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Biomedical subjects

G Thomas Kluemper

Publications and source records attributed to G Thomas Kluemper.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Psychiatry in orthodontics. Part 2: Substance abuse among adolescents and its relevance to orthodontic practice.

Substance abuse by adolescents is a serious problem that will touch every orthodontic practice. Recent data show that 40% of tenth graders in the United States will use an illicit drug at some time, and 18% will do so in a 30-day period. These are significant figures that should impact orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. The nature of orthodontic treatment is unique in that the orthodontist will see relatively healthy adolescent patients on a monthly basis over a period of years. The orthodontist is in a prime position to recognize potential substance abuse problems and make referrals. This article discusses various types of substance abuse, diagnosis, options for referral, and orthodontic implications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Psychiatry in orthodontics. Part 1: Typical adolescent psychiatric disorders and their relevance to orthodontic practice.

Adolescence is a time of rapid physical and mental development. It is also a time when many diagnosable psychiatric diseases are first noticed. A prior study showed that a high rate of suicidal behavior is seen in orthodontic practices. The orthodontist is in a unique position among medical practitioners because treatment occurs over several years with frequent appointments. This article is a current review of the etiology, diagnosis, and therapy for several pertinent mental disorders that occur in adolescents, including mood disorders, schizophrenia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, personality disorders, and eating disorders. All have been associated with high rates of suicidal behavior and completed suicides. With a keen eye for the development of psychiatric issues, the orthodontist is in a position to make appropriate referrals, if needed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Racial variations in cephalometric analysis between Whites and Kuwaitis.

The objective of this study is to determine whether (1) Kuwaiti adolescents differ from Caucasian adolescents with respect to their cephalometric values; (2) sex plays a role in the differences between the two groups; and (3) a need exists to develop cephalometric standards for the Kuwaiti population. Standardized cephalometric films were obtained from 36 Kuwaiti females and 32 Kuwaiti males between the ages 11 and 14 years. Only subjects with Class I molar occlusion and a positive overjet of no more than 4 mm were selected. Each subject was age matched with White cephalometric values. Intraexaminer error, paired, and two-sample t-tests were made. The results show that there were significant differences between the Kuwaiti population and the Caucasian population for the majority of the variables tested (P < .01). Sex produced no significant effect on any of the variables studied. The Kuwaiti population has fuller lips, more facial convexity, greater dental protrusion, a more retruded and smaller mandible, and shorter posterior face height than the Caucasian population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Efficacy of a wax containing benzocaine in the relief of oral mucosal pain caused by orthodontic appliances.

During orthodontic treatment, pain and discomfort of the oral mucosa can be experienced as a result of trauma from the appliances caused by increased friction between mucosal tissue and the surface of the brackets. Currently, orthodontists have few remedies to prevent or relieve this mucosal irritation. The orthodontist can give the patient wax to cover the brackets as a prophylactic measure or to use as needed on specific irritating appliances. Orthodontic wax contains no analgesic components. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of an orthodontic wax containing benzocaine that is released over time in a controlled manner. This randomized, prospective, double-blind, clinical trial compared patients' responses to the wax with benzocaine and the currently used unmedicated orthodontic wax. Seventy patients, 35 in each treatment group, were instructed to apply the wax in a specific manner, and their pain levels were recorded at 6 different time points. The pain levels were analyzed with a repeated-measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) model with factors of treatment (medicated wax vs unmedicated wax) and times (6 levels). Post-hoc pair-wise comparisons were made on the basis of the Fisher least significant difference procedure. The results of this study clearly indicated that the pain profile over time of the group that received the wax containing benzocaine was significantly different from that of the subjects who received the unmedicated wax. The medicated group had significantly lower pain levels at every time point after the first hour (P <.0003 in each case) compared with the unmedicated group. The medicated wax was effective immediately and continued to reduce pain in greater magnitude than did the unmedicated wax. A wax applied to orthodontic brackets that slowly and continuously releases benzocaine is significantly more effective at reducing the pain associated with mucosal irritation than is the current option used by most orthodontists.

Adult↗