BackgroundIt is increasingly recognized that the impact of disease on quality of life should be taken into account when assessing health status. It is likely that tooth loss, in most cases being a consequence of oral diseases, affects Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL). The aim of the present study is to systematically review the literature and to analyse the relationship between the number and location of missing teeth and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). It was hypothesized that tooth loss is associated with an impairment of OHRQoL. Secondly, it was hypothesized that location and distribution of remaining teeth play an important role in this.MethodsRelevant databases were searched for papers in English, published from 1990 to July 2009 following a broad search strategy. Relevant papers were selected by two independent readers using predefined exclusion criteria, firstly on the basis of abstracts, secondly by assessing full-text papers. Selected studies were grouped on the basis of OHRQoL instruments used and assessed for feasibility for quantitative synthesis. Comparable outcomes were subjected to meta-analysis; remaining outcomes were subjected to a qualitative synthesis only.ResultsFrom a total of 924 references, 35 were eligible for synthesis (inter-reader agreement abstracts κ = 0.84 ± 0.03; full-texts: κ = 0.68 ± 0.06). Meta-analysis was feasible for 10 studies reporting on 13 different samples, resulting in 6 separate analyses. All studies showed that tooth loss is associated with unfavourable OHRQoL scores, independent of study location and OHRQoL instrument used. Qualitative synthesis showed that all 9 studies investigating a possible relationship between number of occluding pairs of teeth present and OHRQoL reported significant positive correlations. Five studies presented separate data regarding OHRQoL and location of tooth loss (anterior tooth loss vs. posterior tooth loss). Four of these reported highest impact for anterior tooth loss; one study indicated a similar impact for both locations of tooth loss.ConclusionsThis study provides fairly strong evidence that tooth loss is associated with impairment of OHRQoL and location and distribution of tooth loss affect the severity of the impairment. This association seems to be independent from the OHRQoL instrument used and context of the included samples.

A systematic review was performed on studies investigating the effects of implant surface roughness on bone response and implant fixation. We searched the literature using MEDLINE from 1953 to 2003. Inclusion criteria were: (1) abstracts of animal studies investigating implant surface roughness and bone healing; (2) observations of three-month bone healing, surface topography measurements, and biomechanical tests; (3) provision of data on surface roughness, bone-to-implant contact, and biomechanical test values. The literature search revealed 5966 abstracts. There were 470, 23, and 14 articles included in the first, second, and third selection steps, respectively. Almost all papers showed an enhanced bone-to-implant contact with increasing surface roughness. Six comparisons were significantly positive for the relationship of bone-to-implant contact and surface roughness. Also, a significant relation was found between push-out strength and surface roughness. Unfortunately, the eventually selected studies were too heterogeneous for inference of data. Nevertheless, the statistical analysis on the available data provided supportive evidence for a positive relationship between bone-to-implant contact and surface roughness.

Data on the prevalence of tooth wear among children and adolescents are inconsistent. Given the impact of extensive tooth wear for over a lifetime, evidence on the extent is required. The aim was to systematically review the literature on the prevalence of tooth wear in children and adolescents. A PubMed literature search (1980–2008) used the keywords ‘tooth’ AND ‘wear’; ‘dental’ AND ‘attrition’ AND ‘prevalence’; ‘dental’ AND ‘wear’ AND ‘prevalence’; ‘erosion AND prevalence’ AND ‘abrasion AND prevalence’. Following exclusion criteria, 29 papers were reviewed using established review methods. There was a total of 45,186 subjects (smallest study 80 and largest study 17,047 subjects) examined from thirteen multiple random clusters, eight multiple convenience clusters and eight convenience clusters. Nine different tooth wear indices were used, but the common denominator among studies was dentin exposure as an indicator of severe wear. Forest plots indicated substantial heterogeneity of the included studies. Prevalence of wear involving dentin ranged from 0 to 82% for deciduous teeth in children up to 7 years; regression analysis showed age and wear to be significantly related. Most of the studies in the permanent dentition showed low dentin exposure, a few reported high prevalence (range 0–54%); age and wear were not related (regression analysis). The results of this systematic review indicate that the prevalence of tooth wear leading to dentin exposure in deciduous teeth increases with age. Increase in wear of permanent teeth with age in adolescents up to 18 years old was not substantiated.

We found evidence for beneficial effects of PRP in the treatment of periodontal defects. Evidence for beneficial effects of PRP in sinus elevation appeared to be weak. No conclusions can be drawn about other applications of PRP in dentistry.

Shortened dental arches with intact premolar regions and at least one occluding pair of molars provide sufficient chewing ability. Shortened arches with 3-4 pairs of occluding premolars and asymmetric arches with a long side result in impairment of chewing ability, especially for hard foods. In extremely shortened arches comprising 0-2 occluding premolars, chewing ability is severely impaired.

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Shortened dental arches consisting of anterior and premolar teeth have been shown to meet oral functional demands. However, the occlusal stability may be at risk as a result of tooth migration. The aim of this nine-year study was to investigate occlusal stability in shortened dental arches as a function over time. Occlusal stability indicators were: 'interdental spacing', 'occlusal contacts of anterior teeth in Intercuspal Position', 'overbite', 'occlusal tooth wear', and 'alveolar bone support'. Subjects with shortened dental arches (n = 74) were compared with subjects with complete dental arches (controls, n = 72). Repeated-measurement regression analyses were applied to assess age-dependent variables in the controls and to relate the occlusal changes to the period of time since the treatment that led to the shortened dental arches. Compared with complete dental arches, shortened dental arches had similar overbite and occlusal tooth wear. They showed more interdental spacing in the premolar regions, more anterior teeth in occlusal contact, and lower alveolar bone scores. Since the differences remained constant over time, we conclude that shortened dental arches can provide long-term occlusal stability. Occlusal changes were self-limiting, indicating a new occlusal equilibrium.