Dr. Khouly’s research has the potential to significantly reduce post-extraction resorption problems that may impair the success of prosthetic restoration and/or implant placement in the posterior maxilla.
The Osteo Science Foundation has awarded one of two inaugural Philip J. Boyne Junior Faculty Awards to Ismael Khouly, DDS, MS, PhD, associate director of periodontology and implant dentistry at the NYU Bluestone Center for Clinical Research and clinical assistant professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at the NYU College of Dentistry. The award marks the first time that an NYU investigator has been funded by the Osteo Science Foundation, whose mission is to advance hard and soft tissue regeneration, with a focus on oral, cranial, and maxillofacial surgery in the United States and Canada.
The Philip J. Boyne Junior Faculty Awards, each totaling $50,000, are granted for research proposals submitted by junior faculty who seek to address questions in the field of hard and soft tissue regeneration in oral, cranial, and maxillofacial surgery.
Dr. Khouly’s research focuses on the physiological process that may compromise prosthetic restoration or implant placement following tooth extraction. Numerous clinical investigations have shown that the volume of the bone ridge decreases after extraction, especially on the buccal aspect.
“Alveolar ridge preservation, or ARP,” says Dr. Khouly, “was introduced as a therapy to prevent or minimize alveolar ridge resorption for future prosthodontic treatment, including dental implant placement. ARP procedures may include autogenous, allogenous, xenogenous, and alloplastic bone substitutes, with or without the use of a barrier membrane. Recent systematic reviews have reported positive results and demonstrated less bone reduction in the horizontal and vertical dimensions following ARP.
“However, there is little published clinical evidence to determine the best ARP procedure. Most of the studies reviewed focused on anterior maxilla, mandible, or a combination of both. Nevertheless, the posterior maxilla presents anatomical differences because of the presence of the sinus and the morphology of the molar teeth. And the effect of ARP on the posterior maxilla still remains unknown. Accordingly, there is a need for evidence of its effectiveness in the posterior maxilla.”
Dr. Khouly’s study, “Effect of Alveolar Ridge Preservation After Tooth Extraction in the Posterior Maxilla: A Randomized Trial,” aims to evaluate post-extraction dimensional changes in the posterior maxilla following ARP using porcine-derived xenograft combined with a collagen membrane versus extraction alone. It will be the first split mouth randomized clinical trial to evaluate alveolar ridge preservation in the posterior maxilla following tooth extraction.
“Our goal,” Dr. Khouly says, “is to refine the effectiveness of ARP in the posterior maxilla and evaluate these options with scientific rigor.” He hypothesizes that ARP therapies might reduce the dimensional changes in the bone following extraction.
To that end, 15 subjects requiring extraction of one posterior tooth in the right maxilla and one posterior tooth in the left maxilla will be randomly assigned to receive alveolar ridge preservation following extraction or extraction alone. The results of the study will demonstrate whether or not the use of ARP reduces alveolar ridge resorption at six-month post extraction in the posterior maxilla region.
“The larger significance,” says Dr. Khouly, “is that our research has the potential to significantly reduce post-extraction problems that impair the success of prosthetic restoration and/or implant placement in the posterior maxilla. Furthermore, maintaining the alveolar ridge volume after tooth extraction in the posterior maxilla may reduce the demand for a sinus bone augmentation procedure.”
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