopsy. Primary endpoints were the extent of new bone growth and bone-graft integration at 4 months. RESULTS: The dentin graft material had statistically significantly more new bone formation (60.75% vs 42.81%, p = 0.0084, N = 20 vs 16), better bone-graft integration scores (good integration in 85% vs 40%, p = 0.0066), and higher mean radiodensity of the bone (981.5HU vs 727.7HU, p = 0.0011) at the graft site compared to the bone-derived material. The mean implant insertion torque force was similar for the dentin and bone materials (34.75 Ncm vs 34.06 Ncm). Titanium implant placement was successful in 95% of patients with the dentin graft material compared to 81.25% for the bone graft. Both materials had similar clinical safety and tolerability as determined by adverse events and local site reactions. Physician-assessed ease of grafting and ease of implant placement on a 10-point scale showed no statistical differences (8.78 vs 8.27, p = 0.2355; 8.05 vs 8.75, p = 0.1118, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: A porcine dentin-derived bone graft material has clinical safety, tolerability, and performance for implant placement at 4 months after tooth extraction at least as good as a commercial bone-derived material. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The availability of porcine dentin-derived bone graft material allows wider use of dentin-derived material which has so far only been available in the form of autologous dentin from the patient's own teeth.

Dental implants in medically complex patients-a retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: Dental implant insertion for oral rehabilitation is a worldwide procedure for healthy and medically compromised patients. The impact of systemic disease risks on the outcome of implant therapy is unclear, since there are few if any published randomized controlled trials (RCTs). OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the rate of complications and failures following dental implantation in medically compromised patients in order to elucidate risk factors and prevent them. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted from patient files treated with dental implantation between the years 2008-2014. The study group consisted of medically complex patients while the control group consisted of healthy patients. Preoperative, intraoperative, and post operative clinical details were retrieved from patients' files. The survival rate and the success rate of the dental implants were evaluated clinically and radiographically. RESULTS: A total of 204 patients (1003 dental implants) were included in the research, in the study group, 93 patients with 528 dental implants and in the control group, 111 patients with 475 dental implants. No significant differences were found between the groups regarding implant failures or complications. The failure rate of dental implants among the patients was 11.8 % in the study group and 16.2 % in the control group (P = 0.04). It was found that patients with a higher number of implants (mean 6.8) had failures compared with patients with a lower number of implants (mean 4.2) regardless of their health status (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We found a similar rate of failure and complications of dental implantation in medically complex patients and in healthy patients. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Medically complex patients can undergo dental implantation. There are similar rates of complications and failures of dental implants in medically complex patients and in healthy patients.

How Patients Percept Their Recovery Following Impacted Mandibular Third Molar Coronectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the quality of life (QOL), side effects, risks, and complications following mandibular third molar coronectomy compared with conventional third molar extraction. METHODS: Sixty-nine patients referred for extraction of impacted mandibular third molars were prospectively studied. The decision to perform coronectomy was made according to radiological data indicative of a risk for inferior alveolar nerve injury. The patients were asked to fill out a questionnaire on their QOL during the first postoperative week, and the surgeon was asked to fill out a questionnaire on these patients' demographic, clinical, and radiological details as well as surgery-related data. The study participants were followed up for at least 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS: Thirty-four of the 69 patients underwent coronectomy (study group) and 35 underwent full extraction (control group(. There was no group difference in QOL scores during the first postoperative week. There was no patient of nerve injury in either group. No complications were found in the postoperative period. Two patients of coronectomy necessitate residual tooth removal prior to planned orthodontic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These patients' QOL are similar to those for patients following total extraction. No difference in side effects following procedure was found between coronectomy and total extraction. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Coronectomy of impacted mandibular third molars may be offered instead of total extraction in patients presenting radiological characteristics of root proximity to the inferior alveolar nerve.

General Anesthesia for Dental Treatment in a Patient With Huntington's Chorea.

General dentists may be challenged with treating patients with neurodegenerative brain disorders. The primary goal in general anesthesia for these patients is to provide airway protection and a rapid and safe recovery. This article discusses factors that are of significant concern to the dentist-anesthesiologist team treating patients with Huntington's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. It includes a case report that describes the treatment of a patient with a neurodegenerative disease characterized by uncontrolled movements and which required general anesthesia. The safety of the used necessary medication is accentuated.