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Abstract Background The question of whether antibiotic prophylaxis should be administered routinely for dental implant surgery is unresolved. Despite the lack of conclusive supportive evidence, antibiotics are often administered to reduce the risk of infection, which could lead to early implant failure. Increasing antibiotic resistance is a major concern and it is therefore important to reduce the overall use of antibiotics, including in dentistry. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative antibiotics in preventing early implant failure, in overall healthy patients undergoing dental implant surgery. Methods An electronic search was undertaken of PubMed (Medline), Web of Science and the Cochrane Library up to October 1st, 2023, to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs). All RCTs comparing antibiotic prophylaxis with no antibiotics/placebo in overall healthy patients receiving dental implants were included. The primary outcome was patients with early implant failure. Risk of bias was assessed, data were extracted, a meta-analysis was done, and GRADE certainty-of-evidence ratings were determined. The risk ratio (RR), the risk difference (RD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. Results After removal of duplicates, 1086 abstracts were screened, and 17 articles were reviewed in full text. Seven RCTs with moderate or low risk of bias and with a total of 1859 patients and 3014 implants were included in the meta-analysis. With reference to early implant failure at patient level, the meta-analysis failed to disclose any statistically significant difference (RR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.30-1.47) between antibiotic prophylaxis and a placebo. The risk difference was -0.007 (95% CI: -0.035-0.020) leading to a number needed to treat (NNT) of 143. Conclusion Antibiotic prophylaxis for dental implant surgery does not seem to have any substantial effect on early implant failure ( ). The results do not support routine antibiotic prophylaxis for dental implant surgery.

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effect of orthognathic surgery on quality of life among Swedish patients. Materials and Methods Patients subjected to orthognathic surgery due to dentofacial deformity (DFD) and registered in the National Register of Orthognathic Surgery (NROK) in Sweden between 2017 and 2020 were eligible for inclusion in this study. The Swedish‐validated Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (S‐OQLQ) was used to evaluate patient quality of life before and after surgery. The S‐OQLQ measured each patient's subjective experience regarding social aspects. Results Eighty‐four participants were included in this cohort study, including 45 men (mean age 24.7 years), 48 women (mean age 23.4 years), and eight patients who stated no gender. Women generally graded several aspects of the S‐OQLQ higher than men, including facial aesthetics p = 0.029), oral function (p

Abstract Background Adherence to antibiotic recommendations and safety aspects of restrictive use are important components when combating antibiotic resistance. The primary aim of this study was to assess the impact of national guidelines on antibiotic prescriptions for bone augmentation procedures among dentists working at three specialized clinics. The secondary aim was to assess the occurrence of postoperative infections. Methods Medical charts of 400 patients treated with bone augmentation were reviewed: 200 in the years 2010–2011 and 200 in 2014–2015. The Swedish national recommendations for antibiotic prophylaxis were published in 2012. Results There was a wide variation in antibiotic regiments prescribed throughout the study. The number of patients treated with antibiotic prophylaxis in a single dose of 2 g amoxicillin, and treated as advocated in the national recommendations, was low and decreasing between the two time periods from 25% (n = 50/200) in 2010–2011 to 18.5% (n = 37/200) in 2014–2015. The number of patients not given any antibiotics either as a prophylactic single dose or during the postoperative phase increased (P

Abstract Background The prescription of antibiotics in dental practice contributes significantly to the total use of antibiotics in primary healthcare. This study aimed to evaluate antibiotic prescription in dental practice during the years 2016–2021 in Norway and their relative contribution to national outpatient consumption and to investigate the influence of age, gender, geographic region, and COVID-19. A further aim was to review differences in prescribing patterns to verify effect of governmental strategies to reduce over-prescribing of antibiotics. Methods This register study investigated the national antibiotic prescription between 2016 and 2021. Data was obtained from the Norwegian prescription register, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and Statistics Norway. The consumption of 12 common antibiotics was measured using WHO defined daily doses (DDDs), DDD per 1000 inhabitants per day (DIDs 1000). Results A total of 6,049,445 antibiotic prescriptions of the 12 investigated compounds were issued in primary care during the study period. Dentists accounted for 942,350 prescriptions corresponding to 15.6% of the total. An overall decrease in the number of prescriptions by health professions other than dentists during the 5 years (IRR = 0.92, 95% CI:0.92–0.93, p

Conclusions: The observations confirmed differences in matrix remodeling and an increase in local inflammatory activity in the DDwoR diagnosis compared to the reference patient material, DDwR. The study highlighted the importance of synovial tissue characterization to unite micropathology and clinical findings, leading to more reliable diagnostic tools.

