GlaxoSmithKline research finds sustained demand for dentures

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare has released new data on the future of edentulism, highlighting the key roles dental professionals must play in providing quality oral healthcare and emotional support to denture patients. The research, performed by doctors from the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, the Mayo Clinic, Glasgow Dental Hospital and School, and the University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry, cites data showing that increasing life expectancies

Nanotechnology could improve composite restorations

A Medical College of Georgia (MCG) researcher is developing a new nanotechnology technique he hopes will extend the longevity of composite restorations. With a two-year, $252,497 grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Franklin Tay, B.D.Sc., Ph.D., an associate professor of endodontics in the MCG School of Dentistry, is trying to prevent the aging and degradation of resin-dentin bonding by feeding minerals back into the collagen network,

Heraeus pulls IQ:NECT implants from market

The dental implant market continues to be a challenge for many manufacturers, despite market researchers’ continued predictions of healthy growth. The latest company to be affected by the economic downturn is Heraeus Kulzer, which this week pulled its IQ:NECT screwless titanium implant system from the market, just months after introducing an enhanced version of the product at the 2009 International Dental Show (IDS) in Cologne, Germany. “Given the current economic

U.S. grapples with mobile dentistry pros and cons

The last batter still isn’t out. Foes in a Louisiana battle over school-based dentistry are dusting themselves off after tussling their way to compromise legislation last week. But even if Gov. Bobby Jindal signs the bill into law as expected, the question of what kind of mobile dentistry should be allowed is likely to flare up again — if not in Louisiana, then elsewhere in the U.S. Already dental boards

Astra Tech adds Atlantis abutment options

Astra Tech, a provider of dental implant therapy products, has announced the availability of expanded Atlantis abutment options for Straumann implants. Following the recent launch of Atlantis abutments in titanium and gold-shaded titanium for Straumann Bone Level 4.1 and 4.8 implants, Atlantis abutments in zirconia are now also available for these bone level implants, the company said. Astra Tech is also introducing Atlantis abutments for the Straumann Standard Plus NN

Australia to establish ‘first of its kind’ oral health center

Australia’s premier research center for all aspects of oral health will be established at the University of Adelaide thanks to a $2.4 million ($1.9 million U.S.) Australian federal government grant, university officials announced. The new Centre of Clinical Research Excellence (CCRE) for Oral Health, which will be part of the university’s School of Dentistry, is being funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council. The CCRE Oral Health will

Medactive teams with WhiteHill

Medactive Oral Pharmaceuticals has entered into a license and supply agreement with WhiteHill Oral Technologies that gives Medactive exclusive rights to produce and market a new generation of oral care pharmaceuticals. The agreement paves the way for the introduction of patient-friendly oral care products, including Hi-Impact rinses, sprays, lozenges, gels, prophy tape, toothbrushes, and toothpastes, the companies said. Medactive expects to begin commercial introduction of these products in the fourth

OkayToKiss test targets bacterial source of bad breath

Tel Aviv University (TAU) researchers have developed a pocket-sized breath test they say can detect malodorous bacteria in the mouth and alert people that they could have bad breath. The patent-pending OkayToKiss test is the result of ongoing research on the bacteria that cause bad breath. Until now, scientists believed that only one population of bacteria — the Gram-negative ones — break down the proteins in the mouth and produce

Dental implant market still struggling

Swiss dental implant makers are expected to report another round of weak earnings in their upcoming quarterly reports, according to story on cnnmoney.com. Analysts say that Biomet 3i’s fourth-quarter results, announced June 26, indicate that “the dental implant market remains in a depressed mode due to the difficult economic environment and the discretionary nature of dental implant procedures,” cnnmoney.com reported. While Biomet saw its year-over-year revenues grow slightly, to $639.3

Mississippi mandates fluoridation

Mississippi has mandated community water fluoridation, partly as a result of research by dentists pursuing degrees in public health, according to the University of North Carolina. A university newsletter credits Nicholas Mosca, D.D.S.; Kim Hammersmith, D.D.S.; and four other public health graduate students with helping convince the state’s board of health to pass legislation in April requiring all Mississippi communities of more than 2,000 people to fluoridate their public water

Discus Dental sues BSML over BriteSmile trademark

Discus Dental has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles federal court against BSML, charging BSML with breach of contract and violating Discus trademark rights, the company announced. In its lawsuit, Discus seeks to end a license agreement with BSML for use of the Discus-owned BriteSmile trademark, a court order prohibiting BSML from future use of the trademark, and damages to its intellectual property rights associated with the trademarked brand. In

Selenium could help create new antibiotics for gum disease

Scientists at the University of Central Florida (UCF) may have found a new weapon in the fight against periodontal disease. The trace mineral selenium could be the key to developing a new line of antibiotics for bacteria that cause periodontal disease, the researchers have discovered. Selenium is found in a number of proteins in bacterial cells and human cells called selenoproteins. This new research shows that interrupting the way selenoproteins