The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the survival rate, the marginal bone level, and the aesthetic outcome; at 3 years' follow-up, of dental implants placed into a high-esthetic aesthetic zone by comparing 2 techniques of postextraction implant with immediate loading: the socket shied technique and the conventional insertion technique.Several clinical studies suggested that the avulsion of a dental element causes dimensional alterations of both soft and hard tissues at the postextractive site. To increase the aesthetic outcomes, the "socket-shield technique" has been proposed. This method involves maintaining the vestibular root portion and immediate insertion of the dental implant in close proximity to the root.Patients enrolled in this study were randomized to receive a postextraction implant in the aesthetic zone, either with the socket shied technique or with the conventional insertion technique. Implant survival, marginal bone level, and the pink aesthetic score were the outcomes evaluated.Implant survival rate was 100% in both the groups at 3 years. Implants inserted with the socket shield technique showed better values of both marginal bone level and pink aesthetic score (P < 0.05).Although such preliminary results need to be further confirmed, the socket shield technique seems to be a safe surgical technique that allows an implant rehabilitation characterized by better aesthetic outcomes.

Patients involved on coeliac disease (CD) have atypical symptoms and often remain undiagnosed. Specific oral manifestations are effective risk indicators of CD and for this reason an early diagnosis with a consequent better prognosis can be performed by the dentist. There are not researches analysing the frequency of these oral manifestations in potential coeliac patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the oral hard and soft tissue lesions in potential and ascertained coeliac children in comparison with healthy controls. 50 ascertained children, 21 potential coeliac patients, and 54 controls were recruited and the oral examination was performed. The overall oral lesions were more frequently present in CD patients than in controls. The prevalence of oral soft tissue lesions was 62% in ascertained coeliac, 76.2% in potential coeliac patients, and 12.96% in controls (P < 0.05). Clinical dental delayed eruption was observed in 38% of the ascertained coeliac and 42.5% of the potential coeliac versus 11.11% of the controls (P < 0.05). The prevalence of specific enamel defects (SED) was 48% in ascertained coeliac and 19% in potential coeliac versus 0% in controls (P < 0.05; OR = 3.923). The SED seem to be genetically related to the histological damage and villous atrophy.

SUMMARYObjectives. The aim of this study was to measure the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) before and after a prosthodontic implant therapy so to determine the physical and psychological impact of implant-supported fixed partial dentures (IFPD) rehabilitation among edentulous patients. Methods. 50 partially edentulous patients aged 40-70 years, treated with IFPD, completed the OHRQoL questionnaire before the implant surgery (Time 0) and 2 years after their whole implant-prosthetic rehabilitation (Time 1). The questionnaire was proposed in a short version of Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14, range 0-56) and analyzed through the 'additive method'. We evaluated statistical mean, standard deviation, median, variance and mode of all OHIP-14 domains and the statistical significance about oral changes at Time 0 and Time 1 using the Chi-square test (p-values < 0.05). Results. Patients reported significant changes in mean OHIP scores (Time 0: 2.15; Time 1: 0.65; p < 0.01). The most prevalently affected domain was "functional limitation", followed by "psychological discomfort" and "physical pain". There were no significant differences dependent on age, gender and antagonistic teeth (p > 0.05). Patients with I and IV Kennedy's class edentulism showed better improvement (p < 0.05). Conclusions. Preoperative and post-treatment assessments of OHRQoL exhibited significant differences. The IFPD treatment had a positive effect on the OHRQoL, which improved better in patients with I and IV Kennedy's edentulous class.

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