Metals top list of common allergens at the dental office

Which dental materials are responsible for the most contact allergies? Researchers looked at patient data and found metals topped the list, but other common culprits included composites and cosmetic materials. The number of people with allergies is rising, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Nearly 40% of schoolchildren worldwide have a sensitivity or allergy, and some of those allergens appear in the dental office. Researchers from

What Is Cosmetic Dentistry?

Any dental work that improves the appearance—but not necessarily the functionality—of your bite, gums, and teeth is referred to as cosmetic dentistry. This branch of dentistry focuses on improving the aesthetics or beauty of your teeth’s alignment, shape, position, size, and color, as well as your overall smile quality. Many dentists consider themselves as cosmetic dentists regardless of their experience, training, specialty, and specific education. After all, all of them

Dental Implant Restoration Services in Thailand

Thailand is a Southeast Asian country that’s well known for its world-class healthcare, which also includes topnotch dental services. One of its most popular attractions for medical tourists is its high degree of success in dental implants. If you’re considering getting implants for your mouth in Thailand, you should have adequate bone and healthy gums in order to support them. The implant itself is a titanium post that acts like the

Is probing the best measurement for peri-implant health?

Pocket probing depth (PPD) and bleeding on probing (BOP) are useful for assessing periodontal conditions, but are these the best measurements to evaluate the health of peri-implant tissue? Researchers conducted a literature review and suggested using a different evaluation process. European researchers noted that these assessments are often used to evaluate the dental implant/tissue interface and identify sites with mucositis and peri-implantitis. They wondered if disease definitions and diagnostic tools

Former Colo. dentist sentenced to prison for drug charges

A former Colorado dentist was sentenced to three years in prison on July 29 for charges related to distributing Percocet and other drugs to employees. Bonifacio Guillena III, DDS, known as “Dr. B,” pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance in January. He distributed Xanax, Percocet, and Oxycontin to employees at his Comfort Dental practice in Silverthorne, CO. A former employee of the practice accused Guillena of

A Bad Case of Bad Breath? Here Is What You Need to Know

Bad breath makes people lose their confidence to speak. It is mortifying to converse with people and see them flinch away with each word. What a conversation killer! Bad breath leads not only to embarrassment and anxiety but also, psychological distress. Bad breath, medically known as halitosis, is defined as a repugnant odor emanating from the mouth which may occur sparingly, but can also be a chronic condition. According to

Boy has 500 teeth removed from jaw growth

A 7-year-old boy in India had more than 500 teeth pulled from a tumor-like growth along his lower right jaw, according to a July 31 news story in the New Indian Express. The patient began experiencing swelling in his jaw, so he was taken to a dental college in Chennai. Multiple images showed a tumor-like sac, which contained 526 teeth. The condition is known as compound composite odontoma. The removal

Study supports clear aligners for orthognathic surgery patients

Patients needing orthognathic surgery generally have orthodontic treatment before and after. Researchers wondered if clear-aligner therapy was a valid option for patients who need this surgery. The researchers compared patients who underwent conventional orthodontic therapy with those who underwent clear-aligner therapy in their study, published in the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery (July/August 2019, Vol. 30:5, pp. 1488-1491). Perioperative and short-term clinical outcomes were not compromised with clear-aligner treatment, they found.

A Full Mouth Reconstruction truly Life-changing: Smiles for Warriors

Everyone deserves dental quality care to ensure their oral health, and for many, it is a necessity. Many people travel to receive dental treatments every day. Due to the wide variety of high-quality dental procedures for an accessible price, Mexico is one of the top destinations for those who need a dental procedure that can change their lives, as was the case of Colton Ficek. At the age of 14,

Study confirms long-term perio treatment works

The science is in: Long-term periodontal therapy appears to prevent tooth loss and tissue damage. A new study found that decades-long periodontal treatment at a general dentist’s office helped patients maintain healthy gums. Researchers from Switzerland looked at data from 100 patients who had been receiving periodontal therapy for an average of 18 years. They published their findings in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology (July 4, 2019). “The present study

Biological dentistry: Part 2 — 10 questions to ask

In part 1 of this series, Alvin Danenberg, DDS, discussed the controversy around the phrase biological dentistry after being asked about it by his patients. In this column, he lists questions to ask a provider using the label biological dentist. One of the first things I tell my colleagues and patients is that they should educate themselves about what biological dentists should be doing for patients and their entire office

Study: General dentists less likely to refer to orthodontist

Are general or pediatric dentists better at identifying when a patient needs orthodontic treatment? Which group is more likely to refer a patient to an orthodontist? In a new study, researchers showed pretreatment orthodontic patient records to both general and pediatric dentists to find out. Researchers from Texas found that both general and pediatric dentists were similarly able to identify patients who needed orthodontic care. However, general dentists are more