3M restoratives get high marks from Dental Advisor

The 3M ESPE Z100 Restorative and 3M ESPE Filtek Z250 Universal Restorative have received the highest possible clinical rating — excellent — from Dental Advisor, according to 3M. The Z100, a light-cured composite with zirconia filler particles, was reviewed at 15 years and given a 96% clinical rating. Nearly 130 restorations that were placed in 1992-1993 were recently recalled and evaluated. After 15 years, more than 80% of restorations exhibited

Dr. Fresh acquires Binaca, Tek, Dentax brands

Dr. Fresh, a manufacturer and distributor of oral and personal care products, has purchased the Binaca, Tek, and Dentax brands of breath sprays and other oral care products from Ascendia Brands. “Binaca has long been the standard in the breath care category, enjoying a high degree of recognition and a loyal consumer following,” stated Daniel Enriquez, vice president of sales and marketing for Dr. Fresh, in a press release. “Binaca

Dentists confused about NTI, says maker

When an opportunity seems too good to be true, it probably is. But lots of dentists are forgetting that principle when it comes to the Nociceptive Trigeminal Inhibition (NTI) tension suppression system, according to James Boyd, D.D.S., whose company, NTI-TSS, sells the device. “It’s not a piece of plastic you can dispense out of the box.” Too many think the NTI offers a quick, cheap, and easy compromise for patients

Parker purchases Midmark’s nitrous oxide line

Parker Hannifin, a manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems has completed the purchase of the Matrx line of nitrous oxide delivery systems from Midmark. The devices include digital and standard analog flowmeters, manifold systems, and breathing circuits. “The Matrx product line broadens our offering in the dental equipment market and enables Parker to offer products uniquely designed for oral surgery and cosmetic markets,” stated John Greco, president of

Heraeus launches Venus White teeth-whitening gel

Furthering its expansion into high-end cosmetic products and materials, Heraeus Kulzer is launching Venus White, the newest member of the Venus family. Venus is the first and only brand in the industry to integrate direct composite solutions and indirect porcelain solutions, according to the company. The fully integrated system is designed to provide the most natural-looking and predictable aesthetic outcome. The Venus White take-home whitening gel is available in 16%

Global toothpaste market to top $12 billion by 2012

Sustained population growth and increasing concerns about the importance of oral hygiene are creating a dynamic market for the toothpaste industry. The global toothpaste market is projected to reach $12.7 billion by the year 2012, according to new market research from Global Industry Analysts. “Toothpaste: A Global Strategic Business Report” looks at market dynamics, product overview, product introductions/innovations, and recent industry activity, the company stated in a press release. Increased

Dentists must fight superhygienist law

Editor’s note: Helaine Smith’s column, The Mouth Physician, appears regularly on the HuangshanDental.com advice and opinion page, Second Opinion. Organized dentistry has failed us one more time and degraded our doctorate degree and our profession. The new law taking effect in 2011 of a “midlevel practitioner” that the Minnesota Senate voted in — due to organized hygienists and their ability to effectively lobby their cause — is a huge step

Gum disease common with rheumatoid arthritis

NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Oct 30 – Symptoms of gum disease are common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and may be an independent marker of RA disease activity, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology meeting in San Francisco. About 20 million people worldwide have RA — an autoimmune disease caused when the body confuses healthy tissues for foreign substances and attacks itself. The

Keep your patients safe: How to handle medical emergencies

If one of your patients has a life-threatening allergic reaction while in your office, are you prepared? Yes, it’s rare that dental patients have an anaphylactic reaction or cardiac arrest during treatment. However, an astonishing 94% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims die, according to Stanley Malamed, D.D.S., a diplomate of the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology and a leading authority on emergency medicine in the dental office. Dr. Malamed lectured

Minnesota hammers out regulations for superhygienists

A Minnesota health task force is drafting regulations for a new class of oral health worker whose job description will likely lie somewhere between that of a hygienist and a dentist. The 13-member work group, which includes both dentists and hygienists, will submit proposed regulations for the new oral health practitioner (OHP) on December 15, with the state Legislature scheduled to take up the regulations a month later. The process

Align Technology announces restructuring plan

Align Technology will lay off 111 employees — 8% of its work force — as part of a new restructuring plan designed to increase efficiencies across the organization and lower the company’s overall cost structure, the company announced. Between now and January 2009, 46 positions will be eliminated at the company’s Santa Clara, CA, headquarters. The remaining positions will be eliminated over the next few quarters as Align creates a

Oral hygiene curbs pneumonia risk in elderly

NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Oct 23 – Among nursing home residents, having a nursing aide help them maintain good oral hygiene lowers the odds of them dying from pneumonia, a study suggests. Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in elderly nursing home residents, Dr. Carol W. Bassim and colleagues point out in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. “Several studies have shown that poor oral hygiene or inadequate