Periodontal status among adolescents in Georgia. A pathfinder study

Objectives. The aim of the present pathfinder study was to screen and map the periodontal status of Georgian population in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organization for population based surveys. Methods. During 2012, a pathfinder study was conducted to collect this data. For the periodontal portion of the study, 15-year-old school children were examined in the capital city of Tbilisi as well as in two other large cities and 4 smaller villages. All participants were examined by a trained dental team in a classroom using a dental mirror and a periodontal probe. Periodontal examination included plaque scores, calculus scores, probing depth measurements and bleeding on probing. These measurements were recorded for the Ramfjord index teeth. Results. A total of 397 15-year-old participants were examined in this pathfinder study. There were 240 females (60.45%) and 157 males (39.55%). Of the total participants 196 (49.37%) were urban adolescents while 201 (50.63%) were from rural communities. Mean probing depth was 3.34 ± 0.57 mm with a range of 1 to 10 mm; a relatively high proportion (34.26%) of these subjects presented with at least one site with pockets of 5 mm or deeper. Males presented with greater plaque, calculus and probing depths than females. When urban and rural populations were compared, urban participants presented with more plaque, probing depths and bleeding on probing. Greater pocket depths were found to be related to the presence of plaque calculus and bleeding on probing. Conclusions. Overall, rather high incidences of periodontal pockets ≥ 5 mm were detected in this population. This data should serve to prepare further more detailed epidemiological studies that will serve to plan and implement prevent and treat strategies for periodontal diseases in Georgia and also help make manpower decisions

The Effect of Partially Exposed Connective Tissue Graft on Root‐Coverage Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

The aim of this systematic review was to compare the root‐coverage outcomes of using a partially exposed connective tissue graft (CTG) technique with a fully covered CTG technique for root coverage. An electronic search up to February 28th, 2017, was performed to identify human clinical studies with data comparing outcomes of root coverage using CTG, with and without a partially exposed graft. Five clinical studies were selected for inclusion in this review. For each study, the gain of keratinized gingiva, reduction of recession depth, number of surgical sites achieving complete root coverage, percentage of root coverage, gain of tissue thickness, and changes of probing depth and clinical attachment level were recorded. Meta‐analysis for the comparison of complete root coverage between the two techniques presented no statistically significant differences. A statistically significant gain of keratinized tissue in favor of the sites with an exposed CTG and a tendency of greater reduction in recession depth were seen at the sites with a fully covered CTG. Based on the results, the use of a partially exposed CTG in root‐coverage procedures could achieve greater gain in keratinized gingiva, while a fully covered CTG might be indicated for procedures aiming to reduce recession depth

Effect of Membrane Exposure on Guided Bone Regeneration: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

Aims: This review aimed at investigating the effect of membrane exposure on guided bone regeneration (GBR) outcomes at peri-implant sites and edentulous ridges. Material and Methods: Electronic and manual literature searches were conducted by two independent reviewers using four databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, for articles up to February 2017. Articles were included if they were human clinical trials or case series reporting outcomes of GBR procedures with and without membrane exposure. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted, and the weighted mean difference (WMD) between the two groups and 95% confidence interval (CI) were reported. Results: Overall, eight articles were included in the quantitative analysis. The WMD of the horizontal bone gain at edentulous ridges was −76.24% (95% CI = −137.52% to −14.97%, p = .01) between sites with membrane exposure and without exposure. In addition, the WMD of the dehiscence reduction at peri- implant sites was −27.27% (95% CI of −45.87% to −8.68%, p = .004). Both analyses showed significantly favorable outcomes at the sites without membrane exposure. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, membrane exposure after GBR procedures has a significant detrimental influence on the outcome of bone augmentation. For the edentulous ridges, the sites without membrane exposure achieved 74% more horizontal bone gain than the sites with exposure. For peri-implant dehiscence defects, the sites without membrane exposure had 27% more defect reduction than the sites with exposure

Goodbye to Meltzer-Richard: Testing major theories of redistribution

We re-analyse four major explanations of redistribution including the Meltzer-Richard model, power resources theory, Iversen-Soskice’s political institutions explanation, and Lupu and Ponstusson’s skewness theory. For each of these, we reconsider the causal chain and test their assumptions using a comprehensive, original dataset on working-age income-inequality consisting of 589 country-years for affluent democracies in the period 1963–2019. We find that partisan governments are directly related to redistribution and have a strong effect on the generosity of social policy. Lupu and Pontusson’s skew measure has no effect on redistribution in models with controls but does have a positive effect on generosity of social policy. Finally, we find that the mean-to-median income ratio has a consistent, negative, and highly significant effect on redistribution, directly refuting the very premise of the Meltzer-Richard model

