Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35157789›Full record

ArticleClinical and experimental dental research2022

Is the degree of facial swelling after dental extraction sufficient to justify the current delays to radiotherapy mask production? A pilot evaluation of postextraction swelling using 3D photography.

Robert McCormick, John Meechan, James Adams, Helen Stanncliffe, Lee Merecer, Kate Best, Michael Nugent

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical and experimental dental research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Robert McCormickDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9187-2992
John MeechanDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
James AdamsDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Helen StanncliffeDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Lee MerecerDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Kate BestNewcastle University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Michael NugentDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-2685-2426

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundConcern that facial swelling after dental extractions will spoil the fit of radiotherapy masks in head and neck cancer patients leads to the current practice of delay making of mask production (and therefore the start of radiotherapy) for several days or longer. However, there is little data on how extensive facial swelling is after dental extraction.

aimTo assess the degree of facial swelling in a group of adult patients attending Newcastle Dental School for routine dental extractions. MATERIALS AND

methodsSeventeen dental extraction patients underwent three-dimensional photography using the 3dMDFace® system at 1-week preop, immediately preop, and at 48-h postop. We recorded demographic data, teeth extracted, and methods. Facial volume change was assessed using 3dMD Vultus® software. Two reviewers ran the data through the 3dMD Vultus® software independently. We used Student's t-test to assess significance.

resultsTwelve patients were included in the final analysis. There was no significant difference in the difference between the two preoperative measurements and the preoperative versus postoperative difference (Wilcoxon signed-rank test: Reviewer 1: p = .31. and Reviewer 2: p = .10). Thus, mean facial swelling was less than the threshold for significant swelling which was deemed to be 15 cm

conclusionFacial swelling following dental extraction may not be sufficient in itself to justify the current delays in mask production and subsequent delivery of radiotherapy. Further definitive studies are needed to optimize how dental extractions should be timed within head and neck cancer care pathways.

Indexed as

FaceHead and Neck NeoplasmsAdultHumansPhotographyPilot ProjectsTooth Extraction3D photographydentoalveolar surgeryface-maskhead and neck cancerradiotherapy

Identifiers

PMID35157789
PMCPMC9033550

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.