Avoiding and managing the failure of conventional crowns and bridges

The replacement of crowns and bridges is a common procedure for many dental practitioners. When correctly planned and executed, fixed prostheses will provide predictable function, aesthetics and value for money. However, when done poorly, they are more likely to fail prematurely and lead to irreversible damage to the teeth and supporting structures beneath. Sound diagnosis, assessment and technical skills are essential when dealing with failed or failing fixed restorations. These skills are essential for the 21st century dentist. This paper, with treated clinical examples, illustrates the areas of technical skill and clinical decisions needed for this type of work. It also provides advice on how the risk of premature failure can, in general, be further reduced. The article also confirms the very real risk in the UK of dento-legal problems when patients experience unexpected problems with their crowns and bridges. Clinical Relevance: This paper outlines clinical implications of failed fixed prosthodontics to the dental surgeon. It also discusses factors that we can all use to predict and reduce the risk of premature restoration failure. Restoration design, clinical execution and patient factors are the most frequent reasons for premature problems. It is worth remembering (and informing patients) that the health of the underlying supporting dental tissue is often irreversibly compromised at the time of fixed restoration failure.     

Propionibacterium acnes: an under-appreciated cause of post-neurosurgical infection

BACKGROUND: Propionibacterium acnes is increasingly recognized as a cause of post-neurosurgical infection. This review of patients with P. acnes neurosurgical infection was carried out in order to determine clinical characteristics and outcomes in relation to duration of antimicrobial treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of consecutive patients with P. acnes isolated from neurosurgical specimens from 1 January 1999 to 30 June 2005. We defined P. acnes neurosurgical infection as isolation of P. acnes alone from a sterile neurosurgical site in a patient who clinically improved following treatment with an appropriate antibiotic. RESULTS: We identified 28 patients with definite P. acnes neurosurgical infection; median age 49 years (range 23-77); 15 (54%) male. All patients had prior neurosurgical procedures: 27 (96%) post-craniotomy. The median time from surgery to presentation was 54 days (range 12-1,578). Eighteen out of 28 (64%) patients who met the definition of neurosurgical infection had Gram-positive bacilli seen in at least one surgical specimen compared with only 2/56 (4%) patients who did not meet the definition (P < 0.0001). Intravenous benzyl penicillin +/- oral penicillin VK was the most common treatment. The median duration of antibiotic treatment for intracranial infection was 29 days. Five of nine patients who had extracranial bone-flap-associated infection had 相似文献   

Demolition experts: management of the parafunctional patient: 2. Restorative management strategies

The second part of this paper discusses strategies for providing restorative dental care for the parafunctional patient.These include direct composite resin restorations, cast metal resin-retained restorations and dentine-bonded crowns, design features for porcelain fused to metal crowns and denture design. Specific features can help enhance predictability in the hostile environment of increased occlusal loading and parafunction. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Appropriate planning, design and execution of restorative procedures can reduce the chance of failure. Patients may have to accept a compromise between appearance and restoration survival/maintenance.     

Local and regional anaesthetic techniques in wound management

Adequate pain control is vital in perioperative care. Pain affects respiratory and cardiovascular function with knock-on effects on many other organs and systems. Surgery is also recognized as one of the most frequent causes of chronic pain with surgical approach and level of pain experienced being modifiable risk factors for the development of chronic post-surgical pain.