Publications by authors named "Alan M Polson"

Article Synopsis
  • A study examined the effects of a standardization and calibration training program on the reproducibility of manual periodontal probing performed by a new periodontist.
  • The training included 24 hours of instruction and required high levels of measurement agreement for the periodontist to successfully complete it.
  • Results showed that the trained periodontist achieved excellent measurement consistency, though errors were greater in areas with more gum inflammation, indicating the program's effectiveness in improving probing accuracy.
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Locally delivered, controlled-release antimicrobials have long been available in dentistry. Their utilization in routine clinical practice, however, has been slow, perhaps because of concerns about clinical benefits or costs or possibly due to a lack of understanding of their efficacy or proper use. In this paper the evidence regarding locally delivered, controlled-released antimicrobials is considered, and some of the controversies surrounding these agents are discussed.

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Dentists need to make daily decisions regarding patient care, and these decisions should essentially be scientifically sound. Evidence-based dentistry is meant to empower clinicians to provide the most contemporary treatment. The benefits of applying the evidence-based method in clinical practice include application of the most updated treatment and stronger reasoning to justify the treatment.

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The aim of this review article is to examine the associations between periodontal diseases and common systemic diseases, namely diabetes, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis. A substantial number of review articles have been published to elucidate the relationships between these diseases; however, none provide a complete overview on this topic from the aspects of definition, classification, clinical characteristics and manifestations, inter-relationships and interactions, proposed schematic mechanisms, clinical implications and management of periodontal patients with these systemic diseases. The aim of this article is to provide an overall understanding and general concepts of these issues in a concise and inter-related manner.

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