Evaluation of Extraction Site Dimensions and Density Using Computed Tomography Treated With Different Graft Materials: A Preliminary Study

Purpose:The preliminary human study was designed to evaluate extraction site changes using CT after socket preservation (SP) with different materials.Materials and Methods:Fifty-two sockets from 17 Turkish individuals (8 women and 9 men; mean age 44.70 9.99 years) localized at the maxillary anterior area were treated with demineralized bone matrix + collagen membrane (CM) (N = 14), hydroxyapatite bone substitute (HBS) + CM (N = 14), CM (N = 13), or left empty (N = 11). CT scans were taken 10 and 120 days after the procedure. Horizontal and vertical socket dimensions and Hounsfield unit (HU) values were evaluated.Results:First 3 groups showed a significant horizontal decrease from day 10 to 120. No significant change was detected in vertical socket dimension. For both horizontal and vertical, no intergroup difference was detected at days 10 and 120. At days 10 and 120, HU values in HBS + CM group were significantly higher compared with others. Apical and coronal HU values were not different at any period.Conclusion:Even if it did not provide better socket dimensions, HBS + CM treatment brought higher tissue density and thus, can be recommended to increase the bone quality and implant success after SP in upper anterior area

Vertical and horizontal dimensional evaluation of free gingival grafts in the anterior mandible: a case report series

The shrinkage of free gingival grafts ( FGGs) is a well-known clinical phenomenon but there are limited studies demonstrating the dimensional changes during healing in FGGs. The aim of the study is to examine the shrinkage of FGG in both horizontal and vertical dimensions and calculate the changes in the surface area of the graft at early and delayed periods of healing. The FGG procedure was applied to 15 consecutive patients in their mandibular anterior area. The graft sizes and areas were measured and the shrinkage of the graft was calculated at baseline and days 10, 21 and 180. Hemorrhage, sense alteration and pain symptoms were also examined. Change in the horizontal direction was not statistically significant during the whole study period ( p> 0.05). However, there was a statistically significant reduction in the vertical direction in all visits, except day 10 ( p< 0.05). Calculated graft area was also significantly reduced during the study period at all time-points compared to the baseline ( p< 0.001). At day 10, 4 (26.7%) recipient sites and 5 (33%) donor sites demonstrated paresthesia. Only one ( 0.07%) recipient site demonstrated paresthesia at day 21 where the donor site resulted with an uneventful healing. At day 10, 5 ( 33%) patients demonstrated bleeding at their donor regions and resulted with a complete cessation of bleeding at day 21. Pain symptom was found in 8 (53.3%) recipient sites where 3 (20%) donor regions presented pain symptom at day 10. Graft shrinkage in the vertical dimension seems to affect the clinical outcomes of the FGG procedure. However, the influence of horizontal graft shrinkage was minimal