University Hospital for Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology

302059, 302088, 302093, 302039

complementary medicine / dentistry, Dental prophylaxis, Ehlers-Danlos syndromes, orphan diseases with oral manifestations, periodontics, and professional tooth cleaning

• Clinical characterization, genetic causes and treatment of rare diseases with dental and/or periodontal manifestations, incl. Ehlers-Danlos syndromes, Amelogenesis imperfecta and Dentinogenesis imperfecta
• Dental prophylaxis with a focus on mechanical oral hygiene devices and airflow devices
• Complementary medicine / dentistry with a focus on oil pulling and functional myodiagnostics

In 2022, the former University Hospital for Restorative and Operative Dentistry underwent a restructuring process, leading to the establishment of two new hospitals: the University Hospital for Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology and the University Hospital for Dental Prosthetics. This strategic initiative aimed at enhancing the depth and specialization of dental care services, curricular teaching and research.

In alignment with the research focus of the Medical University of Innsbruck, a long-standing collaborative relationship with the Institute of Human Genetics focuses on orphan diseases and oral phenotypes. The collaboration has yielded numerous high-impact publications on the molecular underpinnings and clinical manifestations of hereditary diseases manifesting as dental and/or periodontal conditions.

The primary function of the University Hospital for Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology is the comprehensive and evidence-based training of dental undergraduate students in tooth-preserving treatments such as caries therapy, root canal treatment, periodontology and paediatric dentistry. The emphasis on dental prophylaxis has been firmly established in the Department since the early 1970s, manifesting across diverse facets of its operations, including clinical practice, educational endeavours and research initiatives. In keeping with this tradition, a major research topic is mechanical oral hygiene devices. Our Institute is also developing research into new areas such as airflow treatment, fluorides and complementary dentistry.

Rare Diseases with Oral Phenotypes

Ines Kapferer-Seebacher and Ulrike Lepperdinger

The long-standing collaboration with the Division of Human Genetics has resulted in several projects on the molecular basis and clinical phenotypes of rare diseases with oral phenotypes. In the course of the collaboration, we have built up an outstanding international database on patient data of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS). In a joint project with NHS EDS services in London and Sheffield (UK) we have delineated the oral manifestations and systemic features of several EDS subtypes. For amelogenesis imperfecta, we have reported on heterozygous SLC24A4 variants that cause mild hypomaturation defects, providing evidence that the function of SLC24A4 in calcium transport has a crucial role in the maturation stage of amelogenesis.

Oral rehabilitation and long-term dental care of individuals suffering from X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia and from dentinogenesis imperfecta are other long-standing clinical and research topics of our clinic.

Dental prophylaxis

Ines Kapferer-Seebacher, Vera Wiesmüller, Lukas Sigwart, Christine Zürcher, and others

Dental prophylaxis is our passion and our duty in research, teaching and daily clinical practice and we are exploring it in a variety of ways. In an ongoing series of randomized controlled clinical trials, we are evaluating the plaque-reducing efficiency of mechanical tooth-cleaning devices to improve and facilitate the oral hygiene efforts of our patients. In recent years we have evaluated mechanical devices such as “ten-seconds” auto-cleaning devices that have been developed for individuals with poor dexterity or compliance

, interdental cleaning devices such as interdental brushes and flossing systems and various toothbrush attachments. Our studies on auto-cleaning devices have provided initial evidence that they may in future reach levels of plaque reduction comparable to those of manual toothbrushing.

Oil pulling is an ancient oral hygiene practice rooted in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. It involves swishing oil in the mouth for approximately 15 minutes. We recently strengthened the evidence of the plaque-reducing capacities of oil pulling, which may be recommended as an adjuvant to mechanical dental cleaning.

In addition to the maintenance of oral hygiene in the home environment, professional tooth cleaning constitutes a pivotal component of dental prophylaxis. A clinical PhD project is investigating diverse methodologies for the elimination of extrinsic tartar, with a particular focus on contemporary powder jet devices and their powders.

Zürcher C, Vukoje K, Kleiner EM, Kuster SM, Jäger-Larcher LK, Heller I, Eick S, Nagl M, Kapferer-Seebacher I.  The plaque reducing efficacy of oil pulling with sesame oil: a randomized-controlled clinical study. Clin Oral Investig. 2025;9;29(1):53.

Sigwart L, Wiesmüller V, Kapferer-Seebacher I. Colour Changes and Surface Roughness After Air-Polishing for Tobacco Stain Removal. Int Dent J. 2024; Dec 20:S0020-6539(24)01594-6.

Polak AL, Wiesmüller V, Sigwart L, Nemec N, Niederegger L, Kapferer-Seebacher I. Cleansing efficacy of the electric toothbrush Oral-B®iO™ compared to conventional oscillating-rotating technology: a randomized-controlled study. Clin Oral Investig. 2024; 21;28(9):493.

Wiesmüller V, Kasslatter M, Zengin B, Zotz D, Offermanns V, Steiner R, Crismani A, Kapferer-Seebacher I. Cleansing efficacy of an oral irrigator with microburst technology in orthodontic patients-a randomized-controlled crossover study. Clin Oral Investig. 2023;27(5):2089-2095.

Angwin C, Zschocke J, Kammin T, Björck E, Bowen J, Brady AF, Burns H, Cummings C, Gardner R, Ghali N, Gröbner R, Harris J, Higgins M, Johnson D, Lepperdinger U, Milnes D, Pope FM, Sehra R, Kapferer-Seebacher I, Sobey G, Van Dijk FS. Non-oral manifestations in adults with a clinical and molecularly confirmed diagnosis of periodontal Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Front Genet. 2023; 31;14:1136339.

Peter Eickholz, Department of Periodontology, Center for Dentistry and Oral Medicine (Carolinum), Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Fleur Van Dijk, Neeti Ghali, and Angela F. Brady, National diagnostic EDS service, London, United Kingdom

Glenda Sobey and James Scott, National diagnostic EDS service, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Marcel Hanisch and Ole Oelerich, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany

Adrian Lussi, Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University Medical Centre, Freiburg, Germany