A global ban on amalgam would be “problematic” in the near term, but the United Nations should pursue measures to “phasedown” the material, a World Health Organization (WHO) expert said at a conference on mercury reduction. Carolyn Vickers spoke June 11 on behalf of WHO at a meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), where representatives from around the world are trying to negotiate
Aurum Ceramic Dental Laboratories is now offering Opalite all-zirconia crowns and bridges as an aesthetic alternative to metal occlusion or full-cast posterior, the company announced. Created from monolithic, solid medical-grade zirconia, each CAD/CAM-milled Opalite restoration is hard-sintered to reach a final flexural strength of 1,100 MPa, more than enough to meet posterior high load demands, the company said. In addition, as little as 0.5 mm occlusal reduction is required, far less
Dental Optimizer, a free online oral health application, now features a pharmacy module designed to allow patients to find out if the medications they are taking may impact their oral health. In addition to learning about the side effects of their medications, users can access recommendations from dentists and pharmacists aimed at helping them alleviate potential oral health issues. “Medication-related oral health side effects range from relatively mild to some
Achieving a perfect shade match is always a challenge. One trick to achieving better results is to rearrange the Vita Classical shade guide according to value. It has been suggested that using this approach can yield more successful color determination because human vision is more sensitive to changes in value than in hue. But new research to be presented at the upcoming International Association for Dental Research (IADR) conference in
Biolase has received clearance from the Health Canada Medical Devices Bureau to sell its iLase personal dental laser systems throughout Canada. Canada has an estimated 19,000 licensed dentists and an equivalent number of hygienists. The iLase diode laser is a self-contained, handheld dental laser that includes the laser, user interface, battery power, and controls in a single, integrated handpiece with no foot pedals or cords. Copyright © 2010 HuangshanDental.com
Peroxide-based and nonperoxide-based in-office systems are equally effective at tooth whitening, but nonperoxide agents may affect enamel, according to a new study to be presented at the International Association for Dental Research conference next month in Barcelona, Spain. Researchers from Cairo University wanted to evaluate tooth color change and surface topography after exposure to both systems. They looked at 20 subjects, and took visual and instrumental color measurements using the
3M announced that it will phase out operations at its Ardmore, OK, dental implant manufacturing facility by the end of the year. The facility, formerly Imtec, was acquired by 3M in July 2008. Operations will move to St. Paul, MN, and Irvine, CA, over the next several months. The company said this move will help its dental implant business “more fully realize its potential.” “We have invested, and continue to
Despite improvements, only 42.8% of Pennsylvania kids on Medicaid saw a dentist in 2009, according to a report by the University of Pittsburgh. The authors called on the state to keep increasing reimbursement for dentists and consider expanding dental services by nondentists, including physicians and midlevel dental practitioners. Medicaid covered more than 1 million, or 35.5%, of all children in Pennsylvania in 2009. In 2008, the program spent about $109
Continuing a skirmish over the way dentists can practice in schools, the Louisiana Senate on June 10 passed a bill pushing the state’s dental board to finalize regulations on mobile dentistry. But the Senate’s Health and Welfare Committee had already amended the bill to remove a controversial clause providing grounds to dismiss the entire Louisiana State Board of Dentistry if it missed a January 1, 2011, deadline. The bill that
The retrial of the Fosamax/osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) trial that ended in a mistrial last year got under way June 7 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit involves a claim by Shirley Boles, 71, who alleges that she developed ONJ in 2003 after using the drug for several years. According to Boles, Merck — manufacturer of Fosamax — failed to adequately
After receiving several petitions raising concerns about the safety of dental amalgam and the adequacy of the clinical studies used to determine how it should be regulated, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it will hold an advisory panel meeting December 14-15, 2010, to discuss scientific issues that may affect the regulation of amalgam. The meeting, which is open to the public, will focus particularly on the
Dear Doctor — Dentistry and Oral Health magazine is partnering with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) to help educate dental patients on current topics in cosmetic dentistry. Published quarterly, Dear Doctor is written by dental healthcare professionals for the education of the general public. Going forward, the Dear Doctor Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry section will regularly feature educational, AACD-approved feature articles and consultations. “Receiving this support from such