UNASSIGNED: Oligodontia is a rare genetic condition characterized by more than six congenitally missing teeth, either as an isolated non-syndromic condition or in association with other genetic syndromes. The impact of WNT10A variants on dental development increases with the presence of the c.321C>A variant and the number of missing teeth.
UNASSIGNED: A 21-year-old man with non-syndromic oligodontia was diagnosed at 15 years of age with misaligned teeth, speech problems, and the absence of 24 permanent teeth. Interdisciplinary collaboration between specialists was initiated to enable comprehensive treatment. DNA analysis confirmed that the patient was a carrier of the known pathogenic WNT10A variant c321C>A and WNT10A variant c.113G>T of unknown clinical significance.
UNASSIGNED: Dental implants are a common treatment; however, bone development challenges in adolescent patients with non-syndromic oligodontia necessitate careful planning to ensure implant success. Many WNT variants play crucial roles in tooth development and are directly involved in non-syndromic oligodontia, especially the WNT10 variant c.321C>A.
UNASSIGNED: A full-arch implant-supported monolithic zirconia screw-retained fixed prosthesis is a viable treatment option for young adults with non-syndromic oligodontia. Further studies are needed to clarify the possible amplifying effect of the WNT10A variants c321C>A and c.113G>T on the pathogenic phenotype of non-syndromic oligodontia.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review compares the impact of ball and locator attachments on marginal bone loss in implant-retained overdentures in completely edentulous patients.
METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines, health science librarians completed literature searches from inception to 17 March 2023 in seven databases. There were 15,686 items exported to EndNote from Embase.com, CINAHL (EBSCO), Cochrane Library, Ovid MEDLINE-ALL, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Hand-searching added four more articles. After deduplication, 6,756 items were screened for eligibility. Twenty-nine studies were assessed by full text, of which ten studies, involving 424 subjects, were included in the review. Risk of bias assessment was conducted using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. A meta-analysis was performed to synthesize and analyze the collective data from the selected studies.
RESULTS: The included studies used diverse methodologies, implant systems, and loading protocols. Most studies reported no significant difference in marginal bone loss between ball and locator attachments. The meta-analysis revealed high heterogeneity.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this systematic review suggest that ball and locator attachments exhibit similar performance in terms of marginal bone loss in implant-retained overdentures. However, the limited number, risk of bias, and heterogeneity of studies highlight the need for standardized research designs and larger sample sizes in future investigations to draw more definitive conclusions.

Various factors influence marginal bone loss after implant placement. This study explored the association between marginal bone loss and posterior implants positioned at different bone levels. Computer records and radiographs of patients with at least 2 adjacent implants were retrieved. Cases were categorized into nonsplinted prosthesis and splinted prosthesis groups. Radiographic measurements were conducted at the time of abutment placement (T0), 1-3 years follow-up (T1), and the last visit (T2), measuring the vertical distance between adjacent implants. Multilevel linear regression models using generalized estimating equations were employed, with a significance level set at 5% (α = 0.05). Fifty-six patient records were included, comprising 120 implants: 84 nonsplinted (70%) and 36 splinted (30%). In the nonsplinted group, marginal bone loss progression significantly depended on crestal height differences. For the mesial sides of posterior implants, marginal bone loss measured 1.0 ± 0.6 mm from T0 to T1, 2.4 ± 1.1 mm from T1 to T2, and 3.4 ± 1.2 mm from T0 to T2. Similarly, the distal sides of the most anteriorly placed implant exhibited marginal bone loss of 1.0 ± 0.7 mm from T0 to T1, 2.4 ± 1.0 mm from T1 to T2, and 3.5 ± 1.2 mm from T0 to T2. Nonsplinted implants demonstrated a higher progression of marginal bone loss. This study suggests that nonsplinted implants may lead to a more pronounced progression of marginal bone loss, particularly concerning crestal height differences, underscoring the need for further research.

