Patients on bisphosphonates may be unaware of BON risk

Performing invasive dental procedures on patients who have been on bisphosphonate therapy can be tricky enough. But what if the patient is completely unaware of the possible — and potentially devastating — side effects? Bisphosphonate drugs are a popular and effective choice for battling conditions such as osteoporosis, but they have also been linked to the rare but serious condition of osteonecrosis. Bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis (BON) is a relatively new condition

CNN warns of BPA in dental sealants

A CNN program about toxic chemicals may alarm patients about dental sealants, according to the ADA. On June 2 and 3, the cable TV network is airing a report hosted by Sanjay Gupta, M.D., that warns of danger from bisphenol A (BPA) in dental sealants. An accompanying article on the CNN website claims that BPA “migrates from dental sealants into patients’ mouths.” The CNN story also cites a recent study

New Maine law ensures infant dental benefits

Maine has become the first state in the U.S. to enact legislation designed to ensure its youngest children have access to early preventive dental care. The bill, An Act To Improve Dental Insurance Coverage for Maine Children, was signed into law June 1 by Gov. John Baldacci. Under the new law, beginning in January 2011, any dental plan offered in Maine will have to provide parents the ability to enroll

DenMat debuts device for implant temporaries

DenMat Holdings has introduced Snap-It, a new device for implant temporaries that snaps onto adjacent teeth and is designed specifically for smaller coverage areas such as gaps or implants. The device is noninvasive and convenient to place, according to the company. Conventional flippers can cover the palate, causing the patient to lose the ability to taste food, and can exert stress on the teeth that they attach to, according to

Colgate, Hispanic association launch Oral Health Month campaign

Colgate-Palmolive has joined with the Hispanic Dental Association (HDA) to launch its Oral Health Month campaign, which will target the Hispanic community through bilingual oral health education materials and activities for the month of June. During Oral Health Month, Colgate’s flagship program, Bright Smiles, Bright Futures, will travel throughout the U.S. to provide free oral health education and dental screenings to children via mobile dental vans, the company said. “Due

EPA pressed to require amalgam separators

A Congressional oversight panel is pressing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to require that all dentists in the U.S. install amalgam separators in their offices. In a May 26 hearing, a subcommittee of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight and Government Reform demanded to know why the EPA exempts dentists from regulations that govern mercury emissions in other industries. “There is no question that mercury should not be in

Soluble chitosan derivatives control oral biofilms

NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Jun 1 – A water-soluble chitosan derivative (Catacidin, Synedgen, Inc.) breaks up plaque-forming bacterial biofilms. While the current research, reported at the American Society for Microbiology’s 110th General Meeting in San Diego, dealt with bacteria involved in oral biofilms (plaque), chitosan derivatives will likely have broader application, such as biofilms on indwelling catheters and in wound infections, Dr. Stacy Townsend told Reuters Health. “We found that

More Fixodent lawsuits filed

Two more lawsuits have been filed in the U.S. against Procter & Gamble on behalf of two women diagnosed with copper deficient neuropathy they attribute to their use of Fixodent denture adhesive cream. According to their complaints, Faye Hobson, 45, of North Carolina and Barbara Sue Mendenhall, 58, of Missouri received dentures years ago, and both used Fixodent denture cream. Their lawsuits allege that, as a result of using Fixodent,

Former exec of orthodontics firm faces prison

A former executive of Orthodontic Centers of America (OCA) has been charged with making false statements to accountants and auditors, and falsifying books and records to artificially inflate the value of the company, according to a news story in the Times Picayune. Bartholomew Palmisano Jr., 39, who was the chief financial officer of the company from 1998-2001 and the chief operating officer from 2001-2005, is also accused of attempting to

Align Technology names new VP

Align Technology has hired Richard Twomey as vice president of international, effective July 12, 2010. Twomey will lead the company’s strategic direction and operations for Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. Twomey has spent the past 13 years in senior management positions within divisions of Johnson & Johnson, having served most recently as president of DePuy International, part of DePuy Orthopaedics. Copyright © 2010 HuangshanDental.com

ADA assures Congress of amalgam separator support

The ADA told the U.S. Congress in a recent testimony that it supports a 20% gain in voluntary use of amalgam separators within 12 months and 25% annual increases, according to an ADA News article. The testimony was given at a House domestic policy subcommittee hearing, titled Assessing EPA’s Efforts to Measure and Reduce Mercury Pollution from Dentist Offices. In addition to the ADA, representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency

Dental spas spur Remedent sales in Asia

Remedent announced that April sales from its Beijing spa increased by five times the sales generated in March 2010. In addition, April revenues from its Hong Kong spa, which opened in April, have already exceeded the highest monthly revenue generated by any of Remedent’s spas, according to the company. The company is very excited with the results from its Asian operations, according to Guy De Vreese, CEO of Remedent. “Our,