GSK launches new Sensodyne whitening toothpaste

GSK Consumer Healthcare has launched a new Sensodyne toothpaste that whitens teeth while limiting sensitivity. The Sensodyne Rapid Relief Whitening toothpaste helps reduce sensitivity in as few as three days while whitening teeth, according to the company. It tackles sensitivity pain by quickly creating protective barriers and keeping outside triggers from reaching nerves, Sensodyne said. The toothpaste is available online and at major retail stores nationwide.

Neocis gets FDA clearance for robotic dental drill

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 510(k) clearance to dental implant surgery company Neocis for use of its Yomi robotic surgery device as a dental drill. Yomi is a robot-assisted surgery device that facilitates various preoperative and intraoperative stages of dental implantation. The device helps guide the position, orientation, and depth of the drill while offering surgeons clear visualization of the surgical site, the company said.

Week in Review: Appealing denied claims | Cybersecurity | Anesthesia safety

Dear DrBicuspid Member, Appeals to denied claims are usually about clinical facts, not administrative errors, writes Dr. James Anderson of eAssist. Denials often occur because the information submitted by your practice doesn’t meet the criteria for claim payment as set forth by the contract. He details five easy steps your practice can take to appeal these denied claims. Protecting your practice from cybersecurity threats takes more than just working with your

Special needs patients require unique anesthetic approaches

Safe, successful dental treatments in special needs patients depend on choosing the right anesthetic methods and equipment and having a skilled staff, according to a recent study. The use of local anesthesia is sufficient for completing simple dental treatments, with 90% of the patients in the study tolerating it, the researcher found. About 7% of patients needed additional analgesia, and about 3% of patients were given narcotic analgesics in treatments

Study: Electric-activated method whitens teeth faster

Using an electrokinetic flow method to whiten teeth offers a faster, equally effective alternative to other available light-diffusing treatments, according to a study published September 20 in Dental Materials. Electrokinetic flow treatments provide the same concentration of hydrogen peroxide to enamel as diffusion-only teeth-whitening treatments, and they shorten operating times by 10 times, the researchers found. “The proposed method showed significant improvements in whitening effects over control groups and thus

Review shows link between gum disease and hypertension

Having gum disease puts people at greater risk of developing high blood pressure, according to a review published September 24 in the European Society of Cardiology’s journal, Cardiovascular Research. Moderate-to-severe periodontitis was associated with a 22% increase in the risk for hypertension, while severe periodontitis was linked with 49% higher odds of hypertension, the authors found. “These results suggest that oral health assessment and management of [periodontitis] could not only

Patient death after root canal investigated in Wash.

The Washington State Department of Health is investigating the death of a woman who died after undergoing a root canal at an endodontic practice in Vancouver, WA, according to a report in the Columbian. The death of Cynthia Pheil, 64, who received treatment at Wright & Beatty Endodontics, is being prioritized, according to state health officials. It is unclear when a conclusion may be reached in the case. On September

Readiness to serve includes dental fitness, good oral health

U.S. service members need to stay fit and ready for the fight at any time and at any place, and a big part of that is keeping all parts of the body healthy. That includes oral health. Beneficiaries of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) have numerous services that they can use to ensure their oral health and remain ready for deployment. The Directorate of Dental Services at WRNMMC

Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider: Special needs patients require unique anesthetic approaches

Dear Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider, Safe, successful dental treatments in special needs patients depend on choosing the right anesthetic methods and equipment and having a skilled staff, according to a study published in the Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. Read more in our Insider Exclusive. Also in the Anesthesia & Pain Management Community, check out what oral and maxillofacial surgery expert Dr. Stuart Lieblich had to say about

Incidents of preventable dental mistakes rising

The number of severe dentistry failures that clinicians could have prevented, such as performing surgery on the wrong location, continues to climb. Wrong-tooth removals account for up to 10% of all preventable safety dental incidents, known as “never events,” according to a new study. Incidents such as the removal of the wrong teeth remain common wrong-site surgery never events, accounting for between 15% and 24% of all wrong-site never events,

Misaligned teeth treatments depend on who, where, why

Patients may wonder why orthodontists chose certain treatments when they fix their misaligned teeth. While each patient’s unique dental problems play the largest role in treatment, so do a number of other factors. Doctor and patient demographics also affect their decisions, according to a new study. “Although some patient characteristics were significantly associated with treatment recommendations, there were other factors unrelated to the patient’s malocclusion that also were significantly associated

Talking to your patients about implants or a root canal

Is it time for your patient to get an implant or a root canal? It is important to have an answer to this question from both the patient investment and medical history standpoints. However, the answer to this question requires a thorough examination and conversation with your patient. Edward Harsini, DDS. Educating the patient on the best course of action is important. Also, let the patient know the pros and