Ian Hamilton and Kelly Davies provide some optimism after reading a new systematic review about personality disorders and alcohol treatment outcomes.
[read the full story...]
Mark-Steven Howe looks in detail at a recent network meta-analysis (NMA) of periodontal outcomes following third molar surgery. However the limited number of studies available for the NMA mean the reviews findings need to be interpreted with caution.
[read the full story...]
51 studies were included in this Cochrane review of chlorhexidine mouthwash as an adjunct to mechanical oral hygiene measures. The review provides high quality evidence for a large reduction in the build-up of plaque at 4 to 6 weeks or 6 months. There is also high quality evidence of a moderate reduction in gingivitis in patients with mild gingivitis which may not be clinically important.
[read the full story...]
Only 5 small low quality studies were included in this review of botulinum toxin (BoNT-A ) injections for sleep bruxism. 3 of the included studies were RCTs and while a potential benefit from use of BoNT-A treatment was suggested the findings should be treated very cautiously.
[read the full story...]
Andrew Sommerlad reviews a new systematic review and meta-analysis and asks: Can two questions identify depression in older people?
This is the second in a new series of Mental Elf blogs produced in partnership with the British Journal of Psychiatry.
[read the full story...]
The Scottish Dental Registrars on a recent systematic review of the effects of self-ligating brackets and conventional brackets on the periodontal status of adolescents undergoing orthodontic treatment.
[read the full story...]
The Scottish Dental Registrars on a recent review of dental implants combined with sinus augmentation (sinus lift): what is the merit of bone grafting?
[read the full story...]
This review of TMJ lavage for temporomandibular disorders only included 5 small RCTs a majority of which were at high risk of bias. While the findings suggest a benefit from lavage this should be interpreted cautiously because of the limited quality of the available evidence.
[read the full story...]
Mark Steven Howe considers this review of extra-oral implant retention. 12 mainly retrospective studies were included providing limited data from which to drawn conclusions regarding the best retention system.
[read the full story...]
Sarah McDonald considers a systematic review that explores the perceived barriers and facilitators towards help-seeking for eating disorders.
[read the full story...]
