5 steps for talking with patients about opioids

Talking with patients about opioids and pain management is important, but it can be a difficult topic for many providers. Experts discussed how to use motivational interviewing to help make this conversation a little easier during a webinar on July 17. The webinar, hosted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the ADA, discussed how motivational interviewing can steer patient conversations toward best opioid prescribing practices. It

Biological dentistry: Part 1 — What is it?

Lately, I’ve had some patients ask me about the term biological dentistry. There has also been some controversy as to its value. As you might have guessed, I have some thoughts on this term and what it means for our patients. Alvin Danenberg, DDS. Biological and holistic dentistry mean basically the same thing and are, for the most part, interchangeable. By which I mean you can substitute the term “biological”

Study: Practitioners underrate patients’ dental anxiety

How good are you at telling if a patient has dental anxiety? Maybe not as good as you think, as a new study found that dental practitioners rated poorly in their ability to determine a patient’s dental anxiety. Researchers wanted to find out if dental practitioners were able to accurately assess patients’ anxiety. The study included 104 practitioners — dentists, hygienists, and assistants — from 24 public dental clinics in

Second Opinion: AAPD offers clarity on pediatric workforce study

In this Second Opinion, Paul Casamassimo, DDS, policy chief for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), responds to readers’ concerns about a recent survey on the predicted growth in the number of pediatric dentists in the U.S. The survey, which was commissioned by the AAPD, found a predicted 62% increase in the number of pediatric dentists by 2030 if supply and demand trends remain the same. For decades, the

KaVo Kerr launches handpiece repair service

KaVo Kerr has launched the KaVo Care handpiece repair service. KaVo Care customers can request a repair through an online portal, which has flat-fee pricing based on the handpiece type. Customers can also use the portal to check repair status. Repairs for most requests are done within 24 hours once the handpiece arrives at KaVo Kerr’s repair facility in North Carolina, and repair specialists only use original equipment manufacturer parts,

New product: DMG adds semipermanent composite

DMG America has introduced LuxaCrown, a semipermanent composite material. LuxaCrown can last up to five years, according to the company. DMG designed the material for chairside crown and bridge procedures. Clinicians can also use the material for implant procedures with multiple phases, as well as pediatric and geriatric patients, the company noted. DMG is currently accepting preorders for LuxaCrown. The material will begin shipping in September. LuxaCrown composite. Image courtesy

Diode laser tested for improving orthodontic treatment

The use of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) shows promise for accelerating orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) and reducing the associated pain. Researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial to investigate the effects of one such type of low-level laser, a diode laser, on these factors. Results of this treatment are not well understood, the study authors explained. To learn more, the researchers treated 41 patients on one side of their mouth with

Week in Review: Improving your SEO | Pediatric dentist numbers to grow | Oral health overhaul

Dear DrBicuspid Member, If you’d asked Dr. Mikaeya Kalantari about search engine optimization (SEO) when she graduated from dental school, she admits she wouldn’t have known how to answer. Now, as a pediatric dentist and successful blogger, she has come to understand how important SEO is for a practice. She shares four tips to help yours. Pediatric dentistry was one of the most prominent topics this week on HuangshanDental.com. Our coverage

Feldspathic ceramic scores highest in composite hardness testing

Researchers wanted to see which CAD/CAM composites for molars were hardest and held up best after toothbrush abrasion testing. After putting six composites through rigorous testing, they discovered that feldspathic ceramic scored the highest in hardness, but some of the composites might need periodic repolishing. The researchers tested four blocks used for molars, one block for premolars, and a feldspathic ceramic and reported their findings in the Journal of Oral

I’m a CPAP dropout: Why many lose sleep over apnea treatment

When doctors told Frances Faulkenburg she had sleep apnea, she was more than ready for relief from her tired-all-the-time existence. She used to fall asleep at red lights while behind the wheel. At night, she’d wake up gasping for air, heart pounding. Her husband told her she snored. But Faulkenburg, 47, couldn’t tolerate the CPAP machine her doctor prescribed. “I just could not get used to the face mask covering

Bellus3D app to merge intraoral, face scans

Software company Bellus3D has updated its Dental Pro application with a tool that merges the app’s 3D face scans with intraoral scans. The new Visual Smile Aligner tool embeds and aligns intraoral scans with a 3D model of a patient’s face taken through the Dental Pro application. Clinicians can then use on-screen modules to fine-tune the alignment and positioning of the two models. The software is designed for use in

Can autofluorescence find bacterial contamination in root fractures?

When looking for root fractures, conventional scanning methods may miss crucial clinical information. Researchers wanted to see if a fluorescence camera could measure the depth of these fractures and any bacterial presence in extracted mandibular second molars. After scanning the root fractures using a fluorescence camera, they were successful in identifying root fractures and the presence of bacterial contamination, and the study authors reported their findings in the Journal of