General anesthesia safe for special needs patients

Is it safe to administer general anesthesia to special needs patients undergoing dental procedures? The answer is yes, according to a new study in Anesthesia Progress. Good thing. Given their mental and physical limitations — and the possibility of injury or excessive stress during dental treatment — local anesthesia may not be enough. “[Dental] patients with mental and physical limitations often pose a challenge,” wrote the study’s authors. “Lack of

BSML offers cheaper faster veneers

BSML, Inc., a provider of teeth whitening systems, has released a new veneer product called BriteVeneers. BriteVeneers eliminates the need to remove or alter healthy tooth structure or administer injections/anesthesia. This product uses an all-in-one tray that permanently fits over teeth. Patients go in for two visits: The first one for photos and impressions, and the second one for the veneer fitting. “Typically, the patients who need veneers the most

A worry-free pucker up for Valentine’s Day

Attention orthodontists! It’s Valentine’s Day and as people everywhere prepare to pucker up, your braces-wearing patients might have a few concerns. That’s why the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) has taken this opportunity to dispel some common myths — from the ordinary to the bizarre — about braces. With today’s smaller sleeker braces, two people wearing braces can kiss without locking braces. Braces are made with lightweight material and will

Dentists attack sleep apnea

Dentists can do a lot more than give their patients healthy smiles these days. They can also help them get a healthy night’s sleep. Dentists are becoming leaders in the fight to combat sleep apnea, an under-diagnosed disorder that can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine declared in 2006 that oral appliances — fitted by dentists — could be used instead

ADA Foundation offers $300K grant to train pediatricians

The American Dental Association Foundation (ADAF) has announced a $300,000 grant — to be issued in annual installments of $100,000 — to fund oral health summits and other educational ventures for pediatricians. At the summits, pediatricians will learn to conduct oral health risk assessments and teach families about oral health and prevention. All 66 chapters of American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) will get the opportunity to send representatives, who will

Furor over no-drill technique

Is placing a crown without preparing the tooth a brilliant innovation or dangerous negligence? Debate on that question is heating up as Scottish researchers spread the news of their no-drill Hall Technique around the globe. The Hall Technique gets its name from Norna Hall, B.D.S., a general dentist in rural Scotland where there are many children with caries and few pediatric dentists available. To avoid the need for both drilling

Study links marijuana smoking to gum disease

WASHINGTON (Reuters) Feb. 5 Smoking marijuana, much like smoking tobacco, may increase a person’s risk for gum disease that can lead to tooth loss, researchers said on Tuesday. A study of 903 New Zealanders found that people who smoked marijuana frequently had triple the risk for severe gum disease and a 60 percent higher risk for a milder form of it compared to people who did not smoke the drug,

Yankee Dental Show Report: Incisive tips on cosmetics

BOSTON – Karen was trying on a bridal gown when disaster struck. With all that loose material flowing to the ground, she tripped and broke off half a maxillary central incisor. By the time she showed up at the Restorative Dental Group of Cambridge, MA, she was desperate. “I want it perfect for the wedding photos.” “No problem,” responded Alan Sulikowski, D.M.D. “I can make it just like it was

Yankee Dental Show Report: Cerec takes on quadrants

BOSTON – In real estate, it’s all about location, location, location. When it comes to crafting CAD/CAM restorations with Cerec, it’s all about planning, planning, planning. That’s especially true if you’re taking your Cerec work to the next level — namely, working with an entire quadrant, not just a single crown or inlay. That’s according to Richard Short, D.M.D. and Lisa Horne, CDA, who gave the equivalent of a two-day

Yankee Dental Show Report: Microscopes Make the Difference

BOSTON – You’re a master of the perfect porcelain veneer, the artful crown, the smooth-as-silk filling. Think again. Look at your work under a microscope and you’ll find holes in your restoration you could drive a truck through. You’ll also see things your naked eye — and even X-rays — will miss, from cracks to fissures to fractures. That’s the word from Roger Lacoste, D.M.D., clinical assistant professor of endodontics

Periodontal disease is associated with chronic kidney disease

NEW YORK (Reuters) Jan. 30 Periodontal disease and edentulism are independently associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study in the January issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases. “Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health problem that is undiagnosed in a significant number of those affected in the United States,” Dr. Monica A. Fisher, of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, and colleagues write. In

Goodbye, lidocaine!

A local anesthetic is a boon — until your patient no longer needs it. Then it’s a bother, the patient suffering with numb cheeks, lips, and tongue, hours after a procedure is over. But relief may be at hand. San Diego-based Novalar Pharmaceuticals’ NV-101 could be the first local anesthetic reversal agent to hit the market. Under development since 2002, the drug is being reviewed by the FDA and news