Could an ancient signaling pathway hold the key to tooth formation?

Researchers at the University of Zurich Center for Dental Medicine recently studied the Notch pathway’s role in the evolution of tooth morphology, with their results being published in Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. The team, led by Thimios Mitsiadis, PhD, suggested that mutations in this ancient signaling pathway can lead to defective structures in tooth enamel. Tooth analysis is often performed to study mammalian evolution and the adaptations that occur

Clear aligners may raise the risk of having a smile with gaps

Clear aligner therapy patients may not only be more likely to be left with open gingival embrasures than those treated with fixed orthodontics, but these gaps between the teeth may be larger, a study recently published in Head & Face Medicine found. Clinicians should know about the risk of open gingival embrasures (OGE) with clear aligner therapy and explain these potential consequences to patients, the authors wrote. “Despite an invisible

Researchers develop novel bone regeneration technique

A group at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) suggests that bone repair can be improved in large bone lesions by injecting a combination of RNA, according to recent research. In a study in rats, the researchers demonstrated that injecting RNA encoding two different proteins involved in bone repair improved bone regeneration over large areas. They noted the finding could translate well into the clinic. “Our technique is especially promising

3rd-molar surgery may put patients at risk of developing TMDs

Patients who experience trauma such as wisdom teeth extractions may develop temporomandibular disorders (TMD), according to a review published recently in Cranio: the Journal of Craniomandibular and Sleep Practice. Although the association does not equal causation, there is a presurgical incidence of TMD in the patients seeking third molar extractions. “[Therefore], the importance of including a full temporomandibular joint pre-surgical assessment may lead to a reduced incidence of TMD in

SmileDirectClub expanding CarePlus plan in the U.S.

SmileDirectClub’s premium clear aligner offering, CarePlus, will be available at SmileShops in the U.S. and select partner network locations in August. CarePlus includes access to a local dentist or orthodontist for in-person check-ins, access to an all-day, every day concierge customer care team, expedited aligner shipping, and enhanced scalloped-edge aligners and retainers. The company decided to expand the offering after piloting CarePlus in four markets in the U.S. When paid

Dentists provide 1-in-4 cosmetic surgery injections in the U.K.

Two out of three cosmetic surgery injections in the U.K. are not administered by medical doctors, according to a recent report by University College London researchers. While medical doctors accounted for 32% of professionals administering cosmetic surgery injections, dentists were not far behind, representing 24% of the professionals surveyed. Dentists weren’t the only dental professionals to provide cosmetic injectable services. Dental nurses accounted for 8% of the professions represented, according

Florida tops states for children’s dental ED visits

Florida had the highest rate of children’s use of emergency department (ED) visits for nontraumatic dental conditions, according to a recent study. Researchers with the oral health nonprofit CareQuest Institute for Oral Health have previously analyzed why and how frequently adults visit an ED for dental conditions that could best be treated in a dental setting. This recent study is the first to explore children’s use of EDs for nontraumatic

Patient develops air in facial vein during crown preparation

On two occasions, air blown from a turbine drill became trapped in a major facial vein of a healthy woman during dental crown preparation, which could have led to life-threatening complications. The case report was published in the World Journal of Clinical Cases. The woman’s prompt diagnosis and treatment prevented cervical subcutaneous emphysema in the angle of the retromandibular vein from developing into a deep space infection, air embolism, cranial

Is SDF the answer to reducing tooth sensitivity?

Older adults experienced a nearly 60% reduction in dentine hypersensitivity when silver diamine fluoride (SDF) was applied to the root surfaces of their teeth. The randomized clinical trial was published on July 14 in the Journal of Dentistry. It is believed to be the first clinical trial investigating the short- and long-term desensitizing effect of SDF on hypersensitive teeth due to exposed root surfaces in older adults, the authors wrote.

Lower lip sensation loss after mandibulectomy may not be irreversible

The loss of sensation in the lower lip caused by damage to the inferior alveolar nerve during mandibulectomy may no longer be irreversible, according to researchers from West China Hospital of Sichuan University in Chengdu, China. The findings offer patients who have undergone mandibulectomy hope for improved quality of life, wrote a team led by PhD candidate Pingchuan Ma. Ma and colleagues published their research on June 8 in the

N.H. tops list of U.S. states for stained smiles

New Hampshire may be known for its picturesque towns and the White Mountain National Forest, but it may not be known for its white teeth. An analysis from Imagix Dental ranked the Granite state as the place where people are the most likely to have discolored teeth. Vermont was ranked second, and Rhode Island came in third, according to a study by the practice, which has more than a half

Jaw surgery may leave 4 in 10 patients with deviated septums

Nasal septum deviation may occur in about 4 in 10 patients after undergoing orthognathic surgeries to correct the position of the maxilla and skeletal malocclusions, according to a study published on July 6 in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Since Le Fort osteotomies may significantly affect a patient’s facial appearance, including nasal changes, oral surgeons should be aware of the complications as well as preventive surgical techniques, the