AAE18: Dentist age influences comfort with performing root canals

Two new studies examined general dentists’ comfort with performing endodontic procedures and what factors affected treatment completion time and rates. Researchers presented their practice management findings on April 26 at the 2018 American Association of Endodontists (AAE18) annual meeting in Denver. Jennie Harris, DDS, and Rena Kreitman, DMD, both presented findings related to endodontic treatment in general dentists’ and endodontists’ offices. Drs. Harris and Kreitman are second-year endodontic residents at

Endodontics Insider: Is newer technology better at reducing bacterial load?

Dear Endodontics Insider, Are newer root canal instruments and procedures more effective at eliminating bacteria than their predecessors? Studies presented today at the 2018 American Association of Endodontists annual meeting (AAE18) in Denver suggest the superiority of one new 3D shaper file system but no differences among debridement devices. Read our Insider Exclusive. In other Endodontics Community news, how well does your root canal sealer do its job? Researchers compared

Imaging offers perspective on third-molar extractions

When you are considering extracting an impacted third molar, on what information do you base your decision? The findings of a new study might help you in your next case, as researchers looked at almost 1,200 clinical images to see if a consistent impaction pattern existed and to define the most appropriate age for prophylactic extraction. They found that patients older than 20 were more likely to have a vertical

Datum Dental, Dentsply Sirona partner on Ossix distribution

Biomaterial manufacturer and marketer Datum Dental has announced a distribution agreement for its Ossix line in the U.S. with Dentsply Sirona. Dentsply Sirona Implants will promote and distribute Datum’s Ossix products, including Ossix Plus, Ossix Volumax, and Ossix Bone, in the U.S. Datum Dental’s Ossix Volumax scaffold was honored with a 2017 Dental Excellence Award in the Best New Restorative Material category.

Study: Oral hygiene can aid heart attack recovery

Can good oral hygiene help your patients recover from a heart attack? The same bacteria that cause periodontitis also inhibited blood vessel healing in an animal study, presented at the Frontiers in CardioVascular Biology congress in Vienna, Austria, on April 20. Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. French researchers tested their theory that Porphyromonas gingivalis bacteria enter a patient’s bloodstream through bleeding gums and then attach to

The future looks bright for 3D-printed dentures

Less expensive but good-enough 3D-printed dentures will be a reality in the near future, according to a presentation at the 3DHeals 3D printing conference in San Francisco on April 20. Dr. Valerie Cooper at the 3DHeals conference. Rapidly advancing digital and printing technologies are making the production of dentures quicker and simpler, prosthodontist Valerie Cooper, DDS, told attendees at a presentation on digital dentures. “There’s been this rapid change in how

New product: Ultradent launches canal preparation solution

Ultradent Products has introduced a new root canal preparation solution. The ChlorCid Surf sodium hypochlorite solution is a 3% sodium hypochlorite solution that contains surfactant. The surfactant allows for better penetration of the solution into isthmuses and lateral canals, according to Ultradent. The solution is available in a syringe or a 480-mL bottle.

SDI gets FDA clearance for SDF product

SDI has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for its silver diamine fluoride (SDF) desensitizer. Riva Star is desensitizer that contains 38% SDF and potassium iodide. The product’s two-step procedure of applying the potassium iodide over the SDF reduces the risk of black stains on a tooth, according to SDI. The product is available through major dental distributors.

Barriers to 3D printing falling

With the advent of 3D printers that cost less than $5,000, one of the biggest barriers for general dental practices to use this technology has fallen, according to a presentation at the 3DHeals 3D printing conference in San Francisco on April 20. The main benefit of 3D printing to a general dental practice is in finding new ways to serve patients more quickly and at more competitive prices, according to

The future is now: Part 2 — VR in the dental clinic

This is a two-part series exploring the potential and real applications for virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) within dentistry. Part 1 focused on use in dental education and practice. Part 2 explores how these technologies can improve the patient experience within a traditional dental clinic. In the 1990s, a team of University of Washington researchers made a discovery that would alter the course of virtual

The future is now: Part 1 — VR is poised to revolutionize dentistry

This is a two-part series exploring the potential and real applications for virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) within dentistry. Part 1 focuses on use in dental education and practice. Part 2 will look at how these technologies can improve the patient experience within a traditional dental clinic. A complicated case is scheduled for tomorrow. You’ve already looked over the scans and come up with a treatment

What are the consequences of early first-molar extraction?

What factors should dentists consider before extracting a badly decayed first permanent molar in a child, and what are the consequences of removing or restoring it? Since there’s no clear consensus among practitioners, researchers turned to the literature for answers. They found that early extraction had several effects on skeletal and dental development, all of which could be avoided through the prevention of caries in children. “Our systematic review suggests