Abstract Background Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are associated with musculoskeletal diseases (MSD), mental and behavioural disorders (MBD), and patients with TMD have been shown to have 2–3 times more days of sick leave (SL) and disability pension (DP) than the general population. MSD and MBD are two of the most common causes for SL and DP, and the association between TMD and the influence of comorbidities on the need for SL and DP among TMD patients need further clarification. This study investigates the impact of MSD and MBD comorbidity on SL and DP among TMD patients diagnosed in a hospital setting and/or surgically treated. Methods All incident TMD patients diagnosed or treated in a hospital setting between 1998 and 2016 and aged 23–59 were included. A non-exposed comparison cohort was collected from the general population. The cohorts were grouped based on the presence of comorbidity: No comorbidity (Group I); MSD comorbidity (Group II); MBD comorbidity (Group III); and combined MSD and MBD comorbidity (Group IV). Main outcomes were mean annual days of SL and DP, and statistical analysis was conducted using generalized estimated equations. Results TMD subjects with no comorbidities (Group I) and with MSD/MBD comorbidity (Group II and III) were 2–3 times more often on SL and DP than the corresponding groups from the general population. However, in the group with both MSD and MBD comorbidity (Group IV), the difference between the TMD subjects and the general population was diminishing, suggesting an additive effect. Conclusion TMD patients are more dependent on SL and DP benefits compared to general population and the difference remains even after considering MSD and MBD comorbidity. In individuals with combined MSD and MBD comorbidity, concurrent TMD has less impact on the need for social insurance benefits. The results accentuate the impact TMD has on the patients’ impaired ability to return to work and why TMD should be recognized as having a substantial impact on individual and economic suffering as well as on societal costs, with emphasis on the influence of comorbidities on patient suffering.

Objectives: This study aimed at identifying biomarkers in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) synovial tissue analysing 28 extra cellular matrix proteins in TMJ diseased patients, classified with either general joint hypermobility (GJH) or normal joint mobility (NJM), and to compile clinical and protein characterisation to reveal potential surgical predictive factors. Study design: A prospective observational cohort study including 97 consecutive patients scheduled for TMJ surgery was performed. Joint mobility and several other predefined clinical variables were recorded. Synovial tissue was harvested during surgery followed by examination using multi-analytic profiling. A multivariate quantile regression model was used for analysis purposes. Results: The GJH/NJM ratio was 2:5. The GJH cohort were younger (P = 0.001) and more likely to be women (P = 0.026) compared to the NJM cohort. None of the protein concentrations could be correlated to joint mobility in the multivariate regression model, but often to the variable TMJ diagnosis. The surgical outcome after the six-month follow-up were equal between GJH and NJM patients. Conclusions: GJH was more common in the study cohort compared to general population frequencies, but GJH was not a negative factor for surgical outcome. Young age and female gender correlated to GJH. No TMJ biomarkers were GJH specific, and the results suggested that TMJ diagnosis more strongly correlated to the protein profile compared to GJH and the other investigated variables.

Abstract Background National quality registries (NQRs) provide open data for user-directed acquisition. National Quality Registry (NQR) data are often used to analyze the rates of treatment success and adverse events for studies that aim to improve treatment quality and patient satisfaction. Thus, NQRs promote the goal of achieving evidence-based therapies. However, the scientific literature seldom focuses on the complex process of initiating, designing, and implementing an NQR. Starting an NQR may be particularly challenging in a setting where specialized care is decentralized, such as orthognathic surgery in Sweden. The present study describes the initiation and early phases of a new NQR for orthognathic surgery in Sweden. Methods The initial inventory phase included gaining knowledge on regulations, creating economic plans, and identifying pitfalls in existing NQRs. Next, a crude framework for the registry was achieved. Outcome measures were selected with a nation-wide questionnaire, followed by a Delphi-like process for selecting parameters to include in the NQR. Our inclusive process comprised a stepwise introduction, feedback-based modifications, and preparatory educational efforts. Descriptive data were collected, based on the first 2 years (2018–2019) of registry operation. Results Two years after implementation, 862 patients that underwent 1320 procedures were registered. This number corresponded to a 91% coverage rate. Bimaxillary treatments predominated, and the most common were a Le Fort I osteotomy combined with a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (n = 275). Reoperations were conducted in 32 patients (3.6%), and the rate of patient satisfaction was 95%. Conclusions A National Quality Registry should preferentially be started and maintained by an appointed task force of active clinicians. A collaborative, transparent, inclusive process may be an important factor for achieving credibility and high coverage, particularly in a decentralized setting.

