Impacted third molar extractions-are we following any recommended guidelines?

Among the minor oral surgeries done by an oral surgeon and surgeries carried out in the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery all over the world third molar removal is one of the most frequent procedures done. The procedure is accompanied by significant risks, with possible damage to the inferior alveolar and/or lingual nerve being of special concern. Considering these risks of mor-bidity, it is essential to establish the need of removal. National Institute of Clinical Excellence [NICE] in the United Kingdom introduced guidelines for removal of third molars in 2000, advocating that only pathological third molars should be removed. The following article makes reference to a study carried out in Ireland where third molars are extracted in accordance with NICE guidelines. This study was carried out to assess the compliance of general dental practitioners and oral surgeons to the NICE guidelines. It was noted that 90% of the patients referred for third molars extraction fulfilled the criteria set forth by NICE.A few modification were carried out in the guidelines provided which were done under scientific evidence based knowledge i.e. Prophylactic extraction of impacted third molars. These guidelines cut down lot of unnecessary referrals and allowed for organization of the patient load by the secondary referral center, as well as limiting unnecessary surgeries and postoperative complications. It is suggestive that the governing authorities in Pakistan should also implement such guidelines for extractions of impacted third molars

Comparison of paralleling and bisecting angle techniques endodontic working length radiography

This cross sectional comparative study was carried out to compare paralleling technique [PT] and bisecting angle technique [BAT] for working length radiography in endodontics. A sample of 120 patients was selected through purposive sampling. The patients were divided into two groups depending on the arch to be radiographed namely Group A for maxillary arch and group B for patients with mandibular teeth requiring endodontic radiography. Each patient underwent two radiographs, one with each paralleling and bisecting angle techniques respectively giving a total of 240 radiographs. Endo Ray II film holder [Dentsply] was used for PT while a hemostat was utilized for BAT. The results showed a higher accuracy in terms of decreased procedural errors with paralleling technique as compared to bisecting angle technique for teeth in maxillary arch [p<0.05], whereas for mandibular arch there was insignificant difference [p>0.05] between the two techniques. Overall paralleling technique was found to have better results than bisecting angle technique, during endodontic working length radiography

Orthodontic record keeping: a study

The Miller-Keane Encyclopedia of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, 5[th] Edition, describes records as "a permanent or long-lasting account of something". The importance of comprehensive orthodontic records cannot be overemphasized. Orthodontic records should not only include the initial data, but all information related to the patient's treatment, throughout treatment. Records must be permanent, lasting, durable and remain unaltered. The production, retention and archiving of clear and accurate patient records is an essential part of the orthodontists professional responsibility. The objective of this study was to determine the trend of orthodontic record keeping amongst dentists in the twin cities. Data revealed high percentage of dentists keeping good pre-treatment records, however failing to keep good progress and post treatment records

Risk factors for dental caries in Pakistani children

The present study was carried out to determine any possible association of caries with oral hygiene and food habits. This was prospective descriptive study. Total [n= 543] patients with dental caries between 6-9 years were selected from dental OPD of Children's Hospital, PIMS, Islamabad. Questions regarding brushing habits and food habits were asked by interviewing the accompanied adults and caries status of teeth after intra oral examination were recorded in questionnaire. X-ray was not taken to diagnose the caries. The frequency of caries was higher in age group of eight and nine. Children who ate candies daily had statistically [p<0.05] high caries. Negative correlation was found between mother's education, father's education and caries- Significantly high frequency of caries [P<0.05] was found in children who ate bread in their breakfast with sugar sweetened tea and patients used fluoride containing toothpaste had less caries. Surprisingly, in comparison of food habits between male and female subjects no significant difference was found