Orthodontic retainers and retention strategies

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This Cochrane review update evaluating different retention strategies used to stabilise tooth position after orthodontic braces included 47 RCTs. However, only 11 RCTs were at low risk of bias and the overall assessment of the certainty of the evidence is low to very low which means that firm recommendations on orthodontic retention strategies cannot be made.

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Single or multiple visit root canal therapy?

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This Cochrane review update comparing single and multiple vist root canal treatments in patients over the age of 10 included 47 RCTs. There was no evidence to suggest that one treatment regimen (single‐visit or multiple‐visit RoCT) is more effective than the other although more patients report pain in the first week with the single visit approach.

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Nursing home oral health care measures and pneumonia

The study highlights that there is limited understanding by family carers and older people of funding arrangements, and it often falls to the care home providers to supply information.

This Cochrane review update of the effects of oral care measures in preventing nursing home-acquired pneumonia inlides 6 RCTs. Low-certainty evidence suggests that professional oral care may reduce mortality compared to usual care when measured at 24 months but evidence for other effects is inconclusive.

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Alveolar osteitis – local management interventions

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This Cochrane review update looked at local interventions used for the prevention and treatment of alveolar osteitis (dry socket) following tooth extraction. 49 RCTs were included providing moderate certainty evidence for chlorhexidine rinses and gel for probably reduction in dry sockets.

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No evidence that medication can prevent PTSD in people exposed to trauma, according to new Cochrane review

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In his debut blog, Richard Meiser-Stedman explores a recent Cochrane systematic review which finds no evidence for the use of medication to prevent the onset of PTSD in people who have been exposed to a traumatic event.

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School dental screening for oral health

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This Cochrane review update assessing the effectiveness of school dental screening programmes on overall oral health status and use of dental services included 8 RCTs. There was not enough evidence to draw conclusions about whether traditional school dental screening can improve childrens dental attendance or lead to better oral health.

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Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ): Prevention and treatment

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This Cochrane review update of interventions for the prevention or treatment of medication-relatesd osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) included 13 RCTs. However the studies provided insufficient to either claim or refute a benefit of the interventions tested for prophylaxis or treatment of MRONJ.

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Full-mouth scaling or full-mouth disinfection (within 24 hours) for treatment of periodontitis

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This Cochrane review update comparing full-mouth scaling/disinfection (FMS/D) to conventional quadrant scaling for periodontitis for the treatment of periodontitis included 20 RCTs. However there is still no clear evidence that FMS/D approaches provide additional clinical benefit compared to conventional treatment.

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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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Periodontal treatment and glycaemic control in people with diabetes mellitus

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This Cochrane review of the effects of periodontal treatment on glycaemic control in people with diabetes mellitus and periodontitis updates the 2015 version. The earlier conclusions have changed and there is now moderate‐certainty evidence that periodontal treatment using subgingival instrumentation improves glycaemic control in those with periodontitis and diabetes.

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