Derek Richards

Profile photo of Derek Richards
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.

Website

Follow me here –

Post and core restorations: does the ferrule effect influence success?

No Responses »
Profile photo of Derek Richards
Posted by
shutterstock_50711971

This review evaluating the presence or absence of a ferrule influences the failure rate in fibre-reinforced composite (FRC) post-and-core restorations included 4 studies. While the findings indicate no differences in failure rates between restoration with and with out a ferrule the quality of the evidence is low.

[read the full story...]

Guideline: Antibiotics for Dental Pain and Swelling

2 Responses »
Profile photo of Derek Richards
Posted by
shutterstock_64158991 question mark pills tablets

This new guideline from the American Dental Association is about the the appropriate use of systemic antibiotics for the urgent management of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis with or without symptomatic apical pulpitis, pulp necrosis and symptomatic apical periodontitis and pulp necrosis and localized acute apical abscess.

[read the full story...]

Partial pulpotomy for permanent posterior teeth with carious vital pulp exposure

No Responses »
Profile photo of Derek Richards
Posted by
shutterstock_2724084

This review of the success rate of partial pulpotomy in treating permanent posterior teeth with carious vital pulp exposure included 11 studies 5 of which are RCTs. The findings suggest that partial pulpotomy is a reliable treatment option.

[read the full story...]

Vitamin D deficiency: Is it a risk factor for recurrent aphthous stomatitis?

2 Responses »
Profile photo of Derek Richards
Posted by
Researchers in this study wanted to see if people with learning disabilities had higher levels of vitamin D deficiency than the general population

This review of a possible association between vitamin D deficiency and recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) included 5 case control studies providing limited evidence that low levels of serum vitamin D might be a risk factor for RAS.

[read the full story...]

Pulpotomy in immature permanent teeth

No Responses »
Profile photo of Derek Richards
Posted by
shutterstock_48486751 stomatologist shows x-ray

This review of different pulpotomy dressing agents for pulpotomy treatment in immature permanent teeth. While the review suggested that the various agents tested had similar success rates the findings should be viewed cautiously as all the studies were at high risk of bias.

[read the full story...]

Third molar extraction: Does closure technique influence post-operative complications?

1 Response »
Profile photo of Derek Richards
Posted by
shutterstock_133048361

This review to assess the influence of two suture methods on the postoperative complications of lower third molar extraction included 5 RCTs . Findings suggest the use of secondary closure has a favourable effect on pain, facial swelling, and trismus but the quality of the evidence is limited.

[read the full story...]

Lasers for dentine hypersensitivity a network meta-analysis

No Responses »
Profile photo of Derek Richards
Posted by
shutterstock_73929085 dental pain bearded man

This review of the effects of different types of lasers on dentine hypersensitivity included 11 RCTs suggesting no significant differences between Er,Cr:YSGG, Nd:YAG, Er:YAG, and GaAlAs lasers both in the immediate term and at 1 month.

[read the full story...]

Root caries risk predictors

No Responses »
Profile photo of Derek Richards
Posted by
shutterstock_34500700 - caries sign

This review of risk predictors of root caries was based on 16 cohorts. The findings suggest a number of risk predictors but only 4 of the included studies were considered to be of high quality.

[read the full story...]

Molar incisor hypomineralisation: systemic associations

No Responses »
Profile photo of Derek Richards
Posted by
HSPM Molar-Incisor hypomineralisation

This review of the systemic exposures associated with with molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) included 29 observational studies. VEry low quality evidence suggests that maternal illness, psychological stress, caesarean delivery, delivery complications, respiratory diseases, fever and childhood illnesses may be associated with MIH.

[read the full story...]

Hyaluronic acid as an adjunct to periodontal treatment

No Responses »
Profile photo of Derek Richards
Posted by
shutterstock_28627237

This review looked at the adjunctive effects of hyaluronic acid (HA) on surgical or non-surgical periodontal treatment. Thirteen RCTs the majority at high risk of bias suggested that the topical application of HA may lead to additional clinical benefits.

[read the full story...]