New surgical techniques using narrow, tilted implants positioned through a magneto-dynamic tool in guided surgery for a Toronto restoration. A 69-year-old woman wanted fixed rehabilitation to replace her removable complete dentures. A cone-beam computed tomography showed significant bone resorption in both the maxillary and mandibular regions. The plan was to load the entire upper arch with six implants immediately, while removable partial dentures were recommended for the lower jaw. The guided surgery project was aligned with the new dentures, and the laboratory created a printed cast with dental implant analogues in planned positions. A metal-reinforced denture was constructed, and surgery was performed to place six narrow implants using the magneto-dynamic instrument. The denture was directly screwed onto multi-unit abutments. Final rehabilitation was completed after 6 months. Narrow implants can be a good option for fixed, full-arch rehabilitations. Further research is needed to confirm these findings on a larger scale.

Background: Short implants have been used in the restoration of edentulous jaws in the past several years. However, some studies have suggested that short implants are less successful than standard implants. The aim of this study is to investigate the outcome of short implants placed in the posterior maxilla or mandible following one-stage or immediate-function protocols with a follow-up of 7 years (clinically) and 5 years (radiographically). Methods: This study included 127 patients rehabilitated with 217 implants measuring 7 mm and supporting 157 fixed prostheses in the posterior segments of both jaws. Final abutments were delivered at the surgery stage and were loaded after 4 months in 116 patients (199 implants). The primary outcome measure was implant survival measured through life tables. Secondary outcome measures were marginal bone loss and the incidence of biological and mechanical complications at the patient level and implant level (evaluated through descriptive statistics). Results: Twenty-four patients (18.9%) with 45 implants (20.7%) were lost to the follow-up. In total, 32 implants failed (14.8%) in 22 patients (17.3%), resulting in a cumulative survival rate at 7 years of 81.2% for 7 mm implants in the rehabilitation of the posterior regions of the maxilla and mandible. The average (standard deviation) marginal bone loss was 1.47 mm (0.99 mm) at 5 years. The incidence rate of biological complications was 12.6% and 10.6% at the patient and implant levels, respectively. The incidence rate of mechanical complications was 21.3% for patients and 16.1% for implants. A higher failure rate was registered in smokers and in implant arrangements with a sequence of three fixtures in proximity. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that the placement of 7 mm long implants for the partial implant-supported rehabilitation of atrophic posterior jaws is possible in the long term, judging by the survival rate and stable average marginal bone loss. Nevertheless, strict case selection should be performed, especially in smokers and with implant arrangements that provide a minimum of one unit in inter-implant distance.

The recently introduced Implant Disease Risk Assessment (IDRA) identifies a restoration margin-alveolar bone crest (RM-AC) distance of less than 1.5 mm as a key risk factor for peri‑implant disease among eight major risk factors. This study evaluated the impact of the RM-AC distance on marginal bone loss (MBL) through radiographic analysis.
This retrospective cross-sectional study included 77 partially edentulous patients (39 females and 38 males, aged 22 to 76 years) with 202 platform-switched conical connection implants, cement-retained, implant-supported fixed restorations, and bone-level implants placed between 2016 and 2021. Dental implants were followed for least 6 to 36 months at follow up functional loading. Study participants were categorized into Group A (RM-AC distance ≤ 1.5 mm, n = 69) and Group B (RM-AC distance > 1.5 mm, n = 133). Twelve patients in Group B and five patients in Group A had no history of periodontal disease. The MBL was measured radiographically from the most coronal point of the implant shoulder to the alveolar bone, and the RM-AC distance was measured from the restoration margin to the alveolar crest. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used for statistical evaluation.
The incidence of MBL in Group A was statistically significant and 3.42 times higher than that in Group B. The rate of MBL in periodontitis Stage 4 was found to be 26.31 times higher than that in periodontitis Stage 2. The incidence of MBL was 6.097 and 5.02 times higher with increasing implant diameter and length, respectively.
This study conclusively demonstrates that RM-AC distance ≤ 1.5 significantly increases the risk of MBL, particularly in patients with a history of periodontal disease.
This study highlights the critical role of maintaining an RM-AC distance greater than 1.5 mm in the prevention of MBL, particularly in patients with a history of periodontal disease. Since implant diameter and length have a significant impact on the risk of MBL, it emphasizes that implant demographics should also be carefully evaluated.

