To Splint or Not to Splint Short Dental Implants Under the Same Partial Fixed Prosthesis? One-year Post-loading Data From a Multicentre Randomised Controlled Trial

PURPOSE. To compare the clinical outcomes of two adjacent 6-mm-long dental implants splinted under the same prosthesis (control group) versus two identical implants sup-porting single crowns (test group). MATERIALS AND METHODS. Forty-seven patients with edentulous posterior (premolars and/or molars) jaws received two adjacent 6-mm-long dental implants, which were sub-merged. Four months later, at impression taking, patients were randomised to receive splinted or unsplinted definitive cemented metal-composite prostheses. Unfortunately, four patients died before randomisation and three patients lost five implants, so only 40 patients were randomised, according to a parallel-group design, to have both implants splinted under the same partial fixed prosthesis (19 patients) or with two single crowns (21 patients). Outcome measures were: prosthesis and implant failures, any complica-tions, peri-implant marginal bone level changes and patient satisfaction. Patients were followed-up to 1 year after loading. RESULTS. One patient from the splinted group dropped out. No implant failures occurred after randomisation. One complication occurred in the unsplinted group versus no complications at splinted implants, the difference not being statistically different (Fisher’s exact test P = 1.000; difference in proportions =-0.04; 95% CI-0.16 to 0.09). Both groups presented significant peri-implant marginal bone loss at 1 year after loading (P<0.05), respectively-0.36 (0.45) mm at splinted implants and-0.17 (0.31) mm at unsplinted implan-ts, but there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups (mean difference 0.19 mm; 95% CI-0.10 to 0.48; P = 0.194). All patients were fully or reasonably satisfied with the treatment, with the exception of two patients, both from the splinted group: one patient was not sure about the aesthetics, and another would not undergo the same treatment again. CONCLUSIONS. The present data seems to suggest that up to 1 year after loading the prognosis of short implants, mostly placed in mandibles characterised by dense bone quality, may not be influenced by splinting or not under the same fixed prostheses. Howe-ver, these preliminary results need to be confirmed by larger trials with follow-ups of at least 5 years

Chapter Archeological findings of ancient harbor in the pilot site of Interreg Adrion APPRODI project in Ortona (Ch, Abruzzo), central Adriatic Sea

The Interreg Adrion ‘APPRODI’ project aims at a qualitative change in the nature of tourism demand with a transnational approach and at increasing visibility of destinations. the project will allow to create the conditions for development of cultural tourism, even underwater, increasing and enhancing the historical and archaeological resources. The dive samplings allowed to find an important archaeological heritage in the seabeds in front of Ortona coast, testifying to the presence of an ancient port and maritime traffic

Early implant loading in the atrophic posterior maxilla: 1-stage lateral versus crestal sinus lift and 8 mm hydroxyapatite-coated implants. A 5-year randomised controlled trial.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of long implants (10-16 mm) inserted in maxillary sinuses augmented according to a lateral approach versus short (8 mm) implants placed in crestally augmented sinuses, early loaded after 45 days. Materials and methods: Forty partially or fully edentulous patients having 3 to 6 mm of residual crestal height and at least 4 mm in thickness below the maxillary sinuses were randomised according to a parallel group design to receive either one to three 10 to 16 mm-long hydroxyapatite-coated implants (20 patients) after lateral sinus lifting with 50% anorganic bovine (Bio-Oss) and 50% autogenous bone, or 8 mm implants (20 patients) after crestal sinus lifting with autogenous bone. Implants were submerged and left healing for 45 days before loading the implants. Within 1 week after abutment connection, implants were loaded with screw-retained full acrylic provisional prostheses. Definitive metal-ceramic prostheses were provisionally cemented 45 days after abutment connection. Outcome measures were prosthesis and implant failures, any complications, and radiographic periimplant marginal bone level changes. In addition, the stability of individual implants was assessed with Osstell and Periotest at abutment connection (baseline), and at 1 and 5 years after loading by blinded outcome assessors. All patients were followed up to 5 years after loading. Results: One patient dropped out (death) from the longer implant group. One implant failed in the short implant group versus 5 implants in 3 patients of the longer implant group. The difference was not statistically significant. Four complications occurred in 4 patients of the short implant group versus 8 complications in 7 patients of the long implant group, the difference being not statistically significantly different. However, the 2 major postoperative complications occurred in the longer implant group: 1 abscess, and 1 sinusitis that led to the complete failure of the treatment in 2 patients (4 implants lost). A total of 0.72 mm of peri-implant marginal bone was lost after 5 years at long implants and 0.41 mm at short implants, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.028). Osstell values increased and Periotest decreased over time and there were no differences between groups at any time points. Conclusions: In atrophic maxillary sinuses with a residual bone height of 3 to 6 mm, 8 mm short implants placed in a simultaneously crestally lifted sinus might be a preferable choice than a 1-stage lateral sinus lift for placing longer implants since they appear to be associated with less morbidity. If these implants are placed with an insertion torque >35 Ncm and are joined together under the same prosthesis, they can be early loaded at 6 weeks

Chapter Archeological findings of ancient harbor in the pilot site of Interreg Adrion APPRODI project in Ortona (Ch, Abruzzo), central Adriatic Sea

The Interreg Adrion ‘APPRODI’ project aims at a qualitative change in the nature of tourism demand with a transnational approach and at increasing visibility of destinations. the project will allow to create the conditions for development of cultural tourism, even underwater, increasing and enhancing the historical and archaeological resources. The dive samplings allowed to find an important archaeological heritage in the seabeds in front of Ortona coast, testifying to the presence of an ancient port and maritime traffic

Notulae to the Italian flora of algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens: 4

In this contribution, new data concerning bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records and confirmations for the bryophyte genera Campylopus, Paludella, Tortula, and Conocephalum, the fungal genera Agonimia, Buelliella, Entorrhiza, Filicupula, Poronia, and Sporisorium, the lichen genera Cladonia, Dibaeis, Lasallia, and Rhizocarpon