Do general dental practitioners leave teeth on 'open drainage'?

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Endodontics
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• The use of evidence-based dentistry is crucial for tailoring dental education and practice.
• The specific practice of 'open drainage' in endodontic treatment requires evaluation within primary dental care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the current use of open drainage as a component of endodontic treatment within primary dental care in South Yorkshire.
• To identify the prevalence of this practice among general dental practitioners (GDPs).

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire survey was distributed to 141 randomly selected GDPs in South Yorkshire.
• The survey was conducted between January 2012 and January 2013, with a response rate of 79%.

Main Results:

• 41% of respondents reported never using open drainage.
• 29% of respondents indicated they sometimes use open drainage.
• Among those who use open drainage, 68% do so for one to two days or less.

Conclusions:

• The practice of leaving teeth on open drainage persists in general dental practice.
• Current dental guidelines do not address the use of open drainage.
• There is a need for UK-wide data to develop evidence-based guidelines for this endodontic technique.