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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Preoperative antibiotics may decrease dental implant failure

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The aim of this review was to assess whether patients undergoing dental implants who receive peri-operative antibiotics have lower failure rather than those not who do not receive antibiotics. The authors searched medline  for studies in English with test and control groups . Antibiotic use was classified as a single preoperative dose, a single preoperative [read the full story…]

Maxillomandibular advancement surgery may be an effective treatment for patients with obstructive sleep apnoea

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This  is a critical summary  prepared by ADA Centre for Evidence-Based Dentistry  of a systematic review originally published  in 2010. The original review looked at which surgical modifications of the upper airway were most effective  in reducing the apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) for patietns suffering with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). OSA is relatively common occurring in [read the full story…]

Functional orthodontic appliances have limited effect on mandibular growth

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The ADA Centre for Evidence-Based Dentistry has published a critical summary of a systematic review published earlier this year  (see Dental Elf 20-07-11) The commentator noted that although the review was conducted thoroughly  only 4 studies were included two with a low risk of bias one with a high risk and the other an unclear [read the full story…]

Some evidence to support antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in patients with chronic periodontitis

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The aim of this review was to assess the efficacy and safety of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) used alone or adjunctive to scaling root planing  (SRP) in patients with chronic periodontitis. The authors searched seven databases and conducted a manual search for randomised controlled trials conducted on humans  diagnosed with chronic periodontal disease comparing (aPDT) [read the full story…]

In high caries risk children; fluoride varnish, maternal counselling and chlorhexidine mouthwash as effective as varnish and counselling

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Early childhood caries (ECC) is  a common chronic childhood disease and a serious concern for child welfare.  In the USA its incidence has increased from 24% to 28%  in recent decades.  The aim of this study  was to  compare an intensive early intervention caries prevention strategy against a more limited control intervention. At 4 months [read the full story…]

Limited evidence for use of bone substitutes in treating jaw cysts

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Jaw cysts are common in the maxillofacial area. Enucleation of the cyst and primary watertight closure has been a preferred approach but in recent decades a range of agents have been used. The aim of this review was to compare  the outcomes of simple enucleation and closure in comparison to the use of bone substitutes. [read the full story…]

Oral glucosamine sulphate not superior to placebo in treating osteoarthritis in temporomandibular joint

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Osteoarthritis (OA)  of the temporomandibular joint is found in about 5-16% of those referred with temporomandibular disorders (TMD).  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of oral glucosamine sulphate, compared with placebo, on pain and function in patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis in the temporomandibular joints. Patients with the research diagnostic criteria for [read the full story…]

Non-fluoride agents may provide some adjunctive benefit to those at higher risk of caries

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The use of topical fluoride together with  fluoridated water and fissure sealants are mainstays of caries management.  A range of non-fluoride agents  caries preventive agents are also in use and these are reviewed to provide  evidence-based clinical recommendations. The authors evaluated studies of sucrose-free polyol chewing gums, xylitol dentifrices, chlorhexidine, chlorhexidine in combination with thymol, [read the full story…]

Weak evidence for the effectiveness of chlorhexidine varnish on root caries

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While root caries can be seen in young people its frequency increases with age. The growing older populations in many developing countries means that root caries is likely to be an increasing problem.  The aim of this review was to see if chlorhexidine varnish (CHX-V)  is effective for treating root caries. The authors searched Medline, [read the full story…]

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Topical fluoride is effective in preventing caries in moderate and high caries risk adults

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While dental caries in usually associated with children it is still a common problem for adults.  Several systematic reviews have evaluated the use of fluorides for the prevention of caries in children but fewer of fluoride use in adults.  The aim of this review was to evaluate the research regarding professional and/or supplemental self-applied fluoride [read the full story…]

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