BOSTON – With more than 700 species of bacteria found in patients’ mouths, selecting the best antimicrobial to treat periodontal disease can be a serious challenge. That challenge is made even more difficult by the fact that plaque biofilms are 1,000 times more resistant to antibiotics than other bacteria. Add to these difficulties the serious dangers of antibiotic overuse and the growing number of links being found between periodontal problems
A Texas man is suing Cephalon, alleging that the company’s Actiq fentanyl lollipops — prescribed as a painkiller for cancer patients — rotted his teeth, according to a story on AboutLawsuits.com. In a lawsuit filed this month in the District Court for the 419 Judicial District of Travis County, Greg Lee Minckley claims that the sugar in the oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate lollipops destroyed his teeth and cost him $37,000
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a notice of allowance to Milestone Scientific for the company’s patent application, Computer Controlled Drug Delivery System with Dynamic Pressure Sensing. Dynamic pressure sensing provides visual and audible in-tissue pressure feedback, identifying tissue types to the healthcare provider, according to the company. This feedback allows a healthcare provider to know when certain types of tissue have been penetrated, allowing for the injection of
An Ohio dentist has developed new orthodontic and oral hygiene products that will soon be sold all over the U.S., according to a story on WTVG-TV in Toledo. Stephen Branam, D.D.S., a pediatric dentist for more than 30 years, developed an orthodontic pacifier to help prevent jaw deformities and xylitol-based gum, mints, mouthwash, and toothpaste. The products are being manufactured by Toledo-based start-up Branam Oral Health Technologies, according to WTVG-TV.
The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) announced the election of new officers at its annual meeting in Boston this week. The academy named Samuel Low, D.D.S., M.S., of Gainesville, FL, as president. Dr. Low is the associate dean and a professor of periodontology at the University of Florida College of Dentistry in Gainesville. Don Clem, D.D.S., of Fullerton, CA, stands next in line in the position of president-elect. An AAP
New cosmetic materials have completely changed the face of dentistry, Ronald Jackson, D.D.S., said last week at the California Dental Association (CDA) fall meeting in San Francisco. .pullQuoteCredit { align:right; text-align:right; font-family:arial, sans-serif; font-size:11px; line-height: 16px; font-style: normal; padding-top:2px; } “We’ve raised the standards. Good enough isn’t good enough anymore.” — Ronald Jackson, D.D.S. “You don’t have to be Michelangelo,” said Dr. Jackson, who directs the advanced adhesive aesthetic dentistry
BOSTON – Straumann launched a unique implant material for the North American market at the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) meeting on Monday, saying the substance could increase the public’s acceptance of implant dentistry. .pullQuoteCredit { align:right; text-align:right; font-family:arial, sans-serif; font-size:11px; line-height: 16px; font-style: normal; padding-top:2px; } “This offers cost advantages, time advantages, and less painful procedures.” — Franz Maier, global head of sales, Straumann The material, called Roxolid, is
Maryland has improved dental care since the widely publicized death of 12-year-old Deamonte Driver from a dental abscess, Gov. Martin O’Malley and other state leaders claimed in a speech last week, according to newspaper reports. The state spent $2 million in fiscal 2008 to bring dental services to underserved parts of the state, the Washington Post reported. And O’Malley and state lawmakers increased Medicaid reimbursement for dentists at a cost
Cytori Therapeutics reported results from a preclinical study on the use of uncultured adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) in treating critical periodontal defects in a rat model. The results suggest that the use of ADRCs may reverse the effects of periodontal disease, evidenced by significantly improved alveolar bone healing and decreased gingival (gum) invasion of the defect, the company said. The data were reported at the American Academy of Periodontology annual
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) works no better than scaling and root planing for periodontitis, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis in the Journal of Periodontology (August 28, 2009). With PDT, clinicians apply a light-sensitive drug to the treatment area, then shine a light or laser on it. The combination sets off a phototoxic reaction that destroys bacteria or cancer cells, depending on the target. The FDA first approved PDT in
DentalEZ Group introduced an alternative to halogen-based operatory lights at the California Dental Association (CDA) fall meeting last week in San Francisco: the everLight LED operatory light. The everLight, which sells for $2,900, provides color-corrected lighting, precise light pattern, and energy-efficient features not possible with halogen lighting, the company said. The everLight LED operatory light offers better energy efficiency and longer lifetimes than halogen lights. Image courtesy of DentalEZ. The
While a majority of Americans rate their children’s oral health as “excellent,” clear gaps exist in their understanding of basic oral health procedures and actual behavior, according to a survey of primary caregivers conducted on behalf of Delta Dental Plans Association. Only 36% of the respondents completely agree that a child should go to the dentist by age 1 or within six months after the first tooth erupts, even though