Nederlands tijdschrift voor tandheelkunde
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A summary of the presentation, diagnosis and therapy of head injury is given. The article is focussed on mild head injury, the most frequent type of head injury. The difference between concussion and contusion is explained. ⋯ After-care depends on the severity of the injury and the persistence of neurological signs and symptoms. Outcome measurement is done by the Glasgow Outcome Scale. It is emphasized that patients may exhibit persistent complaints although they return to work or school.
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Mercury from dental silver amalgam has been suggested to be linked with Alzheimer's disease. The percentage in the population (formerly) possessing amalgam restorations exceeds that of Alzheimer patients. Therefore, low levels of mercury in the brain are unlikely to cause the disease. ⋯ In contrast, it has been proven that an inherited trait accounts for a minor proportion of Alzheimer's patients. Moreover, education--or related psychosocial factors--instead of amalgam has been found to be associated with the disease. Therefore, it does not seem warranted as yet to conclude that mercury is an etiological factor in Alzheimer's disease.
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Ned Tijdschr Tandheelkd · Aug 1996
[Intravenous sedation with propofol in dental treatment. Experience in mentally handicapped patients].
Simple dental procedures in mentally handicapped patients can be facilitated by the use of intravenous sedation. This article describes our experiences with eleven such patients undergoing a total of eighteen procedures in 1994-1995. ⋯ The article describes the organization of the patients selection and pre- per- and post-sedation care using a management protocol. It is concluded that the technique is effective and safe for simple dental procedures such as examination, removal of tartar, radiography and the treatment of cavities, provided that patients selection and care are meticulous.
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Ned Tijdschr Tandheelkd · Jul 1996
Review[Electromyography. Aid in diagnosis, therapy and therapy evaluation in temporomandibular dysfunction].
Electromyography (EMG) has been applied in studies on patients with temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD), usually with surface electrodes, focusing on rest position of the mandible, hyperactivity and hypo-activity of the muscles, muscle balance, muscle symmetry, reflex activity and parafunctional activity. The contribution of the use of EMG to the diagnostics of individual patients is considered to be marginal, at the most. However, EMG can be valuable in research on TMD if methodological pitfalls are avoided.
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In this article type I and type IV allergic reactions evoked by local anaesthetics are discussed. Contact dermatitis (type IV) reactions are mainly caused by local anaesthetics of the ester-type like procaine. ⋯ Intra- and epicutaneous tests can be useful to prove allergy, but sometimes provocation tests are necessary. Many reactions are not caused by an allergic mechanism.