Abstract Background Oral streptococci represent the causing microorganism for infective endocarditis (IE) in many patients. The impact of oral infections is questioned, and it has been suggested that bacteraemia due to daily routines may play a bigger part in the aetiology of IE. The aim of this study was to examine the association between oral health and infective endocarditis caused by oral bacteria in comparison with bacteria of other origin than the oral cavity. Methods A retrospective study was conducted at Haukeland University Hospital from 2006- 2015. All consecutive adult patients admitted to hospital for treatment of IE and subjected to an oral focus screening including orthopantomogram, were included. The clinical, radiological and laboratory characteristics of the patients, collected during oral infectious focus screening, were analysed. Patient survival was calculated using Kaplan–Meier and mortality rates were compared using Cox-regression. Results A total of 208 patients were included, 77% (n = 161) male patients and 23% (n = 47) female, mean age was 58 years. A total of 67 (32%) had IE caused by viridans streptococci. No statistically significant correlation could be found between signs of oral infection and IE caused by viridans streptococci. The overall mortality at 30 days was 4.3% (95% CI: 1.6–7.0). There was no statistical difference in mortality between IE caused by viridans streptococci or S. aureus (HRR = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.57–2.37, p = 0.680). Conclusion The study indicates that the association between origin of the IE causing bacteria and findings during oral infection screening might be uncertain and may suggest that the benefit of screening and elimination of oral infections in patients admitted with IE might be overestimated. However, the results should be interpreted with caution and further studies are needed before any definite conclusions can be drawn.

Summary: Background: It is not clear whether Viridans Group Streptococcal Infective Endocarditis (VGS-IE) among individuals at high risk is more frequent following bacteraemia caused by invasive dental procedures (IDPs) than after daily bacteraemia caused by chewing and tooth brushing. The aim of this nested study was to assess if VGS-IE was temporally associated with IDPs in a national cohort of individuals at high risk. Methods: This nested case-control and case-crossover study was based on a Swedish national cohort study of 76,762 individuals at high risk of IE due to complex congenital heart disease, prosthetic heart valve or previous IE. Participants were living in Sweden between July 1st, 2008 and January 1st, 2018. The frequency of IDPs during the 3 months before VGS-IE was calculated and compared to controls (sampled 1:10). A case-crossover study was conducted to account for residual confounders. Participants were identified using the national patient register, and IDPs were identified using the national dental health register. Findings: 98,247 IDPs were carried out in the cohort during the study period: 624 occasions of oral surgery, 44,190 extractions and 53,433 sessions of subgingival scaling. The study could not confirm that IDPs were more common among cases (4.6%) than controls (4.1%), OR = 1.22 [95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.64–2.3], or during case- (3.3%) than reference periods (3.8%), OR = 0.89 [95% CI: 0.68–1.17]. Restricting the analysis to the period when cessation of antibiotic prophylaxis for the prevention of IE in Swedish dentistry was recommended, from the 1st of October 2012 to the 1st of January 2018, did not alter the results of the case-control study: OR 0.64, 95% CI: 0.20–2.09, or the case-crossover study: OR 0.58, 95% CI: 0.15–2.19. Interpretation: The study could not confirm that VGS-IE is associated with IDPs among individuals at high risk. A study with larger sample size could clarify whether there is a lack of association. The finding of a small (

