Periodontal status impacts on life quality. This has implications in understanding the consequences of periodontal health and in the use of patient-centred outcomes in periodontal research.

A new design of single tooth implant (AstraTech, Molndal Sweden) featuring a microthreaded conical neck and TiO blast surface was evaluated clinically and radiographically after 2 years in function. Fifteen patients (age range 16 to 48) with missing maxillary anterior teeth (6 central incisors, 8 laterals, 1 bicuspid) had 4, 13 mm and 11, 15 mm implants placed under local anaesthesia and left for a period of 6 months before exposure and abutment connection/crown fabrication. All patients were seen at 4 to 6 monthly intervals for hygienist maintenance. Radiographs using Rinn holders and a long cone technique were taken at the crown insertion and after 1 year (14 subjects) and 2 years (12 subjects). All implants were successfully integrated at stage 2, and no implants have been lost. The internal conical seal design of the abutment/implant interface facilitated connection and there were no cases of abutment screw loosening. No soft tissue problems were observed, and the gingival morphology/health was well maintained. One crown was recemented after 18 months in function, and 1 crown was replaced because of a fracture to the porcelain incisal edge. At crown insertion, the mean bone level was 0.46 to 0.48 mm apical to the top of the implant and there were no statistically significant changes in the bone level over the 2 years of the study. In conclusion, the single tooth Astra implants were highly successful and bone changes within the first 2 years of function were comparable with other systems reporting high long-term success rates.

The aim of this survey was to study the prevalence of juvenile periodontitis in schoolchildren aged 12-19 yr in Lagos, Nigeria. 1001 children, 565 boys and 436 girls, took part in the study. Initially all the children were screened clinically at school according to the recommendations of CPITN. A mirror and WHO 621 pattern probe were used for this examination. Any child with two or more sextants or teeth with CPITN code 3 or one sextant code 4 was taken for a radiographic and full clinical examination. Only 19 children, 12 boys and seven girls, fulfilled these requirements. Of these 19 children, five boys and three girls showed radiographic evidence of bone loss as well as increased probing depths, and were diagnosed as having juvenile periodontitis. The other children showed no evidence of bone loss radiographically, despite maximum probing depths of 4-5 mm. The results indicate a prevalence of juvenile periodontitis of 0.8% in this Negro population.

Bone augmentation around implant fixtures using the technique of guided tissue regeneration has been described in a number of reports. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone fill around dehiscence defects at matched defects randomly allocated to test (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene; Gore-Tex) or control treatments within the same patient. Six edentulous subjects were treated with overdentures supported by 2 fixtures ad modum Bränemark. In addition, 2 experimental 7-mm fixtures with nearly identical dehiscence defects on the labial aspect were placed in the anterior part of the mandible. Baseline defect heights ranged from 2.5 to 4.0 mm with 2 to 4 threads exposed. The test fixture dehiscence was covered with a Gore-Tex membrane secured with a cover screw. The experimental fixtures were exposed after 5 months at stage 2 surgery and measurements and photographs repeated. The fixtures were then removed with a trephine and processed for histological evaluation. Regeneration of a hard tissue resembling bone was observed in 4 of 6 cases treated with Gore-Tex, amounting to between 95 and 100% elimination of the dehiscence and total coverage of the threads. However, in one of these cases, histological evaluation showed that it was soft tissue and not bone, and in a further case soft tissue regeneration was apparent both clinically and histologically. In another case there was no significant regeneration at either test or control defects. Although there was a trend for the Gore-Tex-treated dehiscences to respond more favourably, the differences in clinical and histological measurements between test and control failed to reach statistical significance.