Obesity ups gum disease risk by making more bone-wrecking cells

Obesity causes chronic inflammation that increases the growth of bone-destroying cells during periodontitis, according to an animal study published in the Journal of Dental Research. The inflammation is linked to heightened bone loss around teeth. Excessive inflammation caused by obesity increases the development of monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs), which are immune cells that originate in bone marrow and regulate immunity during illness. These immune cells develop into different cells,

Grin launches AI-based scan guide

Digital orthodontic platform provider Grin has launched its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered AI Scan Guide, a real-time scan system aimed at improving mouth scans. It includes Grin’s AI Scan Summary that selects the best intraoral visuals from patients and features an algorithm that NASA uses to sharpen images. The scan summary exceeds 90% accuracy, according to Grin. AI Scan Guide. Image courtesy of Grin.

My mouth is healthy except …

I have no gum disease. I have superb nutrition and an extremely diverse gut microbiome. In fact, one of the core elements of my Balanced Metabolic Coaching program focuses on dental health. So how come my latest periodontal exam showed signs of tooth decay? And why is it highly likely this decay is connected to my cancer battle? Let me walk you through some of my history and thought process.

Henry Schein webinar to cover hygiene handpiece repairs

The Henry Schein Dental Academy is offering a webinar based on lessons experts have learned from more than 5,000 hygiene handpiece and scaler repairs. Hygiene handpieces are one of the most ubiquitous tools in the dental practice, and if they aren’t working at peak performance, the effects can be troubling for clinicians and patients alike, according to Zubair Rahman and Cameron Longacre of Henry Schein ProRepair. The webinar will take

Chronic TMDs linked to worse quality of life

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) can have an impact on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), according to a study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association. The association was worse for patients with chronic, painful TMDs. Prior research has suggested that pain can affect both physical and psychosocial quality of life, the researchers noted. Their study, which looked at the severity of TMD in 830 patients, confirmed that link.

Nexa3D, Oqton partner on manufactured dental appliances

3D printer maker Nexa3D and artificial intelligence (AI) software developer Oqton have formed a partnership to meet an increase in demand for additively manufactured patient-specific dental appliances and aligners worldwide. Dental labs and aligner manufacturers can now access Oqton software to automate their entire workflow from scheduling to tracking, as well as trace all actions across their entire dental manufacturing process, Nexa3D said. Nexa3D is showcasing its entire dental manufacturing

Philips, FDA provide update on CPAP device recall

Royal Philips and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have provided updates on the voluntary recall notification for certain Philips Respironics sleep and respiratory care products, including bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. On June 14, Philips voluntarily recalled some of its ventilators due to the potential of polyester-based polyurethane foam to break down. If this happens, consumers could breathe in or swallow

Hypertension medication causes man’s rare gingival overgrowth

The use of a common medication for high blood pressure led to gingival overgrowth in a man with poor oral health. Details of the case were published on November 14 in the Journal for Nurse Practitioners. Due to a lapse in dental insurance, the man’s care was delayed, and he plans to have all teeth extracted in the near future. Dental professionals can help prevent similar adverse outcomes by educating

Patients satisfied with digital implant workflow

Patients reported higher satisfaction with a digital workflow for creating a single implant-supported posterior crown than a conventional workflow in a randomized clinical trial published in the Journal of Dentistry. Patient satisfaction was high for both types of workflows, but the digital method particularly excelled at preventing an irritating taste. Patient satisfaction was also high no matter whether they received a lithium disilicate or polymer-infiltrated ceramic restorative material. “Within the

GerdentUSA highlights dental elevators

GerdentUSA is highlighting the features of its dental elevators for periodontal surgeries involving tooth removal. Dental elevators are used to cut collagen fibers to loosen the tooth from the periodontal ligament. They have sharp concave blades that adjust with the tooth and allow for a fast cutting action. They separate the tooth without harming the gums or surrounding teeth, allowing surgeons to use forceps to extract teeth. GerdentUSA offers different

COVID-19 vaccine may cause oral shingles

The Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine may be linked to the development of the viral infection herpes zoster (HZ), or shingles, in the oral cavity, according to a case report published November 10 in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science. A few weeks after receiving the vaccine, a handful of patients developed HZ, which is caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus from its latent state in the trigeminal

Biolase posts 46% growth in Q3 revenue

Biolase reported a 46% increase in its third-quarter revenue (end-September 30, 2021). The company’s revenue increased from $6.5 million for the period in 2020 to $9.5 million for the same period this year. The company attributed the increase to the effect of COVID-19 in 2020. For the nine months ending September 30, the company’s revenue was $26.8 million, compared with $14.3 million in 2020.