Peri-implant tissue conditions following transcrestal and lateral sinus floor elevation: 3-year results of a bi-center, randomized trial

Objectives The present study was performed to comparatively evaluate the peri-implant bone stability and conditions of marginal tissues at 3 years following transcrestal and lateral sinus floor elevation (tSFE and lSFE, respectively). Materials and methods Patients included in a parallel-arm randomized trial comparatively evaluating tSFE and lSFE were recalled at 3 years post-surgery. Twenty-one and 24 patients in tSFE and lSFE groups, respectively, participated in the follow-up visit. Peri-implant bone support was evaluated as the proportion of the entire implant surface in direct contact with the radiopaque area (totCON%) on 3-year periapical radiographs. The conditions of the marginal peri-implant tissues at 3-year visit were classified as peri-implant health, peri-implant mucositis, or peri-implantitis. Results At 3 years, both groups showed an implant survival rate of 100%. Median totCON% was stable at 3 years, being 100% in both groups (p = 0.124). Peri-implant health and mucositis were diagnosed in 10 (47.6%) and 11 (52.4%) patients, respectively, in the tSFE group, and in 8 (33.3%) and 16 (66.7%) subjects, respectively, in the lSFE group (p = 0.502). Conclusions At 3 years following surgery, implants placed concomitantly with tSFE and lSFE fully maintain peri-implant bone support. Peri-implant mucositis was the most prevalent condition, with a similar prevalence between groups. Clinical relevance. Based on 3-year data on peri-implant bone support and prevalence of peri-implant diseases, the study suggests that tSFE and lSFE represent two equally valid options for the rehabilitation of the posterior maxilla. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02415946.

Displacement of the full body of a dental implant into the sinus space without membrane perforation and subsequent osseointegration: a case report

An increasing number of studies have investigated the use of osteotome sinus floor elevation (OSFE) with simultaneous implant placement for maxillary sinus floor residual bone height (RBH) <4 mm. Many studies have reported good clinical results, but very few have reported complications related to this procedure. Here, the case of a 50-year-old female patient with an RBH in the left upper posterior region of 1–4 mm, who underwent OSFE with simultaneous placement of three Bicon short® implants, is described. One of the implants was found to be displaced during the second-stage surgery. The displaced implant was removed using piezosurgery, OSFE with simultaneous implant placement was repeated, and the missing tooth was reconstructed 6 months later. This case suggests that OSFE with simultaneous implant placement is feasible for severely atrophic maxillary sinus floor, but carries a risk of implant displacement.

Fluid Dynamic Transcrestal Sinus Floor Elevation Using a New Surgical Instrument, Flusilift and Hyaluronic Acid as Only Biomaterial: A Case Report

Despite validated surgical techniques and the development of biomaterials, the procedures aimed at increasing the maxillary bone volume by sinus floor elevation have complications with various degrees of relevance. The perforation of the Schneiderian membrane is one of the most frequent events while performing the detachment of the membrane and it can increase the risk of iatrogenic sinusitis, impairment of functional homeostasis, dispersion of the graft material in the antral cavity as well as its bacterial colonization with a subsequential failure of the procedure. This report presents a case where transcrestal sinus lift was performed using Flusilift (Sweden & Martina, Due Carrare PD), a new instrument that allows fluid dynamic elevation of the sinus floor using saline solution to detach the Schneider’s membrane in an atraumatic way without using a sinus elevator and obtain an adequate alveolar ridge regeneration using hyaluronic acid in gel formulation to support an implant placement. Hyaluronic acid seems to play a key role in wound healing and contributes to a faster bone neoformation in bone regeneration procedures.