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Sharma S, Blicher B, Pryles RL, Kerr DA, Addante R. Cementoblastoma Mimicking Pathology of Endodontic Origin: A Case Report. Compend Contin Educ Dent 2024; 45:210-212. [PMID: 38622081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Interdisciplinary care in the management of complex pathology is critical to ensure patients receive predictable, evidence-based treatment. The authors report the unique case of a healthy 38-year-old female patient who presented to a private endodontics practice with a radiopaque lesion associated with the root of tooth No. 20. The patient experienced mild and occasional palpation tenderness associated with the tooth. Extraoral examination and intraoral soft tissues presented without any abnormalities. Intraoral radiographs revealed a radiopacity overlying the apex of tooth No. 20. A cone-beam computed tomography scan of the region revealed a well-delineated bulbous radiopaque lesion attached to the lingual aspect of the apical third of the root of tooth No. 20. The lesion could not be distinguished from the root outline and presented with a radiolucent halo along its periphery. The differential diagnosis at the time consisted of cementoblastoma, condensing osteitis, hypercementosis, and periapical cemento-osseous dysplasia. The patient was referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon for evaluation and treatment. Tooth No. 20 was subsequently treated with an excisional biopsy and concurrent extraction of the tooth. Histologic examination of the lesion supported the diagnosis of cementoblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brooke Blicher
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Endodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Lecturer, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Science, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Co-founder, Pulp Nonfiction Endodontics; Private Practice limited to Endodontics, White River Junction, Vermont
| | - Rebekah Lucier Pryles
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Endodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Lecturer, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Science, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Co-founder, Pulp Nonfiction Endodontics; Private Practice limited to Endodontics, White River Junction, Vermont
| | - Darcy A Kerr
- Associate Professor of Pathology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire
| | - Rocco Addante
- Professor of Surgery, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
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Meshkin M, Lucier Pryles R, Blicher B. Managing Endodontic Complications: The Pathophysiology and Treatment of Flare-ups. Compend Contin Educ Dent 2024; 45:136-140; quiz 141. [PMID: 38460137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
At its core, endodontics is a specialty centered on saving patients' teeth. Nonsurgical root canal therapy and nonsurgical retreatment, arguably the "bread and butter" of endodontics, not only facilitate the preservation of the natural dentition, but in many cases, alleviate pain. Most patients arrive for endodontic treatment expecting symptom relief. A small percentage of these patients, however, experience just the opposite. Within 48 to 72 hours, these select patients experience worsening symptoms, including swelling and pain, and may wonder what mishaps may have occurred during their treatment. These symptom exacerbations are referred to as endodontic flare-ups and are well-documented in the literature. In most cases their occurrence does not reflect a lack of practitioner judgment or skill, but rather a biologic event resulting from a shift in the delicate balance of the bacterial communities and inflammatory events at the periapex. This article reviews the pathophysiology and treatment of endodontic flare-ups, thereby informing patient communication strategies surrounding these events, to preserve both the teeth in question as well as patient relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Meshkin
- Clinical Fellow, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Dentistry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rebekah Lucier Pryles
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Endodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Lecturer, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Science, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Private Practice limited to Endodontics, White River Junction, Vermont
| | - Brooke Blicher
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Endodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Lecturer, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Science, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Private Practice limited to Endodontics, White River Junction, Vermont
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Pryles RL, Blicher B. Pain Management and Endodontics: Rapidly Evolving Science Benefits Patient Care. Compend Contin Educ Dent 2023; 44:212-214. [PMID: 37075728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Pain management and endodontics represent two separate but very much interrelated disciplines. Advances in both fields have resulted in significant improvements in the predictable and comfortable delivery of patient care. From the utilization of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging, the use of biomaterials, and enhanced irrigation in endodontics, to greater understanding of pain physiology and treatment, providers and patients alike are benefiting from rapidly evolving science. These two interrelated disciplines are among the most exciting in dentistry for both clinicians and researchers. The science and practice of clinical endodontics progresses quickly. Resultantly, virtually every clinician providing endodontic care gets to experience real changes in methodologies and technologies during their career. These advances have enhanced outcomes in both nonsurgical and surgical endodontics. Similarly, seismic shifts in pain management continue to occur, and significant advances in the understanding of pain physiology, as well as drugs and devices for the prevention and treatment of pain, have greatly improved patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah Lucier Pryles
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Endodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Clinical Instructor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Science, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Co-founder, Pulp Nonfiction Endodontics; Private Practice limited to Endodontics, White River Junction, Vermont
