General medicine and surgery for dental practitioners Part 10: The paediatric patient.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R R Welbury.
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OBJECTIVES: Recent decades have seen a trend to treat juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) with increasing immunosuppression to improve the long-term outcome. Poor oral hygiene and dental decay cause significant morbidity, and patients with chronic disease (who may be further immunocompromised by treatment) are at greater risk. This study investigated patients with JIA using standard measures of oral health. METHODS: One hundred and forty-nine patients with JIA were included. The children were attending a regional paediatric rheumatology service and the adults were attending an adult rheumatology clinic. Random age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited from a dental teaching hospital. The structured dental examination included standard epidemiological indices of oral hygiene (gingival index, plaque index, oral cleanliness index) and dental decay [DMFT (decayed, missing or filled teeth) index]. RESULTS: JIA patients, at all ages, had increased levels of dental decay and poor oral hygiene. This increased level of decay was statistically significant in the patients aged 0-11 yr. Significant levels of untreated caries and increased levels of missing teeth were found in JIA, suggesting that patients with JIA had less restorative dental treatment, with tooth extraction often the chosen option for the treatment of dental decay. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest study of oral health in JIA and is cross-sectional with non-diseased controls. It shows significantly increased levels of poor oral hygiene and dental decay in patients with JIA. The high levels of untreated dental decay suggest barriers to dental care. These results emphasize the role of regular dental care in the multidisciplinary management of JIA.
This case report describes the use of magnets in the management of teeth that fail to erupt. Eight children aged between 10 and 15 years were treated. Magnetic traction was applied to two premolars and six molars. Seven teeth (one premolar and six molars) erupted successfully (mean treatment time with magnetic traction: 7.5 months). One premolar failed to erupt; serial radiographic assessment over a 9-month period revealed no evidence of movement and so the magnetic fixture was removed. Histological evaluation of tissue samples taken from around the fixture revealed no evidence of abnormal pathology.
BACKGROUND: The use of benzodiazepines for paediatric dental sedation has received limited attention with regard to research into clinical effectiveness. A study was therefore designed to investigate the use of midazolam, for i.v. sedation in paediatric dental patients. METHOD: The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of i.v. midazolam in a randomized, controlled, cross-over trial. Children aged 12-16 yr (ASA I and II), requiring two appointments for equivalent but contralateral dental extractions for orthodontic purposes, were recruited. Conscious sedation with either i.v. midazolam titrated at 0.5 mg x min(-1), to a maximum of 5 mg, or nitrous oxide/oxygen titrated to 30%/70% inhalation sedation was used at the first visit, the alternative being used at the second visit. Vital signs including blood pressure, arterial oxygen saturation and ventilatory frequency, as well as sedation levels and behavioural scores, were recorded every 2 min. RESULTS: Forty patients, mean age 13.2 yr (range 12-16 yr), participated in the trial. A mean dose of midazolam 2.8 mg was administered in the test group. The median time to the maximum level of sedation was 8 min for midazolam compared with 6 min for nitrous oxide (P<0.001). Vital signs for both treatments were comparable and within acceptable clinical limits and communication with the patient was maintained at all times. The median (range) lowest arterial oxygen saturation level recorded for midazolam was 97 (91-99)% compared with 97 (92-100)% for nitrous oxide. The mean (range) recovery time for midazolam was 51.6 (39-65) min and 23.3 (20-34) min for nitrous oxide (P<0.0001). Fifty-one per cent said they preferred i.v. midazolam, 38% preferred nitrous oxide, and 11% had no preference. CONCLUSION: I.V. midazolam sedation (0.5 mg x min(-1) to a maximum of 5 mg) appears to be as effective as nitrous oxide sedation in 12-16-yr-old healthy paediatric dental patients.
AIM: This was to assess general dental practitioners' knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding their role within child protection in relation to child abuse. METHODS: Structured interviews with seven key informants from general dental practice (2), local dental committees (1), social services (2), paediatric dentistry (1) and community child health (1), together with five focus groups comprising 23 general dental practitioners (GDPs) on Health Authority Lists in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland (UK). RESULTS: GDPs reported feelings of isolation with little communication with other health professionals or local authority services. The majority had scarcely considered child protection issues in their clinical practice although those qualified for less than 15 years were more aware. GDPs acknowledged a lack of awareness of signs and symptoms of physical abuse and even less confidence in dealing with emotional or sexual abuse. Dentists expressed concern, even fear, about the outcomes of reporting suspicions, and had little knowledge of the local Child Protection mechanisms. CONCLUSION: GDPs in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland feel unprepared to undertake a role in the child protection process with confidence. National and local initiatives may be required to address existing barriers.
