NIDCR grants $2.8M to oral, maxillofacial 3D bioprinting

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) has awarded researchers from Penn State University a five-year, $2.8 million grant to investigate 3D bioprinting techniques for craniomaxillofacial reconstruction. “With the advance in 3D bioprinting, in-place reconstruction of composite tissues for craniomaxillofacial repair has recently become feasible as 3D bioprinting enables complex tissue heterogeneity in an anatomically accurate and cosmetically appealing manner,” principal investigator Ibrahim Ozbolat, PhD, said in a statement.

Aseptico to launch 3 new products at Chicago Midwinter

Portable dental equipment manufacturer Aseptico will launch three new products at the upcoming 2020 Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. Mobile operatory The AMC-15 self-contained mobile operatory. All images courtesy of Aseptico. The AMC-15 self-contained mobile operatory is designed for performing general dentistry and endodontic procedures in nursing homes and other institutional settings. The mobile operatory requires 115- or 230-volt power but not air or plumbing connections. It comes with fillable

Zephyr partners with ProSomnus on sleep apnea products

Medical device company Zephyr Sleep Technologies and ProSomnus Sleep Technologies have partnered to market and sell each other’s products for sleep apnea and snoring. The partnership includes the sale of Zephyr’s MATRx Plus obstructive sleep apnea testing system to ProSomnus customers. The system consists of a tablet that gathers data to help determine which patients will respond to treatment with oral appliances.

Regular dental care may help prevent strokes

Gum disease treatment may help prevent hardening of the arteries and maybe even major strokes, according to two new research studies being presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2020. One research study to be presented the conference, which takes place February 19-21 in Los Angeles, found patients with periodontal disease were twice as likely to experience a stroke due to the hardening of large arteries in the

3DISC to debut software updates at Chicago Midwinter 2020

3DISC will highlight its HeronClinic software platform and its HeronCloud service at the upcoming Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. HeronClinic improves the overall performance of the firm’s Heron IOS intraoral scanner, while HeronCloud is designed to facilitate exchange of cases between dentists and labs, 3DISC said. The company is also showcasing a new case management user interface. Targeting improvements in the CAD/CAM process, 3DISC has added a new function that

Illegal teeth-whitening cases rise 26% in U.K.

Reports of illegal teeth whitening, which can leave patients with burns, blisters, and tooth loss, soared by 26% in the U.K. in 2019. That percentage may be higher since the data are based on customers’ reports, according to an article published on February 10 by the BBC. In 2019, 732 cases of illegal teeth whitening were reported to the U.K.’s General Dental Council, while 582 were reported in 2018. Since

Kickstarter hosts funding for new gum stimulator

GumPick has launched a Kickstarter fundraising campaign for its new gum stimulator. The GumPick gum stimulator is designed to help remove hard-to-reach food particles and plaque lodged between the teeth and gums as a supplement to brushing and flossing. The dental tool consists of a solid aluminum handle and a replaceable rubber tip that comes in four different colors. In addition to removing food and plaque, users can apply the

1st female case of excessive hair growth in gums reported

A woman in Italy is the first known case of excessive hair growth in the gums. This marks the sixth documented case of gingival hirsutism in the world, according to a case study published in the February issue of Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology. This case, which involved a 25-year-old woman with numerous eyelash-like hairs growing out of her maxillary and mandibular gums, was unique because

Implant Direct gets FDA clearance for dental abutment

Implant Direct Sybron International has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Smartbase abutment for dental implants. Using CAD/CAM software, clinicians can design and manufacture implant abutments cleared for use with Implant Direct’s Legacy and InterActive dental implants. Smartbase abutments come in a variety of cuff heights and widths and in a dual-hue finish. The pink titanium base offers more natural blending with the

Teen gets harmonica stuck in mouth, documents it online

A teen from Canada has proved that she would do anything to make her younger cousin laugh when she squeezed a harmonica into her mouth. Unfortunately, she didn’t stop to think about how she would remove the instrument, according to news reports. It’s unclear whether Mollie O’Brien got the chuckle she was looking for from her cousin, but the video of the experience she posted online went viral. The Ottawa

Cheers! 8 Tricks to Enjoy Wine Without Staining Your Teeth

It’s the weekend. Maybe you’re dining out or relaxing with friends. You enjoy a glass of wine or two (or three if there’s karaoke). And your smile starts to look like the rim of your glass — slightly but all too noticeably stained. Drink wine often enough — those wine stains can become permanent overtime. That’s something we commonly see at our dentist office in Middleburg Heights. Fortunately, there are

Week in Review: Dental spending on the rise | Calif. bill battles teledentistry | Turning around a failing practice

Dear DrBicuspid Member, Are you ready for some good news to start your weekend? The ADA’s Health Policy Institute (HPI) shared a great nugget of knowledge this week that should put a smile on your face. U.S. dental spending reached an all-time high of $136 billion in 2018, representing 3.7% of total health spending in the country, according to a new report from the HPI. Patients are spending more than ever