Week in Review: An unconventional future | Antibiotic prescriptions | Opioids and extractions

Dear DrBicuspid Member, In a column that has inspired much discussion and debate, periodontist Dr. Alvin Danenberg wonders how dentistry will be different in the future. He discusses how the conventional way of practicing dentistry may begin to give way to seemingly unconventional ideas. Read more here. In other news this week, dentists prescribe millions of antibiotics, but prescription trends vary by dental specialty and time of year. This may represent an

New product: KaVo Kerr launches new composite system

KaVo Kerr has launched its new SonicFill 3 SingleFill composite system. The composite system allows cavities to be filled in seconds. The sonic-activated, bulk-fill composite acts as a flowable composite during placement and as a sculptable material after the sonic energy is removed, according to KaVo Kerr. The SonicFill 3 SingleFill composite system. Image courtesy of KaVo Kerr.

Opioids for third-molar extractions linked to persistent use

Adolescents and young adults who fill an opioid prescription for wisdom teeth extractions are more than twice as likely to continue filling opioid prescriptions weeks or months later, according to new research from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Calista Harbough, MD. All images courtesy of the University of Michigan. A filled opioid prescription for third-molar surgery was independently associated with persistent opioid use, researchers from the University

The future of dentistry is unconventional

Up until now, dentistry has been conventional. However, dentistry in the future may be quite different from dentistry in the past. I see dentistry broadening and deepening its approach to treatment. The conventional way of doing things may begin to embrace current unconventional ideas of functional medicine and other progressive healthcare modalities. Conventional Alvin Danenberg, DDS. In this case, conventional means “something that is based on what has been done

Antibiotic prescriptions vary by season, specialty

Dentists prescribe millions of antibiotics, but prescription trends vary by dental specialty and time of year, according to new research presented at the recent 2018 International Association of Dental Research (IADR ) meeting in London. Researchers looked at dental specialists’ antibiotic prescription data to evaluate long-term prescribing trends. They found that antibiotic prescriptions by pediatric dentists and orthodontists peaked during cold and flu season, which may represent an inappropriate use

ADA Foundation raises funds for special needs patients

The ADA Foundation is raising funds throughout August to benefit patients with physical, medical, developmental, or cognitive disabilities. Donated funds will be used to provide grants to nonprofit organizations that improve oral healthcare access for patients with special needs, including those with autism, Alzheimer’s disease, Down syndrome, and spinal cord injuries. The ADA Foundation hopes to raise at least $125,000 from the dental community during the month. In addition, the

Week in Review: Renewed call for Medicare dental benefits | Nanoparticle biofilm disruption | Caries detection methods

Dear DrBicuspid Member, Multiple health advocacy organizations and the American Dental Hygienists’ Association are calling for the U.S. government to add dental benefits to Medicare. The latest movement started after Oral Health America published a white paper in support of adding dental healthcare to the $700 billion program. Read more about the potential benefits and costs here. In other news, researchers found that an iron-containing nanoparticle successfully disrupted pathogenic biofilms and

Nanoparticle shows promise for biofilm disruption

An iron-containing nanoparticle successfully disrupted pathogenic biofilms and prevented tooth decay without harming surrounding oral tissues or biofilms in a new study. The findings potentially open the door for developing a precise therapeutic approach for caries. Researchers tested ferumoxytol, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment for iron deficiency, and reported success at disrupting the biofilm that leads to caries. Their study was published on July 31 in Nature

China’s $60B tariffs would include dental products

If the U.S. government follows through on a threat to double tariffs on Chinese goods, China will retaliate by imposing tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. products, including several dental products, the Chinese government announced on August 3. China is preparing to add duties ranging from 5% to 25% on more than 5,000 U.S. goods. Both professional and personal oral healthcare items from the U.S. are on China’s current tariff

Types of Dental Implants in Thailand

Dental implants are frames or posts that are positioned through surgery right into the jawbone beneath the gums, usually on the tooth socket of a recently pulled tooth. This gives the implant a significant advantage over false teeth in terms of being as close as possible to natural teeth, including their placement into the jawbone itself. After they’ve been put into place, they enable the dentist to mount replacement teeth like

Materials testing stresses fracture resistance

Knowing how likely CAD/CAM materials are to fracture can help direct treatment planning. A new study put seven such materials through a stress test to see how they responded, and the researchers presented their findings at the recent 2018 International Association of Dental Research (IADR) meeting in London. The researchers wanted to see how the materials faired in a fatigue test as a way of predicting the likelihood of fracture.

Caries detection methods aren’t one-size-fits-all

What’s the best way to detect and measure caries? What are the pros and cons of some of the newer methods? To provide some answers, researchers from Brazil put three caries detection methods to the test. They compared results in the same population with the decayed, missing, and filled (DMF) index; the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS); and the Caries Assessment Spectrum and Treatment (CAST). The investigators found