The corticosteroids have been used for preemptive management of surgical sequelae after mandibular third molar extraction. The aim of this article was to review the efficacy of methylprednisolone versus dexamethasone in the management of postsurgical pain, swelling, and trismus after mandibular third molar surgery. Randomized, double-blinded studies from PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, DOSS, Cochrane central, and Web of Science were identified by using a search strategy. Randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of use of dexamethasone versus methylprednisolone for mandibular third molar extraction were only considered. The studies involving the use of any other corticosteroid agent were excluded. Outcomes assessed were postoperative pain, the number of rescue analgesics required, swelling, trismus, and adverse events. The search strategy yielded 1046 articles for title and abstract screening, out of which only seven studies were included in the systematic review after full text screening. There was considerable heterogeneity between the studies with regards to the method as well as the parameters assessed. Risk of bias was low in three studies and unclear in other four studies. On pooled analyses, there was no significant difference with respect to pain, rescue analgesics, and swelling in the test and the control group. Forest plot analysis showed that dexamethasone had lesser trismus in early postoperative period (postoperative day 2) as compared to methylprednisolone. None of the included studies reported any adverse effects. Both the corticosteroids have similar efficacy in reducing the postoperative pain and swelling; however, dexamethasone showed statistically significant difference from methylprednisolone in reducing trismus (estimated standardized mean difference of −0.69 mm; 95% CI: −1.01 to −0.38; ) in the early postoperative period. However, due to statistical heterogeneity, quality of the evidence for the review was low to moderate. Hence, more studies with larger study sample and low risk of bias are needed to confirm these results.

Soft skills encompass interpersonal abilities and values that enable individuals to adapt to diverse circumstances. In dentistry, a combination of soft and hard skills is crucial for successful practice and for achieving health care organization goals. However, dental schools face significant challenges in teaching and evaluating soft skills, including the subjective nature of assessment, variability in student engagement, and the lack of standardized curricula. The development of ethical and critical thinking skills is essential for students to balance competing interests in the profession while maintaining professionalism, such as dedication, accountability, competence, dependability, and respect for others. Health care professionals, including dentists, must cultivate soft skills to effectively guide and treat patients. This study aims to raise awareness of the importance of soft skills in dental education, specifically highlighting challenges in instruction and evaluation. Key conclusions include the need for a more structured approach to teaching soft skills, integrating them into the broader curriculum, and developing more objective assessment tools. By addressing these issues, dental education can better equip future dentists with the necessary skills for efficient patient care.

Introduction: Maxillary reconstruction is often a challenging task for the surgeons because of the complex anatomy. However, with the advances in virtual surgical planning (VSP) and 3D printing technology there is a new avenue for the surgeons which offers a suitable alternative to conventional flap-based reconstructions. Patients and Methods: In this article, we have described 4 case scenarios which were managed with the help of VSP and additive manufacturing technology for complex maxillary reconstruction procedures. Use of the technologies aided the clinician in achieving optimal outcomes with regards to form, function and esthetics. Discussion: Virtual surgical planning (VSP) has gained a lot of impetus in past 1 decade. These aides the surgeon in determining the extent of disease and also carry out the treatment planning. In addition to VSP, the concept of additive manufacturing provides a viable alternative to the conventional reconstruction modalities for maxillary defect rehabilitation. Increased accuracy, rehabilitation of normal anatomical configuration, appropriate dental rehabilitation, decreased intra-operative time and post-operative complications are some of the advantages. In addition, patient-specific implants eliminate the need for a separate donor site. Apart from the treatment of pathologies, they also can be used for reconstruction of post-traumatic defect, where endosteal implant placement is not possible. Conclusion: These modalities show promising results for reconstruction of complex maxillary defects.

Objective Oro-antral communication (OAC) is one of the most frequently encountered complications during third molar extraction. Various radiographic factors, like excessive maxillary sinus pneumatization, long periods of edentulism, periapical lesions, etc., have been considered high-risk factors for OAC. However, a panoramic radiograph has not proven to be accurate in predicting the chances of OAC. Through this retrospective study, we evaluated the efficacy of a CBCT in predicting the incidence of OAC after maxillary third molar extraction.Materials and Methods We conducted a retrospective study in our department, which included the patients who had undergone extraction of a maxillary third molar over five years with the presence of panoramic X-rays and/or CBCT scans prior to extraction. Primary outcomes assessed from the case files were intra-operative complications like OAC, root fracture, tuberosity fracture, pterygoid plate fracture, etc. The incidence of these complications was correlated with the presence or absence of CBCT before extraction.Results Out of 920 extracted maxillary third molar, only 148 teeth (16.1%) had a CBCT record before extraction. The most commonly encountered complication was broken inaccessible root piece/s (4.9%), followed by OAC (3.5%). An inter-group comparison showed that a significantly higher percentage of patients (p < 0.001) with CBCT records had an incidence of OAC (11.5%) as against the group of patients with no CBCT record (1.9%).Conclusion A CBCT scan prior to cases with high-risk factors for OAC can be a valuable tool in accurately predicting the chances of OAC after maxillary third molar extraction.

Background. The presence of opioid receptors around the peripheral nerves offers the possibility of providing postoperative analgesia, thereby encouraging the study of the effect of opioids in combination with local anesthesia (LA). Studies have also reported the efficacy of peripherally administered opioids in achieving adequate analgesia in regions with inflammation. Applying the concept of peripheral opioid receptors, our study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of opioid analgesia in managing postoperative pain. The split-mouth study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of buprenorphine added to lidocaine 2 in providing postoperative analgesia after the surgical extraction of the impacted mandibular third molar. Materials and Methods. We conducted a randomized, double-blinded, split-mouth trial among 21 patients with impacted mandibular third molars bilaterally. In all patients, bilateral impacted mandibular third molars were extracted at different periods. The primary outcomes assessed were postoperative analgesia by the VAS score and the number of rescue analgesics consumed by patients at 24, 48, and 72 hours of interval via a questionnaire. Results. There was a statistical significant difference in postoperative analgesia duration at 24 (P=0.012) and 48 hours (P=0.024), respectively, between the test and control group. Even though the mean number of rescue analgesics consumed by the test group was less than that of the control group, no significant difference was seen. Conclusion. Buprenorphine added to lidocaine 2 showed a minimal decrease in the pain score and duration of postoperative analgesia with no difference in the frequency of rescue analgesics consumed between the test and control.