Category: Uncategorized

No Membrane Contact Sinus Augmentation

No Membrane Contact Sinus Augmentation Never tear another sinus membrane In a previous article, “Sinus Augmentation Without Sinus Membrane Exposure”, we described a method of performing a sinus augmentation without contacting the sinus membrane. That case discussed a minor sinus elevation (sinus bump). Today, we are using the same technique that allows the graft material to flow through the bone and lift the sinus membrane but with the ability to graft the sinus with any desired amount of graft material. The sinus presents with a septum (blue arrow) separating the sinus in two compartments. The patient wanted only one additional…

Alzheimer’s is a Prion Infection

Alzheimer’s is a Prion Infection Prion Infections are Transmitted Through Cadaver Tissue Grafts and Surgical Instruments Many neurodegenerative diseases have been found to be prion infections.1,2 In this post, we will discuss what prions are, what human neurodegenerative diseases are caused by prions, and how the infections are transmitted. Prions are proteins that are produced in human cells that become misfolded. The misfolding of the protein does not occur randomly but can only take place when the normal protein is induced to change shape by another misfolded protein. They retain the chemical components of the normal protein and it is…

An Orthopedic Pain Med for Dental Implantologists

An Orthopedic Pain Med for Dental Implantologists For pain control in dentistry, we deal with pain from periodontal therapy, endodontic therapy, and implant therapy. These surgeries deal with different tissues and these tissues are likely to respond differently to different pain medications. However, orthopedic surgeons and dental implantologists both work primarily with bone, and we can benefit from sharing information on the types of pain meds that best benefit our patients after skeletal surgery. One pain medication that is popular with orthopedic surgeons but is seldom used by implantologists is diclofenac. First synthesized in 1973, diclofenac is the most prescribed…

Severe Lesion, Delayed Growth Assistance Requested

Severe Lesion, Delayed Growth Assistance Requested At age 2, the following patient suffered trauma to her lower jaw. At age 12, a significant lesion was found in her mandibular symphysis. The diagnosis was a traumatic bone cavity (previously called a traumatic bone cyst). In 2016 at age 12, the lesion was operated by a skilled oral surgeon as follows: The lower left image shows the lesion filled with mineralized freeze-dried bone allograft. The lower middle image shows the graft covered with a particulate allograft in a polymer designed to function as a barrier. In 2020, the area was rescanned, and…

Sinus Augmentation Without Sinus Membrane Exposure

Sinus Augmentation Without Sinus Membrane Exposure Sinus membrane perforation is the most common complication of sinus augmentation surgery. Dealing with the sinus membrane is also one of the most stressful parts of sinus augmentation surgery. This post describes a stress-free method of elevating the sinus membrane for predictable sinus augmentation. Tooth #4 presented with the medial distal fracture of the crown. A periapical lesion was present with loss of bone opening into the maxillary sinus. Swelling of sinus membrane and opacity of the sinus is evidence of sinusitis. When the sinus is infected, it is advised that the patient begin…

Long Term Ridge Preservation

Long Term Ridge Preservation Every day in the clinic we see dramatic post extraction ridge resorption. We accept this as normal because it happens for most patients. Dentistry has developed methods to preserve the alveolar ridge and we have studies that show minimal ridge resorption at 6 months when a site is grafted. In sites that are not grafted, studies have shown that between 37 and 50 percent of sites need to be grafted for implant placement. However, because many patients delay implant placement, questions remain about the long term benefits of grafting. In the long term (2 or more…

Are Cavitations Real?

Are Cavitations Real? At SteinerBio, our posts are accompanied by cited literature to support our discussions. When we are discussing a subject that lacks solid published literature, we make an effort to be clear that we are only providing our opinion. This discussion on cavitations falls somewhere in no man’s land as there is published literature, but little of scientific validity. In dentistry, a “bone cavitation” is a term often used to refer to areas of jawbone that is believed to be lacking mineralization or is very poorly mineralized, and filled with either chronically infected, necrotic (dead tissue), or otherwise…

AlloOss Plus Recalled Over Patient Deaths

AlloOss Plus Recalled Over Patient Deaths AlloOss Plus is sold to dentists by ACE Southern. It is the same product that killed 8 people two years ago due to tuberculosis infection. Recently, there has been one death and a number of systemic tuberculosis infections with the same product. Two years ago, the company was called Aziyo, but is now called Elutia. For orthopedic distribution, they sold the product called “ViBone Moldable” through a distributor of medical devices called Surgalign. They sold the same product called “alloOss Plus” to dentists through ACE. The product claims to harvest regenerative cells from cadavers,…

Dr. Vanchit John Proves Allografts Are Sclerotic

Dr. Vanchit John Proves Allografts Are Sclerotic In 2011, a publication used the skills of a pathologist to evaluate tissue samples from an allograft ridge augmentation and the bone was diagnosed as sclerotic: Alveolar ridge augmentation: comparison of two socket graft materials in implant cases Dr. Vanchit John in June of 2023 duplicated this study using the skills of a pathologist to evaluate tissue samples from an allograft ridge augmentation, and the bone was diagnosed as sclerotic: Particulate bone graft materials for periodontal and implant surgery: a narrative review and case series “This led to the diagnosis of viable sclerotic…

Open Letter to the Editor of the Journal of Periodontology

An Open Letter to the Editor of the Journal of Periodontology Dear Dr. Effie Ioannidou, Congratulations on your appointment as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Periodontology. Your appointment gives you the opportunity to revolutionize the profession of periodontics. Periodontal therapy has not improved treatment outcomes in 30 years and it is directly related to what is published in the Journal of Periodontology. It is difficult to comprehend that the only improvement in periodontal treatment outcomes that has occurred in the last 50 years was the introduction of the barrier membrane, and this advancement was developed by industry, not by our…