Dental irrigation jets can play a key role in eliminating harmful oral biofilms, according to a study by researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) School of Dentistry. The study, conducted by biofilm expert J. William Costerton, Ph.D., and published this month in the Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry, found that dental water jet systems effectively remove 99.9% of harmful plaque biofilms from teeth, a press release stated.
CHICAGO – Two new impression materials work better than competing products in the wet environment of the human mouth, their maker claimed in a press conference Friday at the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. Kettenbach, a German company, held the conference to launch Panasil initial contact to the U.S. market. Panasil, which is made of vinyl polysiloxane (VPS), is more hydrophilic than competing products made of both VPS and polyether,
People rank their smile and appearance of teeth as the most important aspect of their personal appearance, according to a consumer survey by ICOM Information and Communications for Nobel Biocare. The results of the survey, which looked at nearly 55,000 people, provide insight into the prevalence of missing teeth in the U.S. and the general lack of understanding about the health consequences of missing teeth, according to the company. The
CHICAGO – To self-etch or total etch, that is the question. At least it is for many in the dental community — but not Gordon Christensen, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D. “I don’t understand what all the hassle is over this,” he told a roomful of dentists at the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting Thursday during his talk, “Controversies in Restorative Dentistry.” “We’ve done a lot of testing, and if I have
Alabama is the latest state to take a stand on who can and cannot perform office-based teeth bleaching. A court has ruled that whitening procedures offered by beauty parlors, freestanding kiosks, and other commercial settings constitute the practice of dentistry and require a license. Although the judgment was handed down by the Montgomery County Circuit Court — not a state or federal court — the Alabama Board of Dental Examiners
Sanford Fenton, D.D.S., the chair of pediatric dentistry at the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston, played a vital role at this year’s Special Olympics World Winter Games held February 7-13 in Idaho. As a global clinical adviser for Special Olympics, Dr. Fenton provided free dental screenings of the athletes. He also trained 35 pediatric and general dentists who will become local clinical directors around the world. “They left
Researchers at Oregon State University have identified the gene that ultimately controls the production of tooth enamel, a significant advance that they say could lead to the repair of damaged enamel, according to a university press release. The gene, called Ctip2, is a “transcription factor” that was already known to have several functions — in immune response and the development of skin and the nervous system. In a normal mouse
Isolite Systems will launch a new mouthpiece for the Isolite dryfield illuminator at the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting in Chicago this week, according to the company. The Isolite dryfield illuminator combines the functions of light, suction, and retraction into a single tool, the company said. With the addition of the new Medium DV (deep vestibule) mouthpiece to its product lineup, Isolite Systems now offers five mouthpieces for patients varying
Q: I’m a Cerec 3D user and very happy with the system and the restorations it produces. Does it make sense for me to upgrade to the new Cerec AC? A: First of all, Cerec 3D is still advanced dental technology. And by owning and using this system, you are still ahead of the in-house restoration capability curve of most dentists. The Cerec AC does have some very impressive enhancements,
Smoking, diabetes, and genetics are some of the usual suspects behind gum disease. Now a study in the February issue of the Journal of Periodontology confirms that stress and depression may be culprits as well. Previous research has suggested that psychological stress can result in immunologic and inflammatory responses that influence periodontal disease and can reduce compliance with preventive behaviors, the authors wrote. Biologically speaking, these responses are equally important
Bucking the recent downward trend in revenues being experienced by many dental product companies, Remedent reported a record $4.8 million in net sales for the third quarter of 2009 (end-December 31), a 127% increase over the same quarter a year ago. Income from operations was a loss of $467,000, compared to a loss of $1.1 million in the same period a year ago, the company stated in a press release.
West Coast University in Southern California is now offering a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene degree program, according to the university. West Coast joins the University of Southern California, the University of the Pacific, and Loma Linda University to be one of only four universities in California offering a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene and the first of its kind in Orange County. The new program, offered at
