SmileDirectClub has secured two new U.S. patents, one for its electric toothbrush with interchangeable aligner head and another for its Bluetooth-powered aligner case. U.S. patent No. 10,786,339 covers the electric toothbrush’s heads for cleaning invisible aligners, while patent No. 10,772,714 covers the location technology used with the aligner case.
The Pankey Institute plans to hold its virtual annual symposium on October 23 and 24. The theme will be “Conservative Comprehensive Dentistry.” Presentations will address topics ranging from minimally invasive adhesive and esthetic dentistry, the use of social media marketing, precision-based dentistry, and restoring abfractions with high strength injectable composite. The meeting is sponsored by Planmeca, Ivoclar Vivadent, Brasseler USA, Kulzer, GC America, Panadent, Carestream Dental, Kettenbach Dental, and Whip
Later this month, I will turn 63. I am a husband, a father, a brother, and an uncle. I served as an officer in the South African army. I am president of Operation Savannah, a faith-based recovery ministry. I have also committed seven years of my life to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) amalgam rule, including my work with Stephanie Smiles, a program that offers a free software platform
DentaQuest and America’s ToothFairy are expanding a free, superhero-themed, at-home oral health program for kids ages 6 to 12. The program, which runs through November 9, allows children to win prizes, such as a Nintendo Switch gaming console, while learning to prevent tooth decay. The goal of the program is to get kids more engaged in good oral hygiene habits. This program is especially important for those children who are
InterDent is providing free complete and partial dentures to patients affected by fires in Oregon through affiliated Gentle Dental and SmileKeepers practices. The company provides management services to 175 dental practices in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Kansas, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Washington. Its divisions include Gentle Dental, Dedicated Dental, Capitol Dental, and SmileKeepers, the company said.
Misfiring brain cells that regulate vital parts of the tongue and mouth may create swallowing difficulties in children with neurodevelopmental conditions, according to a recent animal study published online in eNeuro. Motor neurons that control the tongue muscles were firing spontaneously and failing to work properly with systems that should control that activity in LgDel mouse pups. LgDel is a genomically accurate model that summarizes pediatric dysphagia seen frequently in
Dentsply Sirona said it is releasing a dental filling material called Surefil one that has the convenience of a glass ionomer with the durability of a composite. It will be available starting October 12. For patients who want amalgam-free restorations, Surefil one offers an alternative; it represents an entirely new material class and is the first ever self-adhesive composite hybrid, according to the company. In chewing simulations, after 500,000 cycles,
Change. We all know it isn’t easy in the dental practice. Sometimes it’s a job security thing (it’s not like anyone is feeling that right now, right?). Sometimes it’s about communication. Sometimes it’s a lack trust or fear of the unknown. Hey, if what we’re using in the clinical space isn’t broken, why fix it, right? Lastly, sometimes it’s timing. So how do we overcome all these obstacles to change?
Voco America has released a new low-viscosity nanohybrid flowable composite called GrandioSo Light Flow. The composite has the filler capability of a universal composite (76%) but also a flowable viscosity that helps dentists precisely apply it using an intraoral tip. GrandioSo Light Flow is available with two sizes of intraoral tips, according to the firm. GrandioSo Light Flow nanohybrid composite. Image courtesy of Voco.
After we published an article last week detailing updated guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on dental amalgam, we started to get questions from our readers about what had changed. And we also received questions about the insurance differences between dental composites and amalgam, and how the differences affect dental patients and practices. Knowing you had questions, we brought Teresa Duncan on for our latest episode of
The starting point of all dental treatment is to listen to your patient’s chief complaints and his or her expectations. By having a good understanding of your patient’s desires, you will be able to present treatment options that will provide the desired results. Many years ago, communication was a major problem. I was a poor communicator with the people who worked for me and with my patients. I decided that
Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) clearly maps the neurovascular canals and the anatomic variants of patients’ upper and lower jaws, facilitating the safe performance of endodontic treatments, according to a case series published on September 15 in the Journal of Endodontics. CBCT imaging provides accurate, high-resolution visualization of the accessory canals of the jaws along with tools to evaluate areas of interest in detail and map the communications of accessory neurovascular
