Our kids have tooth decay not because they’re deficient in fluoride. Alvin Danenberg, DDS. Our kids have bleeding gums not because they don’t brush and floss twice a day. The primary reasons our kids have tooth decay and gum disease are because their nutrition is deficient, their drinks are acidic and sugary, their healthy gut bacteria are compromised, and their lifestyles are sedentary. These deficiencies also manifest in childhood as
This case involved a 67-year-old man, a long-time patient of the practice, who presented for a restorative appointment. The dentist’s oral evaluation had revealed recurrent subgingival decay on tooth No. 8 under an old composite restoration. Above: Preoperative image of tooth No. 8. Below: Preoperative radiograph of the tooth. All images courtesy of Joshua Weintraub, DDS. Treatment plan The clinical objective was to restore the tooth while performing a gingivectomy
Carestream Dental and 3M have announced a partnership that allows Carestream’s CS 3500 and CS 3600 intraoral scanners to digitally integrate with 3M’s Oral Care portal. The new integration allows practitioners who are planning treatment with 3M’s Clarity aligners to send their files directly to 3M using the CS Connect portal in CS Imaging software version 8. Carestream also announced that its CS 3600 scanner can now stream music during
Why are some practitioners using nickel-titanium rotary instruments, and what are they good for? What’s holding back the practitioners who aren’t using them, and what might encourage these individuals to try something new? Researchers surveyed endodontists and general dentists and found some interesting answers. They sent an online questionnaire to general dentists and endodontists in Saudi Arabia about their use of nickel-titanium rotary instruments. The investigators found that a large
G&H Orthodontics has named John Voskuil as its new CEO. Voskuil previously served as vice president and general manager of the implants business unit for Dentsply Sirona.
What considerations should you have when prescribing opioids for pregnant women? The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center created a new guide to help dentists answer this very question. The guide, which was created with funds from the U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau, covers pharmacological considerations for pregnant women, neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, and general guidelines for prescribing opioids for these patients. It was written by Ruth
Dear DrBicuspid Member, Have you ever had a patient become not just disruptive but who had to be removed from your office by the police? In their latest Legal Cases column, William S. Spiegel and Dr. Marc Leffler present just such a case in which a patient became disruptive after incomplete restorative work. Read more to learn how the case was resolved and what you can do to help your practice.
A 66-year-old woman contacted a cosmetic and restorative dentist for an exam, x-rays, and a cleaning, as well as to establish a relationship with a dentist near her new home. This patient had completed maxillary restorative work in the past, including fixed bridges, individual crowns, and endodontic therapy. Most of this work had been in place for at least 20 years, and the patient was unhappy with the aesthetic look
A questionnaire originally developed for patients with lower back pain may be able to help distinguish between different types of orofacial pain. Researchers found that higher scores on the painDETECT screening questionnaire were associated with neuropathic orofacial pain, as opposed to musculoskeletal or dental pain. The researchers hope the questionnaire will help clinicians who are not pain experts to identify orofacial conditions that are neuropathic in origin. They published their
Opioid prescriptions by dentists and oral surgeons may lead to a statistically significant increased risk of persistent opioid use and abuse for adolescents and young adults, according to a major new study in JAMA Internal Medicine on December 3. Patients who received an opioid prescription from a dental practitioner were at a statistically significant risk for persistent opioid use and a subsequent diagnosis of opioid abuse, the researchers found. “The
Dear Endodontics Insider, Why are some practitioners using nickel-titanium rotary instruments and some not? What might encourage practitioners to try these instruments? Researchers surveyed both endodontists and general dentists to find out the answers to these and other questions. Read our Insider Exclusive. Handpiece sterilization after an endodontic or other procedure is now considered standard operating procedure, but it wasn’t always so. Dr. Louis DePaola examines how handpiece sterilization recommendations have
The overall health of your children is influenced by how healthy their teeth are. Their milk teeth, temporary as they may be, help your child talk and eat. Strong oral care should be established from a young age so that when all their primary teeth fall off and are replaced with permanent ones, they’ll be ready to better take care of these irreplaceable natural teeth when they’re adults. Poor oral
