Ameritas offers cosmetic dental benefits

Ameritas Group will now cover professional tooth bleaching and tooth-color composite fillings on molars, the company announced. “Our bleaching benefit offers upper and lower arch bleaching every two years, in addition to coverage for two types of single-tooth bleaching,” stated Karen Gustin, vice president of group marketing and managed care for Ameritas Group, in a press release. “By offering composites on molars, along with the composite coverage we already offer

Brighter teeth without bleaching?

A perfect pearly white smile is a priority for many patients, and that usually means a dose of at-home or in-office bleaching. But what about situations in which bleaching is not an option? One possible treatment in such cases is “tooth lightening.” Developed in 2000 at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, this technique avoids peroxide altogether, instead relying on remineralization to change tooth color. “It’s a partner to

Study: Implants need more post-op care than root canals

A new study published in the November issue of the Journal of Endodontics addresses the growing controversy among dental health professionals regarding the best course of treatment when evaluating between a root canal or dental implant procedure, according to a press release from the American Association of Endodontists (AAE). Researchers evaluated the success and failure rates of teeth treated with a root canal (endodontically treated teeth) or extracted and replaced

Dental implants effective for orthodontic treatment

Orthodontists have been straightening teeth for decades, relying on the ancient physics principle “every action has a reaction,” in which tooth displacement in one part of the jaw causes movement on the other as well. Use of dental implants as orthodontic anchors, however, is changing that principle by expediting treatment times and expanding possibilities for previously untreatable cases, according to research presented at the 2008 American Academy of Implant Dentistry

Study finds U.S. kids suffering from lack of dental care

A University of South Carolina study of children’s dental health has found that nearly one-fourth of the nation’s children have had no dental care in at least a year. Conducted by researchers at the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center, the study found that nearly 32% of Hispanic children in rural areas had no dental care in the past year and 26% of rural black children had no dental care,

Nobel Biocare expands CAD/CAM business with $32 million deal

Nobel Biocare has signed an agreement to purchase 100% of BioCad Medical, a developer of computer-aided design (CAD) software for prosthetics, for 26 million euros ($32 million U.S.), the company announced. The purchase includes all rights to BioCad’s trademark, brand names, strong R&D network, and a facility in Quebec City, Canada. Nobel Biocare said it will retain all 40 BioCad employees. Nobel Biocare also announced the signing of an exclusive

Irish dental council approves clinical dental technicians

The Dental Council of Ireland has established the role of the clinical dental technician (CDT) as a class of dental auxiliary, according to an announcement on the council’s Web site. Created with the consent of the Minister for Health, appropriately qualified CDTs are allowed to manufacture and fit removable dentures for patients, independent of a dentist. Initially, 10 clinical dental technicians will register with the council, after completing a dedicated

ADA reconsiders fluoride supplements

Brittle bones, kidney stones, thyroid disease — even an asthmatic’s wheeze: fluoride gets blamed for a lot of health problems. Noting such concerns, oral health agencies in several countries are recommending that fluoride supplements be given only to children at highest risk of caries, or to no one at all. Now the ADA is mulling such a similar shift in its own guidelines. The chair of a working group for

Survey: Nicorette gum also whitens teeth

A survey has found that Nicorette White Ice Mint not only helps ease tough cravings and withdrawal symptoms, but also helps whiten teeth, according to a press release from GlaxoSmithKline, which manufactures the gum. The survey of 327 U.S. smokers, conducted by Richard Day Research of Evanston, IL, in September 2008, found that 49% of those surveyed said the yellowing of their teeth strongly contributes to their decision to quit

When it comes to implants, you gotta go 3D

Editor’s note: Edwin T. Parks’ column, Talking Pictures, appears regularly on the HuangshanDental.com advice and opinion page, Second Opinion. I attended the annual session of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology earlier this month and saw some amazing images. The two that stuck in my mind were cross-sectional views of the mandible that showed an implant passing completely through the mandibular canal space! Somehow I don’t think 3D

Study links smoking during pregnancy to cleft palate

Women who smoke during pregnancy run a higher risk of having a baby with a cleft palate or lip, and babies born to smokers are twice as likely to be born with the conditions as opposed to babies of nonsmokers, according to a new study from the March of Dimes California Research Division. A unique feature of the study is that it did not rely on women’s self-reported smoking habits

Wrigley and Cadbury clash over Recaldent gum

The Federal Trade Commission is reviewing a complaint by Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company that Cadbury USA does not have adequate evidence to back claims it has made in Trident Xtra Care gum ads about the oral benefits of Recaldent. Both companies are manufacturers of competing sugarless chewing gums. Cadbury has promoted the fact that Trident Xtra Care gum contains Recaldent, which some studies claim builds tooth enamel. Discovered and patented