Proton pump inhibitor intake negatively affects the osseointegration of dental implants: a retrospective study

The Effect of Medical Status on Long-Term Survival of Dental Implants

Successful dental implant therapy relies on a bone-implant interface that is mechanically strong and capable of dynamic remodeling in response to functional loads. There are a number of medical conditions or therapies that can affect either bone metabolism or the resistance of bone to infection. However, their effects are often mitigated by local factors or individual responses so the impact of these conditions is not clear-cut. This article will review a number of these conditions and therapies and describe existing studies that have studied these conditions to guide practitioners in their implant practice.

Peri-implantitis after 40 years: Evidence, mechanisms, and implications: A mapping review

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The high prevalence of peri-implantitis (PI) continues to plague patients and the disease is resistant to present treatment regimens. An analysis of the available research is lacking.

PURPOSE

Given the abundance and diversity of research on the topic of PI, the purpose of this mapping review was to synthesize the literature on the prevention of PI, the histopathology of the disease, the state of present therapeutics, and any emerging treatments.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An extensive literature search was undertaken by using the electronic databases of PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct. The keyword strings were peri-implantitis, dental implant, risk assessment, histopathology, prosthesis design, and treatment. The filters applied were time interval from 2000 to 2002; language, English.

RESULTS

A total of 3635 articles were taken from PubMed, 3686 articles from Web of Science, and 2450 articles from Science Direct. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria to the titles and abstracts of selected investigations, 214 studies were retrieved.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence reflects a concerning incidence of PI, without a predictable treatment protocol. An in-depth patient risk assessment considering risk modification, emphasis on surgical and restorative expertise, and strict recall and maintenance is essential to minimize PI.

Medications Affecting Outcomes and Prognosis of Dental Treatment: Part 1

This article gives valuable insight into the effect of selected groups of medications on dental treatment outcome and prognosis. The review emphasizes the importance of thorough medical history, which may have an impact on the prognosis of dental treatment. We discuss drugs acting on the central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, endocrine system, and bone metabolism among others. Other pertinent drugs are discussed elsewhere in this special issue.

Impact of proton pump inhibitors on periodontal health - A systematic review

Introduction

In recent times, proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are frequently prescribed to manage acid reflux and to aid in completion of course of medication, which cause gastric irritation. Although this practice may minimize compliance to drug therapies and probably prevent development of drug resistance, the adverse effects of chronic PPI use have to be assessed. Inadvertent chronic use of PPIs has been found to inhibit normal gastrointestinal microbiome and even bone metabolism. The current study aimed to review available evidence based literature to understand the beneficial effects of PPIs weighed against their adversities with respect to periodontal and peri-implant health.

Materials and Methods

The search strategy was followed according to the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews. Proton pump inhibitors, periodontal disease, dental implant (DI) and bone osseointegration were used as key MESH terms to search and select the required articles for review. While primary inclusion criteria were original researches, published in English, between 2014 to till-date, case reports, reviews and editorial communications were excluded.

Results

The overall search strategy resulted in 445 articles. Applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria 37 articles were selected. Scrutinizing the abstracts for relevance, 17 publications were finally selected for review. This included three in vivo animal studies evaluating DI osseointegration and 14 retrospective clinical studies (nine in patients with dental implants, four in patients with periodontitis and one evaluating bone quality using panoramic radiographs).

Conclusion

Findings from this systematic review revealed a plausible relationship between chronic PPI use and poor peri-implant bone health leading to early DI failure, and mandibular osteoporotic changes. On the contrary, use of PPI among patients with periodontitis, resulted in an improvement in periodontal health and reduction in periodontal disease severity.

