PURPOSEThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the patients' knowledge on dental implants in a Turkish subpopulation.MATERIALS AND METHODSFive hundred twenty seven Turkish adults referred to Yeditepe University Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul, Turkey, were presented with a questionnaire including 20 questions regarding the level of information and awareness about the dental implants. The data were collected and statistical analyses were performed with Chi square test to compare the descriptive data.RESULTSAmong 527 subjects, 54% were female and 46% were male with a mean age of 42.2 years. The rate of patients' implant awareness was 27.7%. When the patients were questioned about the treatment options for rehabilitation of tooth missing, 60.9% of patients were informed about fixed partial denture, followed by conventional complete denture (32.5%) and removable partial denture (24.9%). Six percent reported that they were very well informed about the dental implants whereas 48.2% were poorly informed. The information sources of the implants were from the dentist (44.5%), printed media (31.6%) and friends and acquaintances (17.3%), respectively. Sixteen percent of the population believed that their implants would last forever.CONCLUSIONThe dentists should give more detailed information to the patients about dental implants and tooth-supported fixed partial dentures in the future.

In an abutment screw fracture, it is generally a challenge for the clinician to remove fractured fragments. In some cases, the screw cannot be removed, and alternative solutions should be considered. This clinical report describes the replacement of a ball attachment with a fractured screw, which was impossible to retrieve, with a cast dowel with ball attachment. The patient who presented to the Department of Prosthodontics, Yeditepe University, Faculty of Dentistry was a 65-year-old woman, wearing a mandibular complete denture supported by two implants for 4 years. She complained about the loss of retention of the denture because of the fractured abutment screw, and it was found that another dentist had previously tried to retrieve the fractured screw with no success. It was decided to construct a cast dowel with ball attachment to improve retention without sacrificing the implant. The interior of the implant and the fractured screw were machined with a rotating instrument. An impression was taken with a metal strip and silicone-based materials. In the laboratory, a stone die was generated from the impression, and a custom-made cast dowel with ball attachment was constructed. It was then cemented with glass ionomer cement and connected to the denture with the direct method. The alternative procedure described in this clinical report was successful for the removal of the fractured abutment screw and use of the existing denture.

There was relationship between the gender of the patients and the length of the NPC, with significantly lower mean values in females. This result suggests that careful analysis of anatomical structures by taking into consideration some variables would aid the clinician in performing a safer surgical intervention and prevent possible complications. CNCT scanning prior to implant surgery specifically in edentulous patients with severely atrophic maxillae might be a good diagnostic tool to guide the clinician for a safer and predictable procedure.

Osstell ISQ and Penguin RFA are reliable only when the implants are embedded in stiff materials. Osstell ISQ is more reliable than Penguin RFA.

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