Treatment Alternatives to Negotiate Peri-Implantitis

Peri-implant diseases are becoming a major health issue in dentistry. Despite the magnitude of this problem and the potential grave consequences, commonly acceptable treatment protocols are missing. Hence, the present paper reviews the literature treatment of peri-implantitis in order to explore their benefits and limitations. Treatment of peri-implantitis may include surgical and nonsurgical approaches, either individually or combined. Nonsurgical therapy is aimed at removing local irritants from the implants’ surface with or without surface decontamination and possibly some additional adjunctive therapies agents or devices. Systemic antibiotics may also be incorporated. Surgical therapy is aimed at removing any residual subgingival deposits and additionally reducing the peri-implant pockets depth. This can be done alone or in conjunction with either osseous respective approach or regenerative approach. Finally, if all fails, explantation might be the best alternative in order to arrest the destruction of the osseous structure around the implant, thus preserving whatever is left in this site for future reconstruction. The available literature is still lacking with large heterogeneity in the clinical response thus suggesting possible underlying predisposing conditions that are not all clear to us. Therefore, at present time treatment of peri-implantitis should be considered possible but not necessarily predictable

Minimal invasive horizontal ridge augmentation using subperiosteal tunneling technique

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the prognosis of minimal invasive horizontal ridge augmentation (MIHRA) technique using small incision and subperiosteal tunneling technique. METHODS: This study targeted 25 partially edentulous patients (10 males and 15 females, mean age 48.8 ± 19.7 years) who needed bone graft for installation of the implants due to alveolar bone deficiency. The patients took the radiographic exam, panoramic and periapical view at first visit, and had implant fixture installation surgery. All patients received immediate or delayed implant surgery with bone graft using U-shaped incision and tunneling technique. After an average of 2.8 months, the prosthesis was connected and functioned. The clinical prognosis was recorded by observation of the peri-implant tissue at every visit. A year after restoration, the crestal bone loss around the implant was measured by taking the follow-up radiographs. One patient took 3D-CT before bone graft, after bone graft, and 2 years after restoration to compare and analyze change of alveolar bone width. RESULTS: This study included 25 patients and 39 implants. Thirty eight implants (97.4 %) survived. As for postoperative complications, five patients showed minor infection symptoms, like swelling and tenderness after bone graft. The other one had buccal fenestration, and secondary bone graft was done by the same technique. No complications related with bone graft were found except in these patients. The mean crestal bone loss around the implants was 0.03 mm 1 year after restoration, and this was an adequate clinical prognosis. A patient took 3D-CT after bone graft, and the width of alveolar bone increased 4.32 mm added to 4.6 mm of former alveolar bone width. Two years after bone graft, the width of alveolar bone was 8.13 mm, and this suggested that the resorption rate of bone graft material was 18.29 % during 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: The bone graft material retained within a pouch formed using U-shaped incision and tunneling technique resulted with a few complications, and the prognosis of the implants placed above the alveolar bone was adequate

Repeated delivery of chlorhexidine chips for the treatment of periimplantitis: A multicenter, randomized, comparative clinical trial.

