Derek Richards

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Derek Richards is a specialist in dental public health, Director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Dentistry and Specialist Advisor to the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) Development Team. A former editor of the Evidence-Based Dentistry Journal and chief blogger for the Dental Elf website until December 2023. Derek has been involved with a wide range of evidence-based initiatives both nationally and internationally since 1994. Derek retired from the NHS in 2019 remaining as a part-time senior lecturer at Dundee Dental School until the end of 2023.

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Practice-based trial find better outcomes with MTA for direct pulp-capping in permanent teeth

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Exposure of the dental pulp is an occasional hazard associated with dental treatment. Direct pulp capping is a procedure in which a medicament is placed directly over the exposed dental pulp, with the specific aim of maintaining pulp vitality and health. Calcium hydroxide (CaOH) has for many years been considered the material of choice for [read the full story…]

Little good quality evidence on whether to leave or remove impacted third molars involved in fractures of the angle of the mandible

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Fracture of the mandible often occurs through the angle where it may be closely related to, or involve an impacted third molar. There is a debate about whether they should always be extracted or retained.  The aim of this review was to measure the occurrence of postoperative infection following mandibular fixation performed in the presence [read the full story…]

Review finds that toothbrushing has only a small effect on ventilator-associated pneumonia

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Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a life-threatening condition in critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Incidence rates vary between 9% and 45% and it carries a significant mortality risk. The oropharynx and upper gastrointestinal tract are the main reservoirs for the associated pathogens.  The aim of this review was to evaluate the effects of oral care [read the full story…]

Weak evidence for success rates of dental restorations placed on root-treated teeth

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Root canal treatment (RoCT) is a common dental procedure and an understanding of the survival of RoCT teeth and their restorations is an important consideration. The aim of this review was to assess the success rates for single crowns, fixed and removable dental prostheses, as well as for the different kinds of posts placed on [read the full story…]

Only weak evidence available of the impact of smoking on survival of implants placed in augmented areas of maxillary sinus

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Grafting to augment the floor of the maxillary sinus prior to placement of dental implants in the resorbed maxillary is an increasingly used technique. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effects of smoking on the survival rate of dental implants placed in areas of maxillary sinus floor augmentation. Searches were conducted in [read the full story…]

Bisphenol-A is released after placement of some dental pit and fissure sealants

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The release of Bisphenol-A (BPA) from dental resins has attracted attention from researchers, and it has been described as an endocrine disruptor chemical. The aim of this review was to assess the short- and long-term release of BPA in human tissues (saliva, blood serum and urine) after treatment with dental pit and fissure sealants. Searches [read the full story…]

Critical summary from the American Dental Association Center for Evidence-based Dentistry

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The ADA-EBD Center has just published another of its critical summaries of systematic reviews.  This one looks at a 2012 review by Sgolastra et al, which was looking at the efficacy of the Er:YAG laser when used as an alternative treatment to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of patients with chronic periodontitis? [read the full story…]

New Cochrane Protocol April 2013

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Just one new protocol in the April issue of the Cochrane Library from the Oral Health Group.  The aim of this review will be to assess the effects of interventions for the management of patients with taste disturbances. The review is planning to look at pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions.   The primary outcomes being looked at [read the full story…]

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No reliable evidence that any specific initial arch wire material is better than another for orthodontic treatment

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This is the latest update of a Cochrane review which aims to assess the effects of initial arch wires for alignment of teeth with fixed orthodontic braces in relation to alignment speed, root resorption and pain intensity. The Cochrane Oral Health Group’s Trials Register, CENTRAL, Medline and Embase databases were searched.  Handsearching of a number [read the full story…]

Limited information on the effects of smoking cessation on clinical outcomes following periodontal therapy

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Limited information on the effects of smoking cessation on clinical outcomes following periodontal therapy Smoking is a known risk factor for periodontal disease. The aim of this study was to conduct an individual patient data meta-analysis to assess the effect of smoking cessation (SC) on clinical outcomes following the non-surgical periodontal treatment in patients with [read the full story…]