Background: The aim of the present study in humans was to conduct a comparative immunohistochemical evaluation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression, inflammatory infiltrate, proliferative activity expression, and microvessel density (MVD) in peri‐implant soft tissues of titanium and zirconium oxide healing caps.Methods: Five patients, three men and two women (aged 30 to 66 years; mean: 49 years), participated in this study. All patients received dental implants that were 3.8 mm in diameter and 11 mm in length. All implants were left to heal in a non‐submerged (single‐stage) mode. Healing caps (3.8 mm in diameter and 3.0 mm in height) were inserted in all implants. Half of the implants were supplied with standard, prefabricated caps of commercially pure titanium, whereas the other half were provided with test zirconium oxide caps. After a 6‐month healing period, a gingival biopsy was performed with a circular scalpel (5.5 mm in diameter) around the healing caps of both groups, without unscrewing or removing the healing caps. The dimensions of the gingival biopsies were 1.7 mm (5.5 − 3.8 mm) in thickness and 3 mm in height.Results: Statistically significant differences were found in the microvessel density between titanium and zirconium oxide healing caps and group II (P ≤0.0001). Statistically significant differences were likewise found in the low and high intensities of NOS1, NOS3, and VEGF (P ≤0.0001). In conclusion, the high intensity of NOS1, NOS3, and VEGF were mostly expressed in the titanium group, whereas the low intensity of NOS1, NOS3, and VEGF were mostly expressed in the zirconium oxide group.Conclusions: In our specimens, the inflammatory infiltrate was mostly present in the titanium specimens. Their extension was much larger than that of the zirconium oxide specimens. Higher values of MVD were observed in the titanium specimens (29.1 versus 15.8). In addition, a higher expression of VEGF intensity was observed in the peri‐implant tissues of titanium healing caps, whereas predominantly lower expressions of VEGF intensity were noted around the zirconium oxide healing caps. The Ki‐67 expression was higher in the titanium specimens. All these data revealed that the tissues around titanium healing caps underwent a higher rate of inflammation‐associated processes, most probably correlated to the higher inflammation processes observed in these tissues. A higher intensity expression of NOS1 and NOS3 was recorded in the tissues around titanium, whereas, on the contrary, a lower intensity of expression was found in the tissues around zirconium oxide specimens. These latter data indicate that the higher expression of these two mediators could be correlated to the higher amount of bacteria present around the titanium samples.

Rehabilitation of the edentulous posterior maxilla with dental implants can be difficult because of insufficient bone volume caused by pneumatization of the maxillary sinus and crestal bone resorption. Different biomaterials have been used for sinus augmentation. The aim of the study was to compare different materials in maxillary sinus augmentation in man. A total of 94 patients participated in this study. Inclusion criteria were maxillary partial (unilateral or bilateral) edentulism involving the premolar/molar areas, and the presence of 3–5-mm crestal bone between the sinus floor and alveolar ridge. A total of 362 implants were inserted. There were 9 biomaterials used in the sinus augmentation procedures. Each patient underwent 1 biopsy after 6 months. A total of 144 specimens were retrieved. None of the 94 patients had complications. All implants were stable, and x-ray examination showed dense bone around the implants. Mean follow-up was 4 years. There were 7 implants that failed. Histologic resultsshowed that almost all the particles of the different biomaterials (i.e., autologous bone, demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft Biocoral® [Inoteb, St. Gonnery, France], Bioglass® [US Biomaterials, Alachua, FL], Fisiograft® [Ghimas, Bologna, Italy], PepGen P-15TM [Dentsply Friadent CeraMed, Lakewood, CO], calcium sulfate, Bio-Oss® [Geistlich Pharma AG, Wohlhusen, Switzerland], and hydroxyapatite) were surrounded by bone. Some biomaterials were more resorbable than others. Included are the histomorphometry clarified features of the newly formed bone around the different grafted particles. All biomaterials examined resulted in being biocompatible and seemed to improve new bone formation in maxillary sinus lift. No signs of inflammation were present. The data are very encouraging because of the high number of successfully treated patients and the good quality of bone found in the retrieved specimens.

Background: Two‐piece implants present gaps and cavities between the implant and the abutment, and these hollow spaces can act as a trap for bacteria. The aim of the present in vitro study was to evaluate the migration of two different microbial species from the inside to the outside of the implant–abutment assembly in three different connection types.Methods: A total of 30 implants (10 implants per group) were used. The implants presented a screwed trilobed connection (group 1), a cemented connection (group 2), and an internal conical connection (group 3). The inner parts of five implants, per group, were inoculated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa suspension and the remaining five implants, per group, with Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The penetration of bacteria into the surrounding solution was determined by the observation of turbidity of the broth.Results: In group 1, bacterial contamination was found in six of 10 implants. In group 2, no contaminated samples were found. In group 3, bacterial contamination was found in one implant of 10. Statistically significant differences were detected between group 1 versus group 3 (P <0.05) and between group 1 versus group 2 (P 0.05).Conclusion: The present study confirms previous results about the hermeticity of the cement‐retained implant–abutment assembly, the very low permeability to bacteria of the conical implant–abutment connection, and the high prevalence of bacterial penetration of screw‐retained implant–abutment assemblies.

