U.S. dentists’ use of articaine climbs despite risks

Though many clinicians reported being concerned about the risk of paresthesia associated with articaine, the use of the anesthetic has expanded among dentists in the U.S. The study was published on October 1 in the Journal of the American Dental Association. About three-fourths of dentists reported administering articaine for all injections without or without the exception of nerve blocks, but only a very small percentage stopped using the anesthetic, the

Chicken nugget nearly cost rapper Post Malone his $600K fang

Austin Post, better known as U.S. rapper Post Malone, bit into a chicken nugget, dislodging a $600,000 diamond set in his fang and causing it to fall down a drain in Rome, according to a story recently published in Esquire. Instead of diving into the hole to retrieve the 12-carat precious stone, he crafted a pair of pliers with a plastic tripod — like the kind placed in pizza boxes

This state isn’t worried about dentistry

Vermont is the U.S. state that may be the least concerned about dental health, with Montana, Iowa, Maine, and Wyoming following behind the Green Mountain State, according to a new survey released on October 9 by the Ireland-based practice Bandon Dental. On the flip side, New York is the U.S. state most concerned about dental health. Louisiana, Nevada, Georgia, and Mississippi followed behind the Empire State to round out the

Boxer KSI to wear $49K mouthguard at upcoming fight

British boxer Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, known professionally as KSI, will don a $49,000 diamond-covered mouthguard when he fights boxer Tommy Fury on October 14. The black mouthguard, which was created by SafeJawz, has 108 diamonds and a 24-carat gold leaf. KSI will wear it when he takes the ring at the Manchester Arena in England. Based on his solid record and family boxing background, Fury is favored to win.

Woman diagnosed with Munchausen’s due to fake oral health symptoms

A woman who underwent oral surgical procedures for persistent tooth pain and oral ulcers was diagnosed with Munchausen syndrome after clinicians found no medical evidence of her symptoms. The case report was published in Special Care in Dentistry. Dentists should suspect Munchausen syndrome, also known as factitious disorder imposed on self (FDIS), in patients presenting with a vague and elaborate history that isn’t explained by clinical exams and imaging, wrote

Visual bone loss and root planing insurance benefits

I love a good fable. We all have a story of our Peter Perio. Peter Perio, a 42-year-old new patient, comes in for his examination, which includes radiography and a complete hard and soft-tissue assessment. It has been half a decade since his last dental appointment. You note the glossy gingiva with a loss of stippling, rolled gingival margins, recession, and staining. There is plaque, calculus, periodontal pocketing, and bleeding.

Report shows more patients seeking endodontists

Today, October 16, is World Endodontic Day and a recent report published by the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) shows that general practitioners have been gaining patient and treatment share across various dental specialties except endodontics. Ultimately, the data highlight the resilience of endodontists and shed new light on a trend that has been playing out in the industry since 2019, the AAE said. “While [general practitioners] have been expanding

A surprising factor that may cut enamel defect risk in kids

Asthma medication use may not be associated with dental disease in children; however, having a dog during the first year of life suggests a reduced risk of enamel defects, according to a study published on October 9 in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. The finding that man’s best friend may cut this risk in children should be considered suggestive and warrants conducting more studies in the future. Furthermore, the study suggests

Researchers discover mechanism involved in dental inflammation

Researchers at the University of São Paulo in Brazil have discovered connections in the mechanisms involved in dental pulp inflammation and root apex damage. The findings may lead to medications that can prevent bone loss due to endodontic infection. The team’s results were published recently in the Journal of Endodontics. The researchers found that tumor necrosis factor-α receptor-1, TNFR1, is involved in the formation of reparative dentin after dental pulp capping. Pulp

World Rugby to use ‘smart’ mouthguard technology

World Rugby plans to invest $2.1 million on “smart” mouthguard technology that can detect brain injuries sustained by players during games, according to a report published on October 9 by the Associated Press. The mouthguards measure “the force of head impacts in real time” and deliver alerts to game day doctors when players experience “a high level of acceleration which could lead to an injury,” the report said. The technology

Phillies NLCS Game 2 run-in with security cost fan his teeth

A Philadelphia Phillies fan may need to replace two missing teeth following a stunning run-in with field security at Citizens Bank Park during the October 17 National League Championship Series (NLCS) game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. “Toward the end of the game, it was the eighth inning, I looked over at my buddy and I’m like, ‘Yo, I’m going to head down there,’” explained the Phillies fan on CrossingBroad. “I

Military tests explore efficacy of portable dental medicine devices

The U.S. Army Medical Test and Evaluation Activity partnered with the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity in September to test three expeditionary dental treatment devices at Fort Liberty, NC. Medical developers and evaluators from the two organizations worked directly with soldiers belonging to the 257th Medical Company (Dental Area Support), 44th Medical Brigade. The tests explored the real-world utility of the field portable dental system (FPDS), the dental filmless