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An assessment of the quality of oral and maxillofacial surgery clinical practice guidelines is lacking. The aim of this investigation was to assess the quality of guidelines using the RIGHT (Reporting Items for practice Guidelines in HealThcare) checklist. The primary outcome was to assess the score (quality) of guidelines based on the RIGHT checklist and to identify predictors (region, type, single or multi-centre, and speciality/non-speciality) influencing the quality score. In this review, following a search of electronic databases and national society websites, a total of 25 guidelines were independently assessed by two assessors against the 22-item RIGHT checklist. Inter-assessor reliability was assessed. Deficiencies in the reporting of items relating to limitations, funding, declaration and management of interests, healthcare questions, and quality assurance were evident. The median overall score for the guidelines was 28 (range 14–66). Guidelines produced by multiple centres (β = 57.15, 95% confidence interval −26.62 to 87.68, P = 0.001, multivariate analysis) and non-speciality societies (β = 20, 95% confidence interval −0.03 to 40.03, P = 0.05, univariate analysis) tended to have higher quality scores. Overall, the quality of clinical practice guidelines used in oral and maxillofacial surgery was deemed suboptimal. If clinical practice guidelines are to be used in making treatment decisions for patients, clinicians should be aware of their possible limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim and objective of this study was to evaluate the quality and readability of leaflet and online Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery patient information leaflets (PILs). The quality, readability and grade level of each PIL was assessed using the DISCERN, Flesch Reading Ease and Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level instruments respectively. In total, 140 patient information leaflets were assessed. For both leaflet and online PILs, many items of the DISCERN instrument were deemed of low quality and poorly reported. The median overall quality score was 30.2. Variation in the quality and readability scores between leaflet and online PILs and those produced by various societies was evident. Overall, PILs were deemed to be of moderate quality. Online PILs were of lower quality, more difficult to read and aimed at a higher reading age level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-pharmacological approaches for alleviation of pain during orthodontics have been developed as pharmacological interventions may have negative side effects and patients may be reluctant to use them. The more popular non-pharmacological techniques include the use of lasers, vibratory and masticatory adjuncts, and use of psychological and communication-based approaches. The relative merits of these are discussed in the light of contemporary evidence. The effect of pain on compliance is difficult to pinpoint; however, the further refinement of approaches to control orthodontic pain will likely have a positive influence on patient experiences, compliance and ultimately therefore on our treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of biannual fluoride varnish applications in preschool children as an adjunct to school-based oral health promotion and supervised tooth brushing with 1000 ppm fluoride toothpaste. Methods: 424 preschool children, 2-5 year of age, from 10 different pre schools in Athens were invited to this double-blind randomized controlled trial and 328 children completed the 2-year programme. All children received oral health education with hygiene instructions twice yearly and attended supervised tooth brushing once daily. The test group was treated with fluoride varnish (0.9% diflurosilane) biannually while the control group had placebo applications. The primary endpoints were caries prevalence and increment; secondary outcomes were gingival health, mutans streptococci growth and salivary buffer capacity. Results: The groups were balanced at baseline and no significant differences in caries prevalence or increment were displayed between the groups after 1 and 2 years, respectively. There was a reduced number of new pre-cavitated enamel lesions during the second year of the study (p = 0.05) but the decrease was not statistically significant. The secondary endpoints were unaffected by the varnish treatments. Conclusions: Under the present conditions, biannual fluoride varnish applications in preschool children did not show significant caries-preventive benefits when provided as an adjunct to school-based supervised tooth brushing with 1000 ppm fluoride toothpaste. Clinical significance: In community based, caries prevention programmes, for high caries risk preschool children, a fluoride varnish may add little to caries prevention, when 1000 ppm fluoride toothpaste is used daily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes were screened for loss-of-function mutations in a series of 85 patients having at least one first- or second-degree relative affected by breast and/or ovarian cancer. All BRCA1 exons and BRCA2 exons 10 and 11 were screened with a combination of methods including SSCP, PTT and direct sequencing. We have found disease-associated mutations in 14 families (16.5%), eleven in BRCA1 and three in BRCA2. The known founder mutation 5382insC of BRCA1 was identified in seven unrelated families. The other mutations identified include the non-sense R1751X, the splice junction variant 5586G>A of BRCA1 and three frameshifts, 2024del5, 3034del4, and 6631del5, of BRCA2. Nine out of these 14 families had a family history of three or more breast/ovarian cancer cases. A large number of polymorphic or unclassified variants is also reported. Combined with our previously published data 5382insC was found in nine out of 20 families (45%), suggesting that this mutation may represent a common founder mutation in the Greek population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]