CDA Cares event offers more than $1.5M in services

The California Dental Association Foundation’s volunteer dental clinic, CDA Cares, provided more than $1.5 million in charitable dental services to nearly 1,630 patients from September 27 to 28 in San Bernardino, CA. During the event, 1,400 dentists and dental professionals performed more than 10,000 procedures, including fillings, extractions, cleanings, and limited root canals, the foundation stated. CDA Cares provides free dental services to Californians who face barriers to care and educates

Hu-Friedy launches new line of mirrors

Hu-Friedy has introduced its new line of HD Black Line mirrors. The HD Black Line mirrors have a frame that reduces glare by up to 80% and a diamond-like carbon coating on the handle, according to the company. The black color of the finish provides enhanced contrast and visual acuity in a patient’s mouth. The new mirrors are 50% brighter than other front surface mirror glass and 38.5% brighter than

Va. dentist sentenced for illegal opioid prescriptions

A Virginia dentist has been sentenced for an illegal opioid prescription writing scheme, according to a news report posted on October 2 by 13News Now in Norfolk. Gary Hartman, DDS, of Virginia Beach was sentenced to nearly eight and a half years in prison for conspiracy to distribute prescription opioids and muscle relaxant pills without a legitimate medical purpose. Dr. Hartman’s actions involved 766 prescriptions written for nonmedical reasons and

DenMat expands periodontal line

DenMat has added to its line of soft-tissue management products with its new Perio Restore noninvasive home system to treat and prevent periodontal disease. The system features a customized tray designed to gently push a 1.7% hydrogen peroxide gel into the periodontal pocket and a reservoir to hold the gel in place, break up biofilm, and eliminate and prohibit bacteria from recolonizing below the gumline. Patients could achieve a reduction

Study links missing teeth to cardiovascular disease

Americans with no teeth were significantly more likely to also have cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of mortality in the U.S., than individuals who did not have any missing teeth, according to research presented on October 2 at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Middle East Conference 2019 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Researchers found that people with no teeth were 80% more likely to have cardiovascular disease. And even

The facts about dental cavitations

“Cavitation” is a term that is used to describe a dental problem in the jawbone. The general definition of a cavitation is an empty space formed within a solid object or body. Cavitation is not a medical term, although it is used in dentistry. It seems to me that many patients are being diagnosed with dental cavitations in their jawbone. And of course, this could lead to an expensive surgical

All That You Need to Know About Dental Fillings

Dental fillings are used to treat dental caries, which are more popularly referred to as tooth decay and/or cavities. These cavities are caused by acid waste products from bacteria in your mouth that feed on sugars and starch. They’re the reason why you should watch your diet and cut down on sugary and starchy food is because of tooth decay risk (among many other complications). At any rate, one of

FDA meeting to focus on safety of dental amalgam, implants

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will host a public meeting in November to discuss ongoing efforts to evaluate dental amalgam and metal-containing implants and to address potential safety questions. The Immunology Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee meeting will be held on November 13-14 in Gaithersburg, MD, and the public can attend in person or online. “The panel will be looking at the potential for certain

Study: Ultrasound tops CBCT in peri-implant bone imaging

Cone-beam CT (CBCT) is considered the gold standard for imaging peri-implant bone, but researchers wondered if another modality without the radiation dose might be more accurate. They tested CBCT against high-frequency ultrasound and reported a surprising conclusion. Ultrasound had a lower mean measurement error compared with CBCT, while both modalities had the same maximum error, leading the researchers to conclude that high-frequency ultrasound may be useful clinically. “Within the simulated

All That You Need to Know About Root Canal Treatments

Root canal therapy or endodontic therapy is a type of treatment wherein the inside of the tooth is emptied out of organic material, namely the tooth nerve, in order to remove an infection and whatnot. It’s also the procedure you can depend on when it comes to protecting your affect tooth or teeth from future pain and infections. It’s carried out in the tooth’s pulp, which is also known as the

All That You Need to Know About Dental Veneers

A dental veneer is a type of dental prosthetic and cosmetic repair system that’s similar to crowns and fillings. Unlike the latter, a dental veneer involves the use of thin porcelain shells or composite resin material that are customized or tailor-fitted for placement over your teeth (usually the front ones like incisors and canines). The molars are best replaced outright with crowns due to the strength of bite forces from that portion

Tooth Abscess Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

A dental or tooth abscess is pus buildup that forms on the inside of the gums or teeth due to infection. This abscess typically happens as a symptom of bacterial infection. If the soft pulp of the inside of the tooth from within the root canal has been infected with bacteria, one of the indicators of this is the presence of pus. Bacteria reside within plaque, which is a byproduct