Abstract Background Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are common and affect approximately 10% of the adult population. TMD is usually associated with headache, pain in the masticatory muscles and/or the temporomandibular joint, clicking or crepitations during mandibular movement as well as painful and/or reduced mouth opening. This study aimed to investigate the level TMD-patients use social insurance benefits before and after their first time of diagnosis or first surgical event, compared to the general population. Furthermore, the aim was to investigate the differences in the use of social insurance benefits between surgically and non-surgically treated TMD-patients that were diagnosed in a hospital setting. Methods All Swedish citizens aged 23–59 diagnosed with TMD in a hospital setting and/or surgically treated for the condition during 1998–2016 were identified via the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. A non-exposed comparison cohort was collected via the Total Population Registry. Outcome and sociodemographic data were collected via Statistics Sweden. Main outcome was annual net days on sick leave and disability pension five years before (-T5) and five years after (T5) diagnosis and/or surgical treatment (T0). Regression analysis was conducted with generalized estimated equations. Results The study included 219 255 individuals (73% female) – 19 934 in the exposed cohort and 199 321 in the comparison cohort. The exposed group was classified into three subgroups: non-surgical, surgically treated once, and surgically treated twice or more. The mean annual net days of sick leave and disability pension combined during the ten-year follow-up was 61 days in the non-surgical group, 76 days in the surgically treated once group, and 104 days in the surgically treated twice or more subgroup. The corresponding number for the non-exposed comparison cohort was 32 days. Conclusion Patients diagnosed with TMD in a hospital setting are 2–3 times more dependent on the use of social benefits than the general population. The reliance on sick leave and disability pension is seen as early as five years before diagnosis, and the reliance remains after surgical treatment. The reliance is stronger in patients with several surgical interventions. These findings indicate that patients diagnosed with TMD constitute a patient group with a high burden of health issues causing long-term dependence on social security benefits.

Abstract Background Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive diagnostic tool and treatment strategy in patients suffering from temporomandibular disorders (TMD) when conservative treatment fails. This study aimed to find specific variables on pre-operative MRI or during arthroscopy that could predict success of arthroscopic lysis and lavage. Methods This retrospective analysis compared pre-operative maximum interincisal opening (MIO), pain and main complaint (pain, limited MIO or joint sounds) with results at short-term and medium-term follow-up (ST and MT respectively). Different variables scored on MRI or arthroscopy were used to make a stepwise regression model, subsequently a combined analysis was conducted using variables from both MRI and arthroscopy. Results A total of 47 patients (50 joints) met the inclusion criteria. The main complaint improved by 62 and 53% at ST and MT respectively. The absolute or probable absence of a crumpled disc scored on MRI predicted success at ST and MT (p = 0.0112 and p = 0.0054), and remained significant at MT in the combined analysis (p = 0.0078). Arthroscopic findings of degenerative joint disease predicted success at ST (p = 0.0178), absolute or probable absence of discal reduction scored during arthroscopy significantly predicted success in the combined analysis at ST (p = 0.0474). Conclusion To improve selection criteria for patients undergoing an arthroscopic lysis and lavage of the TMJ, future research might focus on variables visualized on MRI. Although more research is needed, disc shape and in particular the absolute or probable absence of a crumpled disc might be used as predictive variable for success.

Abstract Background Microbial biofilm accumulation is the main cause of peri-implantitis. The majority of surgical peri-implantitis treatment protocols suggests adjunctive use of systemic antibiotics to target specific putative bacteria. The aim of this systematic review was to critically evaluate the adjunctive use of systemically administered antibiotics in surgical treatment of peri-implantitis by reviewing previously published systematic reviews and primary studies. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted in four electronic databases (MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science) for randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, case–control studies, and systematic reviews reporting surgical treatment of peri-implantitis with and without adjunctive systemically administered antibiotic therapy. The included systematic reviews and primary studies were qualitatively assessed using AMSTAR and GRADE, respectively. No restrictions were set for date of publication, journal, or language. Results The literature search identified 681 papers. Only seven systematic reviews and two primary studies met the inclusion criteria. Four out of seven included systematic reviews concluded that no evidence exists for use of systemic antibiotics to improve the clinical outcomes in surgical treatment of peri-implantitis. One review did not estimate the level of evidence, one did not clearly state any beneficial effect, whereas one reported a limited adjunctive effect. Further, the two included primary studies did not show a long-term significant benefit of adjunctive use of systemically administrated antibiotics. However, one study reported a short-term adjunctive effect in patients with modified surface implants. Due to heterogeneity in study design, low number of included primary studies, and grade of bias, no meta-analysis was performed. Conclusion The use of systemically administered antibiotics as an adjunct to surgical interventions of peri-implantitis cannot be justified as a part of a standard treatment protocol. A pervasive problem is the lack of uniform diagnosis criteria for peri-implantitis, deficient information about patient characteristics, absence of high quality long-term randomised controlled trials, and authors’ declaration on conflict of interest.

