Komet offers 6-instrument set of abutment cutters

Komet USA’s titanium abutments cutters are now available in a six-instrument starter kit, the company announced. Komet’s TD2041 titanium abutment cutters. Image courtesy of Komet USA. Designed in collaboration with Jan-Holger Bellmann, C.D.T., Kit TD2041 contains six tungsten carbide cutters. For use in a laboratory turbine, the instruments work on all titanium abutments and should be followed by a matching finishing bur identified with a red ring, according to Komet.

Kool Smiles partners with Md. governor to help kids

Kool Smiles is partnering with Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, the Deamonte Driver Dental Project, and other network dental providers to promote Governor O’Malley’s Healthy Smiles Tour, a new statewide initiative designed to promote positive oral health and hygiene among Maryland’s children. Gov.O’Malley has spearheaded initiatives to increase access to dental care for Maryland’s children in the wake of the death of Deamonte Driver. Driver, who was on Medicaid, passed away

Whitening strips are safe and effective in patients with dry mouth

NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Sep 10 – Patients with medication-induced xerostomia can safely use 10% hydrogen peroxide whitening strips, researchers report in Gerontology, published online on August 25. Hyposalivation is thought to make people poor candidates for tooth whitening, said Dr. Athena S. Papas in an e-mail message to Reuters Health, due to “the role of salivary enzymes in peroxide decomposition, certain formulation issues, the purported tenacity of the intrinsic

PerioPal offers unlimited licensing policy for software

PerioPal is now offering a single server, unlimited licensing model for its periodontal charting software. The new option offers similar download and software features as the company’s pay-per-use policy for an unlimited number of workstations, and pay-per-use clients can convert to unlimited licensing at any time, according to the company. “Although our pay-per-use model has gained momentum over the last three years, a significant number of practice owners prefer a

U.K. hygienists may be allowed to supply meds

Hygienists and dental therapists would be allowed to administer prescription medicines under a proposal being considered by the U.K. government, according to a story on dentistry.co.uk. For practical purposes, the proposed rule would let these practitioners sell or supply fluoride supplements and toothpastes with fluoride content of 2,800 ppm and 5,000 ppm, and administer parenteral or local anesthesia. Currently in the U.K., hygienists scale and plane, give hygiene and diet

Kids’ dentistry included in latest U.S. health bill

The latest version of healthcare reform legislation to come out of the U.S. Congress includes dental coverage for all children, according to the Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP). A “framework” for healthcare reform written by U.S. Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, outlines provisions the senator sees as a workable compromise between Democrats and Republicans. Sen. Baucus’ proposal is not an actual bill, so it’s unclear

Jury struggles to reach verdict in Fosamax case

U.S. District Judge John Keenan has told the jury in the Merck Fosamax lawsuit case in New York to keep deliberating, despite the panel’s claim that it can’t reach a decision, according to a story on Bloomberg.com. The jury is trying to decide whether Merck’s bisphosonate drug, used to treat osteoporosis, caused a Florida woman to develop osteonecrosis of the jaw. The trial is the first of three so-called bellwether

China dental lab establishes U.S. presence

One of the world’s largest dental laboratories is moving into the U.S., following a merger that will operate under the name Modern Dental Laboratory USA, CEO Patrick Tessier announced. Tessier, former CEO of Northwest Laboratories, a regional distributor for Modern Dental Laboratory of Shenzhen, China, merged his company with two other importers of the international laboratory’s products — Koga Enterprises of Los Angeles and Modern Dental Laboratory Chicago — to

Report: Dental implant market to grow 5% in 2009

Despite the economic recession, tooth loss among the elderly will create some growth in the $3 billion global dental implant market, according to Kalorama Information’s new report, “Implant-Based Dental Reconstruction: World Dental Implant and Bone Graft Market.” Simple demographics will account for most of this growth: The U.S. elderly population is projected to be twice as large in 2030 as it was in 2000, and tooth loss rates are high

GlaxoSmithKline offers new toothpaste delivery system

GlaxoSmithKline has introduced a new toothpaste delivery system that disperses active ingredients quickly, penetrating hard-to-reach areas of the mouth, according to the company. Iso-active, which is available in the company’s Aquafresh and Sensodyne products, is delivered in a canister with a gel-to-foam action. The toothpaste is dispersed from the canister as a gel and turns to foam in the mouth as a result of an ingredient called isopentane, GlaxoSmithKline said.

Good oral hygiene may guard against cardiovascular disease

NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Sep 8 – There are common genetic factors that slightly predispose individuals to develop both periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease, a prospective study of Swedish twins indicates. “Because of its high prevalence, poor oral health could be a substantial source of morbidity and mortality if there were truly a causal relation between poor oral health and cardiovascular disease,” the authors wrote in the September 1 American

Triodent launches Griptab for crowns, veneers, inlays

Triodent has launched Griptab, designed to improve the way dentists do indirect restorations. The Griptab is a small handle that can be adhered to crowns, veneers, inlays, and onlays. The light-cured, flexible adhesive is strong and resistant to silane and moisture, but at the same time is easily and cleanly detached from the restoration at the end of the procedure, the company said. Griptab image courtesy of Triodent. Griptab can