Replacement of defective restorations is the commonest procedure carried out in general dental practice. Replacement generally means some further loss of tooth substance and enlargement of the restoration. Alternatives to full replacement have improved restorations and increased longevity. The aim of this study was to estimate the median survival time (MST) of marginal sealing, repair [read the full story…]
The latest critical summary from the ADA Centre for Evidence-based dentistry looks at a systematic review and meta-analysis of obstetric outcomes after periodontal treatment that was first published in 2010 in the British Medical Journal. A number of studies have associated periodontal disease with adverse obstetric outcomes ( pre term, low birth weight,etc) The aim [read the full story…]
When restoring teeth establishing good contact points between adjacent teeth is important to minimise food packing. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of cavity preparation (MO/DO/MOD) and type of matrix system on proximal contact tightness of direct posterior composite restorations. 85 patients requiring either a two- or three surface Class II [read the full story…]
The inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) does not always result in successful pulpal anaesthesia with studies noting failure rates between 44% and 81%. Previous studies have suggested that preoperative medication might increase the success rate of the IANB. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the administration of the combination of [read the full story…]
Soft-tissue numbness after local anaesthesia is considerably longer than pulpal anaesthesia and the duration of the typical dental appointment. This often impacts on patients normal daily activities. The aim of this randomized, single-blind study was to evaluate the reversal of soft-tissue anaesthesia using phentolamine in asymptomatic endodontic patients. Adults patients requiring endodontic therapy in a [read the full story…]
The existing Cochrane systematic review on surgical treatment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers has been updated, with important changes to the conclusions. The reviewers concluded that there was weak evidence to suggest that dissection of clinically negative neck nodes at the time of removal of the primary tumour reduced cancer recurrence. However, there was insufficient [read the full story…]
NICE Guideline 64 does not recommend the routine use of antibiotic prophylaxis in invasive dental procedures to prevent infective carditis. Their guideline states that patients should only be offered it if the procedure is at a site where there is already a suspected infection. This guidance caused some difficulties for dentists, as reported in the [read the full story…]
First described over 100 years ago, rapid maxillary expansion (RME) is a method used to correct a transverse maxillary deficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the immediate effects of RME in the transverse plane with Haas-type and Hyrax-type expanders by using cone-beam computed tomography. The authors randomised 33 subjects (mean [read the full story…]
In the Hall Technique carious primary molars are managed by sealing decay under preformed metal crowns without any caries removal, tooth preparation, or local anaesthesia. The aim of the study was to compare the clinical/radiographic failure rates of the Hall Technique (HT) against General Dental Practitioners’ (GDPs) standard (control) restorations. This split-mouth study involved 132 [read the full story…]
A previous systematic review has shown that People with severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are over three times more likely to lose their teeth. Another large cross-sectional study from the USA has now been published that looks at the associations among depression, anxiety, use of oral health services, and tooth loss. This [read the full story…]
