Perio treatment has hidden benefit for diabetes patients

Nonsurgical periodontal treatment may positively impact the lives of patients with diabetes, even when it does not directly improve diabetes indicators. The findings come from a new study investigating the effects of scaling and root planing on patients with type 2 diabetes. The study is one of the first to look at quality-of-life factors for patients with type 2 diabetes who underwent nonsurgical periodontal treatment, according to the researchers. Their

New product: Planmeca debuts surgical implant guide

Dental equipment manufacturer Planmeca has introduced a surgical implant guide. The Romexis implant guide module uses implant module software, 3D volume, and a stereolithography (STL) data file to facilitate the planning, design, and fabrication of a single-piece implant guide. The guide automatically marks the undercuts and visualizes the drilling depth distance from sleeve top to implant apical tip to assist in the implant procedure. The guide offers customization and an

U.S. House resolution may provide stopgap CHIP funding

A U.S. House of Representatives resolution introduced on December 4 may provide short-term funding to keep both the U.S. government and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) operating. The resolution would fund government operations through December 22 and allow states to continue providing services through CHIP, according to multiple published reports. Funding for CHIP expires on January 31, 2018.

Tap water study shows higher blood lead, fewer caries in kids

U.S. children and adolescents who drank tap water had a higher prevalence of elevated blood lead levels but a much lower rate of dental caries than those who did not drink tap water, according to a new survey. The researchers suggest large parts of the U.S. population do not believe their drinking water is safe. Overall, nearly 3% of children and adolescents had elevated blood lead levels and 49.8% had

Wisdom Tooth Infection Symptoms and Treatment

Do you have a wisdom tooth that’s infected? A wisdom tooth or teeth infection can be quite painful or even life-threatening. Here’s what you should do about it. Also known as third molars or your third set of molars, your wisdom teeth usually become visible by erupting from out of your gum line at the back of your jaw when a person reaches his mid-twenties or late teens. To be

Snowbirds Welcome Party 2017

Los Algodones, Mexico is a town worldwide known as the Capital of Dental Tourism; thousands of people from the United States and Canada visit this place looking for affordable and high-quality dental treatments. If it weren’t for them, Los Algodones wouldn’t be what it is today. That’s one of the reasons why a lot of parties and celebrations take place in Los Algodones, it’s only a nice way to thank

Week in Review: Blood pressure guidelines; plus Texas reimbursement and stress changes

Dear DrBicuspid Member, The guidelines for evaluating and treating high blood pressure have been updated for the first time in more than a decade. The new recommendations lower the threshold for hypertension and eliminate the prehypertension category. Read more here. Also this week on HuangshanDental.com, Texas policymakers, researchers, and public health stakeholders recently met virtually to discuss oral health in the Lone Star State. Topics ranged from a record number

Henry Schein debuts handpiece repair portal

Henry Schein has launched ProRepair, a new web portal to help facilitate the handpiece repair process. The web portal features a three-step system for dentists to submit handpiece repairs: Log into ProRepair and select the tool that needs to be repaired. Provide diagnostic information so the portal can identify the problem and list solutions. Submit the repair order and print a UPS label. The portal also allows dentists to store

Case report: 2-visit implant placement and final restoration

Digital technology has drastically changed the world around us, and implant dentistry is no exception. Gone are the days of freehand implant placement and compromised soft-tissue outcomes with less-than-ideal restorative results. Today’s patients expect dental implants to look and function like their natural teeth; thus, the bar for implant aesthetics has never been higher. With that goal in mind, it is imperative that we consider integrated solutions that allow us

Can a radiation-free imaging device detect early caries lesions?

Detecting early caries lesions is difficult, and current imaging methods have shortcomings. To aid in finding these lesions, researchers compared the performance of a radiation-free near-infrared light transillumination (NILT) device with bitewing radiographs in finding these lesions. Based on their study results, the researchers found that the NILT device (CariVu, DEXIS) was both sensitive and accurate enough to detect early interproximal carious lesions. Examination with near-infrared light transillumination has “an

What the new blood pressure guidelines mean for dentists

The guidelines for evaluating and treating high blood pressure have been updated for the first time in more than a decade. The new recommendations lower the threshold for hypertension and eliminate the prehypertension category. Dave Preble, DDS, JD. For dentists, the changes could mean referring more patients to physicians for hypertension. It’s also a signal that medicine may be catching up with dentistry, according to Dave Preble, DDS, JD, vice president of

Complications, patient satisfaction high with implant-supported prostheses

Are patients satisfied with their implant-supported fixed complete dental prostheses? Do complication rates or quality of life vary depending on the type of prosthesis material? And which types of prostheses are more likely to fail? A new study provides some answers. Researchers studied results in patients who received an implant-supported full-arch prostheses one to five years earlier. They found that complications were common yet patient satisfaction was high, although findings