This is one of a series of reviews that has looked at postoperative complications following different treatments for mandibular fractures. This review focuses on anterior mandibular fractures with the findings suggesting that lag screws and single miniplate plus an arch bar were superior to 2 miniplates
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This systematic review was looking to compare endodontic microsurgery with single implant placement. No studies directly comparing the two treatments were available. 44 studies of single implants and 6 studies of endodontic microsurgery found 2 -4 years survival rates for endodontic microsurgery were 94% and single implants 96%. The quality of the available evidence was moderate.
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Liz Hughes summarises two recent studies (1 systematic review and 1 RCT) that both investigate brief interventions for reducing the use of benzodiazepines in primary care.
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This review of IV midazolam for treating children and adolescents only identified 11 studies (5 RCTs, 6 non randomised). No serious adverse events were reported but there was a generalised inconsistency in side effect reporting. Consequently the call for better side effect reporting.
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Laurence Palfreyman summarises 3 recent Cochrane reviews, which investigate high-potency versus low-potency first-generation antipsychotic drugs for schizophrenia. The reviews find little difference in efficacy between the high-potency antipsychotics Trifluoperazine, Haloperidol, Fluphenazine, and low-potency typical antipsychotics.
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This review of fixed functional appliances for the treatment of class II malocclusions could only find 11 small studies with methodological problems to assess the effectiveness of this approach. Some benefit was noted but larger higher quality studies are needed.
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Andrés Fonseca appraises a new systematic review of interventions for treatment-resistant anxiety in older people, which finds a disconcerting lack of evidence to help him support the many older patients he sees who are affected by anxiety disorders.
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This review focuses on the treatment of oral ulceration in Behçet’s disease, 15 trials examining 13 different interventions were found. There was insufficient evidence to support or refute the use of any included intervention with regard to pain, episode duration, or episode frequency associated with oral ulcers, or safety of the interventions.
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Chris Sampson reports on a recent systematic review and critical appraisal of economic evaluations in bipolar disorder. He finds that there’s a pressing need for new studies, especially discrete event simulations.
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Only 10 low quality studies were available for this review to assess if a vital pulp restored with composite resin is at greater risk of pulpal complications than one restored with other materials. Questions over the studies qualities make it difficult to draw any conclusions.
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