Occlusal appliances are used as a reversible treatment modality of temporomandibular disorders. This article describes a protocol to produce a stabilization splint with a minimum of chair time, and an improved compliance, aiming at an overall improvement of the therapeutic potential. Maintaining the existing occlusion in stead of using centric relation is part of the procedure. The main phases of the protocol are the initial clinical phase of impressions and recording treatment position of the mandible, the technical phase, the control phase, and the insertion of the appliance.

Corticosteroids are produced in the adrenal gland cortex and are subdivided in mineralocorticosteroids and glucocorticosteroids. Usually, corticosteroids are prescribed as drugs to replace natural corticosteroids in case of insufficient functioning adrenal glands and in numerous diseases because of their antiinflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. Based on literature data, it was concluded in this article that corticosteroids are never indicated as a preventive measure in regular dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery. Only in cases of major elective oral and maxillofacial surgery, prescription of corticosteroids may be considered.

The aim of this retrospective study was to gain insight in treatment planning and therapy for patients with oligodontia. Records of 58 treated patients with oligodontia were screened using several parameters: gender, year and age of registration, symptoms, case history, treatment plan and therapy. Treatment plans were sorted into the following categories: tooth-supported overdentures, fixed or removable partial dentures and implant-supported restorations. Dependent on the complexity of oligodontia, it is advocated to make a treatment plan before the age of 12 years old and to follow the provided treatment conscientiously until the final prosthetic treatment. After analyzing the 58 treatment plans, the following conclusions could be made: the treatment plan was not in all cases made before the age of 12 years, it was not clear in all cases who was the coordinator of the treatment and dental implants are becoming more and more important in treating patients with oligodontia.

This article is focusing on incorporation of implant overdentures into the dental curriculum. For mandibular edentulism, an implant-retained overdenture should nowadays be considered a first choice for prosthodontic care, if not the standard of care. Yet, it is not incorporated in practical teaching today. Curriculum change is always difficult. The needs of our patients specifically, and those of society generally, should be primarily drivers of innovation of the curriculum. Therefore, Dutch dental schools should make sure that graduated students are experts in analyzing edentulous patients’ problems, in considering possible treatments, and in carrying out the standard of care.

This article is primarily an adapted translation in Dutch of an editorial paper in the journal Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontology. The editorial paper described the increasing need to prepare future practitioners for a more medical-based mode of oral health care and medically complicated patients. The current dental education in the United States has some shortcomings in this respect. Several steps are necessary to start improving dental treatment for patients with medical disorders. Second part of this article describes the current dental education regarding this topic in the Netherlands and how to improve this. Besides optimizing the dentalmedical education of future dentist, also the mutual need of optimizing the medico-dental training of physicians is mentioned as, at least in the Netherlands, many patients visit their physician instead of their dentist with a non-teeth related oral problem.

Rendu-Osler-Weber disaese or hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a multisystem autosomal dominant hereditary disorder. The disorder is manifested by multiple dysplasia of bloodvessels of the skin en mucous membranes. This results in recurrent and sometimes severe bleedings, of which epistaxis is the most common. Cardial, pulmonary and cerebral manifestations can be responsible for complications. A patient is presented with Rendu-Osler-Weber disease followed by a review of the literature.

Patients suffering from familial adenomatosis polyposis develop multiple pre-malignant gastrointestinal polyps and are at high risk of developing colon cancer. In addition extra-intestinal manifestations are observed frequently. The combination of extra-intestinal manifestations and familial adenomatosis polyposis is named Gardners syndrome. An early diagnosis of this disease is important because it could mean a better prognosis for the patient. This review describes the oral and maxillofacial symptoms of FAP, and its potential implications for dental treatment.