Study yields positive results for xerostomia patch

A new study in the Journal of the American Dental Association (October 2010, Vol. 141:10, pp. 1250-1256) confirms the safety and efficacy of a new, novel method for controlling xerostomia. The double-masked, randomized, controlled, crossover study concluded that use of a unique mucoadhesive patch, affixed to the hard palate inside the mouth, provides statistically significant and sustainable improvements in salivary flow rates and subjective moistness for dry mouth sufferers, according

Midmark dental sterilizer promotion under way

Midmark has launched its latest dental sterilizer promotion, with up to $1,000 in rebate offers. The promotion, which runs from October 1 through December 31, offers dental practices the opportunity to receive a $300, $400, or $500 rebate with the purchase of a Midmark M9 UltraClave, M11 UltraClave, or M3 UltraFast sterilizer. A rebate of $1,000 is offered with the purchase of two sterilizers: an M3 UltraFast plus an M11

Ontario to expand kids oral care program

Deb Matthews, minister of health and long-term care for Ontario, Canada, announced this week that Ontario’s Healthy Smiles program will be expanded to include preventive care such as check-ups, cleanings, x-rays, and fillings, according to a Torstar News Service report. The Healthy Smiles program, which is designed to provide free dental services to 130,000 kids ages 17 and younger and costs taxpayers $45 million annually, has come under fire for

Oral care linked to lower heart disease risk in women

A new study led by a University of California, Berkeley researcher suggests that women who get regular dental care reduce their risk of heart attacks, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems by at least one-third (Health Economics, September 29, 2010). The analysis, which used data from nearly 7,000 people ages 44 to 88 enrolled in the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study (HRS), did not find a similar benefit for

BioMatRx set to enter market with root canal alternative

BioMatRx, a Minnesota start-up founded in April 2010 by three brothers — one an endodontist — is working to use the inherent regenerative capabilities of the stem cells found at the apex of the root of a tooth to revolutionize endodontic therapy. The idea for the company and the process struck Todd Geisler, D.D.S., and his brother Graham Geisler as they were returning home from the American Association of Endodontists

Tufts provides sleep disorder training for dental students

The Dental Sleep Medicine Program at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine is training dental students to identify and treat sleeping disorders through the use of corrective mouth equipment, according to a story in The Tufts Daily. Although the course, which was first offered in the fall of 2009, is currently an elective, Noshir Mehta, a professor and chair of general dentistry and director of Tufts Craniofacial Pain, Headache, and

J. Morita links 3D systems with TDO endo software

J. Morita USA is now offering a software integration solution for users of TDO’s endodontic practice management software. TDO users can now incorporate any Morita 3D unit into their practice with full compatibility, according to the company. “With cone-beam functionality now built into TDO software, it is easy to access, share, and store 3D images in an efficient manner,” Morita said in a press release. The company’s i-Dixel software has

Outpatient treatment of jaw fractures safe, cost-effective

New research by University of Cincinnati oral and maxillofacial surgeons suggests that treating isolated lower mandibular fractures on an outpatient basis has the same outcome and significantly lowers healthcare costs. Michael Grau, D.M.D., will present findings from his study, “Safety and cost-efficiency in treating mandibular fractures nonemergently,” this week at the 2010 meeting of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) in Chicago. To conduct this research, Dr.

Researchers reattach mouse teeth using stem cells

A new approach to reanchoring teeth in the mandible using stem cells has been developed and successfully tested in the laboratory for the first time by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), the school announced. Researchers in UIC’s Brodie Laboratory for Craniofacial Genetics used stem cells obtained from the periodontal ligament of molars extracted from mice, expanded them in an incubator, and then seeded them on barren

Vident offers new Vita MFT denture teeth shades

Vita’s Multifunctional Teeth (MFT) are now available in an expanded shade range for even greater versatility, according to Vident, which distributes the products in the U.S. Vita Multifunctional Teeth (MFT). Image courtesy of Vident. The five new shades include 3L1.5 (~C2), 4L1.5 (~C3), 5M1 (~C4), and Bleached Shades 0M1 and 0M3. With the addition of these five shades, Vita Multifunctional Teeth are now offered in 23 molds, 13 combination Vita

CBCT more effective for imaging kids’ impacted teeth

While cone-beam CT (CBCT) provides more information than traditional radiography about impacted and supernumerary teeth in pediatric patients, practitioners should consider the radiation risks when choosing which diagnostic method to use, according to a study in Pediatric Dentistry (July-August 2010, Vol. 32:4, pp. 304-309). Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston surveyed 10 pediatric dental faculty and 10 pediatric dental residents after they had viewed eight

Calif. town approves water fluoridation

Officials of Watsonville have approved a contract for a $1.6 million grant from the California Dental Association Foundation to design and build a fluoridation system and operate it for two years, according to a story in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. The 4-3 vote on September 28 ended a nearly decade-long battle against fluoridating the beach town’s water supply. A California law requires cities of 10,000 or more people to fluoridate