Sleep‐related breathing disorders are complex problems that decrease quality of life and increase morbidity and mortality in patients. Comprehensive evaluation is essential for selecting and planning obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatments. However, the many proposed OSA treatments are rarely compared in the literature. The literature on OSA consists largely of case series studies, and the paucity of controlled studies makes comparisons of OSA treatments difficult. This article provides a brief overview of the most common OSA interventions. Because of the controversies and unanswered questions about OSA treatments, further studies are needed to define what treatments are best for specific OSA patients.

Mini-implant screws are now routinely used as anchorage devices in orthodontic treatments. This study used synthetic bone models to investigate how the primary stability of an orthodontic mini-implant (OMI) as measured by resonance frequency (RF) is affected by varying cortical bone thickness and trabecular bone density. Three synthetic cortical shells (thicknesses of 1, 2, and 3 mm) and three polyurethane foam blocks (densities of 40, 20, and 10 pound/cubic foot) were used to represent jawbones of varying cortical bone thicknesses and varying trabecular bone densities. Twenty-five stainless steel OMIs (2 × 10 mm) were sequentially inserted into artificial bone blocks to depths of 2, 4, and 6 mm. Five experimental groups of bone blocks with OMIs were examined by Implomates® RF analyzer. Statistical and correlation analyses were performed by Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and simple linear regression. As trabecular bone density decreased, RF decreased; as cortical bone thickness decreased, RF also decreased. Simple linear regression analysis showed highly linear correlations between trabecular bone density and RF (R 2 > 0.99; P < 0.0001) and between cortical bone thickness and RF (R 2 > 0.98; P < 0.0001). The stability of an OMI at the time of placement is influenced by both cortical bone thickness and trabecular bone density. Both cortical bone thickness and trabecular bone density have strong linear correlations with RF.

This study evaluates the influence of different implant materials on the primary stability of orthodontic mini‐implants by measuring the resonance frequency. Twenty‐five orthodontic mini‐implants with a diameter of 2 mm were used. The first group contained stainless steel mini‐implants with two different lengths (10 and 12 mm). The second group included titanium alloy mini‐implants with two different lengths (10 and 12 mm) and stainless steel mini‐implants 10 mm in length. The mini‐implants were inserted into artificial bones with a 2‐mm‐thick cortical layer and 40 or 20 lb/ft³ trabecular bone density at insertion depths of 2, 4, and 6 mm. The resonance frequency of the mini‐implants in the artificial bone was detected with the Implomates^® device. Data were analyzed by two‐way analysis of variance followed by the Tukey honestly significant difference test (α = 0.05). Greater insertion depth resulted in higher resonance frequency, whereas longer mini‐implants showed lower resonance frequency values. However, resonance frequency was not influenced by the implant materials titanium alloy or stainless steel. Therefore, the primary stability of a mini‐implant is influenced by insertion depth and not by implant material. Insertion depth is extremely important for primary implant stability and is critical for treatment success.

Platelet concentrates have emerged as innovative autologous blood products that enhance tissue healing and regeneration in regenerative therapy. A common feature of these products is their higher than baseline platelet concentration, which improves wound healing and tissue repair. Four main categories of products can be easily defined, based on their leukocyte content and fibrin architecture: pure platelet‐rich plasma, such as Cell Separator PRP or Anitua' PRGF; leukocyte‐ and platelet‐rich plasma (L‐PRP), such as PCCS or Ace PRP; pure platelet‐rich fibrin (P‐PRF), such as Fibrinet PRFM; and leukocyte‐ and platelet‐rich fibrin (L‐PRF), such as Choukroun's PRF. Two families contain significant concentrations of leukocytes: L‐PRP and L‐PRF. These four families of products have different biological signatures and mechanisms and obviously different clinical applications. An L‐PRF membrane releases growth factors and matrix proteins over a period longer than 7 days, whereas a PRP gel matrix releases and disperses its growth factors in a relatively quick download. In the near future, simple and inexpensive products such as L‐PRF are expected to have applications in oral‐maxillofacial surgery, periodontal surgery, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, and sports medicine. Leukocytes substantially affect the intrinsic biology and properties of platelet concentrates, not only because they enhance immune function and antibacterial potential, but also because they have essential roles in the wound healing process. Unfortunately, their impact has been almost completely neglected in the literature. Improved understanding of the effects of leukocytes in wound healing is essential for development of new clinical applications of platelet concentrates.