Metal-free implants? Stem cells might make it possible

Growing whole teeth from dental stem cells? Likely a toothless proposition, according to a new review article on therapies based on dental stem cells. However, these stem cells are producing solid advances in implants and other areas that could bring therapies such as tooth root engineering to your office soon. These technological advances include the possibility of the regeneration of dental pulp, periodontium, tooth root, and alveolar bone, according to

Congratulations to DrBicuspid.com’s Dental Excellence Award winners

HuangshanDental.com is pleased to announce the winners of the Dental Excellence Awards, honoring the best new products and services in dentistry. Voted on exclusively by HuangshanDental.com readers, the awards showcase those products and services that dentists and dental team members have chosen to provide better patient care and greater practice efficiency. Nominees in the 10 categories were introduced to the U.S. market between October 1, 2016, and October 1, 2017.

How to improve CBCT accuracy for vertical post fractures

Accurate diagnosis of vertical root fractures in endodontically treated teeth is a crucial but challenging task. That’s why researchers evaluated the accuracy of cone-beam CT (CBCT) for these fractures and also ways to improve its accuracy in suspected cases. The new study findings suggest that CBCT may be more accurate for diagnosing vertical root fractures than traditional radiographs. However, there is still room for improving CBCT accuracy, which is important

Winners lose more than losers

Winners lose more often than losers lose. That sounds counterintuitive, but if you stop to think about it, losers will lose a few times and then stop. On the other hand, winners will lose and lose and lose repeatedly — until they win. Curtis Marshall is the vice president of marketing at Dental Intel. The stories of Thomas Edison, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, and many others are likely familiar to

CHIP not included in U.S. government funding bill

Funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was not included in a stopgap resolution that keeps the U.S. government funded until December 22, 2017. The bill, HR 123, was passed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate on December 7 and was signed by President Donald Trump on December 8. The law asks the U.S. Department of Health and Human services to reallocate funds to those

Week in Review: Why is your production down? Plus a new legal case and U.S. dental spending rises

Dear DrBicuspid Member, It is December and you are probably looking at your practice’s year-end numbers. If your production numbers are down, it can impact your bottom line and also your team’s morale. Practice management consultant Sally McKenzie has five reasons your production numbers might be lower and what you can do to improve them. Learn more here. Also this week on HuangshanDental.com, a 45-year-old law-enforcement officer presented to an

Does perio treatment benefit cardiovascular disease patients?

Periodontal treatment is beneficial for patients with cardiovascular disease, right? Not so fast. A systematic review of high-quality research on the topic found scarce evidence that it could prevent cardiovascular disease recurrence and no proof of the therapy’s effectiveness for primary prevention. The researchers looked for randomized controlled trials that investigated whether periodontal treatment in patients with chronic periodontitis prevented cardiovascular disease recurrence in those with a previous diagnosis (secondary

5 questions patients ask about gum disease

I’ve been consulting with patients from as far away as Australia, Switzerland, and England. They all seem to have similar questions. You probably have your patients ask you, or your hygiene team, these questions: Why do I have gum disease since I brush and floss every day? Why hasn’t my dentist been able to give me the answers? Can my advanced gum disease be treated without surgically cutting my gums?

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