In the 1967 movie, “The Graduate,” a young Dustin Hoffman plays an aimless young man named Benjamin Braddock who just graduated from college. His upscale parents host a graduation party at their swanky home in his honor. During the party, one of his dad’s martini-fueled friends, Mr. McGuire, throws his arm around Ben’s shoulder to share the following career advice: Mr. McGuire: “I want to say one word to you.
This week’s clinical tip, courtesy of CDOCS, focuses on ensuring the best results for your dental patients’ anterior teeth. “Now for many of us, the workflow is going to be sending this to a lab to get a digital diagnostic wax-up. So I’ll scan the upper, I’ll scan the lower, I’ll scan the bite, and I’ll send off her diagnostic wax-up. “Now, when we get this back oftentimes, we’re in
Smartphone photographs of a child’s mouth taken by parents may accurately detect caries during teledentistry appointments, according to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Dental Association. When parents followed a written photo guide, the frontal, upper, and lower occlusal images they took showed high sensitivity and specificity, the authors wrote. “Parent-obtained smartphone photographs can provide accurate and clinically meaningful detection of frank caries in the primary
Dental diseases and oral health disparities continue to affect adolescents and young adults worldwide, with noncarious conditions rising significantly, according to a study recently published in the International Dental Journal. Furthermore, greater focus on oral health may be needed for this population, especially for female patients, older teens, and those living in low- and middle-income countries, the authors wrote. “Despite the decline in prevalence, the burden of oral diseases remains,
This week’s clinical tip, courtesy of CDOCS, is delivered by Dr. Diwakar Kinra and is focused on helping those dental patients who have a gag reflex. Watch below to learn some of Dr. Kinra’s tips and tricks, including one focused on radiographs. Video transcript “Hi. My name is Diwakar Kinra, and I’m endodontic faculty at CDOCS, and my tip of the day has to do with gagging. “Actually, gagging is
One of the conclusions that I have come to in 10 years of practice is that a reliable glass ionomer is an essential tool that every dentist needs in their arsenal. Now, admittedly, I have probably used glass ionomer more than most of my colleagues of similar age throughout my career. Dr. Danny Snyder. Two years out of dental school, I took over for an incredible 71-year-old dentist who had
Periodontal disease may be linked to a higher risk of stroke, but proper dental biofilm control may help. This large systematic review was recently published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice. However, more research is needed to determine the underlying mechanisms by which gum disease raises one’s stroke risk, the authors wrote. “Periodontal disease has been identified as an independent risk factor for stroke,” wrote the authors, led by
In what is believed to be the first reported case of its kind, an immunosuppressive drug prescribed for lupus-induced kidney disease caused gingival enlargement in a 27-year-old woman. The case report was published in Clinical Advances in Periodontics. Within a month of discontinuing the use of voclosporin, a newer calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) used primarily to treat lupus nephritis, the woman experienced reduced gum enlargement and less pain. This report highlights
Primary care clinicians may face barriers to using a topical fluoride varnish (TFV), including time constraints and the assumption that dentists are already administering it, according to a study recently published in JDR Clinical & Translational Research. Some of the methods to meet these challenges may include having TFV supplies readily available in the exam room and having nursing staff deliver patient education, the authors wrote. “Despite recommendations for topical
This week’s clinical tip, courtesy of CDOCS, focuses on a common problem that can happen during orthodontic treatment planning. “It’s much easier for them to just close the spaces. So what I find to be much more helpful is to go ahead and build up the laterals. So like in this case, we’re going to go ahead and take the measurement of the central to see if it’s within the
Preschool-aged children with delayed motor development and obesity may be more susceptible to falls that result in traumatic dental injuries (TDIs), according to a study recently published in Dental Traumatology. Dental professionals can help by identifying early signs of risk factors and working with pediatricians, the authors wrote. “The prevention and early intervention of these conditions can contribute to the adequate development of children for age and avoid health problems,”
“We cater to cowards!” If I had to guess, I’d say that the vast majority of dentists either have this sign somewhere in their office, or they at least claim that their practice possesses the unique capability to “cater” to those who are terrified of the thought of visiting a dentist. Dr. Ankur Gupta. This is appropriate, as there are scores of individuals, in each of our towns, whose fear