Effect of Implant Maintenance on Incidence of Peri-implantitis and Early Implant Failure: Retrospective Cohort Study

Maintaining dental implants and managing peri-implant tissues has become integral to dental practice. Owing to the larger number of implants placed, the number of peri-implant lesions is increasing. Periodontal implant maintenance therapy (PIMT) provides a conservative long-term treatment modality to monitor and maintain implants. This study aims to investigate periodontal maintenance effects on peri-implant tissue health to add to existing evidence. A retrospective analysis included implant patients with 1-7 years of follow-up, assessing peri-implantitis and early implant failure as outcome variables. The frequency of PIMT, implant characteristics, and demographics served as predictors, and associations between peri-implantitis, implant failure, and PIMT frequency were analyzed using Fisher exact tests with the significance level set at .05. Data were collected on 501 implants from 185 patients. Twenty-nine (6%) demonstrated peri-implantitis, whereas 22 (5%) experienced early implant failure. A significant association between PIMT and peri-implantitis was observed (p-value = .0169) with the rate of peri-implantitis at 9% (n = 20) for patients without PIMT and only 4% (n = 10) for those with PIMT. Whereas PIMT was not significantly associated with early implant failure (p-value = .4372), peri-implantitis was: 25% of implants with peri-implantitis experienced early failure compared with 4% without (p-value = .0062). Considering the limitations of the present study, the absence of PIMT was found to be associated with peri-implantitis, which was itself associated with early implant failure. Implant maintenance at 6-month intervals is important in maintaining peri-implant health.

Early Implant Failure: A Meta-Analysis of 7 Years of Experience

Background: The use of dental implant rehabilitation in the treatment of complete and partial edentulism has become an integral treatment today. This treatment is performed on healthy patients, but in some situations, also on those with associated general ailments. The presence of associated conditions increases the degree of difficulty of this type of treatment and tests the doctor's ability to manage the clinical case. The purpose of the study was to perform a meta-analysis of dental implants inserted over seven years and evaluate early implant failure in correspondence with age, sex, region of insertion, type of implant, and general state of health. Methods: A retrospective study was performed over 7 years of experience. For the study, 213 patients who fit the established inclusion criteria were selected. Patients were grouped taking into account age, sex, the type of implant used, and general associated conditions. The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS STATISTICS 25.0 for windows Results: There were no highlighted situations in which the rejection of the dental implant occurred 10 days postoperatively or later during the healing period. Conclusions: Our results confirm and strengthen the existing data in the specialized literature, especially those related to the loss of implants in patients with associated general diseases.

Emerging factors affecting peri-implant bone metabolism

Implant dentistry has evolved to the point that standard implant osseointegration is predictable. This is attributed in part to the advancements in material sciences that have led toward improvements in implant surface technology and characteristics. Nonetheless, there remain several cases where implant therapy fails (specifically at early time points), most commonly attributed to factors affecting bone metabolism. Among these patients, smokers are known to have impaired bone metabolism and thus be subject to higher risks of early implant failure and/or late complications related to the stability of the peri-implant bone and mucosal tissues. Notably, however, emerging data have unveiled other critical factors affecting osseointegration, namely, those related to the metabolism of bone tissues. The aim of this review is to shed light on the effects of implant-related factors, like implant surface or titanium particle release; surgical-related factors, like osseodensification or implanted biomaterials; various drugs, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, proton pump inhibitors, anti-hypertensives, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, and statins, and host-related factors, like smoking, diet, and metabolic syndrome on bone metabolism, and aseptic peri-implant bone loss. Despite the infectious nature of peri-implant biological complications, these factors must be surveyed for the effective prevention and management of peri-implantitis.

Analyzing the Causes and Frequency of Early Dental Implant Failure among Iranians: An Epidemiological Study

Aim

The rate of early dental implant failure (DIF) has increased in recent years, though the risk factors associated with this primary failure remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the rate of early implant failure and identify contributing factors. It was conducted from March 2018 to 2020 in Mashhad, Iran.

Method

This observational study examined the records of 983 implants from the Implant Department of Mashhad Dental School. Variables considered included age, gender, systemic diseases, smoking habits, implant type and size, and surgery-related factors. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, and Fisher exact tests in SPSS V22, with a p-value of 0.05 or less considered statistically significant.