Fractal dimension (FD) calculated on oral radiographs has been proposed as a useful tool to screen for osteoporosis. This systematic review and meta-analysis firstly aimed at assessing the reliability of FD measures in distinguishing osteoporotic patients (OP) from healthy controls (HC), and secondly, to identify a standardized procedure of FD calculation in dental radiographs for the possible use as a surrogate measure of osteoporosis. A comprehensive search was conducted up to September 2020 using PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS databases. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was followed. Meta-analysis was performed on FD values calculated for HC and OP. Overall, 293 articles were identified. After a three steps screening, 19 studies were included in the qualitative appraisal and 12 were considered for meta-analysis. The methodological quality of the retrieved studies was generally low. Most of the studies included used White and Rudolph and box counting to process the images and to calculate FD, respectively. Overall, 51% of the studies found a meaningful difference between HC and OP groups. Meta-analyses showed that to date, FD measures on dental radiographs are not able to distinguish the OP from HC group significantly. From the current evidence, the use of FD for the identification of OP is not reliable, and no clear conclusion can be drawn due to the heterogeneity of studies. The present review revealed the need for further studies and provided the fundamentals to design them in order to find a standardized procedure for FD calculation (regions for FD assessment; images processing technique; methods for FD measurement). More effort should be made to identify osteoporosis using dental images which are cheap and routinely taken during periodic dental examinations.

Remodeling is thought to prevent microdamage accumulation caused by repetitive loading and to increase the fatigue life of bone. The bone remodeling rate (BRR) is the period of time needed for new bone to replace the existing bone and to allow for the adaptation of bone to its environment. BRR is expressed as a percentage or volume of new bone within a specific time period. The aim of the present study was to evaluate bone remodeling events on submerged and immediately loaded dental implants. Twelve patients with edentulous mandibles participated in this study. All patients were rehabilitated with fixed mandibular prostheses, with 10 dental implants per patient. An additional implant was inserted in the most distal posterior mandibular jaw region. In 6 patients, these additional implants were loaded with a fixed provisional prosthesis the same day of the implant surgery and loaded. In the other 6 patients, the additional implants were left submerged and not loaded. After 6 months, all the additional implants were retrieved with a trephine. The percentage of woven and lamellar bone, number of osteoclasts and osteoblasts, and percentage of bone labeled by tetracycline at 0.5 mm and 2 mm from the implant surface were evaluated. The percentage of lamellar bone, number of osteoblasts, and percentage of bone tetracycline labeling was significantly higher in the loaded implants than in the unloaded implants (P = .0001). Also in the loaded implants, the percentage of woven and lamellar bone, number of osteoclasts and osteoblasts, and percentage of bone tetracycline labeling was significantly higher at 0.5 mm than at 2 mm from the implant surface (P = .0001). No such differences were found in unloaded implants (P = .377). In conclusion, we found that (1) loading appeared to stimulate bone remodeling at the interface, (2) a higher percentage of lamellar bone was found in loaded implants, (3) the percentage of bone labeling was higher at the interface of loaded implants, (4) no differences were found in the BRRs between immediately loaded and unloaded implants, and (5) immediate loading had not interfered on the lamellar bone formation at the interface and had not produced formation of woven bone at the interface.

Background: Stability of peri‐implant crestal bone plays a relevant role relative to the presence or absence of interdental papilla. Several factors can contribute to the crestal bone resorption observed around two‐piece implants, such as the presence of a microgap at the level of the implant–abutment junction, the type of connection between implant and prosthetic components, the implant positioning relative to the alveolar crest, and the interimplant distance. Subcrestal positioning of dental implants has been proposed to decrease the risk of exposure of the metal of the top of the implant or of the abutment margin, and to get enough space in a vertical dimension to create a harmoniously esthetic emergence profile.Methods: The present retrospective histologic study was performed to evaluate dental implants retrieved from human jaws that had been inserted in an equicrestal or subcrestal position. A total of nine implants were evaluated: five of these had been inserted in an equicrestal position, whereas the other four had been positioned subcrestally (1 to 3 mm).Results: In all subcrestally placed implants, preexisting and newly formed bone was found over the implant shoulder. In the equicrestal implants, crestal bone resorption (0.5 to 1.5 mm) was present around all implants.Conclusion: The subcrestal position of the implants resulted in bone located above the implant shoulder.