What you need to know about anesthesia and the climate crisis

Clinicians can reduce the amount of anesthetic gas, including nitrous oxide, used during procedures without negatively affecting patient care and help fight global warming, according to research presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Advance 2023 event. Reducing anesthetic gas flow is one way that healthcare professionals can help cut greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to the global climate crisis, according to study data presented at the event, which

Week in Review: Court rules on dental therapists and Medicaid | Dental debate over Question 2 | New fronts in the fight against gum disease

Dear DrBicuspid Member, The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that dental health aide therapists in tribal communities in Washington can receive reimbursements from Medicaid. Our top story of the week covers what you need to know about the ruling. New debate in dentistry Dr. Michael W. Davis’s popular “Debate to Better Dentistry” series is back with a debate on the national impact of Question 2, the state

Sheetz reviewing employee dental policy

Sheetz is reviewing an internal policy stating that employees cannot have any visible dental issues and that applicants with such issues are disqualified from employment, according to a January 24 report by Business Insider. According to the report, the company’s employee handbook states that “applicants with obvious missing, broken, or badly discolored teeth (unrelated to a disability) are not qualified for employment with Sheetz.” The handbook also states that Sheetz

Is computer-aided surgery a tool against antibiotic resistance?

Static computer-aided implant surgery (S-CAIS) offers benefits compared to conventional procedures, including that it may help combat antibiotic resistance, according to a letter published on January 24 in the International Dental Journal. New technologies allow for complete virtual planning and computer-aided clinical execution of dental implants. In addition, they have the potential to make the process quicker, more accurate, as well as less invasive and expensive, the authors of the

Patent suit between Sonendo’s PIPStek, Biolase heats up

PIPStek, a subsidiary of Sonendo, developer of the GentleWave root canal disinfection system, filed a lawsuit against Biolase claiming that Biolase’s laser violates two of its patents. Biolase calls the claims against its Waterlase laser “meritless.” In the suit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, PIPStek asserts infringement of its U.S. patents Nos. 11,426,239 and 11,350,993 by Biolase’s Waterlase, according to a Sonendo press release.

UT Health awarded $9.8M to study jaw pain

The University of Texas (UT) Health San Antonio School of Dentistry has received a $9.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how sensory neurons in the jaw influence pain. Ultimately, the research could lead to safer drug alternatives to opioid painkillers while helping to curb addiction, according to researchers. Armen Akopian, PhD. “This effort is the basis for eventually developing drugs to replace opioids so that

Admetec to launch camera, headlight for dental loupes

Admetec will launch the Flamingo, an integrated high-definition camera and headlight for dental loupes at the International Dental Show, which is occurring March 14-18, 2023, in Cologne, Germany. The Flamingo is a lightweight tool that allows high-definition video to be streamed to laptops and screens via a Wi-Fi connection. In addition, screenshots can be taken and autosaved for real-time documentation. Flamingo’s headlight is integrated with its camera; therefore, the light

Experimental drug restores diseased gums, jawbone

An experimental drug shows potential as a regenerative treatment for periodontal disease, according to research from the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research (LIMR) in Wynnewood, PA. In a preclinical study, a team led by Ellen Heber-Katz, PhD, assessed the performance of 1,4-DCPA, an experimental drug that works by inhibiting a molecule that blocks the production of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1a), a master molecule and key component of the body’s healing response.

USOSM taps new COO

U.S. Oral Surgery Management (USOSM) has named Alisa Ulrey as chief operations officer (COO). Ulrey will oversee USOSM’s daily operations, as well as design and implement business strategies, set company goals for performance and growth, and establish policies that promote company culture and vision. She has more than 30 years of experience and was most recently the president and COO of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders. Currently, USOSM

Dentists ask for new gum disease guidelines

Organized dentistry should develop formal guidelines that address the management of periodontal patients with continued inflammation after scaling and root planing, according to a commentary published on January 21 in the Journal of the American Dental Association. Patients with persistent inflammation after initial periodontal treatment need to undergo reevaluations and may require more advanced therapy, the authors wrote. “We urge the American Dental Association and others in organized dentistry to

Clinical trial to test material to regenerate bone

The Italian Ministry of Health has granted permission for a 15-patient pilot clinical trial to assess the efficacy of a biomaterial designed to regenerate bone in the mandibular and maxillary dental arches, according to a press release from the company behind the material. The clinical trial will assess the ability of Tetranite from RevBio to bond dental implants to bone while gradually being replaced by new bone growth. The primary

Gene variant tied to cancers in patients with tooth loss

The same genes that affect diseases in patients’ mouths may be linked to other diseases, including certain types of cancer, according to research published last September in Scientific Reports. A team led by Dr. Mariana Bezamat of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences demonstrated in a population with tooth loss that a variation in the ERN1 gene may be associated with skin and breast cancer. “Cavities can