The Economist is reporting that children in Britain and Germany have the healthiest teeth, according to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The latest OECD “Health at a Glance” report, released December 8, finds that children in Poland have the worst dental health, with a 12-year-old there having nearly fourth teeth missing, decayed, or with a filling, The Economist noted. In the U.S., meanwhile, each child
The Israeli government is moving forward with a plan to finance dental care for children by deducting NIS 65 million ($17.2 million U.S.) from the federal budget for subsidized health insurance, according to a story in Haaretz. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the plan, proposed by Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman and approved by the Israeli cabinet this week. The Health Ministry is now preparing a plan for public funding
Researchers at Mid Sweden University, Uppsala University, and Mälarsjukhuset Hospital in Eskilstuna have developed a technique for customizing implants to each patient, according to a report in the Medical News. The researchers use software that creates 3D models of the patient’s anatomy from x-rays, the report said. Using these models, they manufacture a customized titanium implant using Mid Sweden University’s laboratory for “additive manufacturing technology” — which, according to the
To the new classes of dental professional cropping up around the U.S., add one more: California’s registered dental assistants in extended function 2 (RDA-EF2), who may have the widest scope of duties of any dental assistants in the country. Starting January 1, the new category of assistants can place all types of restorations — direct and indirect, alloy and composite — and even endodontic points. In short, they can do
OraMetrix, a developer of technology designed to improve the experience of wearing orthodontic braces, has raised $8.1 million in equity funding, according to a story in the Dallas Business Journal. Founded in 1998, OraMetrix has raised around $128 million, including the latest round of funding, the Journal reported. The company’s SureSmile system features a scanner that creates a 3D image of the mouth and that software calculates the most direct
A research team at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) has developed a new mouthwash formulation that may provide long-term protection against tooth decay. The team, led by Dong Wang, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmaceutical science in the UNMC College of Pharmacy, has developed a novel drug delivery system to carry antimicrobial agents directly to teeth. The formulation is designed to bind to the tooth surface and gradually release
The Supreme Court of Canada has unanimously rejected a legal appeal from a mother who claims that she and her children were harmed by mercury-based amalgam fillings according to news reports. Zsuzsanna Holland represented herself during a lengthy battle through British Columbia’s lower courts, arguing unsuccessfully that 17 mercury-based fillings poisoned her and her children after she had dental work in 1982. She had hoped the Supreme Court would hear
Dr. Fresh, a California company known for its FireFly toothbrushes, is challenging kids to come up with the ultimate kid-friendly toothbrush — one that is not only easy but fun to use. The company is sponsoring its fourth annual toothbrush design contest — “Be a Dental Inventor” — to celebrate National Children’s Dental Health Month (February 2010). The contest is open to second through fifth graders across the U.S. Kids
As a valued partner in your oral health, we would like to take this opportunity to remind all our patient family how to floss correctly. Flossing is an integral part of the daily oral hygiene regimen. The action of flossing pulls bacteria, food debris, and irrigates the spaces between your tooth and the gums that surround it. Without flossing, your oral health will be susceptable to cavities and gum disease.
It’s 4 p.m. on a Friday and Mr. Smith has just stormed in demanding another “adjustment” of his eight-year-old dentures. You’ve repeatedly recommended new, implant-retained overdentures, but he says he can’t afford them. What’s a doctor to do? The question of whether to reline, rebase, or remake an uncomfortable denture often presents a challenge because there are no standard guidelines. But through consultation with some of the leading experts, we’ve
The Lutheran Family Health Centers (LFHC) has received a $200,000 grant from the New York State Health Foundation to assist in the federally qualified health center (FQHC) offset acquisition and start-up costs it will incur when it takes over 15 school-based dental clinics, according to a news article in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York City has announced that it will soon eliminate its Oral Health Program in public schools
Biolase Technology has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its Waterlase MD laser system for removal of subgingival calculi to prevent and treat periodontitis. The Waterlase MD’s patented Er:YSGG laser energy gently removes unwanted calculus deposits while preserving healthy tooth structure, according to Biolase. This offers long-term benefits for sufferers of periodontal disease because it controls inflammation and the disease without removing the