Result

Of the 983 implants, 42 (4.3%) experienced early failure. The study population consisted of 555 (56.5%) females and 428 (43.5%) males, with an average age of 49.34 ± 13.67 years. A significant correlation was found between surgical complications (e.g., fracture of implant fixtures and inferior alveolar nerve exposure) and implant loading time (Yes or No) with early DIF (p=0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). However, no significant correlation was observed between early failure and factors such as age, gender, smoking habits, systemic diseases, implant dimensions, or manufacturer.

Conclusion

Surgical complications and loading time may be the most critical factors contributing to early implant failure. Therefore, we suggest dentists pay attention to the mentioned factors in the surgical protocols and their relationship. Further prospective studies on risk factors that could affect early implant failure are needed.

The Effect of Proton Pump Inhibitors on Early Implant Failure A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background and Objectives: Maintenance of a firm and long-term stable osseointegration is the primary goal of implant dentistry. Time is used to define implant failure characteristics. Early implant failure (EIF) occurs up to one year after loading. Recent studies indicated an association between proton pump inhibitors (PPI) therapy and failure of osseointegration. The present study assessed whether the use of PPIs is a risk factor to EIF. Materials and methods: A retrospective cohort study including 687 patients and 2971 dental implants. The study group (PPIs users) comprised 17.3% (119) individuals and 18.7% (555) implants. The remaining cohort (82.7% (568) individuals and 81.3% (2416) implants) served as control. The information was taken from the patients' files. The following information was collected: age, gender, physical status, systemic diseases, HbA1C values before and after implant-supported prosthesis delivery in cases of diabetes mellitus, smoking, implant location, number of implants per individual, bone augmentation, implant brand, length and width, and EIF. EIF was defined as implant removal within a period of up to 12 months from loading. Results: EIF in PPIs vs. non-PPIs users was 19.3% vs. 14.3% (p = 0.16) at patient level and 5.4% vs. 3.5% at implant level (p = 0.03). Univariate analysis yielded factors significantly associated with PPIs use, including older age, physical status of the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) 3, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, cardiovascular accident (CVA), location (anterior mandible), shorter and narrower implants, and higher number of implants per individual. Multivariate analysis yielded statistically significant OR of 1.91; p = 0.01 for EIF following PPIs use and 2.3; p < 0.001 for location in anterior mandible. Conclusions: Patients and their healthcare providers are advised to carefully consider the potential risks of taking PPIs prior to dental implant surgery. Further research is needed to confirm these risks and elucidate systemic and local factors that may be involved in such outcomes.

Effects of Drugs and Chemotherapeutic Agents on Dental Implant Osseointegration: A Narrative Review

BACKGROUND

Dental implants have been one of the most popular treatments for rehabilitating individuals with single missing teeth or fully edentulous jaws since their introduction. As more implant patients are well-aged and take several medications due to various systemic conditions, clinicians should take into consideration the possible drug implications on bone remodeling and osseointegration.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aims to examine and review some desirable and unwelcomed implications of medicine on osseointegration.

METHODS

A broad search for proper relevant studies was conducted in four databases, including Web of Science, Pubmed, Scopus, and Google Scholar.

RESULTS

Some commonly prescribed medicines, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), glucocorticoids, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), anticoagulants, metformin, and chemotherapeutic agents, may jeopardize osseointegration. On the contrary, some therapeutic agents, such as anabolic, anti-catabolic, or dual anabolic agents may enhance osseointegration and increase the treatment's success rate.

CONCLUSION

Systemic medications that enhance osseointegration include mineralization promoters and bone resorption inhibitors. On the other hand, medications often given to the elderly with systemic problems might interfere with osseointegration, leading to implant failure. However, to validate the research, more human studies with a higher level of evidence are required.

Do proton pump inhibitors affect the biomechanical efficiency of implant?- a systematic review

Purpose

This systematic review was executed to determine the influence of proton pump inhibitors on biomechanical efficiency of dental implants.

Materials and methods

The comprehensive online literature search was conducted on digital database of Pubmed, Cochrane database and EBSCO host, Web of Science and Scopus from 2010 to 2021(Dec).The studies included in our research comprised of randomized controlled trials and animal studies. Literature review, Letter to the editor, short communication and studies not related to the dental implants were excluded. A total of 6 studies were finalized and included in the systemic review.

