Evaluating spatial and frequency domain enhancement techniques on dental images to assist dental implant therapy

<span lang="EN-US">Dental imaging provides the patient's anatomical details for the dental implant based on the maxillofacial structure and the two-dimensional geometric projection, helping clinical experts decide whether the implant surgery is suitable for a particular patient. Dental images often suffer from problems associated with random noise and low contrast factors, which need effective preprocessing operations. However, each enhancement technique comes with some advantages and limitations. Therefore, choosing a suitable image enhancement method always a difficult task. In this paper, a universal framework is proposed that integrates the functionality of various enhancement mechanisms so that dentists can select a suitable method of their own choice to improve the quality of dental image for the implant procedure. The proposed framework evaluates the effectiveness of both frequency domain enhancement and spatial domain enhancement techniques on dental images. The selection of the best enhancement method further depends on the output image perceptibility responses, peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), and sharpness. The proposed framework offers a flexible and scalable approach to the dental expert to perform enhancement of a dental image according to visual image features and different enhancement requirements.</span>

The Effect of Implant Length and Diameter on Stress Distribution around Single Implant Placement in 3D Posterior Mandibular FE Model Directly Constructed Form In Vivo CT

A three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model of the mandibular bone was created from 3D X-ray CT scan images of a live human subject. Simulating the clinical situation of implant therapy at the mandibular first molar, virtual extraction of the tooth was performed at the 3D FE mandibular model, and 12 different implant diameters and lengths were virtually inserted in order to carry out a mechanical analysis. (1) High stress concentration was found at the surfaces of the buccal and lingual peri-implant bone adjacent to the sides of the neck in all the implants. (2) The greatest stress value was approximately 6.0 MPa with implant diameter of 3.8 mm, approx. 4.5 MPa with implant diameter of 4.3 mm, and approx. 3.2 MPa with implant diameter of 6.0 mm. (3) The stress on the peri-implant bone was found to decrease with increasing length and mainly in diameter of the implant.

Evaluating the Correlation between Periodontal Status of Teeth Adjacent and Contralateral to Implant with Peri-Implantitis - A Retrospective Study

Background: Previous history of periodontitis associated with smoking and poor oral hygiene are considered as one the risk factor for peri-implantitis which in-turn leads to implant failure. Periodontitis is regarded as the most prevalent infectious diseases with around 75% of adults being affected. A similarity between the pathogenesis of periodontitis and peri-implantitis is as a result of intra-oral translocation of periodontal pathogen from teeth showing periodontitis to the peri-implant niche. Aim: The main aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of peri-implantitis in patients suffering from periodontitis. Material and Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted in the department of periodontology on 30 patients suffering from periodontitis and with dental implant insertions. In all the patients, periodontal and bone conditions were evaluated. Probing depth, gingival recession, clinical attachment levels, and radiographic bone loss was calculated around the implants, adjacent teeth and contra- lateral teeth to evaluate correlation between periodontitis and implant failures. Results: On evaluation of results with 30 patients, periodontal depth, clinical attachment levels, and gingival recession showed statistically significant around implants when compared with the periodontal parameters around the adjacent teeth and contra-lateral teeth. Non significant results were obtained when radiographic bone loss was evaluated. Conclusion: Within the limitations of the study, it was concluded that dental implant therapy is strongly affected by the periodontal health and health of adjacent teeth plays an important role in determining the failure or success of the implant while contra-lateral teeth have no or minimal relationship between periodontitis and implant failure. Keywords: Implant, Oral Health, Peri-Implantitis, Periodontitis, Translocation.

Diagnosis and Treatment Planning for Dental Implants – A Review

Establishing and arriving at a diagnosis is the key to treatment planning and often practitioners tend to create a treatment plan overlooking the fundamental principles that must be taken into consideration prior to performing implant surgeries. The sequential process of clinical examination, laboratory tests, radiographic analysis, diagnostic protocols, casts wax ups, along with the treatment needs and desires of the patient have to be factored in for the overall diagnosis and prognosis of implant therapy. A step-by-step methodology has been created to help the implant practitioner with a checklist that aims to create the optimal treatment plan for each case.

