Lawsuit claims Texas periodontist misused equipment

A Texas man claims he suffered permanent damage to his teeth when a Houston dentist improperly used equipment to treat a botched root canal, according to a story on ultimatecyfair.com. Gary Ricketts consulted with periodontist J. Robert Friedberg, D.M.D., in August 2009 after undergoing an unsuccessful root canal. Dr. Friedberg recommended surgical extraction of the problem tooth, followed by a bone graft, Ricketts said. According to the lawsuit, Dr. Friedberg

Prodrive gets U.S. patent for bur-lengthening feature

The U.S. Patent Office has awarded Patent No.11/262,959 to ProDrive Systems for its adjustable tool drive arrangement, more commonly referred to as the bur-lengthening feature. The feature allows ProDrive diamond and carbide burs for high-speed handpieces to be extended and locked into position for increased hold and safety. The 3-mm extension makes procedures in difficult-to-reach places easier and more precise, the company noted. The patented ProDrive system is a turbine

UltraSeal XT plus sealant is BPA-free

Another dental products supplier wants the dental community to be aware that its sealants do not contain bisphenol A (BPA). Ultradent recognized the importance of this topic early on in the development of its BPA-free dental sealant, UltraSeal XT plus, which has been on the market since 1998, the company said. In recent weeks, both GC America and Pulpdent have issued similar statements about some of their products. “Ultradent never

Calif. dentist aims to end illiteracy in his city

A Northern California dentist is working to end adult illiteracy in his city in honor of his late father, according to an article in the Mercury News. Continuing a program he began last year, Barry Parish, D.D.S., who practices in Benicia, is offering half-price teeth-whitening services with the help of Henry Schein, which donated 40 whitening kits. Dr. Parish’s goal is to raise $10,000 to benefit the Benicia Public Library’s

CDC releases new statistics on U.S. water fluoridation

Some 72% of the U.S. population — 196 million people — are on fluoridated public water systems, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is an increase from 2006, when 69% of the U.S. population, or 180 million people, received fluoridated water through public water systems. Twenty-seven states plus the District of Columbia have achieved the Healthy People 2010 objective of having

Texas considers drastic cuts to kids’ dental programs

Texas legislators are considering a range of cuts to children’s dental programs as they grapple with a $9.9 billion budget deficit, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) could be on the chopping block. However, the new federal healthcare reform law requires states to continue funding healthcare programs at current levels or forfeit all future health funding aid, including Medicaid. It’s a dilemma because if the state’s legislators cut the

Maine dental hygiene program to get upgraded clinic

The University of Maine System Board of Trustees has approved a $3 million renovation plan for the University College of Bangor (UCB) Dental Hygiene Clinic, according to a story in the Bangor Daily News. Through its Dental Hygiene program, the university offers the low-cost clinic to the public from September until April. Services, including oral exams, dental cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, and x-rays, are provided by UCB dental hygiene students

GC America touts BPA-free glass ionomers

GC America confirmed that its dental glass ionomer sealants sold in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America do not contain bisphenol A (BPA) or bisphenol A glycidyl methacrylate (bis-GMA) as ingredients and that its sealants are not resin sealants. GC America products are certified to ISO 13485 standards, which comply with strict safety regulations, the company noted. These products are registered in all countries where GC America manufactures and distributes.

Mo. dental practice gives young hero free care

A dental practice in Missouri performed a free root canal on a 10-year-old boy who tried to save his mother’s car from rolling into traffic when she fell ill. On September 9, Damarcus Maple’s mother felt a seizure coming on while driving with Damarcus down a Kansas City highway, according to a report by Fox 4 Kansas City. She pulled the car to the side of the road but was

Study: No link between asthma and caries in kids

There is no apparent link between asthma and tooth decay, according to a study published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association (September 2010, Vol. 141:9, pp. 1061-1074). The review examined 27 studies that looked for a link between asthma and cavities that were reported in 29 papers published between 1976 and March 2010. “The notion that there is a link between asthma and tooth

Are some toothbrushes too hard?

Manual toothbrushes with hard bristles may remove plaque better than those with soft bristles but may also cause more soft-tissue trauma, according to researchers from Witten/Herdecke University and Heinrich-Heine University (Journal of Periodontology, August 19, 2010). In a randomized controlled trial, 120 volunteers, ages 18-62 years, were separated into three groups with 40 subjects each. Each group used manual toothbrushes with hard, medium, or soft bristle stiffness. The participants were

CBCT radiation risks higher for orthodontic patients

Orthodontic patients pose some unique challenges when it comes to cone-beam CT (CBCT) imaging, and dental practitioners should exercise caution to ensure they don’t expose these patients to more radiation than is diagnostically necessary, according to the president of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (AAOMR). Orthodontists were some of the earliest adopters of cone-beam CT in dentistry, according to Allan Farman, B.D.S., M.B.A., Ph.D., D.Sc., who in