Up to 36 months of follow-up, soft tissue parameters and crestal bone levels can remain equally stable around dental implants placed at crestal and subcrestal levels. The need for long-term follow-up clinical trials is also emphasized.

There are no studies that have compared the clinical and radiographic status around immediately loaded (IL) and conventional loaded (CL) implants placed in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim was to compare the clinical and radiographic status around IL and CL implants placed in T2DM patients. One hundred and eight diabetic patients [55 with IL implants (Group 1) and 53 with CL implants (Group 2)] were included in this cross-sectional study. All implants were placed in healed sites in the maxillary and mandibular premolar and molar regions and supported single restorations. All patients underwent full mouth mechanical debridement biannually. Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, clinical [bleeding on probing (BOP) and probing depth (PD) ≥ 4 mm] and radiographic [crestal bone loss (CBL)] peri-implant parameters were measured for both groups at 12- and 24-month follow-up. Group comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney U-test (P < 0·05). The mean age and duration of T2DM in groups 1 and 2 were 50·6 ± 2·2 and 51·8 ± 1·7 years, and 9·2 ± 2·4 and 8·5 ± 0·4 years, respectively. At 12- and 24-month follow-up, the mean HbA1c levels in groups 1 and 2 were 5·4% (4·8-5·5%) and 5·1% (4·7-5·4%) and 5·1% (4·7-5·2%) and 4·9% (4·5-5·2%), respectively. At 12- and 24-month follow-up, there was no statistically significant difference in peri-implant BOP, PD and CBL in both groups. It was concluded that clinical and radiographic status is comparable around IL and CL implants placed in patients with T2DM. The contribution of careful case selection, oral hygiene maintenance and glycaemic control is emphasised.

Tobacco smoking enhances peri-implant soft tissue inflammation and CBL around IL and DL implants. Loading protocol did not show a significant effect on peri-implant hard and soft tissue status in healthy smokers and non-smokers.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of Expasyl ® gingival retraction paste on the shear bond strength of self-etch and total-etch adhesive systems. Materials and methods:Twenty-four specimens of extracted, caries-free, sound human molars were used in this study. The molars were then cut vertically into halves through the buccal and lingual cusps. Forty-eight specimens were divided into four groups (total-etch, total-etch with Expasyl application, self-etch, self-etch with Expasyl application) and the shear bond strength was tested.Results: Expasyl significantly reduced the shear bond strength of the self-etch and total-etch adhesive systems. The self-etch system showed relatively lower performance compared with the total-etch adhesive system. The shear bond strength values of the total-etch adhesive without Expasyl showed the highest bond strength (21.48 ± 2.89), while the self-etching group adhesive treated with Expasyl showed the lowest shear bond strength value (14.89 ± 1.81). Conclusion:From the observations of this in vitro study, it can be concluded that the use of Expasyl ® gingival retraction system can negatively affect bond strength of adhesives. The total-etch system showed better compatibility to the Expasyl gingival retraction system than the self-etch.