Why is a thorough history important in dental assessment?
To gain a diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan.
How should the initial complaint be recorded?
whose words should i be recorded in?
In the patient’s own words.
What should you consider early when assessing pain? - whether its of what origin?
Whether it is odontogenic (dental origin) or not.
Example of non-odontogenic pain that mimics dental pain?
Sinusitis.
What is mneumonic used to take a detailed pain history?
The mnemonic SOCRATES.
What else should be recorded besides pain history?
Previous dental attendance, social, and family history.
What social factors are important to ask about?
Occupation, smoking status, alcohol intake, family history.
What should a succinct medical history include?
Known allergies and a full systems review.
Why is medicine important in dental practice?
It integrates into clinical dental care and affects treatment.
What medication information should be collected? - which medication are we collecting info about?
Prescription (POM) and over-the-counter (OTC) meds.
What follows history taking?
Extra-oral and intra-oral examination.
What do you begin to formulate after clinical examination?
A differential diagnosis.
What investigations help confirm diagnosis?
Vitality testing, pressure testing, imaging.
What comes after confirming a diagnosis?
Formulating a treatment plan.
Common reasons for tooth extraction?
Unrestorable caries,
pulpal necrosis,
periodontal disease,
pathology,
ortho reasons,
pre-radiation therapy,
infection.
What is the SAC approach in extraction complexity?
S = Straightforward
A = Advanced
C = Complex
SAC Patient factors include:
Age, ethnicity, perio status, oral hygiene, mouth opening, consent capacity.
SAC Medical factors include:
ASA grade, medications, BMI.
SAC Surgical factors include:
Tooth anatomy, bone density, adjacent teeth, pathology, impaction, local anatomy.
Why preserve bone during extraction?
To reduce post-extraction bone loss, especially buccal/labial plate.
How much bone can be lost post-extraction in a year? - how much horizontal and vertical?
Up to 56% horizontal, 30% vertical (buccal plate).
What’s the aim of ‘atraumatic’ extraction?
Minimise trauma and preserve bone.
What tools help with atraumatic extraction?
Periotomes and luxators.
What is piezosurgery?
Ultrasonic surgical tool that selectively cuts mineralised tissues.