The immediate loading of two implants by means of ball attachment-retained mandibular complete denture may be a predictable treatment option. This clinical approach offers increased stability and comfort, while keeping a high implant success rate.

The present work collected data on the ultrastructural features of the attached gingiva in kidney transplant patients who showed gingival hyperplasia following cyclosporin A (Cy A) treatment. Ultrastructural examination was carried out on biopsies of attached gingiva obtained from 8 male patients (30 to 60 years old) undergoing treatment at the Dental Clinic of the University of Ferrara. The data showed that, although many fibroblasts are present in Cy A-induced hyperplasia, there is a particular abundance of amorphous substance compared to fibrous, as well as marked plasma cell infiltration. On the basis of the data collected, we hypothesize that the morphological features of the dimensional increase in gingival tissue associated with Cy A treatment in kidney transplant patients may be considered local manifestations of a systemic phenomenon.

Shade matching is inherently complex and involves understanding the science of color, determining the shade and surface characteristics of teeth, and communicating this information to the laboratory technician. The laboratory technician then has the difficult task of mimicking the selected shade and ultimately reproducing it in the final restoration.

Provisional restorations fulfill many functions in restorative dentistry. Quality provisional restorations can provide the clinician, the patient, and the laboratory technician much valuable information prior to fabrication of the definitive restoration. Such diagnostic provisional restorations fabricated with acrylic resin are easily adjusted and modified until both esthetic and functional results are approved by the patient. Once this approval has been obtained, the definitive restorations can be fabricated with confidence, using the esthetic form of the provisional restorations as a blueprint. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCERoutine use of provisional restorations for esthetic diagnostic purposes can prevent the destructive cycle of failure and frustration frequently experienced when performing elective esthetic restorative dentistry.( J Esthet Dent 12:238-247,2000) n spite of the fact that a famous 'Clinical Associate Professor,