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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Treatments for Oral Lichen Planus

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oral_lichen

The aim of this Cochrane review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of interventions to treat symptomatic, biopsy-proven oral lichen planus (OLP). OLP is a common chronic autoimmune disease associated with cell-mediated immunological dysfunction. The prevalence has been reported as 1.27% and it is more frequently seen in women aged between 30 and 60 [read the full story…]

Implants: splint or not for implant-supported overdentures?

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The purpose of this review was to examine difference between splinted and unsplinted implants for implant-supported overdentures regarding (i) survival rates, (ii) prosthetic ⁄ technical complications, (iii) peri-implant parameters ⁄ biological complications and (iv) patient satisfaction. The authors searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and MEDLINE (Pubmed) databases and hand searched a [read the full story…]

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Vital permanent teeth with cariously exposed pulp can be treated successfully with vital pulp therapy

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pulp

This systematic review aims to illustrate the outcome of vital pulp therapy, namely direct pulp capping, partial pulpotomy, and full pulpotomy, in vital permanent teeth with cariously exposed pulp. Electronic database MEDLINE via Ovid, PubMed, and Cochrane databases were searched. Hand searching of the reference lists of endodontic textbooks, endodontic-related journals (International Endodontic Journal, Journal [read the full story…]

Traditional root-end surgery or endodontic microsurgery for best outcomes?

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The aim of this systematic review was to compare the outcomes of two different approaches to endodontic surgery, traditional (TRS) or microsurgical (EMS). The databases, Medline, PubMed and Embase were searched along with the following journals: Journal of Endodontics, International Endodontic Journal, Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology and Endodontics, Journal of Oral and [read the full story…]

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Guidance: Oral health management of patients prescribed bisphosphonates

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Assorted pills

Patients taking bisphosphonates are at increased risk of oral health complications (Bisphosphonate-related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw – BONJ). BONJ is defined as exposed, necrotic bone in the maxilla or mandible that has persisted for more than eight weeks in patients taking bisphosphonates and where there has been no history of radiation therapy to the jaw. Symptoms [read the full story…]

Does quality of the final restoration or root canal filling have greatest impact on final outcome?

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This review looked whether the quality of the final restoration or the quality of the root canal filling had the greatest impact on the outcome of the root canal filling. Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, the Wiley online database, four journals; (Journal of Endodontics, International Endodontic Journal, Oral Surgery Oral Medicine Oral Pathology Oral Radiology [read the full story…]

Short dental implants success rates at two years

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Dental implants have been in general use for many years.  This review sets out to consider the success rates for implants of <10mm in partially edentulous patients. Searches were conducted in the Medline and Embase databases with two reviewers independently assessing methodological quality using specific study design-related quality assessment forms.  Randomized-controlled trials and prospective cohort [read the full story…]

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Incidence of TMD higher in patients with depression

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This large cohort study looked at whether depression is a risk factor of temporomandibular disorder (TMD). The study used claims data from The National Health Insurance program of Taiwan which covers more than 96% of its 23 million population. From the database 7,587 patients who are newly diagnosed individuals with depression and 30,197 comparison subjects [read the full story…]

Exercise or splints for temporomandibular disorders

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This randomised controlled trial looked at the efficacy of an occlusal splint or joint mobilization self-exercise for confirmed anterior disc displacement without reduction (ADDwoR). Fifty-two individuals with ADDwoR were randomised to a splint or a joint mobilization self-exercise treatment group.  Four outcome variables were evaluated: maximum mouth opening range without pain maximum mouth opening range [read the full story…]

Powered toothbrushes have no adverse effects on teeth and gums

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Powered toothbrushes have been shown to reduce plaque and gingivitis more than manual brushing (Robinson et al).  This systematic review looked at the the relative soft and/or hard tissue safety outcomes with the use of oscillating-rotating toothbrushes compared to manual toothbrushes. Medline, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Central), and the Embase, were searched [read the full story…]