Breath malodor

Breath odor research has recently received increasing attention from periodontologists. Because a large portion of the adult population suffers from gingivitis and eventually periodontitis, the etiologic factor in all cases at risk must be considered. The first patient visit should, therefore, systematically include examination of the paranasal cavities and throat to avoid unnecessary time loss and frustration. Metabolic diseases and imaginary malodor should also be considered, Not only the mere presence of a chairside volatile sulfide monitor but also of that of an ear, nose, and throat specialist and eventually a psychiatrist or psychologist who determines whether a breath odor clinic merits its denomination. Volatile sulfur components are an important cause of breath malodor but they are not the sole cause, This explains why organoleptic and gas chromatographic diagnosis scores better than a portable sulfide monitor. Other than etiologic therapy, masking can be achieved for a number of hours by toothpastes containing a combination of triclosan and zinc chloride

COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY IN THE PREOPERATIVE PLANNING OF ORAL ENDO-OSSEOUS IMPLANT-SURGERY

Computed tomography (CT) is a well-established aid in the preoperative assessment of the dimension of mandible and maxilla for endo-osseous implant installation. CT is a valuable tool for the measurement of the alveolar ridge and recognition of the course of the inferior alveolar nerve canal. In the present study, three different techniques were examined: normal CT images with coronal and sagittal slices, standard reconstructions based on axial slices, and multiplanar reconstruction and display (MPR/MPD), also based on axial slices. Six dissected human jaw bones were examined with these three techniques. Afterwards, these jaws were sawn, and the real values were measured. Comparing these scores with the radiological measurements, the standard reconstruction technique seemed the most reliable method in the preoperative examination of the jaw bone quality and bone proportion.status: publishe

THE INFLUENCE OF SURFACE-FREE ENERGY ON SUPRAGINGIVAL AND SUBGINGIVAL PLAQUE MICROBIOLOGY - AN IN-VIVO STUDY ON IMPLANTS

THE INFLUENCE OF SURFACE FREE ENERGY on supra- and subgingival plaque microbiology was examined in 9 patients with functional fixed prostheses supported by endosseous titanium implants. Two abutments (trans-mucosal part of the 2 stage implant) were replaced by either a new titanium abutment or a fluor-ethylene-propylene (FEP) coated abutment per subject. After 3 months of habitual oral hygiene, plaque samples were taken. Supragingival plaque was examined by means of differential phase-contrast microscopy, whereas for the subgingivial plaque additional analyses (DNA probes analysis, culturing) were performed. The subgingival samples were taken by paper-points and by scraping of the subgingival abutment surface. Differential phase-contrast microscopy showed a significant difference in plaque composition, especially when supragingival plaque was considered (P = 0.05). FEP coated abutments frequently harbored more coccoid microorganisms, whereas spirochetes or motile organisms were only detected around titanium abutments. Subgingivally, the number of colony forming units (CFU) in paper-points was comparable for both types of abutments. If the to-the-abutment-adhering plaque was considered, the number of CFU was 5 times higher on the titanium abutments than on the FEP coated abutments. However, this difference did not reach a statistical level of significance (P = 0.38). The DNA probe analysis of the subgingival plaque collected with paper-points showed a slightly higher frequency and concentration of perio-pathogens around the titanium abutments. However, the inter-substratum differences were smaller than the inter-subject differences. The latter seemed to be related to patient's dental status. These results indicate that lowering the surface-free energy of intra-oral hard surfaces results in a reduction in bacterial colonization and in a retardation in its maturation in the supragingival area. For the subgingival area, the influence of this surface characteristic is not as obvious