The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has come out in support of claims that chewing gum containing xylitol can help reduce the risk of caries. Previously the EFSA and other regulatory bodies had only allowed sugar-free chewing gums to carry the claim “Does not promote tooth decay.” In an opinion issued last month, the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies stated that, based upon its review of 60
A dentist from Texas A&M has invented a device that decreases pain for patients getting braces by locating the precise insertion spot for the miniscrews, according to a story in the Battalion, a student publication at the university. The Miniscrew Implant Placement Kit was created by Roberto Carrillo, D.D.S., of the A&M System’s Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas. It is one of numerous ongoing projects from the A&M System’s
The New York State Dental Association (NYSDA) is criticizing New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed closings of New York City Department of Health dental clinics, according to a press release. The closures, part of sweeping citywide cuts announced recently by the mayor, would impact 44 public health dental clinics serving 17,000 of the city’s neediest children. “Shutting down New York City’s dental program exhibits a lack of understanding of
Remedent has signed three new distribution agreements with Den-Mat Holdings: The distribution of Remedent’s Haptic Arm will enable Den-Mat to tap into Remedent’s veneer design software and its haptic design arm technology. An OEM branded agreement for Remedent’s teeth sensitivity product (Remesense) whereby Den-Mat will distribute the product to the U.S. marketplace under the name Lumisense. U.S. distribution of a new tray-based foam product, Lumiboost, for the maintenance of veneers
Ten years from now in a remote Arizona town, an unemployed single mother arrives in a clean, bright clinic. An hour later she leaves with her badly decayed tooth removed and her son’s cavity filled. It’s a scene that could play out today in any dental clinic in the U.S., with one key difference: There is no dentist in this office. Such visions of the future are tearing U.S. dentistry
NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Nov 14 – As prophylaxis against ventilator-associated pneumonia, the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum 299 (Lp299) is as effective as the antiseptic chlorhexidine in reducing the pathogenic bacterial load in the oropharynx of tracheally intubated, mechanically ventilated, critically ill patients, results of a pilot study indicate. In the study, 50 critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation were randomly assigned to standard oral mechanical cleansing followed by washing
Dental impression materials are used to record oral anatomy for the fabrication of fixed restorations and removable prosthodontics and appliances. The accuracy of these restorations depends on proper tooth preparation, the impression material, the technique used, and excellent communication with the dental laboratory. Elastomeric impression materials, addition silicone (PVS) and polyether, are popular because of their excellent physical and mechanical properties, including excellent detail reproduction, high elastic recovery and good
Ameritas Group will now cover professional tooth bleaching and tooth-color composite fillings on molars, the company announced. “Our bleaching benefit offers upper and lower arch bleaching every two years, in addition to coverage for two types of single-tooth bleaching,” stated Karen Gustin, vice president of group marketing and managed care for Ameritas Group, in a press release. “By offering composites on molars, along with the composite coverage we already offer
A perfect pearly white smile is a priority for many patients, and that usually means a dose of at-home or in-office bleaching. But what about situations in which bleaching is not an option? One possible treatment in such cases is “tooth lightening.” Developed in 2000 at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, this technique avoids peroxide altogether, instead relying on remineralization to change tooth color. “It’s a partner to
A new study published in the November issue of the Journal of Endodontics addresses the growing controversy among dental health professionals regarding the best course of treatment when evaluating between a root canal or dental implant procedure, according to a press release from the American Association of Endodontists (AAE). Researchers evaluated the success and failure rates of teeth treated with a root canal (endodontically treated teeth) or extracted and replaced
Orthodontists have been straightening teeth for decades, relying on the ancient physics principle “every action has a reaction,” in which tooth displacement in one part of the jaw causes movement on the other as well. Use of dental implants as orthodontic anchors, however, is changing that principle by expediting treatment times and expanding possibilities for previously untreatable cases, according to research presented at the 2008 American Academy of Implant Dentistry
A University of South Carolina study of children’s dental health has found that nearly one-fourth of the nation’s children have had no dental care in at least a year. Conducted by researchers at the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center, the study found that nearly 32% of Hispanic children in rural areas had no dental care in the past year and 26% of rural black children had no dental care,