The preservation of teeth is one of the most important topics for Professor Friedrich W. Neukam at the International Osteology Symposium 2016. We spoke to him in his role as the symposiums chairman on what this implies exactly and what the other important questions are which will be dealt with in Monaco in April 2016. Professor Neukam, the scientific programme of the International Osteology Symposium 2016 in Monaco will be held under the motto Learning the WHY and HOW in regenerative therapy. What are the contents that bring this motto to life? Friedrich Neukam:in our daily practice routines we need to examine all our procedures which we have applied for years - and quite successfully as we believe. The reason being, that our knowledge has changed rapidly within the space of only a few years. That is also one of the objectives of the Osteology Symposium in Monaco 2016: we want to question things and want to give dental practitioners a bench mark by reviewing known techniques in regenerative therapy, while at the same time posing the question of what is the protocol most suited to achieve a predictable treatment objective. Of course, a further objective is to present the current state of knowledge and the latest research results in the regeneration of oral tissue, to discuss these and to demonstrate their clinical implementation for dental practitioners. The programme covers a broad spectrum of topics in oral regeneration. Which are the most important for you? Friedrich Neukam:the long-term success of regenerative measures, be it to preserve teeth or for implants in healthy oral hard and soft tissue conditions. Teeth for a lifetime is a very important subject for me, to achieve the dream of preserving teeth for a lifetime if at all possible, and, of course, this also applies to implants. What are the options that techniques for bone regeneration and soft tissue regeneration offer us here in the various indications, be it in the posterior or the anterior regions - while ensuring a long-term aesthetic outcome. Of particular importance to me, is the question of which decision and treatment avenues we follow if extraction of a tooth proves necessary. Because then there are a number of options available. We need to consider the various treatment options, which is why I am looking forward to the interactive discussion on Decision making after tooth extraction. The discussion round includes experts with many years of clinical experience who will be presenting the use of regenerative techniques for preserving hard and soft tissues. You have just mentioned the topic Teeth for a lifetime. What exactly are the questions relating to this part of the programme? Friedrich Neukam:Well, as already mentioned briefly, I believe it is the wish of everyone to keep their teeth for a lifetime if possible. For me, the questions of periodontal treatment and regenerative therapy options are at the forefront here. However, what I truly look forward to, is how the HOW will be presented. For me this also means that one must receive clear information on when these measures are not effective, and I think that a crucial question will be answered: which is, when do we need to extract teeth in order to enable other treatment, such as regenerative techniques but also implant restorations in the local tissues. A major poster exhibition will also be held as part of the Osteology Monaco event, together with the Research Forum where current research results will be presented. What, in your opinion, are the most important topics which have so far been covered in research? Friedrich Neukam:if we look at the regenerative options available today, then pre-clinical research results, and of course, also clinical studies, relating to bone preservation after tooth extraction as well as the preservation and reconstruction of the soft tissue are of prime importance to me as they have a major influence on our clinical treatment modalities. If your colleagues ask you why they should participate in next years Osteology Monaco, what would you tell them? Friedrich Neukam:first of all I would not focus on the casino in Monaco, but rather I believe, that the Osteology Foundation and the international Osteology Symposium in Monaco have become the standard - a standard worldwide for regenerative measures in the oral cavity. This is where experts from across the globe meet to take positions on current topics, research results as well as clinical questions. In other words, this is a highly attractive forum with a programme which is also devoted to entirely practical aspects, namely, the WHY and the HOW in regenerative therapy. Thank you for the interview Professor Neukam. More information and registration on www.osteology-monaco.org #OsteologyMonaco

Objectives: This randomised controlled clinical trial aimed to radiographically compare horizontal and vertical alteration of alveolar ridge following extraction-socket grafting with different combinations of biomaterials: collagenated porcine bone and cross-linked collagen membrane (test group) versus collagenated bovine bone and non-cross-linked collagen membrane (control group). Methods: This study included patients who required at least one anterior or premolar extraction, were aged 20 years old or more, and were able to understand the informed consent. Tooth replacement was planned using either conventional or implant-supported fixed partial dentures. Sample size calculations required 13 patients per group to obtain 80% power at a two-sided alpha level of 0.05%. A total of 30 patients were enrolled, and 15 were randomly allocated to each group. All were blinded to their allocations. Following a single tooth extraction, a collagenated bone substitute was used to fill in the socket, and a collagen membrane was used to cover it. Primary flap closure with several flap designs was attempted. Cone-beam CT (CBCT) scanning was carried out to assess the change in alveolar ridge, once immediately after ridge preservation and once after 4 months of healing. The primary outcome was horizontal alteration of alveolar ridge. Secondary outcomes were vertical alteration of alveolar ridge and clinical handling of the bone substitute and barrier membrane. Results: One patient in the control group dropped out and 3 patients did not receive the allocated intervention in the test group. Intention-to-treat (ITT; control group 14, test group 15) and per protocol (PP; control group 14, test group 12) analyses were performed. In the control and test group, 8 and 7 cases, respectively, showed membrane exposure, secondary healing was uneventful in all cases. There was no statistical difference in ITT and PP analysis between the groups in horizontal alteration of alveolar ridge width, but vertical height in the midfacial area was significantly reduced in the test group. The handling properties of the barrier membrane showed no statistically differences, but the handling properties of the bone substitute was significantly superior in the control group. Conclusions: Ridge preservation using collagenated porcine bone/cross-linked collagen membrane showed similar horizontal ridge alteration to collagenated bovine bone/non-cross-linked collagen membrane. However, vertical ridge changes were more pronounced with the collagenated porcine bone/cross-linked collagen membrane. Further studies including histometric evaluation are required.

The Osteology Foundation’s motto is „Linking Science with Practice in Regeneration“. The foundation was established in 2003 and its core activities include funding of research projects and organisation of national and international symposia throughout the world. In recent years, the Foundation has expanded its focus. Today, it also offers courses and textbooks specifically for researchers, as well as the online platform THE BOX, which connects practitioners and scientists in the field of oral tissue regeneration worldwide, and provides tools and information. www.osteology.org