UNASSIGNED: Few studies assessed the effect of coping material (particularly milled metal copings) on the retentive strength of cements and reported contradictory results. Thus, this study aims to assess the marginal leakage and retentive strength of implant-supported milled zirconia and cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) copings cemented with different temporary cements.
UNASSIGNED: In this in vitro study, Zirconia and Co-Cr copings were fabricated on 100 straight titanium abutments. Each group of copings was divided into five subgroups (n = 10) for the use of different cements: permanent zinc-phosphate (ZP) cement, temporary zinc oxide eugenol cement (temp bond [TB]), calcium hydroxide-based temporary cement (Dycal [DC]), polymer-based eugenol-free acrylic-urethane temporary cement (Dentotemp [DT]), and methacrylate-based temporary cement (Implantlink [IL]). The retentive strength and marginal leakage of restorations were assessed. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, Tukey, and Fisher\'s exact tests (α = 0.05).
UNASSIGNED: In the Co-Cr group, the retentive strength values (in Newtons) were as follows: ZP (411.40 ± 5.19) >DC (248.80 ± 5.01) >IL (200.10 ± 5.06) >DT (157.90 ± 5.19) >TB (98.50 ± 6.88). This order was as follows in the zirconia group: ZP (388.70 ± 5.35) >DC (226.60 ± 5.08) >IL (179.00 ± 3.71) >DT (136.00 ± 4.88) >TB (78.60 ± 3.50). All pairwise comparisons were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The difference in marginal leakage was not significant among the groups (P = 0.480).
UNASSIGNED: The type of coping material and cement type significantly affected retentive strength, but not marginal leakage, of implant restorations. Milled Co-Cr copings showed higher retentive strength than zirconia copings, and ZP cement followed by DC yielded the highest retention.

This article presents the outcomes of prosthetic oral rehabilitation using CAD/CAM telescopic bar overdentures in patients with oral cancer (n = 3), severe facial trauma (n = 2), or various syndromes (n = 1), all suffering from severe tissue deficits and requiring complex and comprehensive oral rehabilitation. The aim was to assess the durability and functionality of implant-retained prosthetic structures, ensuring easy oral hygiene and minimizing specialized follow-up needs. The data for this study were sourced from a retrospective cohort at Helsinki University Hospital. The prosthetic reconstruction encompassed the Atlantis 2in1 and the Createch removable telescopic systems. Thus, 40 implants were placed (4 to 7 per patient), with prosthetic structures in the maxilla (n = 4 patients), in the mandible (n = 1), and in both jaws (n = 1). Two patients experienced no complications, two patients had part of the acrylic resin break, and one patient experienced loosening of the bar structure. All complications associated with prosthetic structures were successfully managed, and none of the implants were lost. The follow-up time ranged from 7 to 126 months. This rehabilitation is proved to be an effective solution for patients with complex oral conditions, facilitating both functional restoration and ease of maintenance. These findings underscore the importance of individualized treatment approaches in cases of tissue deficits.

Ameloblastoma (AM), the benign counterpart of ameloblastic carcinoma, is a benign odontogenic tumor of epithelial origin, naturally aggressive, with unlimited growth potential and a high tendency to relapse if not adequately removed. Patients with AM treated surgically can benefit from dental implant therapy, promoting oral rehabilitation and improving their quality of life. The present study aimed to determine the survival rate of dental implants placed after surgical treatment of patients affected by AM. In addition, there were two secondary objectives: 1) To evaluate which dental implant loading protocols are most frequently used and 2) To determine the type of prosthetic restoration most commonly used in these patients.
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed during the study. Searches were performed in three databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar) until November 2023. Additionally, the electronic search was enriched by an iterative hand search of journals related to oral pathology and medicine, maxillofacial surgery, and oral prosthodontics and implantology. Only reports and case series in English from January 2003 to date were included. The Joanna Briggs Institute tool (JBI-Case Reports/Case Series) was used for the study quality assessment.
The total number of patients and implants studied were 64 and 271, respectively, all with surgically treated AM. The patient\'s ages ranged from 8 to 79 years, with a mean (SD) age of 37.3 ± 16.4. Fifty-three percent were male and 47% were female. The range of follow-up duration was 1 to 22 years. An implant survival/success rate of 98.1% was reported. In addition, most of them were conventionally loaded (38.3%). Hybrid implant-supported fixed dentures were the most commonly used by prosthodontists (53%).
Oral rehabilitation with dental implants inserted in free flaps for orofacial reconstruction in surgically treated patients with AM can be considered a safe and successful treatment modality.