The sinus lift was first described in 1974 and it has proven to be a predictable procedure ever since. The complications of this surgical procedure are reported in the literature to be low, and can include acute maxillary sinusitis, scattering of the grafting material into the sinus cavity, wound dehiscence and Schneiderian membrane perforations. We aimed to evaluate the rate of acute maxillary sinusitis after sinus lift procedures and the appropriate management strategies. Between 2013 and 2015, 245 dental implants were placed in 116 patients (76 males and 40 females) with concomitant bone augmentation of the maxillary sinus floor. The sinus lifting procedure was bilateral in 35 patients and unilateral in 81 patients (a total of 151 sinuses). Maxillary sinusitis occurred in 5 patients (4.3 %). The clinical signs of infection were: headache, locoregional pain, cacosmia, inflammation of the oral buccal mucosa and rhinorrhea or unilateral nasal discharge. A mucosal fistula was observed during inspection in one patient. The management included only the removal of the grafting material in 3 patients, in 1 patient the grafting material was removed together with all the implants, and in 1 patient only 2 implants and the grafting material were removed, 1 implant being left in place. The sinus cavity was irrigated with metronidazole solution and antibiotic therapy with clindamycin and metronidazole was prescribed for 10 days. Subsequently, all signs of infection disappeared within 5 to 7 days and normal sinus function and drainage were restored. Although sinus lift is regarded as a safe and reliable procedure, acute sinusitis is a possible complication which has to be managed immediately in order to reduce the risk of further complications like pansinusitis, osteomyelitis of the maxillary bone, and spreading of the infection in the infratemporal space or orbital cavity. To minimize risk, caution must be taken with all the steps of the procedure, in order not to obliterate the ostium, impairing maxillary sinus clearance.

Background: Oral rehabilitation of the atrophic mandible is, most of the time, a challenging procedure, especially in elderly patients with associated comorbidities. Case presentation: This clinical report describes the rehabilitation of an extremely atrophic mandible using an overdenture supported by four splinted implants, two of which are placed in the interforaminal region and the other two bypassing the inferior alveolar nerve at the level of the antegonial notch. A passive-fit bar structure splinting the four inserted implants was designed to compensate for mandibular flexure, to reduce the amount of strain on the implants, and avoid bone resorption and prosthetic failure. The 14-month postoperative cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and the clinical follow-up showed the bilateral integrity of the inferior alveolar nerve and the successful restoration of the atrophic edentulous mandible with a significant improvement in the patient’s quality of life. Conclusions: The applied technique depicts several benefits such as a minimally invasive approach, reduced number of surgical interventions, reduced total treatment time, reduced treatment costs, and higher psychological acceptability.

(1) Background: In the lateral area of the maxilla, the alveolar bone can lose significant volume due to maxillary sinus pneumatization following teeth extractions. This preliminary study evaluated the effectiveness of a novel technique for one-stage sinus lifting and simultaneous implant placement in cases with less than 1.5 mm residual alveolar bone. The subsequent survival rate at 1-year post-occlusal loading was assessed. (2) Methods: 15 patients were selected, the main inclusion criteria were the partially edentulous area in the posterior maxilla with alveolar bone height of less than 1.5 mm below the sinus. All of the patients underwent one-stage sinus lifting, along with simultaneous implant placement using a “butterfly” anchorage device to optimize the primary stability and xenograft bone as graft material. At 6 to 9 months after surgery, the anchorage device was removed and implants were loaded. Panoramic x-ray images were used to assess the new bone formation, while the biological stability was measured using resonance frequency analysis. (3) Results: 15 implants were inserted. The mean implant stability quotient (ISQ) value was 71.3 (SD = ±2.51) and the mean healing period was 7.3 (SD = ±1.23) months. The mean bone height after the healing period was 14.4 (SD = ±2.05). A statistically significant correlation was found between the healing period and the ISQ value (Spearman rho = 0.684, sig. = 0.005). No statistically significant correlation was found between the ISQ value and the new regenerated bone height (Person r = 0.389, sig. = 0.152). Smoking was identified as a risk factor involved in postoperative complications. (4) Conclusions: The results of the present preliminary study demonstrated that the proposed “butterfly” technique was effective when performing one-stage sinus lifting and simultaneous implant placement in cases with less than 1.5 mm of residual alveolar bone. The survival rate was 100% at 1-year post occlusal loading.

(1) Background: Schwannoma, a mesenchymal neoplasm derived from Schwann cells that line peripheral nerve sheaths, has a challenging diagnosis, due to the non-specific medical history and clinical examination. Nowadays, virtual reality (VR) is increasingly more used for enhancing diagnosis and for preoperative planning of surgical procedures. With VR, the surgeon can interact, before any surgery, with a virtual environment that is completely generated by a computer, offering them a real experience inside a virtual 3D model. (2) Methods and Results: The aim of the present paper was to present a case of surgically removal of a schwannoma, which originated from the fibers of the superior laryngeal nerve, in a predictable and minimally invasive fashion, upon using VR for diagnosis and surgical procedure planning. (3) Conclusions: The current clinical report attracted the attention of including schwannoma in the possible differential diagnosis of a swelling in the anterior cervical region, mainly when a nonspecific radiological appearance is noticed, even with the use of multiple imaging modalities. Virtual reality can increase the predictability and success rate of the surgical procedure, being in the meantime a good tool for communication with the patient.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of electro‐pneumatic intracorporeal lithotripsy for the treatment of salivary gland stones.Study Design: A prospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with obstructive salivary gland syndrome, where basket‐assisted sialendoscopy alone failed to remove the calculi.Setting: This study was conducted at the “Queen Maria” Military Hospital in Brașov, Romania, and a private practice, between February 2023 and May 2024.Methods: A total of 29 patients with salivary calculi were treated using the SialoLither device (Hidromed), which operates on the electro‐pneumatic principle. The number of sessions required for complete stone removal, the duration of each session, and the number of ballistic impulses applied were recorded. Statistical analyses, including the Mann‐Whitney U test and multiple linear regression, were conducted to assess the relationship between stone size, location, and treatment outcomes.Results: Complete removal was achieved in 72.4% of patients after a single session, with 100% success after 3 sessions. The average number of impulses was 13.9 (±4.25), with no significant difference in outcomes between the parotid and submandibular glands (P > .05). The total duration varied, with a mean time of 89.97 (±54.89) minutes. Complications were minimal, with only 2 cases of minor epithelial damage.Conclusion: Electro‐pneumatic intracorporeal lithotripsy is a highly effective, minimally invasive technique for managing salivary calculi, offering a safe and efficient alternative to traditional surgical methods.

A 29-year-old woman with an extreme pneumatisation of the maxillary sinus and a missing molar was treated with one-stage sinus lifting and implant placement in a novel surgical approach.