Evaluation of the aesthetics and clinical findings in patients with missing maxillary lateral incisors treated with a 10-year interval

INTRODUCTION

The most common treatment approaches for patients missing maxillary lateral incisors are implant replacement (IT) and orthodontic space closure (SC). Treatment techniques change and improve over time, and it is of interest to know if improvements differ between the methods.

AIM

To compare the aesthetic outcome and other clinical findings in patients with one or two missing maxillary lateral incisors who were treated with a 10-year difference in time, with either orthodontic space closure or implant replacement.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 88 patients were included in the study. Forty-four patients treated between 2011 and 2018 were included as the latter cohort (LC). The LC was compared to the early cohort (EC; n = 44), treated between 2001 and 2008. A total of 132 teeth was analysed: 62 teeth in the EC (28 teeth in IT cases and 34 teeth in SC cases) and 70 teeth in the LC (34 teeth in IT cases and 36 teeth in SC cases). Long-term clinical and aesthetic outcomes were evaluated.

RESULTS

An improvement over time was found in crown length, BoP, papilla, the inclination of incisors, and overall appearance in IT cases and in crown colour and overbite in SC cases. A deterioration over time was found in crown length and BoP among the SC cases.

CONCLUSION

Among the IT cases, an improvement in outcomes was noted over time. When comparing SC cases the colour of the crown and overbite had improved, while crown length and BoP had deteriorated over time.

Narrow single tooth implants for congenitally missing maxillary lateral incisors: a 5-year follow-up

INTRODUCTION

The maxillary lateral incisor epidemiologically represents the second most common congenitally absent teeth. In literature, different approaches have been proposed, such as canine teeth substitution, traditional prosthetic rehabilitation, adhesive restoration or single-tooth implant. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the clinical and radiographical effectiveness of narrow single tooth implant treatment for missing maxillary lateral incisors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 11 subjects, in seven cases bilaterally, were treated in the Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University "G. D'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, with a radiographical follow-up at 5 years from the loading.

RESULTS

At the follow up, no bone defects or pathological gingival probing were present around the peri-implant tissues. No mechanical complications, such as loss of the crown fixation screws or fracture, were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Narrow implants represent a predictable optional treatment for maxillary lateral incisor restoration, with a high-level aesthetic and functional outcome of the rehabilitation.

Lightness, chroma, and hue distributions in natural teeth measured by a spectrophotometer

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to analyze the distribution of color parameters, lightness (L*), chroma (C), hue (H), a* and b*, in the intercanine sector in maxilla.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Patients' tooth color measurements were performed using an intraoral spectrophotometer VITA Easyshade^® (VITA Zahnfabrik H. Rauter GmbH and Co. KG, Bad Sackingen, Germany). The measurements were made in 255 subjects in the intercanine sector in maxilla.

RESULTS

The mean values for the group of 255 subjects were as follows: L*, a*, b*, C, and H as 81.6, 0.67, 21.6, 21.7, and 92.7, respectively. For F=206.27 and P < 0.001 between L*, a*, b*, C, H, and central incisor/lateral incisor/canines, there were statistically significant differences.

CONCLUSION

With the statistical analysis, it was determined that there are significant color differences between the teeth of the intercanine sector, which differences are clinically significant also.

An unusual triad: Bilateral dilated odontoma, hypodontia and peg laterals

The dilated odontoma is an infrequent developmental alteration that appears in any area of the dental arches and can affect deciduous, permanent and supernumerary tooth. Dens invaginatus is a developmental anomaly resulting from invagination of a portion of crown forming within the enamel organ during odontogenesis. The most extreme form of dens invaginatus is known as dilated odontoma. The aim of this case report is to present a rare case of bilateral dilated odontoma affecting a microdontic permanent lateral incisor in a 30 year old female patient with hypodontia and peglateral teeth with its clinical, radiological and histological features, which has yet been not reported. Bilateral presence of dilated odontoma is not a common occurrence, although a single tooth involvement in each case has been reported in the literature.