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Dental Tribune Untited Kingdom Edition

25CommentFebruary 13-19, 2012United Kingdom Edition L.I.F.E. Light Induced Fluorescence Evaluator, for the diagnosis and treatment of tooth decay For a limited time only, get the USB Dock Station (shown right) absolutely FREE when you purchase the SoproLife. SoproLife W e t o c r e a t e For further information: 01480 477307 info@acteongroup.co.uk | sales@acteongroup.co.uk | www.acteongroup.com A patented new fluorescence technology which allows you to ‘see the invisible’ – detection of occlusal or interproximal decay, even in its earliest stages, which is often missed by X-rays. The fluorescence images produced in treatment mode show a differentiation between healthy and diseased tissue, while images can be compared under white light in daylight mode. All images can be evaluated with magnification of 30x to 100x and work seamlessly with Sopro Imaging software. SOPROLIFE DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT 2012 Sopro Life Ad (Dental Tribune)_2012 Sopro Life Ad (Dental Tribune) 30/01/2012 17:15 Page 1 haviour; does the patient take advice, carry out actions to improve their oral health or aid recovery? Does the dentist pay attention to the patient’s expectations, their anxiety about pain and fear? When a patient is referred for specialist endodontic treat- ment, there are several layers of expectation; the patient’s obviously, their referring den- tist and the endodontist. One always hopes - but never as- sumes - there will have been several consultations to lay the foundations of what can be expected in terms of treat- ment and outcome, before the patient reaches the specialist. Once they do reach us, then we must assess and man- age the expectations they ar- rived with, although I do draw the line at following a cosmet- ic clinic that employs a clini- cal psychologist to interview patients to avoid problems in the future. Endodontics is difficult, time consuming and expen- sive but patients are fully enti- tled to expect that they will be treated well, comfortably and efficiently, that their pain will be alleviated and the cost and longevity of the treatment will be fully explained to them. All of which sounds eminently straightforward except that it is at this point that the infor- mation one gives can alter a patient’s expectations which may well be necessary if they appear unrealistic. With all pain there is the emotional component of anxi- ety that always needs to be ad- dressed sympathetically. The patient needs to understand how anaesthetics differ, that with infected teeth and swell- ing, unless there has been good drainage, pain is likely to persist until the treatment or antibiotics begin to work; that low grade pain from bruising is likely, and that there is never a 100 per cent guarantee of success. Because they are invari- ably referred while in pain, patients are more concerned with immediate relief than the longevity of the treat- ment but it is our duty to explain that while endo- dontists can root fill most teeth there may be little long term benefit if the tooth can- not be restored. If that is the case or there is further coro- nal leakage, the tooth will fail and the patient has to be made aware that for treatment to last the restoration on top is as important as the root filling. It is a natural human re- sponse to want to reassure that ‘all will be well and the pain will go away’ but we serve our patients and our profession far better by honestly manag- ing expectations. DT About the author Dr Michael Sul- tan BDS MSc DFO FICD is a specialist in Endodontics and the Clinical Direc- tor of EndoCare – London based spe- cialist practices. Michael qualified at Bristol Univer- sity in 1986. He worked as a general dental practitioner for five years be- fore commencing specialist studies at Guy’s hospital, London. He completed his MSc and in Endodontics in 1993 and worked as an in-house endodon- tist in various practices before setting up in Harley St, London in 2000. He was admitted onto the specialist reg- ister in Endodontics in 1999 and has lectured extensively to postgraduate dental groups as well as lecturing on Endodontic courses at Eastman CPD, University of London. For more information about Endo- Care please call 020 7224 0999 or visit www.endocare.co.uk ‘Endodontics is dif- ficult, time consum- ing and expensive but patients are fully entitled to expect that they will be treated well, comfortably and efficiently’