Australians concerned about imported dental materials

A growing number of Australians are having their mouths filled with cheap and potentially toxic dental prosthetics from unregulated overseas laboratories, according to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald. Lead, nickel, cadmium, and beryllium are being added to ceramic-covered prosthetics by manufacturers in many Asian countries, Robert Boshier, president of Oral Health Professionals Association’s College of Dental Technicians, told the Herald. Australian dentists are increasingly turning to less expensive

Inventors tout new endo laser tip

A new laser technique can clean root canals better than conventional instruments and more safely than other laser techniques, the inventors claimed at the recent World Congress of Minimally Invasive Dentistry (WCMID) in San Francisco. A new tip they have developed for Lares Research’s PowerLase sends acoustic waves into tiny, curved and otherwise inaccessible canals, said Enrico DiVito, D.D.S., and Mark Colonna, D.D.S. Using lasers can reduce the patient’s discomfort

NY institute offers dental prosthesis production training program

The Manufacturing and Technology Institute in Poughkeepsie, NY, is offering a new program that will train students in the design, fabrication, and production of dental prosthesis, according to a news story in the Poughkeepsie Journal. The Dental Laboratory Technician Program at the Dutchess BOCES Adult Education Division will offer certification from the Dental Laboratory Association of the State of New York in as few as 10 months and also advanced

Medicaid policy change ups fluoride varnish treatments

A 2004 state-level Medicaid policy change in Wisconsin significantly increased the provision of fluoride varnish treatments (FVT) to children in the state, according to a study by Christopher Okunseri, B.D.S., M.Sc., an associate professor and director of the dental public health program at the Marquette University School of Dentistry. In the two years following the policy change, which allowed primary medical care providers to be reimbursed for FVT provided to

Patient sues dentist over botched implant

An Illinois woman who says she sustained severe and permanent injuries following a series of root canals and an implant is suing her dentist, alleging he was unqualified to perform some of the procedures. She is seeking more than $50,000 in damages. According to a complaint filed in Madison County Circuit Court, Jennifer Van Wyk is suffering from bone loss, extreme pain, and a severe infection following a series of

Volunteers needed for free dental clinic in Iowa

Volunteers are needed for the Iowa Mission of Mercy free dental clinic planned for September 25-26 at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, according to the Courier newspaper. Dentists, assistants, hygienists, and members of the public are needed to help serve more than 1,000 expected patients. Last fall, more than 900 volunteers served 1,200 patients. Volunteers can sign up for shifts on the Iowa Mission of Mercy Web site. Copyright ©

Fewer root canals performed in the U.K.

New figures from the U.K. National Health Service (NHS) indicate that the number of complex dental treatments being performed in the country is on the decline, according to a news story from the Press Association. While the overall number of treatments has risen by more than a million in the last year, those for procedures such as bridges and root canals have been dropping, the news service reported. Comparing numbers

Komet develops diamond disk for ceramics

Komet USA has developed an innovative laboratory diamond disk suited for deflasking pressed ceramic material. The 924XC.HP.400 is a large 40-mm disk designed for cutting deeper into investment material with a supercoarse grit of 357 microns, marked with a black ring, according to Komet. Developed in conjunction with dental technician Klaus Ernst, the 924XC.HP.400 has an open mesh design with the “Komet spiral.” Its flange construction allows for stability and

Lawyer recommends reporting drug-induced xerostomia to FDA

Dentists should report cases of xerostomia caused by medications to the FDA, Edwin Zinman, D.D.S., J.D., told attendees at the World Congress of Minimally Invasive Dentistry (WCMID) annual meeting in San Francisco last week. Dr. Zinman, a San Francisco attorney who specializes in dentistry, said more than 3,000 medications can contribute to medication-induced xerostomia, yet most of the drugs don’t come with adequate warning labels. He called for the WCMID

Hawaii to cut kids’ dental program

Hawaii’s Dental Hygiene Branch, which serves about 40,000 young people per year, is being shut down, with layoffs scheduled for November, according to a story in the Honolulu Star Bulletin. Medicaid dental benefits for adults also were reduced August 10 by the state Department of Human Services to cover only emergency services, according to the Star Bulletin. Hygienists in the Dental Hygiene Branch work one-on-one with children in elementary and

WCMID panel: New periodontal disease approach needed

SAN FRANCISCO – The 39-year-old patient’s gums looked healthy when she came for her first appointment at the office of Gregory Sawyer, D.D.S. No deep pockets, no bleeding. But instead of sending her on her way, Dr. Sawyer took a look under a microscope and found spots in her mouth that were crawling with spirochetes. “Do you have a new boyfriend?” he asked. “Why, yes,” she answered. It turned out

Biolux gets grant for new orthodontic product

Biolux Research will receive $205,000 Canadian ($185,000 U.S.) from the National Research Council Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) over the next 18 months to help accelerate the development and commercialization of a new light treatment device for orthodontics. The new product will be designed to “significantly accelerate tooth movement during orthodontic treatment, and thus radically reduce treatment times and improve the experience for patients,” the company said. The NRC-IRAP