Tomaso Vercellotti, MD, DDS/Claudio Stacchi, DDS, MSc/Crescenzo Russo, DDS/Alberto Rebaudi, MD, DDS/Giampaolo Vincenzi, MD, DDS/Umberto Pratella, DDS, PhD/Domenico Baldi, MD, DDS/Marco Mozzati, MD, DDS/Chiara Monagheddu, MD/Rosario Sentineri, MD, DDS/Tommaso Cuneo, DDS/Luca Di Alberti, DDS, PhD, MSc/Stefano Carossa, MD, DDS/Gianmario Schierano, MD, DDS: This multicenter case series introduces an innovative ultrasonic implant site preparation (UISP) technique as an alternative to the use of traditional rotary instruments. A total of 3,579 implants were inserted in 1,885 subjects, and the sites were prepared using a specific ultrasonic device with a 1- to 3-year follow-up. No surgical complications related to the UISP protocol were reported for any of the implant sites. Seventy-eight implants (59 maxillary, 19 mandibular) failed within 5 months of insertion, for an overall osseointegration percentage of 97.82% (97.14% maxilla, 98.75% mandible). Three maxillary implants failed after 3 years of loading, with an overall implant survival rate of 97.74% (96.99% maxilla, 98.75% mandible). (Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent 2014;34:11?18. doi: 10.11607/prd.1860)

Maria Menini, DDS, PhD/Elena Dellepiane, DDS, PhD/David Chvartszaid, DDS, MSc/ Domenico Baldi, DDS/Irene Schiavetti, MSc/Paolo Pera, MD, DDS, PhD: Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the behavior of hard and soft tissue around implants with different surface treatments. Materials and Methods: Eight patients were identified for this study. Each patient received at least 2 implants (1 control, 1 test) into an edentulous quadrant, for a total of 10 pairs of implants. Two types of implants were used: hybrid implants (control) with a dual acid-etched surface in their apical portion and a machined coronal part, and test implants with an acidetched surface throughout their entire length. Standardized periapical radiographs were taken at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year post implant placement and then annually until the 6-year follow-up. Bleeding on probing (BOP) and Plaque Index (PI) were recorded annually. Probing depth (PD) was recorded at the 6-year follow-up. Results: Moderate crestal bone remodeling was observed during the 1-year postimplant placement evaluation (P = .001), and test implants revealed smaller marginal bone resorption (P = .030). No significant changes in bone level were observed between the 1-year and the 6-year follow-up appointments, and a significantly smaller bone resorption was found at test implants. No statistically significant differences in bone resorption were found between maxilla and mandible. No statistically significant differences were detected between test and control implants for BOP, PI, or PD. Conclusions: The preliminary results suggest that implant surface characteristics might affect the bone remodeling phase subsequent to the surgical trauma. However, once osseointegration was established, implant surfaces did not affect bone maintenance over time. Implant surfaces did not affect soft tissue behavior. The results of this pilot study need to be confirmed in a study with a larger sample size and over a longer time frame.

Objectives: This in vitro study investigated possible morphological and chemical changes induced by glycine or sodium bicarbonate powder air polishing on machined and acid-etched titanium surfaces. Materials and Methods: The glycine powder (granulometry <65 μm) and sodium bicarbonate powder (granulometry <150 μm) were applied on 2 machined healing abutments and on 2 acid-etched healing abutments. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The analyses were performed at different steps: (1) as received, right after opening the abutment packaging; (2) after 20 minutes air exposure; (3) after aging in artificial saliva; (4) after glycine or sodium bicarbonate powder air polishing for 5 seconds; (5) after repetition of steps 3 and 4 with longer time of polishing (20 seconds). Conclusions: Air polishing using glycine and sodium bicarbonate powder seemed to be safe for professional oral hygiene of titanium dental implants, although acid-etched abutments and abutments treated with bicarbonate harbored more salts. This might indicate a greater plaque accumulation in a clinical situation. However, this result has to be investigated in vivo to understand its clinical relevance.