The Dental Board of California is investigating the death of a 4-year-old boy who died after being sedated for a dental procedure at a practice in Oakland. Officials with the state dental board confirmed that they are looking into the case of Dũng Lý, who died after a procedure at an Oakland practice identified in news reports as Youthful Tooth. Lý was undergoing an extraction under sedation at the practice
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontal disease are both inflammatory, chronic, and progressive, but is there a link between the two? Researchers surveyed hundreds of patients with RA to find out. Previous research has noted that patients with RA have an increased frequency of periodontal disease when compared with healthy patients. The authors of the current study reported that their survey found that a significant portion of patients with RA also
A patient claims to brush and floss, but the decay keeps coming back. What gives? Jean Creasey, DDS, spoke about caries risk factors, including not-so-obvious ones, at the 2019 California Dental Association’s CDA Presents meeting in Anaheim, CA. Dr. Creasey, a private practice dentist, emphasized the importance of looking for clinical and behavioral caries risk factors during an oral exam. This includes nonobvious clues, such as poor salivary flow or not
A U.S. district judge has ruled that invisible-aligner manufacturer SmileDirectClub’s digital scans constitute the practice of dentistry. This ruling came as part of a decision in a case involving the company and the Georgia Board of Dentistry. SmileDirectClub filed a lawsuit against the dental board in May 2018. The company was contesting a Georgia rule that requires “digital scans for fabrication [of] orthodontic appliances” to be performed by an expanded
Insurer Delta Dental has released results from a survey showing that many U.S. adults are not familiar with key dental terms, such as sealant and periodontal disease. Delta Dental surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. adults and reported that, while 92% of respondents were familiar with plaque, more than 75% of adults were not familiar with terms such as caries and bruxism. A third of respondents reported they were not familiar
Correctly identifying the anatomy of a root canal is crucial for successful endodontic therapy. Researchers tested two imaging modalities to see if either was more accurate than a gold standard. Cone-beam CT (CBCT) performed better than periapical radiography in detecting the apical delta in more than 100 premolars, but both modalities fell short compared with the gold standard of microcomputed tomography (micro-CT), they reported in a study published in the
We dentists positively contribute to the health of our patients in many ways. However, I believe we as dentists and dentistry, as a whole, fails the public in several other critical areas. My intention is to bring to the forefront the weaknesses of our profession so that dental professionals and educators can improve the delivery of the oral and overall health of our patients. I believe we should help our
While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often used for injuries of the knee and other body parts, researchers wanted to see if recent improvements in the modality meant it could be used to identify root cracks and fractures in teeth. They compared the results from two imaging modalities: MRI and cone-beam CT (CBCT). The group stopped short of endorsing the modality for this task (Journal of Endodontics, May 2, 2019).
Dear DrBicuspid Member, More general dentists are interested in invisible aligners and other orthodontic products than ever before. So what better place to bring you the most relevant coverage of new invisible aligners than from the just-concluded 2019 American Association of Orthodontists annual session. You can read about new products and industry developments, including news from Ormco, 3Shape, and more. You never know where scientific and patient-care breakthroughs will come
KaVo Kerr has introduced a rotary glide path file and an endodontic motor. The Elements e-motion endodontic motor. Image courtesy of KaVo Kerr. The Traverse rotary glide path file is a nickel titanium file with a triangular cross-section for improved cutting efficiency. The file offers a maximum flute diameter of 1 mm and a noncutting tip to reduce the risk of perforating the canal, according to KaVo Kerr. The Elements
A patient with tooth enamel defects helped scientists discover a key aspect of enamel mineralization. The findings may one day help researchers better understand cell behavior and mitochondrial function. Rodrigo Lacruz, PhD. Image courtesy of New York University. In a research article, senior author Rodrigo Lacruz, PhD, and colleagues described a young male patient with severe caries and dental abscesses. This patient also had a genetic mutation affecting one of
How early should a child’s dental health be a priority? As soon as they get their first tooth! Even though baby teeth are not permanent, they actually form an important foundation for adult teeth. Taking care of your child’s teeth early on is important! It encourages oral health, prevents disease, and minimizes the risk of cavities later in life. How Young Should Kids Start Brushing? Baby teeth