"This is the peer reviewed version of the following article:Machtei, EE, Romanos, G, Kang, P, et al. Repeated delivery of chlorhexidine chips for the treatment of periimplantitis: A multicenter, randomized, comparative clinical trial. J Periodontol. 2020; 1– 10. https://doi.org/10.1002/JPER.20-0353 which has been published in final form at doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/JPER.20-0353 . This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions."BACKGROUND: Periimplantitis is a challenging condition to manage and is frequently treated using non-surgical debridement. The local delivery of antimicrobial agents has demonstrated benefit in mild to moderate cases of periimplantitis. This study compared the safety and efficacy of Chlorhexidine gluconate 2.5 mg chip (CHX chips) as an adjunctive treatment to sub-gingival debridement in patients afflicted with periimplantitis. METHODS: A multi-center, randomized, single-blind, two-arm, parallel Phase-3 study was conducted. Periimplantitis patients with implant pocket depths (IPD) of 5-8 mm underwent sub-gingival implant surface debridement followed by repeated bi-weekly supra-gingival plaque removal and Chlorhexidine chips application (ChxC group) for 12 weeks, or similar therapy but without application of ChxC (control group). All patients were followed for 24 weeks. Plaque and gingival indices were measured at every visit while IPD, recession and bleeding on probing were assessed at 8,12,16,24 week. RESULTS: 290 patients were included: 146 in the ChxC group and 144 in the control. At 24 weeks, a significant reduction in IPD (p = 0.01) was measured in the ChxC group (1.76 ± 1.13 mm) compared to the control group (1.54 ± 1.13 mm). IPD reduction of ≥2 mm was found in 59% and 47.2% of the implants in the ChxC and control groups, respectively (p = 0.03). Changes in gingival recession (0.29 ± 0.68 mm vs. 0.15 ± 0.55 mm, p = 0.015) and relative attachment gain (1.47 ± 1.32 mm and 1.39 ± 1.27 mm, p = 0.0017) were significantly larger in the ChxC group. Patients in the ChxC group that were <65 years exhibited significantly better responses (p<0.02); likewise, non-smokers had similarly better response (p <0.02). Both protocols were well tolerated, and no severe treatment-related adverse events were recorded throughout the study. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with periimplantitis that were treated with an intensive treatment protocol of bi-weekly supra-gingival plaque removal and local application of Chlorhexidine chips had greater mean IPD reduction and greater percentile of sites with IPD reduction of ≥2 mm. as compared to bi-weekly supra-gingival plaque removal. (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02080403). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Clinical Trials Gone Missing—A Potential Source for Publication Bias in Dentistry

Background: The aim of this study was to examine publication bias associated with a failure to report research results of studies that were initially posted on the ClinicalTrials.gov registry and to examine factors associated with this phenomenon. Methods: A search was conducted in the ClinicalTrials.gov registry using six dental-related topics. Corresponding publications for trials completed between 2016 and 2019 were then searched using PUBMED, EMBASE and Google Scholar. For studies lacking matching publications, we emailed the primary investigator and received some additional data. For included studies, we recorded additional variables: industry funding, site setting (academic, private research facilities or private practice), design (single or multi-center), geographical location and commencement date vis a vis registration and publication dates. Results: A total of 744 entries were found, of which 7 duplicates were removed; an additional 67 entries just recently completed were removed. An additional 7 studies were in different fields and thus removed. Thus, 663 trials were included; of these, only 337 studies (50.8%) were published. The mean registration to publication interval was 29.01 ± 25.7 months, ranging from +142 to −34 months (post factum registration). Less than 1/3 of the studies were posted prior to commencement, of which much smaller proportions were published (37.3%). Studies that were posted after commencement (n = 462) had a much higher publication rate (56.7%), p < 0.001. Multi-center studies and those conducted in commercial facilities had much higher, though non-significant, publication rates (56.5% and 58.3%, respectively). Conclusions: With only half of the studies registered being published, a major source for publication bias is imminent

Periodontal tissue reaction to customized nano-hydroxyapatite block scaffold in one-wall intrabony defect: a histologic study in dogs

The effect of Hydroxyapatite/Chitosan (H/C) block scaffold and HA/β-TCP (H/T) particle on the regeneration was evaluated in one-wall intrabony defects in beagle dogs. Six male beagle dogs were used in this study. H/C block scaffold was manufactured by freeze-dried method. One-wall intrabony periodontal defects (4 × 4 mm) were surgically created. Prepared defects were randomly assigned and treated as follows. In surgical control group (C) the defects were not filled. In HA/β-TCP group (H/T), defects were filled with HA/β-TCP particle bone graft material. In HA/Chitosan block group (H/C), defects were filled with HA/Chitosan Block scaffold. In all groups, Mean values of regenerated bone, regenerated cementum, connective tissue, and epithelium were measured. H/C group showed less inflammatory reaction than other groups. It revealed good biocompatibility. This group also showed better cementum regeneration than any other group. However, due to the relatively rapid resorption of chitosan, space maintenance for regeneration seems to have been compromised. Bone regeneration was affected adversely with this rapid resorption. More favorable bone regeneration was found in H/T group because proper space was maintained with Β-TCPope