From time to time a patient may attend your practice with a systemic condition that you may or may not remember from the small print of your undergraduate text books. This paper describes one such systemic condition, porphyria, and its dental management. This paper also describes the use of relative analgesia as an aid to anxiety management in porphyria.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the safety, effectiveness and acceptability of o:ral midazolam sedation for orthodontic extraction of permanent teeth in children. DESIGN: A prospective, randomised, controlled, crossover trial. METHODS: A total of 26 children aged 10-16 (ASA I), referred for orthodontic extraction of premolar or canine teeth under sedation, were included in the study. Each child required two treatment sessions for the extraction of equivalent teeth on opposite sides of the mouth. Each subject was sedated with either ora midazolam (0.5 mg/kg) or nitrous oxide and oxygen (30%/70%) at the first visit and the alternative form at the second visit. At each visit two teeth were extracted, one upper and one lower. Heart rate, arterial oxygen saturation, respiration rate, sedation and behavioural scores were recorded every five minutes. Overall behaviour, patient acceptance and patient satisfaction were recorded at the end of treatment. RESULTS: Of the 26 children included in the study there were 12 males and 14 females. The mean age was 12.5 years. The mean heart rate and respiratory rate for both groups were similar and within acceptable clinical limits. The lowest mean arterial oxygen saturation levels for nitrous oxide and midazolam sedation were 97.7% and 95.0% respectively. Although midazolam caused greater oxygen desaturation, the range (91%-100%) was within safe limits for conscious sedation. The mean level of sedation was greater in the midazolam group compared with the nitrous oxide group and all but one case completed treatment. A total of 23 patients (88%) said they would be prepared to have ora midazolam sedation again and 17 (65%) actually preferred oral midazolam to nitrous oxide sedation. CONCLUSION: Oral midazolam (0.5mg/kg) appears to be a safe and acceptable form of sedation for 10-16 year old paediatric dental patients.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether there are any differences in salivary flow rates and saliva composition that may contribute to the reported increase in caries prevalence in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: The sialochemistry of children with JIA has rarely been investigated. METHODS: Unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva was collected from 17 randomly selected JIA patients and 17 age and sex matched controls. Both samples were analysed for salivary flow rate, pH, calcium and phosphate. RESULTS: Unstimulated and stimulated JIA saliva flow rates, and the flow rate change from unstimulated to stimulated in JIA saliva were all significantly lower than the controls. There were no significant differences in the pH of unstimulated and stimulated JIA saliva compared with the controls, however, the change in pH (from unstimulated to stimulated) in the study group was significantly greater. The JIA patients had non-significantly lower levels of both calcium and phosphate ions in the unstimulated and stimulated samples. CONCLUSIONS: This data would suggest that there is both a reduced resting salivary flow and a reduced response to stimulation in JIA patients, which may contribute to a previously reported higher caries prevalence.
A randomised, controlled, crossover trial was designed to assess the safety and effectiveness of oral midazolam sedation for orthodontic extractions. Forty-six ASA physical status I children aged 10-16 years were recruited. Each child required two treatment sessions. Sedation with either oral midazolam 0.5 mg.kg-1 or nitrous oxide in oxygen was used at the first visit, the alternative being used at the second visit. Blood pressure, heart rate, arterial oxygen saturation, and sedation and behavioural scores were recorded every 5 min. Anxiety levels and postoperative satisfaction were also recorded. Blood pressure, heart rate and arterial oxygen saturation in both groups were similar and within acceptable clinical limits. The median [range] lowest arterial oxygen saturation levels for subjects in the midazolam and nitrous oxide groups were 95 [90-100]% and 98 [93-100]%, respectively. The median [range] time to the maximum level of sedation in the midazolam group was 20 [5-65] min compared with 5 [5-10] min in the nitrous oxide group (p < 0.001). The median [range] duration of treatment was similar in both groups (midazolam group: 10 [5-30] min, nitrous oxide group: 10 [5-25] min). Seventy-four per cent of subjects were prepared to have oral midazolam sedation again, 54% preferring it. Oral midazolam appears to be a safe and acceptable form of sedation for 10-16-year-old paediatric dental patients.
AIM: To establish whether there is an increased prevalence and extent of enamel defects associated with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) in patients in the North of England. STUDY DESIGN: clinical examination of subjects and age and sex matched controls. METHODS: The labial surfaces of all erupted permanent teeth in subjects, as well as age and sex matched controls, were examined. They were classified for type and extent of defects according to the Modified DDE index. The records of 146 subjects and 142 controls were available for analysis. STATISTICS: defects were expressed as the percentage of subjects or controls with or without any defects or specific types of defect. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the prevalence of disease in the two groups with significance being accepted at the 5% level. In addition, 95% confidence intervals for the relative risk of disease in the two groups were derived. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between subjects and controls for the presence of any type of defect (p=0.48), demarcated opacities (p=0.39), diffuse opacities (p=0.71), or hypoplasias (p=0.19). There was no significant increase in severity of defects in subjects compared with controls. There was also no significant difference when comparing the group diagnosed before the age of 4 (0-3) and the group diagnosed after the age of 4 (>4) years. CONCLUSION: There was no greater overall prevalence of enamel defects or specific type of defects and no greater extent of them in subjects with JIA compared with age and sex matched controls.
