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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Malic acid spray for treating xerostomia

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This review of the efficacy of topical sialogogue spray containing malic acid 1% for treating xerostomia included 5 RCTs involving 244 patients. While the findings suggested a benefit the available studies are small, of short duration and none are at low risk of bias.

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Anaesthetic techniques for mandibular posterior teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis

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This review of the most effective method of anaesthesia for mandibular posterior teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis included 22 RCTs. The findings suggest that buccal infiltraion and inferior alveolar nerve block ,Vazirani-Akinosi nerve block and introsseus injections performed better but the evidence was only of low to very low certainty.

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Palatally displaced canines: Procedures to promote eruption

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This Cochrane review update of interceptive procedures included 4 RCTs to promote the eruption of palatally displaced permanent canines (PDCs) involving a total of 199 patients. The findings indicate that extraction of the primary canine man increase the the proportion of erupted PDCs but the evidence is very uncertain.

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Posterior crossbites – orthodontic treatments

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Orthodontic

This Cochrane review update of the effects of different orthodontic treatments for posterior crossbites included 31 RCTS eight of whihc were at low risk of bias. They found that for children iaged 7 to 11 years old), quad-helix and expansion plates were more beneficial than no treatment for correcting posterior crossbites.

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Tooth crowding in children: Which orthodontic intervention?

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This Cochrane review of the effects of orthodontic interventions for preventing or correcting crowded teeth in children included 24 RCTs. A wide range of interventions were assessed typically is small single studies so the available evidence is of very low certainty.

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Chemotherapy for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer

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Chemotherapy

This review of whether chemotherapy, in addition to radiotherapy and/or surgery for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer, results in improved overall survival included 100 studies. the findings indicated some benefit only when used in a few specific circumstances.

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Early detection of oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders

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This Cochrane review update of the diagnostic test accuracy of conventional oral examination, vital rinsing, light-based detection, mouth self-examination, remote screening, and biomarkers, used singly or in combination, for the early detection of OPMD or OSCC in apparently healthy adults included 18 studies.

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Top Dental Elf Blogs: Oct – Dec 2021

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Amoxicillin and metronidazole as an adjunct to full-mouth scaling and root planing, malignant transformation on oral lichen planus and toothbrushing to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia was out most popular blogs between October to December 2021.

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Top Dental Elf Blogs: Jul – Sep 2021

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Treatments for cavitated dentine caries, topical anaesthetics to reduce injection pain and vital pulp therapy for permanent teeth were out most popular blogs duing July, August and September 2021.

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Top Dental Elf Blogs: Apr – Jun 2021

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Blogs on alveolar ridge preservation techniques, rubber dam and restoration survival and curcumin mouthwashes were the most popular topics between April and June of 2021.

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