ABSTRACT Growing evidence suggests that oral infections can modify the course of systemic diseases. To date, epidemiological data on microbial oral infections are scarce. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the trend and microbial diversity in oral infection specimens referred for clinical microbiology analysis from 2010 to 2020. The microbes were isolated by culture and were identified via matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry technology (MALDI-TOF MS) throughout the study period. A total of 1,014 referred samples from dental clinics in Stockholm County with dentoalveolar abscesses and jaw osteomyelitis being the main reason were identified. Overall, the microbial composition was dominated by Firmicutes (51%), followed by Bacteroidetes (19%), Proteobacteria (12%), and Actinobacteria (5%). At the genus level, Streptococcus spp. (36%), Prevotella spp. (18%), and Staphylococcus spp. (11%) were among the most frequently reported. Interestingly, a strong increase in trend was noted for Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus sanguinis, Eikenella corrodens, Actinomyces spp., Aggregatibacter aphrophilus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Granulicatella adiacens during the study time (R = 0.66 to 0.89, P < 0.05), and a minor increase was noted for Enterococcus faecalis and Klebsiella spp., whereas steady levels were noted for most of the others. The present study shows the diversity of bacteria that have been involved in dental infections during the last decade in the capital of Sweden, as well as the emerging oral microbiota trend, with clear clinical implications on the oral-systemic link. IMPORTANCE Oral diseases and associated microbes are a risk factor for systemic diseases and can change the courses of these diseases. To date, epidemiological data on microbial oral infections are scarce, and longitudinal reports are lacking. We present for the first time the microbial composition of severe oral bacterial infections determined via the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry technique in a comprehensive study between 2010 and 2020 (11 years) in Stockholm County. The trend and microbial diversity of oral infections were analyzed on referred clinical microbiological samples and were processed by standardized protocols. Trend increase was noted for Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus sanguinis, Eikenella corrodens, Actinomyces spp., Aggregatibacter aphrophilus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Granulicatella adiacens, Enterococcus faecalis, and Klebsiella spp. Our results provide new insights into the diversity and trend of oral microbiota that were involved in serious oral infections over the past decade in the capital of Sweden and may influence the oral-systemic link.

Abstract Total joint prostheses are a viable treatment option after removal of malignancies invading the temporomandibular joint, even when adjuvant radiation therapy is required.

Introduction Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are comprised by a heterogenous group of diagnoses with multifaceted and complex etiologies. Although diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (MSD) have been reported as risk factors for developing TMD, no nationwide population-based registry studies have been conducted to investigate this possible link. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between MSD and TMD in a population-based sample using Swedish registry data, and to further investigate the difference in such association between patients diagnosed with TMD in a hospital setting and patients surgically treated for the condition. Materials and methods Population based case-control study using Swedish nationwide registry data. Data was collected between 1998 and 2016 from 33 315 incident cases and 333 122 controls aged ≥18, matched for sex, age, and living area. Cases were stratified into non-surgical (NS), surgically treated once (ST1) and surgically treated twice or more (ST2). Information on MSD exposure (ICD-10 M00-M99) was collected between 1964 and 2016. Odds ratios were calculated using conditional logistic regression, adjusted for country of birth, educational level, living area, and mental health comorbidity. Results A significant association between MSD and the development of TMD was found for all diagnostic categories: arthropathies (OR 2.0, CI 1.9–2.0); systemic connective tissue disorders (OR 2.3, CI 2.1–2.4); dorsopathies (OR 2.2, CI 2.1–2.2); soft tissue disorders (OR 2.2, CI 2.2–2.3); osteopathies and chondropathies (OR 1.7, CI 1.6–1.8); and other disorders of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (OR 1.9, CI 1.8–2.1). The associations were generally much stronger for TMD requiring surgical treatment. The diagnostic group with the strongest association was inflammatory polyarthropathies, M05-M14 (OR 11.7, CI 8.6–15.9), which was seen in the ST2 group. Conclusions Patients with MSD diagnoses have a higher probability of being diagnosed with TMD, in comparison to individuals without MSD. This association is even stronger for TMD that requires surgery. The results are in line with earlier findings, but present new population-based evidence of a possible causal relationship between MSD and TMD, even after adjusting for known confounders. Both dentists and physicians should be aware of this association and be wary of early signs of painful TMD among patients with MSD, to make early referral and timely conservative treatment possible.

