Sabrina Maniewicz

Background Hyposalivation is a highly prevalent condition in old persons. Objectives The aim of this study was to assess a novel tool for the diagnosis of hyposalivation using a sugar cube and to compare its reliability to other validated test methods. Methods Five tests were performed: unstimulated salivary flow test by draining method (USFT), oral moisture device Mucus® (MCS), sugar cube test (SCT), stimulated salivary flow test by chewing gum (CG) and Saxon test (SX). The sugar cube test consisted in measuring the time needed to disintegrate a standard‐sized sugar cube N°4 (5.6 g) placed beneath the tongue. Bivariate correlation analyses were performed. ROC curve analysis and the Youden Index were used to determine the cut‐off value. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated according to the determined cut‐off point. Results A total of 121 participants were recruited, with an average age of 49.8 ± 18.2 years. The USFT was best correlated with the SCT. No correlation was found between SCT and the stimulated saliva tests (CG, SX) as well as the MCS test. According to the Youden index, 140 s is appropriate to diagnose hyposalivation. Sensitivity of .64 and specificity of .91 were found for SCT using USFT as gold standard. The mean subjective evaluation score of the SCT was 3.1 ± 1, significantly higher than USFT 2.6 ± 1.1 ( p < .05). Conclusions The sugar cube test proved to be a useful method for assessing unstimulated salivation, reducing test execution time and causing less participant discomfort than the gold standard unstimulated salivary flow test.

Objectives The aim of Working Group 4 was to address patient benefits associated with implant dentistry. Focused questions on (a) dental patient‐reported outcomes (dPROs), (b) improvement in orofacial function, and (c) preservation of orofacial tissues in partially and fully edentulous patients following provision of implant‐retained/supported dental prostheses were addressed. Materials and Methods Three systematic reviews formed the basis for discussion. Participants developed statements and recommendations determined by group consensus based on the findings of the systematic reviews. These were then presented and accepted following further discussion and modifications as required by the plenary of the 7th ITI Consensus Conference, taking place in 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal. Results Edentulous patients wearing complete dentures (CD) experience substantial improvements in overall dPROs and orofacial function following treatment with either complete implant‐supported fixed dental prostheses (CIFDP) or implant overdentures (IODs). With respect to dPROs, mandibular IODs retained by two implants are superior to IODs retained by one implant. However, increasing the number of implants beyond two, does not further improve dPROs. In fully edentulous patients, rehabilitation with CIFDP or IOD is recommended to benefit the preservation of alveolar bone and masseter muscle thickness. Conclusions Completely edentulous patients benefit substantially when at least the mandible is restored using an CIFDP or an IOD compared to CD. In fully edentulous patients, implant prostheses are the best option for tooth replacement. The availability of this treatment modality should be actively promoted in all edentulous communities, including those with limited access and means.