Lasers are a hot topic: Biolase CEO discusses why

CHICAGO – Lasers aren’t new, but they’re nonetheless a hot topic right now in dentistry. In fact, HuangshanDental.com readers and an expert panel voted lasers for periodontal treatment as the hottest dental procedure in this year’s Cuspies awards. What’s accounting for the sudden interest? The COVID-19 pandemic, said Biolase CEO John Beaver during a video interview at the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. During the COVID-19 pandemic, dentistry has taken

Week in Review: A look at regenerative endo treatments | Chicago Midwinter Meeting highlights | Webinar next week

Dear DrBicuspid Member, Researchers have shown that two regenerative endodontic procedures (REPs) could be a viable treatment for mature permanent teeth with necrotic pulps. Our top story of the week explained why. In a new randomized trial, a revitalization blood clot technique and a platelet-rich, fibrin-based technique demonstrated success in treating mature teeth with necrotic pulps. The two types of REPs could be an alternative to root canal therapy for

Sealants and Fluoride: Is Your Child’s Smile Protected?

Parents have the instinct to protect their children. Whether it is buckling them up in the car or making them wear a coat in the winter, it’s our innate desire to shield our kids from discomfort or prevent harm. When it comes to your child’s smile health, your dentist can offer two very important services in preventative care. Sealants and fluoride treatment can go a long way in protecting small

Nobio launches new restoratives line

Nobio has launched a new line of advanced antimicrobial restorative materials designed to fight recurring decay. The Infinix advanced restoratives product line includes an antimicrobial bonding agent and the dental industry’s first U.S. Food and Drug Administration-cleared antimicrobial composites, the company said. The Infinix line includes universal and flowable composites, as well as a universal bonding system, which incorporate the company’s patented QASi antimicrobial particle technology. A bulk-fill composite will

Dealing with the ‘I still feel that’ during anesthesia delivery

Achieving complete anesthesia of a patient’s tooth that needs treatment when everything else in the mouth seems numb is the most common difficulty clinicians face, according to a presenter at the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. Knowing anatomical landmarks, including nerve pathways, as well as an understanding of multiple injection techniques, are necessary to overcoming this challenge, said Dr. Alan Budenz, a dentist from San Francisco. “Because of the diversity of

Tooth fairy payouts at record high

The tooth fairy’s average cash gift for a lost tooth has reached a record high of $5.36, according to Delta Dental’s 2022 Original Tooth Fairy Poll. The poll has been conducted since 1998. This year’s poll shows an average payout four times higher than that of the first poll ($1.30), 66% higher compared to last year ($4.70), and more than 33% higher since 2020 ($4.03). The poll is conducted in

Komet USA touts 2022 Chicago Midwinter show specials

Komet USA is touting specials it is offering at the 2022 Chicago Dental Society Midwinter show, which is being held February 24-26 at the McCormick Place West Building. The company is offering a free EndoPilot with the purchase of 125 packs of F360 or 75 packs of Procodile Q. It is also offering the EndoPilot for $2,000 when a client buys 50 packs of F360/F6, as well as 10 free

Midmark and Bien-Air combine tech under partnership

Midmark and Bien-Air Dental have formed a strategic partnership to integrate Bien-Air’s latest electric handpiece devices into Midmark’s dental delivery equipment. Under the agreement, Midmark’s leading Procenter and Elevance delivery units will be integrated with Bien-Air’s newest micromotor and contra-angle handpieces. The combined technology will offer an operatory-ready product designed to achieve the following aims: ul.editorialList li {margin-bottom:12px;} Simplify workflow with the versatility of the newest micromotor and two new

Regenerative endo treatments show promise in trial

Researchers have shown that two regenerative endodontic procedures (REPs) — revitalization and a platelet-rich, fibrin (PRF)-based technique — could be a viable treatment for mature permanent teeth with necrotic pulps. Their findings were published recently in the International Endodontic Journal. Traditionally, necrotic pulps have been treated with root canal therapy. But the results of the randomized, prospective, controlled trial in Egypt demonstrated the success of both regenerative endodontic procedures. “Our

Formlabs, Medit to partner on chairside 3D printing

Formlabs Dental and Medit plan to partner on making chairside 3D printing more accessible to dental practices. Practices that use Medit’s i500 and i700 intraoral scanners and its Medit Link software can now download Formlabs’ PreForm app, which facilitates preparing dental CAD designs for printing on Formlabs’ Form 3B+ printer. The combination will allow dental professionals to print 3D components more quickly and efficiently, according to the firms. Products from

My jaw pain is killing me: 10 causes and treatments

In 2018, I treated a patient with jaw pain — but something was more serious. Jonathan had a root canal procedure performed on his upper right molar about three months before I saw him. His general dentist performed the root canal and placed a crown on that tooth. Then, Jonathan began to have severe pain in that tooth, in his jaw muscles, and in his jaw joint. At first, Jonathan

Splatter may be on eyewear even if dental teams don’t see it

Blood and saliva droplets that are invisible to the naked eye can be found on protective eyewear worn by dental professionals after treating patients, according to a study published online February 14 in Clinical Oral Investigations. Tooth cleanings that were performed with air scalers resulted in the highest amount of blood splatter compared to other aerosol-generating procedures, the authors wrote. “To prevent the conjunctiva from blood and saliva splashes, adequate