A multifactorial approach has been used to identify some predictors of postoperative intrabony defects (IBD) on the distal surface of the adjacent second molar (M2) after impacted lower third molar (M3) surgery. The material consisted of 215 lower third molar removals, performed on 144 persons (age range 16-53 years; mean 27.2 years). The postoperative examination took place 2 years after impaction surgery and included both clinical and radiographic variables. Statistically significant (5% significance level) predictors of IBD found in stepwise multiple regression analyses were: (1) preoperative intrabony defect M2 distal; (2) age at the time of surgery; (3) size of contact-area M3/M2; (4) root resorption M2 distal; (5) probing dept distal surface of adjacent first molar postoperatively; (6) pathological follicle M3. The regression model with IBD as regressand produced a total R2 of 0.45. When the regressand was the difference between IBD and the preoperative intrabony defect, the regression analysis explained 62% of the variance (R2 = 0.62). These regression models explained the variance in terms of the size of the remaining postoperative intrabony defect as well as in terms of periodontal healing after impacted lower third molar surgery.

A double-blind study of twenty-eight patients with severe oral lichen planus treated with etretinate (75 mg daily) or a placebo for 2 months, showed that the oral retinoid had a marked beneficial effect. Nine non-responders who had received only placebo then entered an open cross-over study and they responded well to etretinate. Etretinate thus provided effective symptomatic relief for severe oral lichen planus, but side-effects were common, and six patients stopped treatment because of them.

The oral lesions in 50 habitual snuff‐dippers were graded on a four‐point scale. The patients' tobacco and drinking habits were studied by means of a questionnaire. From each patient a biopsy was taken for histomorphological and histochemical analysis. A correlation between snuff habits and the clinical degrees was found, as well as between the snuff habits and certain superficial and deeply located cell changes. The incidence of keralinized lesions, sialadenitis and slight dysplasia (based on subjective evaluation under a light microscope) was higher than previously reported. Presence of dysplastic changes could not be predicted by means of the parameters which characterise the snuff habit or from the clinical grade. The histomorphological and histochemical results were interpreted as showing that the mucosa react to snuff inducing hyperplasia in the basal cell layers. In the surface layer indications of lethal damage were found. The overall stromal reaction to snuff was weak. However, the salivary glands and excretory ducts exhibited degenerative changes which were found to be more severe than the pathological changes in the surface epithelium.

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