Study confirms periodontal treatment reduces medical costs

A new study from United Concordia Dental confirms that periodontal disease treatment can reduce medical costs and hospitalizations. Individuals with certain medical diseases or conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, or pregnancy in particular can benefit if their periodontal disease is treated. The study involved more than 338,800 individuals during a five-year period (2005-2009) with both Highmark medical insurance and United Concordia dental coverage. All individuals had periodontal disease and

Study compares products to battle marginal shrinkage

Shrinkage stress is a shortcoming of composite resin restorations that has yet to be solved, so some inevitably perform better than others. A new study has compared the effectiveness of composite resin and resin-modified glass ionomer liners on gingival marginal adaptation of class II cavities that were restored with three different bonding agents along with their respective composite resins. Concrete results and recommendations arose following the completion of the work

Report: U.S. dental prosthetics market to hit $12B by 2020

The U.S. dental prosthetics market is expected to reach $11.8 billion by 2020, according to a new report by iData Research. This growth is led by the adoption of CAD/CAM systems and standalone desktop scanners, which is projected to exceed $300 million by 2020, with Sirona and E4D technologies leading the market. Intraoral digital impression-taking devices also are a rapidly growing new market. iData’s four-report series on the U.S., European,

St. Renatus gets $5M, completes phase III trials of Kovacaine Mist

St. Renatus has secured a $5 million investment for its Kovacaine Mist anesthetic nasal spray, and will apply for FDA approval this year, having recently completed phase III clinical trials of the product. The company has received a $5 million investment from Blue Ocean STR, an early investor, that will assist in the completion of the New Drug Application (NDA) submission to the FDA. The investment will also support St.

Study finds link between extended breastfeeding and caries

Breastfeeding 24 months or beyond, particularly if frequent, may be associated with severe early childhood caries, according to a new study. The scientists, led by Benjamin Chaffee, DDS, at the University of California, Berkeley, studied a link between longer-term breastfeeding and cavities in 458 babies in low-income families in Porto Alegre, Brazil, according to an article in the Daily Mail. “Our study does not suggest that breastfeeding causes cavities,” Dr. Chaffee

Cosmedent releases Carry&Pack Instrument

Cosmedent has released its new Carry&Pack Instrument, designed to carry composite to the prep and then rotate to pack composite into place. The nonstick surface gives better results with less hassle, and the plugger is shaped so composite does not pull back, according to the company. The titanium-coated instrument is an addition to Cosmedent’s line of composite placement instruments. Information is available at 800-621-6729 or www.cosmedent.com.

Microorganism shows promise for inhibiting thrush

Researchers have discovered how the beneficial fungal yeast Pichia can stave off the harmful fungal yeast Candida, according to a new study in PLOS Pathogens (March 13, 2014). The study by researchers at Case Western Reserve University and the University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland may reveal how components in Pichia could become therapeutic agents to protect against thrush and also other life-threatening systemic fungal infections. The study included

Lawsuit exposes FDA denial of dental amalgam mercury hazards

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ADA: Exempt dentists from Medicare enrollment for drug claims

The ADA is urging federal health officials to exclude dentists from proposed regulations that would deny claims for Medicare Part D drugs unless the prescriber is enrolled in Medicare or has a valid opt-out affidavit on file. Health officials withdrew the proposal following professional and congressional opposition, but they signaled intent to revisit and “finalize” regulations “strengthening standards for prescribers of prescription drugs,” according to the ADA. The requirement would

Bacterium, fungus team up to cause early childhood caries

Early childhood caries (ECC) may result from a nefarious partnership between a bacterium and a fungus, according to a new study in the journal Infection and Immunity (February 24, 2014). Infection by Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans together doubled the number of caries and boosted their severity several-fold in rats, the University of Pennsylvania researchers found. ECC can be so severe that treatment frequently requires surgery in a hospital, they

Small Smiles excluded from Medicare, Medicaid programs

Church Street Health Management (CSHM), which operates 70 Small Smiles dental clinics in 22 states and the District of Columbia, has been excluded from participation in the Medicaid and Medicare programs for a minimum of five years by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The action follows a recommendation by a U.S. Senate committee that the Small Smiles chain should be excluded from the Medicaid program for

5 ways to get patients on board with home care

With the oral-systemic health link now well recognized, this is the time to help patients understand what they need to do to control bacteria at home. Unless patients understand the “how to” portion of their home care, our efforts will continue to show limited results,and periodontal issues will still be a barrier to overall health. Carrie Ibbetson, RDH. Carrie Ibbetson, RDH. As bacteria become invasive after accumulating for only a