The role of piezoelectric surgery and platelet-rich fibrin in treatment of ORN and MRONJ: a clinical case series

An overview on the art of piezosurgery in the maxillofacial practice

Introduction: Piezosurgery is an emerging boom in the field of maxillofacial surgery for precise, safe and effective osteotomies sparing the adjacent vital structures compared to conventional surgery. Corpus: It works on the principle of piezoelectric effect in which crystals in the piezoelectric substances get deformed on the application of an electric field. Various studies gave the evidence of improved wound healing and bone formation compared to conventional approaches. The soft tissue sparing capability with improved patient comfort and decreased blood loss gave the utmost importance for this surgical technique in the present as well as future world of surgery. Conclusion: Piezosurgery has emerging as a promising surgical modality with a wide range of clinical applications throughout the whole field of surgery.

Autologous platelet concentrates in oral surgery: protocols, properties, and clinical applications

Autologous platelet concentrates (APCs) are a relatively new phenomenon, with initial reports of their regenerative potential published as recently as 1998. Despite their relative infancy, a huge body of evidence exists in support of their capacity to promote osseous and soft tissue regeneration through the physiologic processes of platelet activation and subsequent growth factor release. APCs have transformed many areas of healthcare and are now considered an essential component of the surgical milieu. In this narrative review, we explore the evolution of autologous platelet therapies with a particular emphasis on their contemporary applications in oral surgery, which rather fittingly was the first specialty to report the regenerative potential of APCs.

Osteonecrosis of the jaw associated with imatinib therapy in myeloproliferative neoplasm: a rare case report

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a relatively infrequent but very well-known adverse effect of bisphosphonates. This rare complication of bisphosphonates is rarest with the use of certain drugs. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), particularly used in renal cell carcinoma or gastrointestinal tumors as a chemotherapeutic agent, can precipitate this particular medical condition of bone when it is associated with either radiation or bisphosphonates, though, monodrug therapy with TKIs rarely causes MRONJ. This article describes a rare case of necrosis of the jawbone in a patient with a myeloproliferative neoplasm who was receiving the TKI imatinib and had no history of bisphosphonate or radiation therapy to head and neck region.

Role of Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) in Oro-Facial Tissue Regeneration: A Narrative Review

Background and Aim:

Regeneration potential of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in oral tissues regeneration has revolutionized the clinical dentistry in recent years. The in vivo and in vitro research on PRP and PRF has opened a new avenue in the dentistry and medicinal care. It is a minimally invasive and cost-effective technique that will raise the bar of clinical dentistry. The results presently documented are overwhelming; the potential to use PRF and PRP in the clinical dentistry have improved dental quality, satisfaction, and clinical outcome. The aim of the review was to recapitulate the regenerative and healing potential of platelet extracts in different disciplines of clinical dentistry.

Materials and Methods:

The attempt was to answer the following question: what are the various clinical oral health applications for PRF and PRP available in the published literature? The dual functions (tissue sealants and drug delivery systems to carry biomolecules and chemotactic growth factors) have helped the practitioners to treat the complicated oral conditions and tissues regeneration. The PRF and plasma has emerged as a powerful therapeutic tool for management of soft and hard tissue healing and regenerative procedures, including implant osseointegration. More research is mandatory to use these platelets concentrate to their full potential in various clinical applications.

Conclusion:

PRF is an emerging therapeutic tool in the management of oral soft and hard tissue healing and regenerative procedures.

Is the application of platelet concentrates effective in the prevention and treatment of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw? A systematic review

The aim of this systematic review was to answer the question: Is the application of autologous platelet concentrates (APCs) effective in the prevention and treatment of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ)? A literature search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases (articles published until June 30, 2019) was conducted, in accordance with the PRISMA statement, using search terms related to "platelet concentrate" and "osteonecrosis". The Jadad scale was used to assess the quality of the articles. Fisher's exact test was used to evaluate eventual differences between groups. Of 594 articles, 43 were included in the review (8 for MRONJ prevention and 35 for MRONJ treatment). Out of a total of 1219 dental extractions recorded (786 with APCs), only 12 cases of MRONJ have been reported (1%), all in patients with a history of high-dose antiresorptive treatment, and regardless of the use of APCs (p = 0.7634). Regarding MRONJ treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in terms of improvement between APC application and surgical treatment alone (p = 0.0788). Results are not sufficient to establish the effectiveness of APCs in the prevention and treatment of MRONJ. Randomized controlled trials with large sample size are needed.

Regenerative Effect of Platelet Concentrates in Oral and Craniofacial Regeneration

Platelet concentrates (PCs) are biological autologous products derived from the patient's whole blood and consist mainly of supraphysiologic concentration of platelets and growth factors (GFs). These GFs have anti-inflammatory and healing enhancing properties. Overall, PCs seem to enhance bone and soft tissue healing in alveolar ridge augmentation, periodontal surgery, socket preservation, implant surgery, endodontic regeneration, sinus augmentation, bisphosphonate related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ), osteoradionecrosis, closure of oroantral communication (OAC), and oral ulcers. On the other hand, no effect was reported for gingival recession and guided tissue regeneration (GTR) procedures. Also, PCs could reduce pain and inflammatory complications in temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), oral ulcers, and extraction sockets. However, these effects have been clinically inconsistent across the literature. Differences in study designs and types of PCs used with variable concentration of platelets, GFs, and leucocytes, as well as different application forms and techniques could explain these contradictory results. This study aims to review the clinical applications of PCs in oral and craniofacial tissue regeneration and the role of their molecular components in tissue healing.

Evaluation of the Efficacy of EDTA Chelation on Alveolar Bone Healing After Ultrasonic and Conventional Surgery Under Bisphosphonate Medication: A Rat Model

PURPOSE

The aims of the present study were 1) to investigate the effects of local ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelation on alveolar bone healing after systemic administration of bisphosphonates; and 2) to compare the healing in alveolar defects created with ultrasonic and conventional surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 40 male Wistar rats were divided into 4 equal groups of 10 rats each (zoledronate and piezosurgery, zoledronate and bur, placebo and piezosurgery, and placebo and bur). The first 2 groups received weekly intraperitoneal injections of zoledronic acid (0.06 mg/kg), and the second 2 groups received saline solution for 4 weeks. After the last injections, horizontal defects 4 × 2 × 1 mm in size were created on the mandibular alveolar bone using piezosurgery or conventional bur surgery. The zoledronate groups received 10 minutes of local application of EDTA on 1 side and saline solution on the other side. In the placebo groups, only 1 side was treated (one half of the group with the bur and one half of the group with piezosurgery). All the rats were euthanized at 4 postoperative weeks for comparative histomorphometric evaluation of bone healing in the created defects.

RESULTS

Bone formation was found to be the greatest in the placebo groups (P < .05). Although a greater amount of bone formation was observed with piezosurgery and EDTA among the bisphosphonate-treated groups, the difference between the zoledronate groups was not statistically significant (P > .05). Similarly, no statistically significant difference was found between the use of piezosurgery and conventional bur surgery within the placebo groups (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the present study revealed improved bone healing with the use of piezosurgery and EDTA chelation, although the difference did not reach statistical significance. Further research should be performed to clearly identify the role of EDTA as a chelating agent and in prevention of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws development.