Result

The proton pump inhibitors have a negative influence on the bone metabolism and adversely affect the Osseointegration of the dental implants. Further they reduce the biomechanical efficiency of dental implant which ultimately results in their failure.

Conclusion

Proton pump inhibitors are a risk factor for dental implant survival. This conclusion has been drawn from the limited research available. Hence well designed prospective randomized controlled trials should be carried out on a large population including the users and non-users, to more thoroughly elucidate the effect of proton pump inhibitor on osseointegration process of dental implants.

Structural design and mechanical performance of composite vascular grafts

This study reviews the state of the art in structural design and the corresponding mechanical behaviours of composite vascular grafts. We critically analyse surface and matrix designs composed of layered, embedded, and hybrid structures along the radial and longitudinal directions; materials and manufacturing techniques, such as tissue engineering and the use of textiles or their combinations; and the corresponding mechanical behaviours of composite vascular grafts in terms of their physical–mechanical properties, especially their stress–strain relationships and elastic recovery. The role of computational studies is discussed with respect to optimizing the geometrics designs and the corresponding mechanical behaviours to satisfy specialized applications, such as those for the aorta and its subparts. Natural and synthetic endothelial materials yield improvements in the mechanical and biological compliance of composite graft surfaces with host arteries. Moreover, the diameter, wall thickness, stiffness, compliance, tensile strength, elasticity, and burst strength of the graft matrix are determined depending on the application and the patient. For composite vascular grafts, hybrid architectures are recommended featuring multiple layers, dimensions, and materials to achieve the desired optimal flexibility and function for complying with user-specific requirements. Rapidly emerging artificial intelligence and big data techniques for diagnostics and the three-dimensional (3D) manufacturing of vascular grafts will likely yield highly compliant, subject-specific, long-lasting, and economical vascular grafts in the near-future.

Graphic abstract

The influence of proton pump inhibitors on tissue attachment around teeth and dental implants: A scoping review

Objectives

Materials and Methods

Results

Conclusions

The effect of the use of proton pump inhibitors, serotonin uptake inhibitors, anti-hypertensive, and anti-inflammatory drugs on clinical outcomes of functional dental implants: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

The present retrospective study investigated the effect of chronic intake of proton pump inhibitors, selective serotonin uptake inhibitors, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hypertensive drugs on the survival of dental implants and on the occurrence of peri-implantitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Survival analyses for implant failure and peri-implantitis were performed patient level for each drug subcategory and for risk factors. The HR for each drug was calculated with adjusted models as compared to a control group made of subjects not assuming the specific drug. Multilevel logistic regression was used to explore the influence of implant-level and patient-level variables on the outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 270 subjects receiving 1118 dental implants were included, with a mean follow-up time of 5.19 ± 4.22 years. After 10 years, the survival rate was 86.9% (patient level) and, according to survival analysis, 61.3% of subjects were free from peri-implantitis. The use of anti-inflammatory medicines produced a significant effect (P = 0.04) on peri-implantitis as compared to subjects not using the drug, with a 2.7 year drop of the mean survival time. The HR was slightly above the level of significance in a semi-adjusted model (P = 0.058). The multilevel analysis found a significant effect on the entire sample and not when considering only subjects with implants with more than 1 year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a possible relationship between anti-inflammatory drugs use and the occurrence of peri-implantitis in the examined cohort of patients, and no correlation for the other drugs.

Proton pump inhibitors and mandibular bone quality: A preliminary study

OBJECTIVES

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) provide a long-lasting anti-acidic effect by inhibiting the proton pump, and they are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs worldwide. PPIs adversely affect the bone structure via deficiency of vitamins and minerals. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible PPI-induced bone changes in the mandible on panoramic radiographs with the methods of fractal analysis and panoramic morphometric indices.

