Botulinum Toxin Type A
For the general dentist, the use of botulinum toxin type A (BTA) confers the ability to exert control over the soft tissues surrounding the mouth to better create a harmonious…
Updates of Topical and Local Anesthesia Agents
As described in this article, there are many advances in topical and local anesthesia. Topical and local anesthetics have played a great role in dentistry in alleviating the fears of…
Hyposalivation and Xerostomia
Saliva is one of the most versatile, multifunctional substances produced by the body and has a critical role in the preservation of the oropharyngeal health. It comprises a serous and…
Medication for Gravid and Nursing Dental Patients
The topics the authors address in this article are in many ways both broad and narrow. The broadness of this topic is clear when one considers the intersection of 2…
Medications to Assist in Tobacco Cessation for Dental Patients
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness in the United States. Without assistance, only 3% to 6% of smokers successfully quit after 1 year. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), buproprion, and…
Antimicrobial Therapy in Management of Odontogenic Infections in General Dentistry
This article focuses on the diagnosis and management of odontogenic infections. Current antibiotic regimens are reviewed and discussed including use of alternative antibiotics with patients known to have a penicillin…
Medication Management of Jaw Lesions for Dental Patients
Most pathologic lesions of the jaws or of oral mucosa are treated successfully by surgical interventions. For treatment of the central giant cell lesion, aneurysmal bone cysts, histiocytosis of the…
Current Concepts of Prophylactic Antibiotics for Dental Patients
Despite numerous guidelines, joint interprofessional collaboration, and years of data collection, the use of antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedures remains controversial. There continues to be disagreement on indications, justification, and…
The Pharmacologic Management of Common Lesions of the Oral Cavity
The oral ulcerations caused by aphtous lesions, herpetic lesions, candidiasis, ulcerative lichen planus, mucous membrane pemphigoid, and pemphigus vulgaris are managed in a step-up approach that can involve topical, intarlesional,…
Pharmacologic Treatment for Temporomandibular Disorders
Pharmacologic agents play an integral role in the overall management of temporomandibular joint disorder. The general dentist should be familiar with the different classes of drugs currently in use for…
