Periodontal manifestation of Langerhans' cell histiocytosis in a young man: case report with a 24-month follow-up.

A 25-year-old male patient with skin lesions of Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH) was referred for periodontal treatment because of bilateral severely inflamed ulcerative periodontal lesions at the mandibular second premolar and first molar. On the left side, significant bone loss was revealed. Anti-infectious and surgical periodontal therapy resulted in significant probing pocket depth reduction and clinical attachment gains that were maintained for up to 24 months after surgery. Biopsies were taken during periodontal surgery. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the periodontal lesions were uncommon periodontal manifestations of LCH. Reports of oral manifestation of LCH and treatment methods are reviewed.

Accuracy of assessing infrabony defects using a special digital filter for periodontal bone loss.

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy of linear measurements of bone loss within infrabony defects on digitized radiographs after digital filtering particularly designed to image periodontal bone loss. METHODS: Before surgery, 50 standardized radiographs of 50 infrabony defects were obtained. Intrasurgically the distances from the cementoenamel-junction (CEJ) to the alveolar crest (AC), from the CEJ to the bottom of the bony defect (BD), and the depth of the infrabony component (INFRA) were assessed. All radiographs were digitized and the distances CEJ-AC, CEJ-BD, and INFRA were measured on digitized but unchanged radiographs and after use of the filter. RESULTS: There was a small overestimation of CEJ-AC (0.35-0.68 mm) and underestimation of CEJ-BD (0.84-1.12 mm) and INFRA (0.66-0.76 mm). Accuracy of measurement of the distance CEJ-AC was influenced by vertical angulation difference (P= 0.047) and the intrasurgical CEJ-AC (P= 0.003). Accuracy of CEJ-BD was influenced by intrasurgically assessed bone loss (P= 0.012). Accuracy of INFRA was influenced by individual patient, intrasurgically assessed INFRA (P< 0.001), and filter (P= 0.018).

Radiographic parameters for prognosis of periodontal healing of infrabony defects: two different definitions of defect depth.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate defect width and two different definitions of defect depth as prognostic factors of periodontal healing in infrabony defects treated by regenerative therapy 6 and 24 months after surgery. METHODS: In 32 patients with moderate to advanced periodontitis, 50 infrabony defects were treated by the guided tissue regeneration (GTR) technique using non-resorbable or bioabsorbable barriers. Clinical parameters were assessed, and 50 triplets of standardized radiographs were taken before surgery and 6 and 24 months after surgery. Using a computer-assisted analysis, the distances cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) to alveolar crest (AC), CEJ to bony defect (BD), horizontal projection of the most coronal extension of the bony wall to the root surface to BD, width, and angle of the bony defects were measured. Depth of the bony defect was 1) calculated as CEJ-BD minus CEJ-AC (INFRA1) and 2) measured as horizontal projection of the most coronal extension of the bony wall to the root surface to BD (INFRA2). RESULTS: Whereas statistically significant vertical clinical attachment level gains (CAL-V: 3.36 +/- 1.59 mm/ 3.41 +/- 1.72 mm; P < 0.001) could be found both 6 and 24 months after surgery, bony fill (0.70 +/- 2.52 mm; P = 0.056/1.21 +/- 2.55 mm; P < 0.005) was significant 24 months post-surgically only. In a multilevel regression analysis, CAL-V gain was predicted by bioabsorbable membrane (P = 0.005), baseline probing depths (PD) (P < 0.001), and actual smoking (P < 0.05). Bony fill could be predicted by baseline depth of the infrabony component as determined by INFRA2 (P < 0.05), angulation of bony defect (P < 0.005), and gingival index at baseline (P < 0.001). In narrow (< 37 degrees) and deep (> or = 4 mm) infrabony defects, bony fill was more pronounced than in wide and shallow defects (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Improvement achieved by GTR in infrabony defects can be maintained up to 24 months after surgery. Narrow and deep infrabony defects respond radiographically and are to some extent clinically more favorable to GTR therapy than are wide and shallow defects. The infrabony component of bony defects, as determined by the distance from the most coronal extension of the lateral bony wall to BD (INFRA2), is a better predictor of bony fill than that determined by AC-BD (INFRA1).

Comparison of clinical, radiographic, and histometric measurements following treatment with guided tissue regeneration or enamel matrix proteins in human periodontal defects.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiographic parameters with the histometric findings following 2 different regenerative procedures in humans. METHODS: Fourteen advanced intrabony defects at teeth scheduled for extraction were randomly treated as follows: 8 with guided tissue regeneration (GTR) using bioabsorbable barriers and 6 with an enamel matrix protein derivative (EMD). Standardized radiographs, probing depths (PD), and attachment levels (CAL) at baseline and 6 months after therapy were evaluated and compared to the histometric measurements made following the removal of teeth and surrounding tissues 6 months after the surgery. RESULTS: Significant PD reductions (GTR: -5.62 mm; EMD: -5.00 mm) and CAL gains (GTR: 3.87 mm; EMD: 2.67 mm) were observed in both groups. Six months after surgery, minor resorptions of the alveolar crest (AC) (GTR: 0.40 mm; EMD: 0.33 mm) and bony gain at the bottom of the defects (GTR: 0.47 mm; EMD: 1.05 mm) were observed radiographically. No statistically significant differences in the change of clinical and radiographic parameters between the GTR and EMD groups were found. Histometrically, significant amounts of new connective tissue attachment (i.e., cementum with inserting collagen fibers) were observed in both groups (GTR: 2.29 mm; EMD: 1.81 mm). Bone regeneration was found to be significant only in the GTR group (GTR: 1.93 mm; EMD: 0.78 mm). However, the study lacked statistical power for determining equivalence between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of the present study, it may be concluded that at 6 months after GTR or enamel matrix protein derivative therapy, formation of new cementum and bone may be histometrically demonstrated. Except for the formation of new bone, no statistically significant differences between both therapies could be seen for clinical, radiographic, and histometric results 6 months after surgery.

Proximal contact formation with different restorative materials and techniques.

PURPOSE: To determine, whether different tooth colored materials and application techniques influence the proximal contact strengths (PCS) in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Standardized MO-cavities for direct restorations were prepared into 360 artificial lower first molars. Eight groups were formed (n = 45) and restored with amalgam (1), low (2, 3), medium (4, 5) and high (6, 7) viscosity hybrid composites and compared to the original contact strengths of the unprepared teeth (8). The restored teeth were mounted into a socket simulating physiological tooth mobility. PCS were quantified by measuring the forces necessary for passing the proximal contact with floss under standardized conditions using a universal testing machine. RESULTS: PCS ranged from 1.32 +/- 0.56 N for the low viscosity composite to 9.90 +/- 1.98 N for the Amalgam restoration. Medium (5.65 +/- 1.08 N) and high viscosity hybrid composites (5.90 +/- 1.45 N) inserted in a multi-layer technique showed no statistically significant differences to the original PCS of the unprepared teeth (5.76 +/- 0.53 N).