Scandals hit UCLA dental school

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) dental school faces twin allegations this week: That students cheated on national board exams and that applicants to the university’s orthodontics residencies are being asked for donations in return for admission. The accusations against the orthodontics program stem from an investigation by the Daily Bruin, the UCLA student newspaper. It reported Tuesday that admissions officials were asking applicants for hefty donations, a practice

CRA Newsletter picks fave products

What do Russell Crowe and Septocaine have in common? They have both won prestigious awards in their fields. (And they both make us numb with delight.) The latter was named the No. 1 product CRA evaluators “can’t live without” in the September issue of the CRA Newsletter. Over 400 CRA dental teams nominated 830 products; the top 11 were featured in the newsletter. Top products included adhesives, optical tools, CAD/CAM

More kids visiting the dentist

The proportion of American youths who visit the dentist regularly has edged up slightly, according to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Crunching numbers from a 2004 survey, the agency found that 45 percent of Americans 20 years old or younger visit a dentist at least once a year. Still that was only a tiny increase over 1996, when a similar survey showed 42 percent of youths

Komet launches ceramic veneer kit

Before you can slap on a ceramic veneer, you have to prepare the teeth. You need to remove some material — but not too much. And you need to remove it uniformly. A new ally in this delicate operation could be Komet USA’s Kit 4517, which is designed to give you enhanced control over tooth penetration before applying ceramic veneers. “An important precondition for successful placement is conservative tooth structure

Getting a handle on things

Attention all hygienists with tired aching fingers! Premier Dental Products Company is now offering a choice of three ergonomic handles on their NV1 Anterior Scaler and NV2 Posterior Scaler instruments. The Big Easy Ultralite handle, which is based on advanced polymer technology, is half an inch in diameter and weighs 16 grams. It has medical grade silicone grips which reduce finger fatigue, claims Premier. The Big Easy is a hollow

Studies find bleach damages dentin

Slap on some hydrogen peroxide and it’s amazing what disappears from a tooth: bacteria, wine stains, even tetracycline coloring. But dental researchers have long wondered if anything more important disappears as well — such as some of the tooth itself. And in a recent spate of studies, they’ve come up with worrisome answers. Enamel, it seems, can tolerate a pretty harsh splash of bleach. But dentin is another matter, says

Pinpoint implants via 3D software

You think parallel parking your SUV in a Corolla-sized space is tough? Try putting a dental implant in just the right spot in someone’s mouth. In many cases, you don’t know what you’re facing until you expose the patient’s bone. “There are many unknowns that are hidden until the time of surgery,” said Dr. Joseph Califano, program director of periodontics at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in a press

3M launches clear self-litigating braces

3M Unitek has introduced Clarity SL braces — clear, self-litigating braces made from translucent ceramic. These braces use a clip to hold the wires in place eliminating the need for elastic bands (ligatures). “For the first time, adults and children who need braces no longer have to trade off looks or performance to achieve a beautiful smile,” said Anoop Sondhi, D.D.S., M.S., an orthodontist in a press release. “Clarity SL

Oral bone substitute approved

Collagen Matrix announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its SynOss synthetic material, a type of artificial bone, for oral surgery. The company said it had received 510(k) clearance for the bone substitute, meaning the FDA deems it at least as safe and effective as materials previously approved for the same purpose. SynOss synthetic mineral is an osteoconductive calcium phosphate-based bone graft material. Unlike hydroxyapatite materials,

Align launches new clear retainers

Align Technology, Inc. has announced the launch of Vivera retainers — clear retainers made from the same technology as Invisalign aligners. These subscription-based retainers will be delivered to dentists or directly to the patient four times a year. “Vivera retainers were created to fit the needs of patients’ busy lifestyles,” said Rick Matty, general manager, new products at Align Technology in a press release. “Not only do patients get the

Dental ‘therapists’ fill holes: Part I

In Noorvik, Alaska where Aurora Johnson grew up, you don’t have to look very hard to see the importance of dentistry. The nearest dentist is an expensive plane ride away, and many Noorvik residents can’t afford the trip, much less the dentist’s bill. As a consequence, “a lot of my classmates in high school graduated with little or no teeth,” says Johnson. Motivated by this first-hand experience, Johnson, 36, now

Good bacteria beat periodontal disease

Can you fight bacteria with bacteria? Apparently so, according to a new animal study in the November issue of the Journal of Dental Research. In the study, a mixture of beneficial bacteria was applied after scaling and root planing (a technique known as Guided Pocket Recolonization or GPR). The results: growth of plaque-causing bacteria was substantially slowed and reduced, as was inflammation. The technique could be a way to sidestep