Study IDs factors that affect removable partial denture use

A patient’s age, location of edentulous area, and number of occlusal rests are among the factors that can affect ongoing use of removable partial dentures (RPDs), according to new retrospective study (Journal of Prosthodontic Research, January 2010). The study included 67 patients treated with 90 RPDs delivered at the Tohoku University Hospital in Sendai, Japan, between 1996 and 2001. The patients were re-examined five years after delivery, and data was

Olympic dentists screen athletes for oral cancer

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) plans to screen a record number of athletes for oral cancer during the 2010 Winter Olympics, according to a story in the Vancouver Sun. A new IOC mandate calls for 20% of athletes — up from 10% — to receive a comprehensive oral exam, including screening for oral cancer using the VELscope from LED Dental. The Olympic dental program comprises 72 dentists and their volunteer

Dentistry for babies: From basic hygiene to ‘lap-to-lap’

In a series of three articles and videos during February — Children’s Dental Health Month — HuangshanDental.com is exploring what dental professionals can do to make early childhood visits pleasant and productive for patients and providers alike. Part I focused on the distraction technique. Part II focused on defusing anxiety. If the ADA has its way, you may soon be seeing babies in your practice, and that could pose some

Oral Health America, Trident honor Deamonte Driver

Oral Health America is honoring the Robert T. Freeman Dental Society Foundation’s Deamonte Driver Dental Project with a $20,000 grant award. The grant is made possible through a $1.5 million, three-year commitment from Trident gum to Oral Health America’s Smiles Across America program. “Dental care is an essential part of appropriate medical care,” said Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) in a statement about the award. “In 2007, 12-year-old Deamonte Driver from

Keys to the full-mouth restoration

A full-mouth restoration can prove a tough sell. It costs the patient up to $50,000 and 30 hours in the chair. But once you’ve made the deal, you can change someone’s life, according to Mike Malone, D.D.S., an assistant professor of prosthodontics at the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Dentistry. Speaking at the recent Yankee Dental Congress in Boston, Dr. Malone and his colleague Michael Bellerino, C.D.T., gave dentists

Buyer’s Guide Update: Bleaching products and lamps

Dear Buyer’s Guide Update Member, Teeth whitening has become an increasingly competitive business for dental professionals, given the growing number of mall-based kiosks, over-the-counter consumer-based products, and Internet ads touting low-cost (but not always high-quality) whitening systems. So what’s a dentist to do? A good first step can be learning more about how the key ingredients in each of these products work so you can explain the pros and cons

CT not necessary for palatal implant planning

While lateral radiographs provide “reliable evaluation” of the quantity of bone in preoperative diagnosis of palatal implants, additional 3D imaging is only required in rare cases of borderline dimensions, according to a new study in Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research (February 3, 2010). Researchers from the department of orthodontics at the University Medical Center Mainz set out to evaluate the diagnostic value of lateral radiographs in preoperative diagnostics for

Cost-cutting measures help Straumann in 2009

Continued soft demand for dental implants in the U.S. and other key markets put a damper on Straumann’s 2009 revenues. Sales for fiscal 2009 (end-December 31) were 736 million Swiss francs ($690 million U.S.), a 5% decline over sales of 779 million Swiss francs ($730 million) for 2008. Net profit, however, was significantly higher year over year — 146 million Swiss francs ($137 million) in 2009, compared to 8 million Swiss francs

Ask Marty: Does the STA machine really make injections easier?

Q: What are your thoughts on the STA machine? Does it really make injections easier? A: The STA from Milestone Scientific stands for single tooth anesthesia, but in reality this device can be used for almost every type of injection. The STA system from Milestone Scientific. In dental school, we are all taught to inject slowly. We are all capable of injecting slowly, but in the real world, we seldom

Straumann adds IPS e.max to CAD/CAM portfolio

Straumann is now offering new IPS e.max brand products by Ivoclar Vivadent. The IPS e.max CAD restorations are constructed of a single piece of lithium disilicate rather than layered and come in various translucencies. They are durable, versatile, and easy to modify, and support various processing techniques such as staining or layering, as well as adhesive, self-adhesive, or conventional cementation, according to the company. The Straumann Anatomic IPS e.max abutment,

Mom guilty of ‘criminal mistreatment’ for son’s bad teeth

A Washington woman has been convicted of second-degree criminal mistreatment for not providing her developmentally disabled son with adequate dental care, according to a story in the Yakima Herald-Republic. Kathren Ann Carter’s 10-year-old son had severe infections and abscesses caused by dental decay, according to court documents. Several of his adult teeth had to be removed, and a doctor said the condition could have been life-threatening, the Herald-Republic reported. Carter’s

Pentron launches new core material

Pentron Clinical Technologies has introduced a new fast-curing core material, Build-It Light Cure Core Material, designed “for clinicians that favor the on-command cure afforded by light-cure-only core materials,” the company stated in a press release. The light-cure-only formulation is compatible with fourth- through seventh-generation bonding agents. It cures to a depth of 10 mm with only 20 seconds of curing time per surface without the need for layering. Once cured,