Caries management in children. The FiCTION trial

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The FiCTION trail compared 3 caries management strategies for dentinal caries in primary teeth finding no evidence of a difference between the approaches. This emphasises the importance of primary prevention of caries to avoid dental caries althogther.

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Orthodontics: How much force is needed to move teeth with fixed appliances?

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This review looking at the optimal force magnitude for achieving orthodontic tooth movement included 12 studies suggesting there is weak to moderate evidence showing that forces ranging between 50 cN and 100 cN are optimal for the rate of orthodontic tooth movement.

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Computerised local anaesthesia in paediatric patients

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This review ofwhether local computerised anaesthesia decreases the pain and disruptive behaviour in children when compared to conventional anaesthesia included 20 RCTs and suggested no diference between the two approaches.

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Articaine: Is it the best local anaesthetic for teeth with irreversible pulpitis undergoing root canal treatment?

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5 systematic reviews were included in this umbrella review of whether articaine or lidocaine is the most appropriate local anaesthetic solution for teeth with irreversible pulpitis undergoing root canal treatment.

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Third molar extraction: Does closure technique influence post-operative complications?

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This review to assess the influence of two suture methods on the postoperative complications of lower third molar extraction included 5 RCTs . Findings suggest the use of secondary closure has a favourable effect on pain, facial swelling, and trismus but the quality of the evidence is limited.

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Is too much screen time bad for our children? Perhaps, but how much do we really know?

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David Turgoose explores a systematic review of reviews that looks at the effects of screen time on the health and well-being of children and adolescents. The review found that higher levels of screen time were related to some physical and mental health concerns, such as poor diet, obesity and depression.

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COX-2 inhibitors for pain management after third molar removal

Many drugs are licensed for use in Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), but it is unclear what works best.

This review comparing the efficacy of Cox-2 inhibitors with ibuprofen after third molar removal included 12 RCTs suggesting that COX-2 inhibotors and Ibuprofen provide similar pain relief at 6, 8, and 12 h after third molar removal.

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Fixed orthodontic appliances: What is the most effective debonding technique?

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This review of different methods for reducing pain and discomfort during removal of fixed orthodontic appliances included 6 RCTs providing weak evidence for pre-debonding analgesia and other approaches.

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Palatal canines: open or closed surgical approaches?

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Two surgical approaches ( open and closed) for palatally displaced canines were compared in this multi-centre RCT. No differences in operating time was seen between the two approaches but those in the open group had more pain.

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