The management of infraoccluded primary molars can pose some difficult clinical questions: when to treat? What treatment to provide? Why treat? How long to wait and watch? The definition and aetiology of infraoccluded primary molars is discussed. Some of the sequelae of different treatment options are described. A case is presented of the management of a ten and a half year old girl with a severely infraoccluded maxillary left second primary molar. The initial treatment plan included surgical removal of both the infraoccluded primary molar and the permanent successor, which was impacted high in the maxilla. However, the sudden unexpected eruption of the permanent tooth allowed a successful non-surgical outcome.
A computer-assisted learning programme with tutorials and self assessment multiple choice questions has been developed. One hundred and two general dental practitioners were asked to evaluate the programme. Over 80% of respondents felt that the programme was easy to use, contained an appropriate level of supporting information, and had improved their knowledge of non-accidental injury. All users of the programme felt that it was a better way of learning than video, audio tapes, and journals or books on the subject. It is concluded that CAL programmes are worthwhile for providing continuing professional education for general dental practitioners.
OBJECTIVES: This investigation was designed to study the haemodynamic effects of two different local anaesthetic solutions during restorative dental treatment in children. DESIGN: A randomised, single-blind, split-mouth cross-over design was employed using children undergoing bilaterally similar restorative treatments over two visits. SETTING: The study was performed in a dental hospital paediatric dentistry department. METHODS: Ten children participated. At one visit the local anaesthetic was 2% lidocaine (lignocaine) with 1:80,000 epinephrine (adrenaline); at the other the anaesthetic was 3% prilocaine with 0.03IU/ml felypressin. Local anaesthetic was administered at a dose of 0.5 ml/10 kg body weight. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured before and during treatment with an automatic blood pressure recorder. Data were analysed by ANOVA and Student's paired t test. RESULTS: Significant differences between treatments in diastolic blood pressure (F = 2.37; P = 0.05) and heart rate (F = 2.98; P< 0.02) were noted. The heart rate increased ten minutes following the injection of the epinephrine-containing solution. The diastolic blood pressure fell 20 minutes after injection of lidocaine with epinephrine. CONCLUSION: The choice of local anaesthetic solution influences the haemodynamic response during restorative treatment in children.
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OBJECTIVES: To study barrier formation in nonvital, immature permanent incisors being treated using the apexification technique in two centres, and to establish the effect of the frequency of change of calcium hydroxide (CaOH) on barrier detection times. DESIGN: A retrospective study of the time of detection and the position of barriers. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two centres in terms of the average frequency of change of each CaOH dressing, the distribution of barrier detection times or the position of barriers (P > 0.05). There was a total of 107 teeth and the time of barrier detection was significantly earlier in more frequently dressed teeth (P = 0.013). Of the teeth with a barrier detection time of less than 9 months, 60.7% were dressed more frequently than every 3 months, as opposed to 39.1% of teeth with longer barrier times (P = 0.027). The mean time of barrier detection for all cases was 43.3 weeks. The majority of barriers were located at or near the apex. CONCLUSION: The frequency of change of CaOH can increase the speed of barrier detection but does not appear to affect the position.
Implants and fixed and removable prostheses are very successful in replacing missing units but their cost can be inhibitory to a number of patients. In addition fixed and removable prostheses can be destructive to sound abutment teeth and can result in damage to dental and soft tissue. This report describes the restoration of a tooth with a complicated incisor crown-root fracture that extended below both the gingival cuff and the alveolar crest, by using remaining tooth tissue. The restoration was completed after root extrusion with a cast post, diaphragm and core, and porcelain crown.
OBJECTIVE: To examine variations in the presentation and treatment of reimplanted incisors in children and to determine the effect of these on the prevalence of external root resorption. SETTING: Departments of Paediatric Dentistry, Belfast and Newcastle upon Tyne. DESIGN: Recording of the timing of the injury and the storage mediums (including air) and of reimplantation, the stage of root development, the degree of contamination and the time of commencement of root treatment. Cases were reviewed clinically and radiographically at intervals of 3 months. Root resorption was classified as present or absent. Logistic regression and cross-tabulations were produced with the presence of resorption set as the outcome. RESULTS: 128 reimplanted permanent incisor teeth, their median dry time prior to reimplantation being 15 minutes (range 4-52 mins), the median time in a liquid medium being 45 minutes (range 0-650 mins), with a median splinting time of 15 days (range 4-52 days) and a median pulp extirpation time of 15 days (range 0-612 days). There was a lower prevalence of resorption when the period of dryness was less than or equal to 5 minutes (p = 0.025). The prevalence of resorption in teeth with no visible contamination was 57.1%, for those with contamination which were washed clean it was 75%, in those rubbed clean it was 87.5%, and it was 100% for those reimplanted with visible contamination still present (p = 0.014). The corrected odds ratio for contamination was 2.99 and for an extension of 10 minutes of dryness it was 1.29. CONCLUSION: The degree of contamination and the period of dryness were the major risk factors for resorption in this study of reimplanted teeth in children.