3M ESPE has launched a new brand for its recently acquired line of small diameter implants: 3M ESPE MDI mini dental implants. Formerly branded as the Imtec Sendax MDI system, the products will be fully integrated into the 3M ESPE organization over the remainder of the year. The MDI procedure is a minimally invasive treatment that allows clinicians to immediately stabilize a patient’s loose denture, according to 3M ESPE. The
They are in every contemporary dental office. Fifteen years ago they were mysteriously absent from our bonding armamentarium, but today hygienists use them to prevent caries, assistants use them to repair voids and discrepancies on temporary crowns before cementing them, and dentists use them in more than a dozen different techniques. They have become as ubiquitous as insurance claims. What are they? Flowable composites! In the mid 1990s, Revolution (E&D
Align Technology has introduced Invisalign G3, which includes software features designed to make it easier to use Invisalign with class II and III patients, new SmartForce features designed for increased predictability of certain tooth movements, and more intuitive software to streamline treatment planning and review, according to the company. The treatment of class II and III patients with malocclusion often requires the use of interarch elastics to provide anchorage control,
Henry Schein will provide free medical and dental services to more than 5,000 children and their caregivers in five U.S. cities this summer and fall through the company’s Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities program. The program promotes access to healthcare, prevention, and wellness for underserved communities by providing free medical and dental screenings at events around the country, according to the company. This year’s events will take place in Birmingham, AL;
A Pennsylvania man was so desperate to help his wife he posted an ad on Craigslist looking for used dentures because they couldn’t afford new dentures after hers broke. The ad is a touching reminder of the deep effects of the current economic crisis. In the ad, Jason Neff of New Oxford, PA, describes a husband’s efforts to find a used set of upper dentures for his wife, according to
NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Aug 16 – Patients with advanced head and neck cancer survived just as well on experimental drugs in phase I trials as they did on FDA-approved standard therapies, a new report says. There has been controversy over whether advanced cancer patients — many of them desperate for any possible chance to get better — are getting taken advantage of in phase I trials, or whether they
Remedent reported a 62% increase in net sales year over year for the first quarter of 2010, thanks to the inclusion of the company’s Asian retail operations and the sale of its First Fit intellectual property. For the quarter (end-June 30), net sales were $3.4 million, up from $2.1 million for the same quarter a year ago. Profits for the quarter were $568,000 compared with losses of $488,000 for the
Because the effects of methamphetamine use are devastating, the Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA) is bringing the risks of this destructive drug to the attention of both the public and dental professionals. About 10 million Americans have tried methamphetamine, while more than 1.4 million are habitual users. “The ill effects of methamphetamine use on the oral cavity [are] particularly profound,” said Brian Schwab, D.D.S., a PDA member and general dentist from
More than 33 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2008, according to the World Health Organization. Compared to nine countries in Africa, where prevalence looms between 10% and 26% of the population, in North America HIV/AIDS has become a predominantly chronic condition (0.6% prevalence), thanks to the help of highly active antiretroviral therapy and public health campaigns. And yet, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
More than 100 youngsters showed off their smiles at the 23rd annual Wisconsin Dental Association (WDA) Smile Contest, held August 13 at the Wisconsin State Fair. First-, second-, and third-place prizes were awarded in seven age categories and a “tin grin” competition for those wearing braces. All contestants received a collection of personal oral healthcare products and educational items made possible through generous donations and financial support from D&S Dental
More studies are needed to determine the benefits of using hypnosis in pediatric dentistry, according to a Cochrane review (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, August 4, 2010). The aim of the review was to see what evidence exists to support hypnosis use with children and adolescents undergoing dental procedures since they are often anxious or noncompliant during dental treatment. Anecdotal evidence and published articles indicate hypnosis can be used with
While some newer pain-management techniques have been shown to be effective, analgesics remain the primary treatment choice for controlling orthodontic pain, according to a new study in the Angle Orthodontist (September 2010, Vol. 80:5, pp. 925-932). Researchers from Sichuan University in China did a computerized literature search to compare the effectiveness of various methods of pain control intervention used during fixed orthodontic appliance therapy. They searched Medline (1966-2009), the Cochrane
