Purpose: Guided bone regeneration (GBR) utilizes a barrier membrane to allow osteogenic cells to populate a space by excluding epithelial and connective tissue cells.The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the ratio of means (RoM) of vertical bone gained (Outcome) in vertical GBR procedures with healing complications (Intervention) and in vertical GBR procedures without healing complications (Comparison) in patients with vertically resorbed edentulous ridges that require dental implant placement (Population). A further aim was to investigate the incidence of complications after vertical GBR, and the influence of the timing of implant placement and regenerative devices on complications.Materials and Methods: MEDLINE (through PubMed), EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched in duplicate up to, and including, November 2020 for randomized and controlled clinical trials and prospective and retrospective case series. Outcomes included patient-level and site-level RoM of vertical bone gain between healing complications and uneventful healing, and incidences of complications that occurred after vertical GBR. Random-effects and fixed-effects meta-analyses were performed where appropriate. This study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021226432).Results: A total of 31 publications were selected for the qualitative and quantitative analyses. The RoM of vertical bone gained was 0.65 [95% CI = 0.47, 0.91] and 0.62 [95% CI = 0.45, 0.85] when membrane exposure without suppuration and abscess formation without membrane exposure occurred respectively, in comparison to uneventful healing. The overall incidence proportion of healing complications occurring at the augmented site at a site-and patient-level was 11.0% [95% CI = 7.0, 15.6] and 10.8% [95% CI = 6.6, 15.7]. At a patient-level, there were no significant differences between a simultaneous or staged approach, or with the regenerative device used. The site-level incidence proportion of membrane exposure without suppuration, membrane exposure with suppuration, and with abscess formation without membrane exposure was 8.7% [95% CI = 4.2, 14.2], 0.7% [95% CI = 0.0, 2.9], and 0.5% [95% CI = 0.0, 1.7], respectively. The site-level weighted mean incidence proportion of neurologic complications occurring at the donor site was 0.8% [95% CI = 0.0, 5.3].

It is not uncommon to encounter post-surgical complications after horizontal guided bone regeneration (GBR). The primary aim of this review was to evaluate the incidence and types of complications that occur after horizontal GBR and propose management strategies to deal with these clinical situations. A secondary aim was to conduct a histomorphometric review of the wound healing process at sites that experienced post-surgical complications after GBR. A keyword search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for studies published in English from January 2015 to January 2020 was conducted for the primary aim and 23 studies were selected. A second search addressing the secondary aim was conducted, and five studies were included. Site-level analysis showed that the weighted mean incidence proportion of minor wound dehiscence and minor infections occurring at the augmented site was 9.9% [95% CI 6.4, 13.9, P < 0.01] and 1.5% [95% CI 0.4, 3.1, P = 0.21) respectively. Patient-level analysis showed minor and major complications occurring at a weighted mean incidence proportion of 16.1% [95% CI 11.9, 20.8, P = 0.01] and 1.6% [95% CI 0.0, 4.7, P < 0.01] respectively, while neurosensory alterations at the donor site was 7.0% [95% CI 1.3, 15.5, P < 0.01]. Subgroup analysis also revealed that the use of block grafts increased the incidence proportion of minor post-surgical complications, whereas a staged GBR procedure increased the incidence proportion of both minor and major post-surgical complications. Although exposure of the barrier membrane is often associated with less bone regeneration and graft resorption, the type of membrane used (resorbable or non-resorbable) had no statistically significant influence on any post-surgical complication. Histologically, a layer of fibrous connective tissue instead of bone is commonly observed at the interface between the native bone at the recipient site and the regenerated bone in cases with membrane exposure after GBR procedure. Minor wound dehiscence was the highest incidence proportion of post-surgical complications. Methods ranging from daily application of antiseptics, use of systemic antimicrobials, regular reviews, and total removal of the non-integrated biomaterials are commonly prescribed to manage these post-surgical complications in attempt to minimise the loss of tissue at the surgical site.

“Open‐ended” molecular techniques such as 16S rRNA sequencing have revealed that the oral bacteriome of subgingival plaque is more diverse than originally thought. 16S rRNA analysis has demonstrated that constituents of the overall bacterial community are qualitatively similar in health and disease, differing mainly in their relative proportions with respect to each other. Species in low abundance can also act as critical species, leading to the concept of global community dysbiosis which relates to shifts in community structure, rather than shifts in membership. Correlation analysis suggests that coordinated interactions in the community are essential for incipient dysbiosis and disease pathogenesis. The subgingival bacteriome also provides biomarkers that are useful for disease detection and management. Combined with clinical and biological parameters, these may assist clinicians in developing and implementing effective treatment strategies to restore microbial homeostasis and monitor disease. Identification of higher risk groups or poor responders to treatment using unique subgingival bacteriome signatures may also lead to early intervention.

The emergence of a highly infectious coronavirus strain, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to a major global public health emergency. The increasing number of infected cases and fatalities worldwide forced several countries into lockdown in a bid to control virus transmission. The practice of dentistry is considered high-risk due to the generation of aerosols associated with most dental procedures, and healthcare professionals must take appropriate precautions whilst working in this challenging environment. This review aims to provide an overview on transmission routes and shares a risk-based approach to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a specialty tertiary center. Risk assessment and mitigation focussed on staff and patient safety, adopting a wide safety margin, and responding dynamically to the level of risk at the workplace. As the severity of the pandemic depends on many still-unknown factors and shows little sign of abating, the routine practice of dentistry will continue to be disrupted in the near future. We describe a color-coded framework to maximize safety and to minimize disease spread. Areas covered include healthcare team management, personal protective equipment, clinical work, and dental education. Guidelines in each category change with the corresponding severity of the situation, and we believe it will be useful for the safer practice of dentistry in this current climate and can be modified for future similar disease outbreaks.

Severe periodontitis is a highly prevalent dental disease. With the advent of implant dentistry, teeth are often extracted and replaced. Periodontal surgery, where indicated, could also result in increased trauma to the patient. This literature review discusses different treatment modalities for periodontitis and proposes a treatment approach emphasizing maximum preservation of teeth while minimizing morbidity to the patient. Scientific articles were retrieved from the MEDLINE/PubMed database up to January 2021 to identify appropriate articles that addressed the objectives of this review. This was supplemented with hand searching using reference lists from relevant articles. As tooth prognostication does not have a high predictive value, a more conservative approach in extracting teeth should be abided by. This may involve repeated rounds of nonsurgical periodontal therapy, and adjuncts such as locally delivered statin gels and subantimicrobial-dose doxycycline appear to be effective. Periodontal surgery should not be carried out at an early phase in therapy as improvements in nonsurgical therapy may be observed up to 12 months from initial treatment. Periodontal surgery, where indicated, should also be minimally invasive, with periodontal regeneration being shown to be effective over 20 years of follow-up. Biomarkers provide an opportunity for early detection of disease activity and personalised treatment. Quality of life is proposed as an alternative end point to the traditional biomedical paradigm focused on the disease state and clinical outcomes. In summary, minimally invasive therapy aims to preserve health and function of the natural dentition, thus improving the quality of life for patients with periodontitis.