METHODS

Panoramic radiographs of 402 patients were used (201 PPI users, 201 control group). Fractal analysis was performed on 4 regions of interests (ROI): 1- upper part of the ramus, 2- angulus, 3- anterior of the mental foramen, 4- distal of the middle ramus. Also, the panoramic mandibular index (PMI), mandibular cortical width (MCW), and Klemetti index (KI) were performed on radiographs.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in terms of ROI3, MCW, and KI between the control and study groups (p < 0.05) while there was no significant difference for ROI1, ROI2, ROI4, and PMI (p > 0.05). Males were severely affected than females.

CONCLUSIONS

Osteoporotic changes were detected in the trabecular and cortical bone in the mental foramen region in PPI users with fractal analysis and morphometric indices, while there were no differences for mandibular ramus and angulus regions according to fractal analysis.

Are proton pump inhibitors associated with implant failure and peri-implantitis?

OBJECTIVE

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may be linked to implant failure by affecting bone metabolism and osseointegration. This study evaluated how PPIs influence long-term implant failure and peri-implantitis in PPI users and nonusers.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a retrospective cohort study of patients treated at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center between 2006 and 2013. The primary predictor variable was PPI use. Outcome variables were long-term implant failure and the presence of peri-implantitis. Data gathered included demographic characteristics, medical comorbidities, implant location, and dimensions. Multivariate regression models measured independent factor associations. The final study cohort contained 933 implants placed in 284 patients. A total of 323 (32.6%) implants were placed in patients with ongoing PPI use. PPI users were less likely to smoke (22.1% vs 31.9%; P < .01) and use illicit drugs (5.0% vs 9.7%; P = .01) and more likely to have undergone prior bone grafting (18.3% vs 12.9%; P = .03).

RESULTS

PPI use lost significance after controlling for confounding factors and was not an independent predictor of implant failure (odds ratio [OR], 0.801; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56-1.15; P = .24) or peri-implantitis (OR, 0.801; 95% CI, 0.56-1.15; P = .24).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study found no independent associations between PPI use and implant failure or peri-implantitis. Contrary to published literature, PPIs may not influence implant health.

Biomechanical and biochemical evaluation of the effect of systemic application of omeprazole on the osseointegration of titanium implants

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the effects of systemic omeprazole treatment on the osseointegration of titanium implants.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

After surgical insertion of titanium implants into the metaphyseal part of rats' both right and left tibial bones, the animals were randomly divided into three equal groups: control (n = 8), omeprazole dosage-1 (n = 8) (OME-1), and omeprazole dosage-2 (n = 8) (OME-2) and totally 48 implants were surgically integrated. The rats in the control group received no treatment during the four-week postoperative experimental period. In the OME-1 and OME-2 groups, the rats received omeprazole in doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg, respectively, every 3 days for 4 weeks. After the experimental period, the rats were euthanized. One rat died in each group and the study was completed with seven rats in each group. Blood serum was collected for biochemical analysis, and the implants and surrounding bone tissue were used for biomechanical reverse-torque analysis. In the biomechanical analysis, implants that were not properly placed and were not osseointegrated were excluded from the evaluation.

RESULTS

One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's honestly significant difference test and Student's t test were used for statistical analysis. The reverse-torque test (control (n = 9), OME-1 (N = 7), and OME-2 (n = 7)) analysis of biochemical parameters (alkaline phosphatase, calcium, phosphorus, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine amino transferase, urea, and creatinine) revealed no significant differences between the groups (control (n = 7), OME-1 (N = 7), and OME-2 (n = 7)) (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Omeprazole had no biomechanical or biochemical effects on the osseointegration process of titanium implants.

Alendronate and omeprazole in combination reduce angiogenic and growth signals from osteoblasts

Objective

Due to gastrointestinal side effects of oral bisphosphonates (BPs), proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are often prescribed. PPIs may enhance the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw, a rare side effect of BPs. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the oral BP alendronate (ALN) and the PPI omeprazole (OME) alone and in combination on primary human osteoblasts and gingival fibroblasts in vitro.

