Role-playing para la mejora de las habilidades comunicativas en estudiantes de grado de Odontología. Un ensayo clínico no aleatorizado / Role-playing for the improvement of communication skills in Dentistry undergraduate students. A non-randomized clinical trial

Introducción: Se trata de analizar el impacto de una secuencia formativa en la autopercepción del alumnado sobre las habilidades comunicativas. Secundariamente, se pretende conocer el grado de satisfacción del alumnado en relación con las actividades propuestas. Mètodos: Es un estudio cuasi experimental realizado sobre cuatro de los subgrupos de prácticas de la asignatura obligatoria de cuarto curso Cirugía Bucal Clínica e Implantología. Dos de los subgrupos recibieron una secuencia formativa específica para la mejora de sus habilidades comunicativas (n = 40) y los otros dos actuaron como controles (n = 47). Al inicio y al final del estudio, los participantes respondieron el cuestionario validado SE-12 de autopercepción sobre comunicación odontólogo-paciente. La estrategia evaluativa fue continua y formativa. Se analizaron y compararon las puntuaciones de los distintos indicadores e instrumentos de evaluación empleados.Resultados: A excepción de un alumno del grupo de control, todos los estudiantes participaron de forma activa en el proyecto. En ambos grupos se observó una mejora estadísticamente significativa en la percepción de las habilidades comunicativas (p < 0,001). No obstante, los alumnos asignados al grupo experimental percibieron una mejora significativamente mayor (diferencia de medias = 0,96 puntos; intervalo de confianza al 95% = 0,66-1,27; p < 0,001). Los alumnos valoraron la secuencia con un 8,56 (desviación estándar = 1,14).Conclusiones: La implementación de la secuencia formativa produjo una mejora en la percepción que tienen los estudiantes sobre sus habilidades comunicativas. Es necesaria la inclusión de programas longitudinales de formación en comunicación en los planes de estudio para acreditar la consecución de las competencias comunicativas.(AU)

Introduction: To analyze the impact of a training-learning sequence on students' self-perception of communication skills. Secondarily, to know the degree of student satisfaction in relation to the proposed activities.Methods: A quasi-experimental study was carried out on four of the clinical practice subgroups of Clinical Oral Surgery and Implantology (fourth year of study). Two of the subgroups received a specific training-learning sequence to improve their communication skills (n = 40) and the other two served as controls (n = 47). At the beginning and end of the study, the participants answered the validated SE-12 self-perception questionnaire on dentist-patient communication. The evaluation strategy was continuous and formative. The scores of the different indicators and evaluation instruments used were analyzed and compared.Results: Except for one student in the control group, all students participated actively in the project. In both groups, a statistically significant improvement was observed in the perception of communication skills (p < 0.001). However, the students assigned to the experimental group perceived a significantly greater improvement (difference in means = 0.96 points; 95% confidence interval = 0.66-1.27; p < 0.001). The students valued the training-learning sequence with an 8.56 (standard deviation = 1.14).Conclusions: The implementation of the training-learning sequence produced an improvement in the perception that students have about their communication skills. It is necessary to include longitudinal training programs in communication in the curricula to prove the achievement of communication skills competences.(AU)

Is it possible to extract lower third molars with infiltration anaesthesia techniques using articaine? A double-blind randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of inferior alveolar nerve blocks (IANB) with additional buccal infiltration (standard technique) and of buccal and lingual anaesthetic infiltration (experimental technique) for lower third molar (L3M) extractions. STUDY DESIGN: A randomised, double-blind clinical trial involving 129 L3M extractions was conducted. In the IANB group, an IANB was performed using the conventional approach, followed by a buccal injection in the extraction area. In the infiltration group (INF), an infiltration was performed in the buccal and lingual areas of the lower second molar. A 4% articaine solution was employed in all cases. The main outcome variable was anaesthetic efficacy. Other variables like intraoperative and postoperative pain, onset time and adverse events were also recorded. Descriptive and bivariate analyses of the data were made. RESULTS: 120 patients were randomised. The IANB group showed significantly higher anaesthetic efficacy than the INF group (64.4 vs. 45.8%) (odds ratio = 0.47; 95% confidence interval = 0.22-0.97; p = 0.042). No complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: IANB with additional buccal infiltration is more suitable than the experimental technique for achieving adequate analgesia in L3M extractions. Moreover, the standard method is safe and provides a shorter onset time and lower initial postoperative pain levels.

Antiepileptic drugs for the treatment of neuropathic pain: A systematic review

Many therapies have been proposed for the management of neuropathic pain, and they include the use of different antiepileptic drugs. However, the lack of high quality studies indicates that results on the different neuropathic disorders under study do not recommend a particular drug treatment. This study makes a systematic review of the published literature on the use of several antiepileptic drugs to treat neuropathic pain, and has the objective of considering both its clinical characteristics and pharmacological use, which will depend on their level of scientific evidence and will follow the principles of evidence-based dentistry. The articles were stratified according to their scientific evidence using the SORT criteria (Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy), and it included those articles that only have level 1 or 2. Randomized clinical trials were stratified according to their level of quality using the JADAD scale, an instrument described by Jadad et al. (7). to assess the quality of clinical trials, while studies with a level below 3 were discarded. Recently, type A or B recommendations are given in favor or against the use of antiepileptic drugs to treat neuropathic pain on the basis of their scientific quality (AU)

Antiepileptic drugs for the treatment of neuropathic pain: a systematic review.

Many therapies have been proposed for the management of neuropathic pain, and they include the use of different antiepileptic drugs. However, the lack of high quality studies indicates that results on the different neuropathic disorders under study do not recommend a particular drug treatment. This study makes a systematic review of the published literature on the use of several antiepileptic drugs to treat neuropathic pain, and has the objective of considering both its clinical characteristics and pharmacological use, which will depend on their level of scientific evidence and will follow the principles of evidence-based dentistry. The articles were stratified according to their scientific evidence using the SORT criteria (Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy), and it included those articles that only have level 1 or 2. Randomized clinical trials were stratified according to their level of quality using the JADAD scale, an instrument described by Jadad et al. (7). to assess the quality of clinical trials, while studies with a level below 3 were discarded. Recently, type A or B recommendations are given in favor or against the use of antiepileptic drugs to treat neuropathic pain on the basis of their scientific quality.

Does computed tomography prevent inferior alveolar nerve injuries caused by lower third molar removal?

PURPOSE: To verify the utility of computed tomography (CT) in preventing inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury owing to lower third molar extraction in close relation to the IAN on orthopantomogram. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study design of 150 lower third molar extractions was performed. Patients were divided in 2 groups: the CT group (n = 95) underwent panoramic radiography and mandibular CT and the control group (n = 55) underwent only panoramic radiography. RESULTS: Six extractions (4%) in the control group and 15 (10%) in the CT group resulted in IAN impairment (P > .05). Logistic regression models did not show that undergoing CT decreased the risk of IAN injury from lower third molar extraction. CONCLUSIONS: Patient age and positive radiographic signs (darkening of the root and narrowing of the inferior alveolar canal) were associated with more requests for CT scanning. CT does not seem to significantly decrease the risk of producing IAN injury.