Longitudinal analysis of microcirculatory parameters in gingival tissues after tooth extraction in patients with different risk profiles for wound healing disorders - a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to establish a risk profile for intraoral wound healing disorders based on measurements of microcirculation in gingival tissues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Oxygen saturation (SO2) and blood flow in gingival tissues were measured with tissue spectrometry and laser doppler spectroscopy in 37 patients before/after tooth extractions. Patients were assigned to four groups: anamnestically and periodontally healthy patients (n = 7), anamnestically healthy but suffering from periodontitis (n = 10), anamnestically healthy but smoking and suffering from periodontitis (n = 10) and suffering from diabetes and periodontitis (n = 10). Measurements were performed at three different time points: Baseline measurement (T0), one day post extractionem (p.e.) (T1) and seven days p.e. (T2). RESULTS: Baseline SO2 values were higher in control patients (p = .038). This effect was most evident in comparison to smokers suffering from periodontitis (p = .042), followed by diabetics suffering from periodontitis (p = .09). An opposite trend was seen for blood flow. Patients suffering from periodontitis demonstrated higher blood flow values (p = .012). Five patients, which belonged to the group of smokers suffering from periodontitis, showed clinically a delayed wound healing. CONCLUSION: Differences in SO2 and blood flow of gingival tissue could be detected in different groups of patients with existing periodontitis compared to control patients. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Lower baseline SO2 values could be a warning signal for possible wound healing disorders after oral surgery.

Autophagy Induces Expression of IL-6 in Human Periodontal Ligament Fibroblasts Under Mechanical Load and Overload and Effects Osteoclastogenesis in vitro.

Objective: Autophagy is an important cellular adaptation mechanism to mechanical stress. In animal experiments, inhibition of autophagy during orthodontic tooth movement triggered increased expression of inflammation-related genes and decreased bone density. The aim of this study was to investigate how autophagy affects cytokine levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in human periodontal ligament (hPDL) fibroblasts under mechanical pressure and the resulting influence on osteoblast communication. Methods: hPDL fibroblasts were subjected to physiologic mechanical load, constant overload, or rapamycin treatment for 16 to 24 h ± autophagy inhibitor 3-MA. Autophagosomes were quantified by flow cytometry. Gene expression of il-6 as well as IL-6 levels in the supernatant were determined with rtPCR and ELISA. To investigate the influence of mechanically-induced autophagy on cell-cell communication, an osteoblast-culture was subjected to supernatant from stimulated hPDL fibroblasts ± soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R). After 24 h, osteoprotegerin (opg) and receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (rankl) gene expressions were detected with rtPCR. Gene expression of a disintegrin and metalloproteinases (adam) 10 and 17 in stimulated hPDL fibroblasts was examined via rtPCR. Results: Autophagy was induced by biomechanical stress in hPDL fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner. Mechanical load and overload increased IL-6 expression at gene and protein level. Autophagy inhibition further enhanced the effects of mechanical stimulation on IL-6 expression. Mechanical stimulation of hPDL fibroblasts downregulated adam10 and adam17 expressions. Inhibition of autophagy had stimulus-intensity depending effects: autophagy inhibition alone or additional application of physiological stress enhanced adam10 and adam17 expressions, whereas mechanical overload had adverse effects. Osteoblasts showed significantly reduced opg expression in the presence of supernatant derived of hPDL fibroblasts treated with autophagy inhibitor and sIL-6R. Conclusion: IL-6 levels were increased in response to pressure in hPDL fibroblasts, which was further enhanced by autophagy inhibition. This caused a decrease in opg expression in osteoblasts. This may serve as an explanatory model for accelerated tooth movement observed under autophagy inhibition, but may also represent a risk factor for uncontrolled bone loss.

Influence of Clinical Parameters on the Primary Stability of a Tapered Dental Implant: A Retrospective Analysis.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of different clinical parameters on the primary stability of a variable thread tapered implant system with a focus on surgical undersizing protocols. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated patients who received NobelActive implants in a single institution. The relationship between the independent variables, bone quality, implant diameter, implant length, implantation time, region of the jaw, and surgical undersizing protocol, and the dependent variable, maximum insertion torque, was investigated. Statistical analysis was conducted using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: A total of 1,292 implants placed in 574 fully or partially edentulous patients were evaluated. For the total sample size, without further differentiation between bone qualities, statistically significantly higher primary stability values were shown for an 8% to 9% undersized group (50.33 ± 17.16 Ncm), compared with a 16% undersized group (41.88 ± 17.63 Ncm), a 20% undersized group (33.65 ± 15.78 Ncm), a 26% to 28% undersized group (34.53 ± 15.49 Ncm), and a 35% to 44% undersized group (32.78 ± 18.80 Ncm). No statistical differences were found for undersizing protocols in bone quality 4. Bone quality had the highest influence on primary stability (Welch-Test F(3, 65.57) = 119.48, P < .001, η2 = .20). Contrary to the other investigated independent variables, no statistically significant differences in primary stability were found for the different implantation times. CONCLUSION: Undersizing protocols exceeding 8% to 9% do not seem to enhance primary stability values. Further studies are needed to investigate the biologic consequences of undersizing, including the impact of implant design characteristics.

Long-Term Efficacy of Variable-Thread Tapered Implants-A Retrospective, Clinical and Radiological Evaluation.

Background and Objective: There is multifaceted evidence that variable-thread tapered implants (VTTIs) offer high primary stability but few regarding the long-term success. This retrospective clinical and radiological cohort study assessed the long-term outcome of VTTIs. Material and Methods: All patients treated in an OMFS practice with NobelActive Internal® VTTI between October 2007 and September 2011 were invited for clinical examination. The outcome variables were (i) survival rate, (ii) implant success according to the "Health Scale for Dental Implants" and (iii) prevalence of peri-implantitis. Furthermore, the effect of local and systemic risk factors was investigated. Results: In 81 subjects (46 females and 35 males, mean age 65.6 years) 270 implants (157 VTTIs and 113 others as a control group) were analyzed. In 7 out of 81 patients (8.6%), 8 out of 157 VTTIs (5.1%) and 5 out of 113 other implants (4.4%) were lost. Peri-implantitis, defined as (i) presence of bleeding on gentle probing (0.25 N) or exudation and (ii) radiographic bone loss exceeding 0.5 mm since implant insertion to last follow-up, was the most common reason for implant loss (11 out of 13, 84.6%). Sixty-six out of 87 VTTIs (75.9%) were successful. Seventeen out of 42 patients (40.5%) developed peri-implantitis on 29 out of 79 VTTI sites (36.7%). Plaque and missing keratinized peri-implant mucosa were identified as potential risk factors for the development of peri-implantitis. Conclusion: Variable-thread tapered implants showed good long-term results, even in low bone quality. Peri-implantitis was the most common reason for implant failure and may be connected to certain risk factors.