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

Worried About Your Root Canal?

Root canals are considered one of the most intimidating procedures at the dentist. Sadly, this endodontic treatment is surrounded by many false beliefs and assumptions. If this procedure has been recommended for you, we invite you to ask questions before you start to worry, dread or delay this important dental procedure. Not only can a root canal save your dying and infected tooth, but the procedure itself is not as

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

Glidewell, Misch International extend educational partnership

Glidewell has announced the extension of its educational partnership with the Misch International Implant Institute. The partnership was first established in 2016 to support continuing education for implant dentistry with initiatives such as the Implant Business Essentials Continuum program. Glidewell’s Hahn tapered implant is the institute’s official implant system, according to the firm. The Misch Institute has trained more than 8,000 dentists since 1984, Glidewell said. Jim Glidewell, Glidewell president

Decades-old baby teeth may hold key to cognitive decline

A cache of donated baby teeth — leftovers from a famous radiation exposure study from the 1950s — that had been hidden away in an old ammunition bunker at a university until about 20 years ago will now be used to study cognitive decline in older age. Teeth from the Baby Tooth Survey in St. Louis will be used to study how early exposure to heavy metals may be linked

How dentists can ride the digital communication wave

A surge in the use of digital communication tools during the pandemic has created new challenges for dental providers in patient outreach, with the potential for long-lasting effects beyond the public health crisis. A survey taken two weeks after lockdown measures were imposed in the U.S. underscored the pandemic’s swift effect on communication habits. For the survey, which was conducted in early April 2020, 1,374 adults were asked about how

Aspen Dental opens new practices in SC, Md.

Aspen Dental has opened its 27th new practice in South Carolina and its 13th new practice in Maryland. The practice in Spartanburg, SC, will be led by Dr. Steven Pavlushkin, while the new location in Easton, MD, will be led by Dr. Bindu Vemaraju. Both practices will provide dental services ranging from preventive care and general dentistry to dentures and restoration, according to Aspen Dental.

DentalEZ unveils new handpiece

DentalEZ has introduced Aeras 400 Flex, a new lightweight handpiece designed to be compatible with KaVo’s Multiflex coupler. Aeras 400 Flex provides the maximum cutting power supported by Multiflex, according to DentalEZ. It also includes embedded radiofrequency identification (RFID) technology to enable inventory tracking and safety compliance monitoring, the company said. DentalEZ is also pointing to Aeras 400 Flex features such as a smaller head size and in-hand stability for

Could good oral hygiene improve COVID-19 outcomes?

Medical imaging has helped show that SARS-CoV-2 infection could be accelerated through dental plaque and gum inflammation, according to an April 20 paper in the Journal of Oral Medicine and Dental Research. SARS-CoV-2 may pass into the body through an oral-vascular-pulmonary track rather than an upper airway path — and poor oral hygiene could speed this journey, wrote a team led by Dr. Graham Lloyd-Jones of Salisbury District Hospital in the