Research in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Project: Antimicrobial stewardship

PI: Bodil Lund

Antimicrobial stewardship can be defined as the optimal usage of antibiotics. The components required to attain antibiotic stewardship are guidelines and educational efforts based on evidence of efficacy, safety aspects on restrictive policy as well as prescribers’ attitudes, knowledge and utilization. The current project addresses these aspects and has the overall aim to provide results that can improve antibiotic stewardship within odontology.

The general hypothesis is that there is a potential for improvement of antibiotic utilization in odontology and that restrictive policies regarding antibiotic prophylaxis is not in conflict with patient safety. Furthermore, antibiotic prescription is unequally distributed putting subgroups of patients at greater risk of negative side effects.

The research group is translational collaborating to cover the identified knowledge gaps within antibiotic usage in dentistry by combining epidemiological studies with clinical trials and basic science. Implementation of the results in the dental community will be aided by the group members’ experience and active participation in the strategic work to reduce antibiotic usage in dentistry by collaboration with the Swedish Strategic Program Against Antibiotic Resistance (Strama), the Public Health Agency of Sweden and Swedish Medical Product Agency regarding guidelines and educational efforts.

Group members

• Aron Naimi Akbar, PhD, Associate professor, Consultant in Oral and maxillofacial Surgery
• Margareta Hultin, Associate Professor
• Niko Vähäsarja, PhD student
• Caroline Riben Grundström PhD student

Collaborators

• George Belibasakis, Nagihan Bostanci, Department of Dental Medicine, KI

Project: Tissue- and clinical characteristics of internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint

PI: Bodil Lund

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, affects 20% of the population, with a strong unexplained female predominance. The condition may present as a mechanical or inflammatory disturbance such as monoarthritis or systemic rheumatic disease affecting the TMJ. Other diagnosis that require treatment are osteoarthritis, and ankylosis. The main complaints are pain, reduced mouth opening and chewing problems, which may have significant impact on quality of life. Patients not responding to conservative treatment may be subjected to surgery. The reported overall success rate for the TMJ surgery is about 80%. Surgical treatments ranges from arthroscopy to open joint surgery with or without autologous or alloplastic reconstruction. However, etiology, diagnostics and preferred surgical intervention for the different patient categories is a matter of debate. Also, the group not responding to surgical treatment is largely uncharacterized.

The project aims at characterizing the patients with TMJ disorders clinically and tissue based to improve diagnostics, treatment planning, prediction of outcome, and open for new non-surgical treatment options. The results are expected to improve the surgical care of these patients, reduce suffering, lower costs society and reduce the health burden on related areas where these patients often seek help, such as rheumatology, pain clinics, neurology, oral physiology, general dentistry, and physiotherapy.

Group members

• Carina Kruger Weiner, PhD, Assistant professor, Consultant in Oral and maxillofacial Surgery
• Mattias Ulmner, PhD-student, Consultant in Oral and maxillofacial Surgery
• Rachael Sugars, Associate professor, Cell- and molecular biologist specialized in oral biochemistry and biology