Discus Dental will launch the newest member of its laser family, the SL3 soft-tissue diode laser, at the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting next week. The SL3 is a desktop diode laser that offers multiple high-end features at an entry-level price, the company said. According to Discus, the SL3 offers the following features: Disposable fiber tips that help eliminate the need to strip and score fiber before each use Cordless
Using sustainable bioplastics developed by a German company, a Swedish natural toothpaste maker has partnered with a Swedish tube manufacturer to produce a biodegradable toothpaste tube. allVeggie’s Prabhupada brand toothpaste, made from natural substances, now comes in an environmentally friendly tube manufactured by Tectubes. Working with materials developed and supplied by FkuR, Tectubes injection molds, extrudes, and prints the various parts of the tube. The Prabhupada toothpaste’s biodegradable tube. Image
Uncertainty surrounds the need for lateral cephalometric radiographs in orthodontic treatment planning, according to a new study in the American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics (February 2011, Vol. 139:2, pp. e175-e181). A team of U.K. researchers compared the odds of a change in treatment plan by three groups of orthodontists who planned six cases on two occasions (T1 and T2), with the provision of a lateral cephalometric radiograph being
Dental implant maker Nobel Biocare announced today that its CEO, Domenico Scala, is leaving the company. The board of directors has appointed Richard Laube, a former executive with Nestlé, as its new CEO, effective May 1. The board thanked Scala for his contributions to the company since taking over as CEO in 2007 and said his leaving was part of a “regular succession process.” But some analysts suggested that Scala
Heraeus has launched Gluma Desensitizer PowerGel, a new one-step gel formula desensitizer that allows for accurate control and placement to reduce or eliminate dentinal hypersensitivity. “Our no-drip formula offers easier control of placement,” explained Robert Marus, DDS, in a press release. “It stays where you place it, minimizing the possibility of touching soft tissue.” The new Gluma Desensitizer PowerGel delivers the same level of desensitization as Gluma liquid but also
HealthWarehouse.com, a retail mail-order pharmacy, and GC America have partnered to distribute GC America’s MI Paste and MI Paste Plus in the U.S., the companies announced. Through this distribution relationship, the products will now be available in the U.S. exclusively through HealthWarehouse.com to consumers with a valid prescription. MI Paste and MI Paste Plus provide calcium and phosphate ions at the surfaces of the teeth. The active ingredient, Recaldent, is
The dental health of U.S. children will improve under the healthcare reform plan and through broader use of midlevel dental providers, but significant differences persist among states regarding insurance coverage, affordability, and preventive care, according to a report released February 2 by the Commonwealth Fund. The report, “Securing a Healthy Future: The Commonwealth Fund State Scorecard of Child Health System Performance, 2011,” examined U.S. states’ performance on 20 key indicators
The Tooth Fairy Beacon app on the iPhone. Image courtesy of NCOHF. The Tooth Fairy Beacon app on the iPhone. Image courtesy of NCOHF. Digital Apparatus, a mobile entertainment company, has partnered with the National Children’s Oral Health Foundation (NCOHF) for the launch of its Tooth Fairy Beacon app for Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Under the umbrella of the NCOHF America’s Toothfairy campaign, Digital Apparatus will provide a
Remedent, an international company specializing in research, development, and manufacturing of oral care and cosmetic dentistry products, reported net sales of $3.25 million for its 2011 fiscal third quarter (end-December 31, 2010), a 77% increase over net sales of $1.83 million for the same quarter a year ago. The increase in sales was mainly due to increased sales in its Glamsmile facilities in Beijing and Hong Kong, the company said.
The Vita Classical shade guide from Vident now includes new features for long-term, ideal shade matching, the company announced. The new holder is made with a stronger material that allows the entire guide (holder and tabs) to be autoclaved for optimum sterilization. Dental offices will no longer have to bag the tabs separately and reassemble them into the holder once they come out of the autoclave, the company said, and
Tiny gold particles can help doctors detect tumor cells circulating in the blood of patients with head and neck cancer, researchers from Emory University and Georgia Tech report (Cancer Research, January 6, 2011). The detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is an emerging technique that can allow oncologists to monitor cancer patients for metastasis or evaluate the progress of their treatment, the researchers noted. The gold particles, which are embedded
Early dental intervention can help newly diagnosed HIV-positive patients retain teeth and preserve dentition, according to research to be presented next month at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) conference in San Diego. The study, conducted at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, is part of a U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration project focused on access to oral healthcare in persons living with HIV/AIDS. A