| | - Brooke Blicher
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Endodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Clinical Instructor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Science, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Co-founder, Pulp Nonfiction Endodontics; Private Practice limited to Endodontics, White River Junction, Vermont
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Chou J, Blicher B, Pryles RL. The Diagnostic Dilemma of Unseparated Fractures. Compend Contin Educ Dent 2022; 43:564-570. [PMID: 36227129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Unseparated fractures in teeth without a history of prior endodontic treatment represent a common presentation in clinical practice. Historic heterogeneity in diagnostic terminology and treatment recommendations have produced considerable uncertainty among clinicians regarding how to best treat these teeth. That said, a current review of the literature can provide clinicians with an evidence-grounded framework for managing unseparated fractures. This article reviews the current literature with regard to the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of unseparated fractures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacquelyn Chou
- Private Practice limited to Endodontics, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Brooke Blicher
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Endodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Clinical Instructor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Science, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Instructor in Surgery, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire; Co-founder, Pulp Nonfiction Endodontics; Private Practice limited to Endodontics, White River Junction, Vermont
| | - Rebekah Lucier Pryles
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Endodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Clinical Instructor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Science, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Co-founder, Pulp Nonfiction Endodontics; Private Practice limited to Endodontics, White River Junction, Vermont
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Blicher B, Pryles RL. The Use of Selective Anesthesia in Endodontic Diagnosis. Compend Contin Educ Dent 2021; 42:498-503. [PMID: 34555909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Foundational to the diagnosis of endodontic disease is the ability for clinicians to replicate a patient's pain via clinical testing. Patients experiencing degenerative pulp diseases, like an acutely symptomatic irreversible pulpitis,may present with poorly localized pain that cannot be clinically replicated. Selective anesthesia techniques can aid clinicians in the accurate diagnosis of these patients' symptoms. This article reviews the application of selective anesthesia and presents cases in which these techniques were used to facilitate the accurate diagnosis of endodontic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke Blicher
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Endodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Clinical Instructor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Science, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Instructor in Surgery, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire; Private Practice limited to Endodontics, White River Junction, Vermont
| | - Rebekah Lucier Pryles
- Endodontics Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Endodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Clinical Instructor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Science, Harvard School of Dental Medicine,Boston, Massachusetts; Private Practice limited to Endodontics, White River Junction, Vermont
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Liao WC, Tsai YL, Chen KL, Blicher B, Chang SH, Yeung SY, Chang MC, Jeng JH. Cracked teeth: Distribution and survival at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years after treatment. J Formos Med Assoc 2021; 121:247-257. [PMID: 33858736 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfma.2021.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE The unpredictable condition of cracked teeth warrants further investigation and clinical experiences. The purpose of this study was to collect and record data on demographics, clinical characteristics, different treatment modalities and survival of cracked teeth at 6-month, 1-year and 2-year recalls. METHODS 77 cracked teeth from 65 patients were included. Data on demographics, clinical parameters, treatment modalities and recall were collected. Binomial, multinomial and chi square tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Most cracked teeth occurred in patients greater than 40 years old (p < 0.01). Cracked teeth themselves were most often molars (79.22%; p < 0.01), a non-terminal tooth in the arch (62.34%; p < 0.05) and nonendodontically-treated teeth (94.81%; p < 0.01). Cracked teeth exhibited pain to percussion (63.64%, p < 0.05) or biting (74.03%; p < 0.01), and no or only positive mobility (76.62%; p < 0.01). Cracks were most often oriented in the mesiodistal direction (68.83%; p < 0.01). Higher survival rates were noted in cracked teeth lacking pre-operative pain to palpation or spontaneous pain, and with no or only positive mobility at 6-month and 1-year recalls. In vital cracked teeth, higher survival rates were noted in teeth lacking pre-operative pain to palpation and with no or only positive mobility at 2-year recalls. CONCLUSION The absence of pre-operative palpation discomfort, spontaneous pain and minimal mobility, as well as the presence of pulp vitality were associated with higher survival rates of cracked teeth at all recall times. Results are useful for diagnosis and outcomes-based treatment planning of cracked teeth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Chuen Liao
- School of Dentistry, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Dentistry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ling Tsai
- School of Dentistry, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Dentistry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Liang Chen
- Department of Dentistry, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | | | - Shu-Hui Chang
- School of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sin-Yuet Yeung
