Increasing the pH of lidocaine solution decreases pain on injection and improves patient comfort and satisfaction

shutterstock_17571817- injection

This is a critical appraisal of a Cochrane review first published in December 2010.  The appraisal was prepared under the auspices of the American Dental Associations Centre for Evidence-based Dentistry The objective of the Cochrane review was to determine if adjusting the pH of lidocaine had any effect on pain resulting from non-intravascular injections in [read the full story…]

New Cochrane Protocols March 2012

Logo of The Cochrane Collaboration

March sees another two protocols registered with the Cochrane Oral Health Group.  The protocols are available on the Cochrane Library Parnell C, Gugnani N, Sherriff A, James P, Beirne PV. Non-fluoride topical remineralising agents containing calcium and/or phosphate for controlling dental caries (Protocol). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2012, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD009732. DOI: [read the full story…]

75% of patients reported no pain during routine dental treatment

shutterstock_27438694

Despite  improvements in dental practice dental procedures are often perceived as painful and uncomfortable.  The aim of the study was to investigate factors that influence pain intensities associated with routine dental procedures. This study was conducted in general dental practices in the North West of England. 451 dental patients self-reported pain experienced during the procedure [read the full story…]

No evidence to support the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy for treatment of temporomandibular disorders

shutterstock_7431811

The aim of this review was  to  assess the scientific evidence on the efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The authors searched  the  PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane Clinical Trials Register, and PEDro databases.  Papers were screened, extracted, and quality assessed  independently by two  reviewers. A meta-analysis- was performed [read the full story…]

Persistent post endodontic pain many not be tooth related

shutterstock_2296216-root canal xray

Another critical summary of a systematic review prepared under the auspices of the American Dental Association Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry.   Originally published in 2010 , the review  aimed to assess the frequency of non-odontogenic dentoalveolar pain six months or more after endodontic therapy. The summariser notes the that both English and non-English language articles were [read the full story…]

Psychopathology has little effect on pain behaviour in young people with learning disabilities

Bruise

The authors of this study set out to look into the issue of behaviour associated with pain in people with learning disabilities being misinterpreted as reflecting psychopathology. The authors worked with caregivers of 123 children and young people to examine whether psychopathology altered pain behaviour. They asked the caregivers to complete a checklist, the ‘Non-Communicating [read the full story…]

Ibuprofen and ibuprofen/acetaminophen have similar effect on postoperative endodontic pain

shutterstock_70416955-root canal treatment

The aim of this study was to determine whether  in patients diagnosed with pulpal necrosis and associated periapical radiolucency with moderate to severe preoperative pain ibuprofen or ibuprofen/acetaminophen was more effective for postoperative endodontic pain. 71 patients with a  symptomatic tooth with a pulpal diagnosis of necrosis and moderate to severe pain at the time [read the full story…]

Limited evidence that hard stabilisation appliances provide improvement in pain related to temporomandibular disorders

splint

This critical summary of a systematic review published in 2010 was prepared under the auspices of the American Dental Association Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry. The original review was addressing the question of whether intraoral orthopaedic appliances reduce pain in patients with temporomandibular disorders affecting muscle and joint (TMJD) compared to subjects receiving placebo control, no [read the full story…]

Staff training on pain improves use of communication and assessment tools

Flipchart_women1

In 2009, researchers in Surrey completed an audit of pain recognition and management within the learning disability services there. One of the key recommendations from that audit was that staff in learning disability services should receive training in pain recognition and management. As a result, nearly 200 services in the locality (from an invitation list [read the full story…]

5 to 7% of patients have persistent pain after root canal treatment

shutterstock_2296216-root canal xray

This  systematic review was first published in 2010 The American Dental Association Centre for Evidence-based Dentistry has now published a critical summary of this review. They found the review to be comprehensive using STROBE criteria to assess study quality.Eighteen of the 26 studies were prospective. However they noted that the reviewers did not report the [read the full story…]