Derek Richards

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Derek Richards is a specialist in dental public health, Director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Dentistry and Specialist Advisor to the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) Development Team. A former editor of the Evidence-Based Dentistry Journal and chief blogger for the Dental Elf website until December 2023. Derek has been involved with a wide range of evidence-based initiatives both nationally and internationally since 1994. Derek retired from the NHS in 2019 remaining as a part-time senior lecturer at Dundee Dental School until the end of 2023.

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Dietary omega-3 fatty acids as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal treatment

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This review assessing the impact of dietary omega-3 fatty acids as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal treatment when compared with periodontal treatment alone included 10 trials ivolving a total of 467 patients. The studies found statistically significant improvements in clinical attachment level (CAL) and periodontal probing depth (PPD) but the studies are generally small and short-term.

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Pulp survival after tooth fracture

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This review assessing factors related to pulp survival after tooth fracture included 24 studies (4 RCTs, 6 prospective cohort studies, 12 retrospective cohorts, and 2 case-control studies). However the available evidence is overall of very low certainty.

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Additives to lidocaine and the success of the inferior alveolar nerve block

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This review of the effect of additives incorporated into lidocaine solution on the success of inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) included 12 RCTs. The findings suggest that additives did not improve the success rate of IANB but the evidence is of low to very low certainty.

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Intrabony periodontal defects measurement

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This review of the accuracy of clinical and radiographic measurements of infrabony periodontal defects inclded 10 studies reporting on 17 comparisons. the findings suggest that clinical and radiographic measurements of the bone level underestimate the true bone loss by an average of 1mm but the evidence is only of low to moderate certainty.

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Direct or indirect composite resin restorations on endodontically treated posterior teeth?

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This review comparing direct and indirect restoration of endodontically treated posterior teeth included 22 studies . None of the included studies was considered to be at low risk of bias and only 2 RCTs were included.

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Antibiotics to prevent bacterial endocarditis following dental procedures

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This Cochrane review update of antibiotic prophylaxis before invasive dental procedures in people at risk or at high risk of bacterial endocarditis included one case-controlled study. Consequently, there is no clear evidence about whether antibiotic prophylaxis is effective or ineffective against bacterial endocarditis in at-risk people who are about to undergo an invasive dental procedure.

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Pulpotomy in primary teeth- success of medicaments and techniques

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This overview comparing the success rates of various pulpotomy medicaments or techniques, and assessing the methodological quality of reviews included 8 systematic reviews. While most pulpotomy medicaments/techniques, except calcium hydroxide had success rates of 80% or more there is a lack of evidence on the choice of pulpotomy agent.

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Vital pulp therapy in traumatised permanent teeth

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This review of vital pulp treatment in the management of traumatised human vital permanent teeth diagnosed with complicated crown or crown-root fractures included 14 studies. Whiel the findings suggest good outcomes most of the included studies were observational with substantial heterogeneity in clinical protocols employed, assessment criteria and outcome reporting.

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Extra-short dental implants survival rates compared to longer implants

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This review comparing the survival rate, marginal bone loss and clinical complications between extra-short implants (≤6 mm) and 6-mm-longer implants included 17 RCTs. While teh findings suggest no differences at 3 years the included studies are generally small and none of them were at low risk of bias.

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Intraosseous injection or inferior alveolar nerve block for third molar surgery?

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This review comparing the anaesthetic efficacy of intraosseous injection(IO) and conventional inferior alveolar nerve block (INAB) in mandibular third molar surgery included 4 small RCTs. The findings suggest no significant difference between IO and INAB techniques.

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