- Department of Dentistry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Chi Chang
- Department of Dentistry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Kwei-Shan, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
| | - Jiiang-Huei Jeng
- School of Dentistry, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Dentistry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Dentistry, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Dentistry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
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Blicher B, Lucier Pryles R. Endodontic Pain Management: Preoperative, Perioperative, and Postoperative Strategies. Compend Contin Educ Dent 2020; 41:242-243. [PMID: 32255656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Brooke Blicher
- Clinical Instructor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachussetts; Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Endodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Diplomate, American Board of Endodontics; Private Practice limited to Endodontics, White River Junction, Vermont
| | - Rebekah Lucier Pryles
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Endodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Lecturer, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts; Diplomate, American Board of Endodontics; Private Practice limited to Endodontics, White River Junction, Vermont
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Blicher B, Baker D, Lin J. Endosseous implants versus nonsurgical root canal therapy: a systematic review of the literature. Gen Dent 2008; 56:576-592. [PMID: 18810920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
For this article, the authors identified and reviewed the current literature, addressing two treatment options for endodontically involved teeth: root canal therapy and restoration versus extraction and the placement of a dental implant. The literature was evaluated as a basis for making treatment decisions. PubMed was queried for all studies that compared nonsurgical root canal therapy (NSRCT) and restoration with the extraction of teeth and placement of a dental implant. This search was supplemented by searching the bibliographies of these studies to ensure that all relevant studies were included. A total of 38 studies were found that directly compared NSRCT and restoration with extraction and placement of a dental implant. The literature is discussed in terms of outcomes for both treatment options, considerations in treatment plan decision-making, or the opinions of the authors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke Blicher
- Department of Endodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Leong P, Tumanyan S, Blicher B, Yeung A, Joshipura K. Periodontal disease among adult, new-immigrant, Chinese Americans in Boston with and without diabetes -- a brief communication. J Public Health Dent 2007; 67:171-3. [PMID: 17899903 DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-7325.2007.00042.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We compared the periodontal disease levels in a population of low socioeconomic status (SES), urban, adult, Chinese American immigrants with and without type 2 diabetes. METHODS Dental records of 51 diabetic adults were compared with 102 nondiabetic controls from South Cove Community Health Center, Boston, MA, cross-matched by age and gender. RESULTS Our results showed that the proportion of sites with bone loss greater than 5 mm in the mesial areas of teeth was significantly correlated with higher glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (r = 0.35, P-value = 0.01). The number of teeth with mesial bone loss of greater than 5 mm was correlated to increasing HbA1c (r = 0.37, P-value = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Our preliminary data showed that mesial bone loss greater than 5 mm was correlated with inadequate control of diabetes. The implications and recommendations for the dental care of immigrant Chinese Americans with diabetes were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peggy Leong
- Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 188 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Abstract
Self-report is an efficient and accepted means of assessing many population characteristics, risk factors, and diseases, but has rarely been used for periodontal disease (chronic periodontitis). The availability of valid self-reported measures of periodontal disease would facilitate epidemiologic studies on a much larger scale, allow for integration of new studies of periodontal disease within large ongoing studies, and facilitate lower-cost population surveillance of periodontitis. Several studies have been conducted to validate self-reported measures for periodontal disease, but results have been inconsistent. In this report, we conducted a systematic review of the validation studies. We reviewed the 16 studies that assessed the validity of self-reported periodontal and gingivitis measures against clinical gold standards. Seven of the studies included self-reported measures specific to gingivitis, four included measures only for periodontitis, and five included both gingivitis and periodontal measures. Three of the studies used a self-assessment method where they provided the patient with a detailed manual for performing a self-exam. The remaining 13 studies asked participants to self-report symptoms, presence of periodontal disease itself, or their recollection of a dental health professional diagnosing them or providing treatment for periodontal disease. The review indicates that some measures showed promise, but results varied across populations and self-reported measures. One example of a good measure is, "Has any dentist/hygienist told you that you have deep pockets?", which had a sensitivity of 55%, a specificity of 90%, positive predictive value of 77%, and negative predictive value of 75% against clinical pocket depth. Higher validity could be potentially obtained by the use of combinations of several self-reported questions and other predictors of periodontal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Blicher
- Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 188 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Blicher B, Petersen CK, Lau K. [Rehabilitation in brain injury--the young are especially vulnerable]. Sygeplejersken 1997; 97:20-24. [PMID: 9349004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
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