OrthoAccel gets FDA clearance for AcceleDent Optima

Medical device company OrthoAccel Technologies has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its AcceleDent Optima technology. AcceleDent Optima is a vibratory accelerated orthodontic device that uses Bluetooth connectivity to connect with smartphones and tablets. By using the company’s app, the Optima device connects patients and practices with monitoring, direct messaging, and virtual rewards, according to the company.

New product: Vita debuts line of dentures

Vita North America has launched a new line of dentures. A single tooth from the Vitapan Excell line. Image courtesy of Vita North America. The Vitapan Excell line of teeth is made of microfiller-reinforced polymer composite material and can be used for full, partial, and implant-retained anterior dentures. The line comes in a variety of molds, shapes, and colors. The teeth allow for replication of a tooth’s natural symmetry, along

Are dentists following guidelines on antibiotics?

Healthcare providers are being asked to use antibiotics less often to reduce the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but are dentists getting the message? A new study found good and bad news when it comes to how dentists are using preventive antibiotics in patients at risk for infective endocarditis. Infective endocarditis is a potentially deadly infection on the surface of the heart and is responsible for about 1 in very 1,000

Reviews: Read About Our Patients’ Experience

Dental tourism has been a growing trend in the lasts years, and there are a lot of reasons why people travel long distances to undergo treatments. Truth is, by traveling outside of your city of residence to one of the many dental tourism destinations, you end up saving more than half of the price you’d spend in the U.S. or Canada. Traveling for dental work to another country may seem

Opioid painkillers more common in low-income households

Household income may determine whether a patient uses an opioid or nonopioid analgesic for dental pain, a new study has found. Participants from households making less than $15,000 per year were nearly twice as likely to take opioids than those from the highest income bracket. Using survey data from nearly 14,000 participants in Canada, researchers analyzed how likely respondents were to take different forms of analgesics. Their study findings and

Implants improve quality of life for partially edentulous patients

What’s the effect of implant-supported single crowns or fixed partial dentures on oral health-related quality of life, and is this effect influenced by age or gender? A new study examined both physical and psychological factors in patients up to three years after implant placement. Researchers asked partially edentulous individuals to complete a questionnaire on oral health-related quality of life before and after implantation. The results indicated significant improvements overall and

Restoratives Insider: Is a tapered or parallel wall implant more stable?

Dear Restoratives Insider, When placing implants, protecting the sinus cavity is crucial. As anatomic limitations may mean sufficient bone is not available for traditional-length implants, 8-mm tapered or parallel wall implants may be used. But is one of these designs better? A new study compared the performance of both over a year. Find out more in the Insider Exclusive. In other Restoratives Community news, do implant-supported single crowns or fixed

Study measures displacement of zirconia crowns into implants

When you are tightening CAD/CAM-fabricated zirconia single-implant crowns into an internal conical seal implant-abutment connection, you know there is going to be some displacement, but how much? And is this displacement enough to affect the proximal contacts and occlusion of the prosthesis? A new study in the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry measured this displacement in two different implants and found that, while the mean vertical displacements were higher than the

Does gum disease cause cardiovascular disease?

Does gum disease cause cardiovascular disease (CVD)? This is a critical question. It needs to be answered, if possible. I will offer my opinion shortly. 3 peer-reviewed papers The prestigious journal Circulation published an article in 2012 titled “Periodontal disease and atherosclerotic vascular disease: Does the evidence support an independent association?” (Circulation, May 2012, Vol. 125:20, pp. 2520-2544). Alvin Danenberg, DDS. The conclusion of this important paper stated that there

Obese kids consume more calories from sugary drinks

Overweight and obese children consume more calories from sugary drinks than children who are a normal weight, according to research presented at a major conference on obesity. The researchers suggest a tax on sugary drinks may lower the childhood obesity rate and improve kids’ overall health. Sugary drinks have been linked to obesity, diabetes, and dental decay, and more countries and organizations are calling for taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages. With

Endo retreatment pain similar with reciprocating, rotary systems

When endodontic retreatment is needed, is using a reciprocating or rotary instrumentation system a better option? Research has produced conflicting results. To learn more, a new randomized clinical trial examined how the use of these instruments for retreatment affects postoperative pain. The researchers randomly assigned patients who required endodontic retreatment to undergo root canal procedures with either reciprocating or rotary instruments. They evaluated postoperative pain and medication use in both

Do’s and don’ts for increasing production: Promote cosmetic dentistry

Spring and summer are great times to promote cosmetic dentistry. Most people will be attending graduations, weddings, reunions, and family gatherings. They want to look their best, especially if it’s an important event. Offer a whitening discount. Whitening is the starter service for more involved cosmetic procedures. By holding a whitening “sale,” you can persuade many patients who are on the fence to move forward with treatment. If patients like