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Biomedical subjects

Helen L Craddock

Publications and source records attributed to Helen L Craddock.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Treatment and maintenance of a dentate patient with 'radiation caries'.

UNLABELLED: Patients with xerostomia are presenting dental practitioners with challenges in caries control, long-term restoration and prosthodontic difficulties. In many cases, extraction may be the best option, but for younger, dentate patients, this may be inappropriate. This paper describes the management of a young partially dentate patient with severe xerostomia following irradiation of the salivary glands. Preventive and restorative management are discussed, together with treatment and healing of peri-radicular pathology. The case report demonstrates that long-term stabilization and management of caries and peri-radicular lesions are possible over a seven-year period for a patient with severe radiation caries. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Many dental patients present with some degree of xerostomia due to age, side-effects of anti-hypertensive and psychotropic drugs and also as a side-effect of radiotherapy. General dental practitioners are ideally placed to monitor and provide early intervention for this highly caries-susceptible group of patients. With good patient motivation and professional support, tooth loss is not inevitable and this case report suggests strategies and demonstrates the clinical stages in the management of severe caries due to xerostomia.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Overeruption--another challenge?

UNLABELLED: Awareness of the occlusal changes following individual tooth loss may be increasingly important when planning treatment for patients who are likely to retain a relatively intact dentition throughout life. Some evidence exists to support dentists who are considering prevention or treatment of overeruption. This paper explores the literature available on the changes in the prevalence of tooth loss, the prevalence and presentation of overeruption, its relevance to dental restoration and the prevention and treatment of overeruption. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This article reviews the prevalence and consequence of overeruption in posterior teeth.

Dental Occlusion↗
PubMed2005

The use of a removable appliance to relieve symptoms of burning lower lip in a dentate patient.

UNLABELLED: The treatment of burning mouth Syndrome, in all its forms, is a challenge to the management of some older patients. The multi-factorial aetiology of this problem requires careful diagnosis and treatment planning to address the major aetiological factors for a given individual. This case report describes the treatment given to an elderly dentate female patient, whose main symptom was intense burning of her lower lip. The patient was aware of tooth clenching and various splints had been provided in the past, with limited improvement in symptoms. A simple removable appliance to prevent trapping of the soft tissues of the lower lip was provided, which produced a rapid and sustained reduction in symptoms. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Solutions to some common, yet distressing, problems may well be appropriate for use in the Primary Dental Care setting. This solution to the problem of burning lower lip, may be useful for other patients with similar symptoms. It may be adapted for different clinical situations and is relatively non-invasive and reversible.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

The use of a removable appliance to improve oral continence in an elderly dentate patient.

Challenges in the treatment of our older dentate patients are arising more frequently, and novel solutions may be required to overcome them. This case report describes the treatment given to an elderly dentate female patient, whose lax peri-oral musculature was preventing a satisfactory oral seal from being achieved. This resulted in constant "drooling" and much social disability in an otherwise fit and gregarious lady. A simple removable appliance was provided to increase support to the tissues at the angles of the mouth. An immediate relief of the salivary leakage was achieved and maintained. Simple solutions may be available to problems which may cause great distress to our patients reducing the quality of their lives. This solution to the problem of peri-oral leakage, of a normal volume of saliva, may be useful for many other patients with similar problems, following loss of peri-oral muscle tone with age.

Aged↗