Post-operative sequelae of lower third molar removal : a literature review and pilot study on the effect of Covomycin D®

Pain, swelling and dry socket formation commonly follow third molar surgery. The objective was to investigate the effect of intrasocket Covomycin D®, an antibiotic/anti-inflammatory medication, on pain, swelling and dry socket following lower third molar removal. Nineteen subjects had bilateral lower third molars removed. The patients were blinded to the side of medication; the opposite side acted as the control; post-operatively a pain visual analogue scale was completed, the side of the worst swelling and the incidence of dry socket noted. The data was analysed using the Wilcoxons matched pairs signed ranks test. Results showed that the pain score was lower for the medicated side in 11 patients on day one and in 16 patients over the six day post-operative period (p<0.6). The swelling was less on the medicated side in fourteen patients. Three dry sockets developed in non-medicated sockets. In conclusion this study shows that the use of intrasocket Covomycin D® favourably influences post-operative sequelae following lower third molar removal

Debating some past and present research frameworks and methodologies in history on places and their peoples in South Africa

Histories regarding places and their peoples in South Africa can be traced to the early days of History being practised as an academic discipline. However, practising this form of history under (and outside) the flag of regional history was formalised only in the mid seventies, while informalised research practices in the field continued as methods complementing various schools of thought. Narrowly perceived local histories were considered as inclusive of the formalised and informalised regional history practices as knowledge contributing towards a broader understanding of a (geographically defined/ politically demarcated) region. Of interest is not only the historiography in this field (of which a few pointers are shared in this discussion) but some of the frameworks and methods to research and to record regional histories that have been used in the past. Equally of interest are the ways in which these frameworks and methods are still applied and thought of as dynamic and progressive to assist the historian to progress towards producing and packaging research as part of a comprehensive, all inclusive approach in creating knowledge as regional history studies. In South Africa, an extensive debate on how regional history studies should be broadly defined and understood when undertaking research, still falls short. This is due to the variety, diversity and complexity of knowledge contributing to the pool of information that should be packaged as regional history studies. To contibute towards a framework of understanding and packaging knowledge in this field of meaning to regional history studies, the reader is further exposed to an extended structure of perhaps understanding and doing research in this field: a field that has always been regarded as having the potential to be both integrative and multidisciplinary by nature. Yet its integrative analytical abilities also rest on the outcome of narrow-defined histories done on spaces and places before it is possible to embark on bigger research analyses in, for example, the spirit of modern social history applications to regional history studies. This discussion on ways to understand the limited past and present of regional studies (historiographically and methodologically) in South Africa is offered to encourage further debate.10.1080/17532523.2013.857095http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17532523.2013.85709

The use of porous calcium phosphate scaffolds with transforming growth factor beta 1 as an onlay bone graft substitute.

Item does not contain fulltextOBJECTIVES: Autogeneous bone grafting is regarded to be the golden standard for onlay grafts, but it requires a harvesting procedure and the remodeling pattern over time is unpredictable. New materials are constantly being sought to overcome these problems. An in vivo experiment was carried out to evaluate whether (1) porous calcium phosphate cement is a suitable biomaterial for onlay bone grafting, and (2) the addition of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1) accelerates de novo bone formation inside the cement porosity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A carrier of porous calcium phosphate cement (Calcibon) was designed and 16 rats received one preshaped implant each. In 8 out of 16 implants 0.75 mug TGF-beta1 was applied. The animals were killed after 4 weeks and the characteristics of tissue ingrowth into the onlay graft were evaluated. RESULTS: Histologic and quantitative histomorphometrical measurements demonstrated osteoid-like tissue formation in both experimental groups. The addition of TGF-beta1 did not induce significantly more osteoid-like tissue formation. On the other hand, in TGF-beta-loaded implants, a higher number of pores contained an inflammatory infiltrate. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that porous calcium phosphate cement is a promising material for clinical situations where bone formation has to be supported