Introduction In October 2012, the Swedish Medical Products Agency published new recommendations for the cessation of prophylactic antibiotics in dentistry for the prevention of infective endocarditis (IE). Previously, 2 g of amoxicillin per os would be administered 1 h before invasive dental procedures to patients with valve prosthesis, complicated heart valve disease, and to those with previous endocarditis. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the total incidence of IE caused by oral viridans group streptococci (VGS) or IE caused by staphylococci, increased in Sweden after the introduction of the new recommendations. Methods The incidence of IE in Sweden before and after October 2012 was calculated and compared using an interrupted time series analysis. Separate analyses were conducted for the total incidence of IE, and IE caused by VGS or Staphylococcus aureus. Cases of IE were identified using the Swedish national registry of IE, which has existed since 1995 and contains data from all Swedish hospital clinics specialising in infectious disease. All cases with hospital admission date from the 1st of Jan 2008, to the 31st of Dec 2017 were included. The incidence calculations were corrected for annual changes in population size using data from the Swedish government agency Statistics Sweden. Results The results show no statistically significant increase in the slope of the trend line of the total incidence of IE, IE caused by VGS or S. aureus in the Swedish general population after October 2012, compared to before. Conclusion The results suggest that the recommended cessation of prophylactic antibiotics for the prevention of IE in dentistry has not led to an increased incidence of IE caused by oral streptococci among the Swedish population.

Our knowledge of synovial tissues in patients that are scheduled for surgery as a result of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders is limited. Characterising the protein profile, as well as mapping clinical preoperative variables, might increase our understanding of pathogenesis and forecast surgical outcome. A cohort of 100 patients with either disc displacement, osteoarthritis, or chronic inflammatory arthritis (CIA) was prospectively investigated for a set of preoperative clinical variables. During surgery, a synovial tissue biopsy was sampled and analysed via multi-analytic profiling. The surgical outcome was classified according to a predefined set of outcome criteria six months postoperatively. Higher concentrations of interleukin 8 (p = 0.049), matrix metalloproteinase 7 (p = 0.038), lumican (p = 0.037), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (p = 0.015) were significantly related to an inferior surgical outcome. Several other proteins, which were not described earlier in the TMJ synovia, were detected but not related to surgical outcome. Bilateral masticatory muscle palpation pain had strong association to a poor outcome that was related to the diagnoses disc displacement and osteoarthritis. CIA and the patient-reported variable TMJ disability might be related to an unfavourable outcome according to the multivariate model. These findings of surgical predictors show potential in aiding clinical decision-making and they might enhance the understanding of aetiopathogenesis in TMJ disorders.

In orthognathic surgery, antibiotics are prescribed to reduce the risk of postoperative infection. However, there is lack of consensus over the appropriate drug, the dose and duration of administration. The aim of this complex systematic review was to assess the effect of antibiotics on postoperative infections in orthognathic surgery.Both systematic reviews and primary studies were assessed. Medline (OVID), The Cochrane Library (Wiley) and EMBASE (embase.com), PubMed (non-indexed articles) and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) publications were searched. The primary studies were assessed using GRADE and the systematic reviews by AMSTAR.Screening of abstracts yielded 6 systematic reviews and 36 primary studies warranting full text scrutiny. In total,14 primary studies were assessed for risk of bias. Assessment of the included systematic reviews identified two studies with a moderate risk of bias, due to inclusion in the meta-analyses of primary studies with a high risk of bias. Quality assessment of the primary studies disclosed one with a moderate risk of bias and one with a low risk. The former compared a single dose of antibiotic with 24 hour prophylaxis using the same antibiotic; the latter compared oral and intravenous administration of antibiotics. Given the limited number of acceptable studies, no statistical analysis was undertaken, as it was unlikely to contribute any relevant information.With respect to antibiotic prophylaxis in orthognathic surgery, most of the studies to date have been poorly conducted and reported. Thus scientific uncertainty remains as to the preferred antibiotic and the optimal duration of administration.

Syphilis is a rare but increasing disease. Due to changing sexual habits, presentation of oral manifestations may rise. Since syphilis may mimic other oral manifestations, diagnoses can be difficult. Clinicians need to be aware that ambiguous oral manifestations may in fact be caused by oral syphilis. Here, we present a case of extended diagnostic delay highlighting the importance of consulting an expert in infectious diseases in case of obscure oral lesions not responding to standard treatment. Despite seven visits to six different medical doctors, a patient who presented with oral syphilis was continuously misdiagnosed. After 6 months of increasing complaints and deteriorating severity of disease, the patient was referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon where the correct diagnosis was determined and proper treatment initiated.

Researchers show that a pheromone-inducible plasmid can be transferred between Enterococcus faecalis cells in the gastrointestinal tract. The pheromone is a small peptide secreted constitutively by the recipient bacterium. This could be a mechanism by which genes for drug resistance are passed from one bacterium to another.