1 The Origins of Teeth
Abstract Mammalian teeth have evolved over many millions of years in response to the particular requirements of warm-blooded animals to catch and kill or graze and browse their food. Mammals…
5 Common Oral Lesions
Abstract The ability to recognize and identify disease is one of the primary distinguishing characteristics of medical and dental professionals. All dental practitioners who treat patients regularly will evaluate oral…
15 Prescription Writing
Introduction A prescription is an order for medication that is dispensed to or for an ultimate user. A prescription can also be an order for a service (such as physical…
14 Management of the Pregnant Patient
Abstract Pregnancy causes many changes in the physiology of the female patient, deepening the challenges for the dental provider. These alterations are sometimes subtle, but can lead to disastrous complications…
13 Management of Medical Emergencies
Abstract Medical emergencies do not discriminate. They may occur at any time to anyone. They happen every day and may vary widely in their severity. As their name suggests, emergencies…
6 Essentials of Dental Radiographic Analysis and Interpretation
Abstract Dentists prescribe various radiographic examinations every day to complement their clinical evaluations so as to reach the most accurate diagnoses. Patients rely on the dentist’s professional competency and judgment…
12 Hypertension Guidelines
Abstract With continuing advances in medical diagnostics and therapeutics, dental patients are living longer lives; and with that comes the increased likelihood for these patients to present to the dental…
11 Management of Patients on Anticoagulants and Antiplatelet Medications
Abstract Anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents are prescribed to patients with histories or high probabilities of thromboembolic events (blood clots). These at-risk patients include those who have suffered from deep vein…
8 Dentoalveolar Surgery
Abstract The removal of teeth—whether by simple or complex techniques—is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in dentistry. Dental practitioners are uniquely trained and qualified to examine a…
10 Pharmacology for the Dental Practitioner
Abstract Dentists possess a unique knowledge base and skill set that differs from anything else in medicine. They perform numerous complicated dental surgical procedures and also administer or prescribe anesthetics,…
9 Antibiotics
Abstract This chapter focuses on the principles of proper antibiotic therapy for its use in managing odontogenic infections by the dental practitioner. Antibiotics are defined as chemical substances having the…
4 Anatomy of Local Anesthesia for Dentistry*Chapter reproduced from Baker EW. Anatomy for Dental Medicine, 2nd edition. Thieme ©2015; 470–487
General Principles of Local Anesthesia Physiology of Peripheral Nerve Depolarization When a nerve is inactive (not generating action potentials), there is a potential difference across its membrane which is known…
7 Odontogenic Infections
Abstract Odontogenic infections are among the most frequently encountered infections that patients can be afflicted with. They can be acute, intensifying in severity very quickly over hours or days; or…
3 Time Out Policy: Correct Patient, Correct Procedure, Correct Site
Abstract The Joint Commission defines a time out procedure as an immediate pause by the entire surgical team to confirm the correct patient, procedure, and site. First introduced in 2003,…
2 Infection Control
Abstract This chapter focuses on concisely instructing practitioners on the principles of infection control for the safe delivery of dental care in the office or clinic setting. Transmission of infectious…
1 New Patient Visit
Consultation Visit—New Patient Script One of the greatest sources of anxiety and confusion for preclinical and new-to-clinic dental students is What should I say to the patient? Learning what to…
Section III: Evidence
Outcome Assessment and Evidence on the Clinical Performance of Orthodontic Aligners Spyridon N. Papageorgiou and Theodore Eliades Summary In the last decade several systematic reviews of clinical studies comparing orthodontic…
Managing Tooth Mobility
Abstract One of the most immediate dental concerns linked to periodontal disease is tooth mobility, and unlike pocket depth or attachment level, tooth mobility is easily understood by patients. But,…
Correcting Gingival Recession and Mucogingival Defects
Abstract While the discovery of deep pocketing seems to be the most common cause of alarm during periodontal exams, soft tissue deficiencies are often overlooked during routine exams. This is…
Controlling Gingival Inflammation
Abstract Generally, dental treatment begins with pain management, if needed, and progresses through acute disease control, definite treatment, and maintenance phases. The acute disease control phase consists of biopsy and…