Methods

Human gingival fibroblasts and normal human osteoblasts were incubated with either 5 μM of ALN or 1 μM of OME, or ALN + OME for 1, 3, 7 or 14 days. Effect on viability was evaluated by the lactate dehydrogenase activity in the medium and on proliferation by quantifying 3H-thymidin incorporation. Multianalyte profiling of proteins in cell culture media was performed using the Luminex 200TM system to assess the effect on selected bone markers and cytokines.

Results

The proliferation of osteoblasts and fibroblasts was reduced upon exposure to ALN + OME. ALN induced an early, temporary rise in markers of inflammation, and OME and ALN + OME promoted a transient decline. An initial increase in IL-13 occurred after exposure to all three options, whereas ALN + OME promoted IL-8 release after 7 days. OME and ALN + OME promoted a transient reduction in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from osteoblasts, whereas ALN and ALN + OME induced a late rise in VEGF from fibroblasts. Osteoprotegerin release was enhanced by ALN and suppressed by OME and ALN + OME.

Conclusions

ALN + OME seemed to exaggerate the negative effects of each drug alone on human osteoblasts and gingival fibroblasts. The anti-proliferative effects, modulation of inflammation and impairment of angiogenesis, may induce unfavorable conditions in periodontal tissue facilitating development of osteonecrosis.

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Alendronate and omeprazole reduce proliferation in osteoblasts and fibroblasts.

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Unchanged viability after exposure to either drug or the combination

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Omeprazole, alone and combined with alendronate, cause impairment of angiogenesis.

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Alendronate promotes an initial, transient increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Effect of proton pump inhibitors on dental implants: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim

The present systematic review aims to determine the evidence on the impact of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) on dental implants.

Settings and Design

This secondary qualitative and quantitative research was done using a pre-specified question and inclusion criteria.

Materials and Methods

A systematic search was conducted in electronic databases such as PubMed, Ovid, and Cochrane. All the studies that assessed the effect of PPIs on dental implants were included, irrespective of the design. Literature review, letter to editors, short commentaries, and opinion articles were excluded.

Results and Statistical Analysis Used

A total of three publications fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All these included articles were retrospective cohort studies; the methodological quality was assessed using Newcastle-Ottawa scale. A total of 452 implants were placed in 149 PPI users, whereas 6798 were positioned in 2241 nonusers. Of these, 43 and 212 implants failed in users and nonusers, respectively (odds ratio: 2.91, 95% confidence interval: 2.06-4.11). The meta-analysis was performed using the statistical software Review Manager, and a fixed-effect model was used to obtain the odds ratio. The success rate of implants based on age, gender, smoking, and bone augmentation could be combined only from two studies, which revealed a considerable effect of these factors.

Conclusion

As far as the available evidence is considered, it seems as if the usage of PPI has a detrimental effect on the success of dental implants. This influence needs justification as none of the included studies segregated the data based on confounding factors. Hence, there is a need to conduct well-designed, prospective, randomized clinical trials with balanced confounding factors to derive a proper conclusion.

Annual review of selected scientific literature: A report of the Committee on Scientific Investigation of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry

This comprehensive review of the 2019 restorative dental literature is offered to inform busy dentists regarding remarkable publications and noteworthy progress made in the profession. Developed by the Scientific Investigation Committee of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, each author brings discipline-specific expertise to 1 of 8 sections of the report: (1) prosthodontics; (2) periodontics, alveolar bone, and peri-implant tissues; (3) implant dentistry; (4) dental materials and therapeutics; (5) occlusion and temporomandibular disorders; (6) sleep-related breathing disorders; (7) oral medicine and oral and maxillofacial surgery; and (8) dental caries and cariology. The report targets important information likely to influence day-to-day dental treatment decisions. Each review is not intended to stand alone but to update interested readers so that they may visit source material when greater detail is desired. As the profession moves toward evidence-based clinical decision-making, an incredible volume of potentially valuable dental literature continues to increase. It is the intention of this review and its authors to provide assistance in negotiating the extensive dental literature published in 2019. It is our hope that readers find this work useful in the clinical management of dental patients.