Extraoral implants are used with increasing frequency, in order to provide retention for facial prostheses. Facial prostheses can replace lost extraoral hard and soft tissues using acrylic or silicone materials. The surgeon, maxillofacial prosthodontist and dental technician are facing particular treatment considerations and practical problems. Some of these are demonstrated and discussed in this article by means of a case-report. A patient received an orbital prosthesis which obtains its retention from implants, placed in the lateral orbital rim.

In the Netherlands there are still groups of children whose dental health is worse compared with the majority of children. Mostly these children are from lower socio-economic strata in the larger Dutch cities. The Municipal Health Departments in Rotterdam and Amsterdam have developed prevention programs for those risk groups. This article concentrates on the effects of fluoride mouthrinsing in children in Rotterdam who can be considered at risk as far as dental health is considered. For a period of 5 years these children participated in a fluoride mouthrinsing program at school. At three moments in time dental examinations took place: when the children were 5-6 years old, when they were 9-10 years old and finally when they were 11-12 years old. Compared to a controlgroup it appears that after 5 years the increase of dental caries in the experimental group is significantly lower than in the controlgroup. Fluoride mouthrinsing at primary schools therefore seems to be an effective form of dental prevention for groups at risk as far as dental health is considered.

Diagnosis and management of musculoskelatal disorders of the mandibular locomotor system have changed throughout the past decades. The Dutch Society of Temporomandibular Disorders and Prosthetic Dentistry initiated a consensus on this subject. The Utrecht Medical Center and the dental schools of the universities in Amsterdam, Groningen and Nijmegen produced a consensus statement, which eventually may lead to guidelines for the Dutch dental profession. The bi-axial somatic and phychosocial diagnostic approach is endorsed. Assessment, diagnostic subgroups, and management strategies, including occlusal appliances, physiotherapy, psychological treatment, and surgery are described. Counseling and reversible treatments are first choice options, although minimal invasive procedures may be considered in the early phase approach.

The project ‘From care-demand for care to a social dental occupational and educational structure’ was carried out to reach an agreement about the organization of the future social occupational and educational structure and the future performance of one´s profession. A descriptive analysis of data, obtained by literature search and consensus-meetings was used. All relevant professional associations participated in this project. The project resulted in profiles for the future dental professionals and for the future dental team. In this project the dental professionals come to an agreement about the future professional performance. However, the discussion has not yet been finished. Further collaboration between the professional associations is recommended.

Medication influences the salivary flow rate frequently. In this paper a 26-year old patient is described, who used a systemic retinoid (a vitamin A derivate) when he was 18 years old. Since then, irreversible xerostomia was present. The oral complaints have been monitored during three years. Saliva was collected to assess the salivary flow rate and pH. The visco-elasticity of unstimulated whole saliva was high. This indicates a relatively low contribution of the gl. parotidea and a high mucin concentration in the collected saliva. Furthermore, parafilm only slightly stimulated the salivary flow rate. On the other hand, application of a 4% citric acid solution raised the flow rate to normal levels, without any delay. The medical history revealed no factors which could explain the the severe oral dryness and low salivary flow rate in rest. It was concluded that the low salivary flow rates and xerostomia might be related to the previous use of isotretinoin (Roaccutane®). It is suggested to register and monitor the use of medication in patients with sudden oral health changes.

Glaucoma is a group of afflictions that have loss of eyesight in common. This impairment of vision is caused by damage to the optic nerve as a result of high intraocular pressure. The patient’s optical fields narrow and at last only a tiny rest is left. The mechanisms of the disease are well known but it is in most cases unexplained why a person develops glaucoma. This review discusses the several forms of glaucoma, the diagnosis and therapy, and the epidemiology and prevention.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is worldwide recognized as the leading organization for disease control and improving health. The CDC is developing and applying considerable activities in prevention of illness and educating people to improve their health and well-being. The website of CDC is offering an overwhelming amount of free accessible data to satisfy the need for information on health matters for the layman and the professional as well.