Dentists’ Attitudes Toward Dental Implant Maintenance in Thailand

Introduction: As implant therapy is a widely applied treatment modality, general dentists are in the frontline of maintaining health in patients with implants. It is however unknown to what extent general dentists are competent and feel prepared to deliver maintenance of implants to patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes and self-reported and objectively assessed competences of general dentists with maintenance of dental implants in patients. Methods: A questionnaire designed and validated for the purpose of the study, including attitudes and self-reported and objectively assessed competences, was distributed by means of an online platform. Results: Data from 429 questionnaires were included in the study. Half of the participants were 28 to 33 y old and 78% had been working <10 y. Seventy-eight percent believed that dental implant maintenance should be performed by general dentists, but only 51% were prepared to do this, citing obstacles such as insufficient knowledge and limitations of their working environment. The mean ± SD objectively assessed competence score was 8.97 ± 2.74 of 17. There were significant differences (P < 0.001, 1-way analysis of variance) in the scores among dentists who offered the full range of maintenance and management of complications (10.83 ± 2.45) with those willing to provide comprehensive oral examination and implant maintenance only (9.31 ± 2.73), those offering comprehensive examination but unwilling to conduct maintenance (8.22 ± 2.28), and those who refer all dental implant patients elsewhere (7.2 ± 2.66). Around half of the dentists believed that implants last for life. Conclusions: While general dentists appeared to largely acknowledge the importance of providing implant maintenance care and present with positive attitudes, a large portion was unwilling to engage with maintenance of implants in patients and appeared to lack essential competences to this end. The main obstacles for providing implant maintenance care included insufficient knowledge and lack of a properly equipped clinical environment. Knowledge Transfer Statement: The results of this study can identify deficiencies in the currently available maintenance competences and schemes for patients with implants. These results can also help dental professionals, scientific bodies, and associations to design appropriate education and professional development strategies that can strengthen the confidence and competences of general dentists, thus offering better service to the public.

Strategic Implants under Existing Partial Removable Dentures, Why, How Many, and Which Type?

Inserting strategic implants under existing removable partial dentures requires a comprehensive understanding of removable prosthodontic basics and possible designs, as well as a thorough understanding of implant therapy. Prior to the widespread adoption of implants as standard prosthetic therapy, remaining roots were preserved and used to minimize bone resorption under the removable denture. Root-supported overdentures become less common after the overwhelming clinical studies that emphasize dental implants’ reliability and high success and survival rate. Fixed prostheses cannot be used to treat a severely decreased dentition unless a significant number of implants can be inserted, sufficient bone quantity and quality are available, and the patients can afford the treatment. On the other hand, using strategic implants under existing RPD upgrades the design to a more favorable support type. It improves patient satisfaction with the RPD in speaking, chewing, retention, stability, and RPD support. This improvement could be reached earlier if the patient received immediate loading. Strategic implants can also improve chewing ability, stabilize the occlusion, increase bite force and improve patient oral health-related quality of life. Moreover, better distribution of occlusal forces that may reduce bone resorption may be gained. Furthermore, strategic implants can improve comfort, confidence, and esthetics by reducing the RPD size and removing the retainers from the esthetic zone.

Dental implant imaging: What do South African dentists and dental specialists prefer?

To document the types of imaging modalities that are commonly prescribed during dental implant therapy in South Africa. The radiographic preferences were obtained from practitioners via an electronic survey that was disseminated during local dental conferences, electronic channels (e.g., email lists) of multiple dental schools and local dental scientific societies, and personal interviews. The survey consisted of multiple-choice questions which were designed to investigate the most common radiographic prescriptions during various treatment phases of implant therapy. The responses of one hundred and forty-two participants (General practitioners and dental specialists) practising in different South African provinces were collected and assessed. Principally, panoramic radiographs combined with cone beam computed tomography (PAN + CBCT) followed by CBCT, as a single examination (ASE), were the most preferable modalities during the implant planning phase (39% and 29%, respectively). During and directly after the surgery, periapical radiographs (ASE) were the most preferred (87% and 65%, respectively). The most widely preferred radiographic examination during the planning of implants was panoramic radiographs combined with CBCT. Periapical radiographs (ASE) were favoured during, directly after the treatment, and during the follow-up of asymptomatic patients by the majority of participants. However, CBCT (ASE) was preferred in the follow up of symptomatic patients. Factors related to extra anatomical information and superior dimensional accuracy provided by three-dimensional volumes (e.g., CBCT volumes), were the most indicated influencing factors on the radiographic prescriptions during implant planning.