2% of pediatric dental patients had SARS-CoV-2 in new study

Approximately 2% of asymptomatic children tested positive for the novel coronavirus during dental visits in a study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association. The researchers believe this is the first study to evaluate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in pediatric dentistry. Studies in adults have found that the prevalence of COVID-19 in the dental office mirrors the positivity rate of the local community. Children

DOVE Dental launches new single-use aerosol collection device

DOVE Dental Products has launched a new single-use aerosol collection device that reduces the spread of airborne particles by 95%, the company said. The high-volume evacuation (HVE) unit, Aero Wide Mouth HVE, features a 22-mm swivel distal opening, lip-retraction, and three-hole external aerosol control, according to the firm. The HVE evacuation valve offers backflow protection and complies with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations for aerosol management,

Week in Review: Cache of hidden teeth | Pandemic recovery | Bupivacaine facts

Dear DrBicuspid Member, The top story of the week is about a cache of donated baby teeth hidden away in an old ammunition bunker at a university. The teeth were originally donated to evaluate the effects of radiation, and researchers will now use them to study how early exposure to heavy metals may be linked to cognitive decline in old age. Practices starting to recover from pandemic Dentistry is continuing

GC America introduces new resin cement

GC America has launched G-Cem One, a self-adhesive resin cement designed to simplify cementation procedures for a range of indications. G-Cem One works in all adhesive and self-adhesive procedures for multiple types of restorations, including metal-based, resin, and all-ceramic inlays, onlays, crowns, bridges, and posts. The self-adhesive resin cement uses one syringe to provide the necessary bond strength to enamel, dentin, and all indirect restorations, the company said. The G-Cem

Dental Dose: What you need to know about bupivacaine

Dental Dose is a twice-monthly video series featuring pharmacologist Tom Viola, RPh. In each episode, Viola shares bite-sized pieces of dental pharmacology news, facts, and myths. Bupivacaine’s claim to fame is that it’s the longest-acting amide anesthetic agent, noted Tom Viola in the latest episode of Dental Dose. It fills the need for instances when patients require profound anesthesia for the entire length of a procedure. But how much do

GCL, Benco partner to deliver dental implant products

GCL Systems and Benco Dental are partnering to expand distribution for the GCL line of Gingival Cuff Links to dental practices across the U.S. The collaboration will deliver dental implant soft-tissue solutions from GCL Systems to a broad dental audience through Benco Dental. The patented Gingival Cuff Links system sculpts gingival soft tissue into natural emergence profiles. GCL Systems designed the provisional healing cuff to enable chairside customization for clinicians,

Align celebrates milestone, donates $10M to Align Foundation

Align Technology announced that more than 10 million patients have begun treatment with the Invisalign system. To celebrate, the company is donating $10 million to the Align Foundation to fund organizations that transform smiles and support and educate teenagers. The 10 millionth Invisalign patient is Gabriela Silva from São Paulo, who has begun treatment with Dr. Eunice Blind, an orthodontist practicing at Clinica Pedroso, also in São Paulo. Align is also partnering with Por

5 hours vs. 25 seconds: Study shows promise of AI

Researchers created an algorithm that shows the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) for dentistry. While it took humans nearly five hours to segment the teeth and jaw on a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan, an algorithm completed the task in just 25 seconds. Despite the astounding time difference, the algorithm’s segmentation showed high agreement with the segmentation done by four practicing dentists. The findings demonstrate that using a mixed-scale dense

Good-looking teeth are in fashion thanks to Zoom

Having the best-looking teeth is now fashionable thanks to a spike in virtual meetings, the rise of online dental influencers, and high-end oral care products, according to a recent article from the Guardian. Oral care products have found their spot in the self-care beauty moment, including $55 toothpaste and luxury whitening treatments promoted by reality stars-turned-influencers. One expert in the beauty industry even said that smile makeovers have become the

TMD linked to exposure to violence in children

Adolescents who report temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain and jaw dysfunction are more often exposed to violence, according to a study published recently in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation. High stress, including exposure to violence, has been known to increase TMD symptoms. In the study, researchers looked at 2,431 people ages 14 to 19 in Brazil to understand the relationship between self-reported TMD-related symptoms and violence through child physical abuse, intimate

COVID-19 gives cosmetic dentistry a boost

In-person work meetings and events came to a screeching halt during the pandemic, leading most people to turn to videoconferencing platforms to stay connected. Such platforms have pushed them to notice the flaws in their teeth, according to a cosmetic dentist. Smile makeovers are very popular right now, said Dr. Wynn Okuda, co-founder of the Pan Pacific Dental Academy and owner of a cosmetic dentistry practice in Honolulu. “It is an

Bad Breath? What You Can Do to Cure Halitosis

Breath mint? Take a hint. Someone’s subtly telling you your breath stinks — time to do something about it. Bad breath is a million dollar industry. Gum, mints, mouthwashes line the shelves with the sole purpose of flavoring your breath in hopes it smells better. But as any dentist will tell you, these are only temporary solutions to bad breath. The root of bad breath can be due to any