Dental clinics of North America
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Dent. Clin. North Am. · Oct 1991
ReviewDiagnosis and management of sports-related injuries to the face.
The face is often the most exposed part of the body during athletic competition. This article concentrates on sports-related injuries to the zygoma and periorbital area, the maxilla, the nose, and the external ear. Discussions of the management of soft-tissue injuries and the diagnosis and treatment of underlying disruption of bone and cartilage are presented. A new piece of protective athletic equipment for the prevention of facial injuries to baseball players is introduced.
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Dent. Clin. North Am. · Oct 1991
ReviewDiagnosis and management of sports-related injuries to the teeth.
All dental emergencies must be considered true emergencies until determined otherwise. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of sports-related traumatic injuries to the teeth and supporting structures are essential to successful long-term clinical outcome. Emergency and long-term treatment techniques for crown fractures, tooth fractures, displaced teeth, and avulsed teeth are described from an endodontic perspective.
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Toothache of nonodontogenic origin may be better differentiated with the use of differential diagnostic blockade. Table 9 reviews the expected outcome of somatic block at the site of pain and when the nerve division or the site of nociception is blocked. Although there is considerable overlap, this technique together with a careful history and detailed physical examination will prevent many unnecessary irreversible treatments. ⋯ During this time pharmacologic trials may be attempted, bearing in mind the clinical presentation. Patients should be informed that it may take at least 4 months for the dental pathology to manifest and in the hope of preventing irreversible damage, careful observation accompanied by the pharmacologic trials will be carried out. The practicing clinician is encouraged to maintain a broad perspective of the differential diagnosis of toothache when the pathology is not obvious.
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This article reviews the more commonly used imaging techniques for examining the temporomandibular joint. Emphasis is placed on assessment of their accuracy as diagnostic tests for pain, dysfunction, and intracapsular disease processes.
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Aging is accompanied by normal physiologic changes. Paralleling these changes, disease further contributes to a decline in optimal organ-system function. Many of these changes produce significant alterations in pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics that are relevant to safe and effective pharmacotherapy in the elderly. ⋯ Prescribe the lowest therapeutic dose. Assess the patient's response frequently for compliance, drug effects, and toxicity. Discontinue unnecessary medications.