Can we assess quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer? A preliminary report from the American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics.

Survival statistics alone may no longer be valid when used as evidence of effective outcomes. Patient satisfaction is an end point that needs further evaluation and should be included in the outcomes assessment. A 133-item questionnaire has been designed by a special committee of the American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics (AAMP) to assess the quality of life of patients with head and neck cancer impacting the orofacial region.

The use of colored elastomeric "O"s as a motivational instrument for patients with anodontia: report of case.

Complete and/or removable partial dentures are the most commonly selected treatment for the prosthodontic management of young patients who present with oligodontia or anodontia such as in the case of patients with ectodermal dysplasia. Bakri, Belanger and Nowak have reported on the different ways that these prostheses can be modified to ease the child's burden of growing up with missing teeth and having to wear prostheses that make them different from their peers. Some of their suggestions include the placement of diastemas, the use of artificial "baby" teeth and their subsequent replacement with permanent teeth to simulate the primary and mixed dentition stages.

Pharmacologic management of the patient with disorders of the cardiovascular system. Infective endocarditis.

IE, although an infrequent event, remains a serious and frequently lethal complication in patients at risk. Oral microorganisms undoubtedly play a significant role in the development of IE in such patients. For example, in a retrospective review of prosthetic cardiac valve candidates (156) at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 15% were found to have at least one abscessed tooth, whereas approximately 17% were found to have severe (class IV) periodontal disease.

Pharmacotherapy for hypertension.

Clinicians, in general, must understand the basis of hypertension, management principles, and complications. They must recognize that these patients require multidisciplinary treatment and coordination of care. Oral health care providers must remember that hypertension may produce adverse effects on various organ systems and management of the dental needs of these patients may require modification of routine treatment.