How apical periodontitis varies by gender

The inflammatory condition apical periodontitis (AP) may be more prevalent in women, and it may be more common in root-filled posterior teeth, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Endodontics. However, men appeared to have a higher rate of larger and more severe osteolytic lesions than women, the authors wrote. “These findings emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and treatment and highlight the significant sexual dimorphism in

Mediterranean diet may curb gum disease

Eating a Mediterranean-style diet, which is rich in vegetables and limits red meat, may lead to better gum health, according to a news release dated September 15 from King’s College London in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, patients who regularly follow the Mediterranean diet may have lower levels of inflammatory markers linked to periodontal disease, according to the release. “Our findings suggest that a balanced, Mediterranean-type diet could potentially reduce gum

Not all tooth pain is equal: Classifying the 5 types of endodontic emergencies

As a practicing endodontist, Friday evenings are always unpredictable. Patients in pain or referring dentists who are trying to help their patients in pain right before the weekend have become a norm in my practice. Dr. Deepika Ganne.AustinEndo Identifying actual dental emergencies and referring them to the right specialist helps the patient immensely in getting the right kind of help, especially when time is of the essence. Pulp testing is

Clinical tip: Simple socket graft suturing

Dr. Doug Smail from CDOCS returns with another clinical video aimed to help every dentist with his or her suturing techniques in the dental practice. “Now here we have, and you can see in the mirror shot, a simple extraction of tooth #19, and the walls are intact. You can see a little defect in the interseptal bone that’s ready to pop out of the mesial root. And once you’ve

October Summit to focus on periodontal protocols

Amber Auger, MPH, RDH, will host “Thrive Chairside: Science-Based Periodontal Protocols” October 2-3 in Boston. The event aims to train dentists and hygienists to implement periodontal workflows within a 60-minute visit. Sessions cover treatment sequencing, coding, scheduling, team communication, and patient-friendly language to improve trust and case acceptance. Attendees will see step-by-step case examples and receive a comprehensive manual for use in practice. For more information and to register, visit

What you need to know about buccal infiltration with articaine

Articaine given only by buccal infiltration may not be as effective as lidocaine with standard infiltration and palatal injection for molar extractions. The study was recently published in the Journal of the American Dental Association. Furthermore, patients may be more likely to report pain when they receive articaine, the authors wrote. “Buccal infiltration with articaine only may not be sufficient to ensure adequate anesthesia for extraction of maxillary primary molars,”

Onpharma Company rolls out Onset EZ buffering pen

The Onset EZ buffering pen.The Onpharma Company. The Onpharma Company has unveiled the Onset EZ buffering pen. The pen buffers individual cartridges of local anesthetic to adjust their pH to a more neutral pH before use, Onpharma said. Each pen contains a sterile solution of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate and water and is sufficient to buffer 30 local anesthetic cartridges. The pen can be used up to 30 days after being

Medit launches aligners

Medit has launched Medit Aligners, a digital clear aligner system designed for faster treatment and more predictable results. Integrated with the Medit Orthodontic Suite, it allows orthodontists to scan, simulate, plan, and design aligners in a single visit. Additionally, the system uses AI for treatment simulations, it eliminates third-party delays, and it provides full clinical control, according to Medit.

How well do partial fixed dentures survive?

Fixed partial dentures may provide an affordable, minimally invasive treatment that delivers reliable, long-lasting results, including high survival rates, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. However, treatment plans should be tailored to each patient’s habits and tooth location, the authors wrote. “Direct fiber-reinforced composite fixed partial dentures (DFRC-FPDs) represent an immediate, long-term treatment option for replacing up to 2 missing teeth with no or

uLab, Biolux to speed up aligner treatment with light therapy

uLab Systems and Biolux Technology have partnered to bundle uSmile aligners with the OrthoPulse near-infrared light therapy device through the uDesign cloud platform. Paired with uLab’s AI aligner planning, the combined solution uses OrthoPulse’s light therapy to speed bone remodeling and tooth movement, allowing for fewer refinements and less discomfort, according to the companies.

Kids with sickle cell disease at greater risk of needing oral healthcare

Children with the inherited blood disorder sickle cell disease may face a higher risk of oral health problems; however, many don’t receive necessary care, according to researchers from the University of Michigan Medical School. Access to dental care for children with sickle cell disease may be limited by few Medicaid-accepting dentists and unclear treatment guidelines, according to a university press release dated September 3. “Sickle cell disease is known to

Clinical tip: Replacement of a congenital missing canine

In this clinical tip (lasting just over 23 minutes), Dr. Farhad Boltchi from CDOCS discusses how he treated a case in which a patient presented with a congenital missing canine (tooth #6). CMSBrowserComponents.load({ el: ‘#vue-1770697831584-585’, name: ‘OEmbed’, props: {“mountPoint”:”/__oembed”,”url”:”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em5VJe7CH8A”,”attrs”:{“type”:”oembed”,”id”:”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em5VJe7CH8A”,”element”:”aside”}}, hydrate: false, skipWhenExists: false });