A lawsuit filed in Jefferson County in Alabama challenging the state’s ban on teeth-whitening services being offered by nondentists is moving forward. The suit was filed against the Alabama Board of Dental Examiners on April 30 in the Circuit Court for the 10th Judicial Circuit by Keith Westphal and Joyce Osborn Wilson, who wish to sell over-the-counter teeth-whitening products. The board’s motion to dismiss the case was heard on September
Two grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health will allow researchers from the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Dentistry to explore novel, longer-lasting composites. Principal investigators Carmem Pfeifer, DDS, PhD, an assistant professor of biomaterials and biomechanics, and Jack Ferracane, PhD, the chair and a professor of restorative dentistry, will receive more than $2.4 million over five years to work independently toward the common goal of
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be a better tool for predicting the chances of survival and tumor metastasis of patients with oral cancer, according to a new study by British researchers. They found that measuring tumor volume on MRI scans could offer a more accurate prognosis than analyzing the surface area of a tumor. MRI demonstrated promising results in a dual-center, retrospective study by researchers at University of Oxford’s Radiology
Lasers4Dentistry, a division of Technology4Medicine, will launch its X-Runner digital laser scanning handpiece at the upcoming ADA Annual Session. The company is touting the handpiece, designed specifically for the LightWalker AT Dual Wavelength dental laser, as the first all-tissue ablative laser scanning handpiece for dentistry, and will present it at booth No. 618 during the meeting, taking place in New Orleans from October 31 through November 3. The X-Runner has
Glidewell Laboratories has struck an alliance with Shofu of Japan to bring BruxZir Solid Zirconia directly to the Japanese dental market. Under the terms of the partnership, Shofu will have exclusive rights to distribute the restorative dental material to dental laboratories and dentists. With the addition of both BruxZir Solid Zirconia and the new BruxZir Shaded Solid Zirconia to Shofu’s product portfolio, Shofu Japan’s customers will now have local access
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has declared its support for Oral Health America (OHA)’s recommended roles for dental hygienists and dental therapists in expanding U.S. oral healthcare. The recommendation comes from “A State of Decay,” a national report on the oral health of older Americans, which highlights both the public health and the healthcare delivery factors affecting the oral health of older adults. Those factors are state oral health
Two lawsuits against Tulsa, OK, oral surgeon W. Scott Harrington, DMD, have been dropped, while another has been filed. The suits stem from the investigation of alleged infection control lapses at his Oklahoma practices. An attorney for patient Denise Marie Krueter requested the dismissal of her case because she wants to devote her attention to improving her health, an article in Tulsa World noted. Krueter, who has been diagnosed with
3Shape has added new capabilities to its Dental System that enable it to design two-piece customized abutments using the Variobase abutment connection from Straumann. 3Shape has integrated an original Straumann library within the Dental System software that supports Straumann Bone Level and Tissue Level implant systems. The new library enables dental technicians to use 3Shape’s Abutment Designer to model two-piece abutments using a premanufactured titanium base with a customized zirconia
The investigation of the infection control lapses at the Oklahoma practices of oral surgeon W. Scott Harrington, DMD, could extend well into 2014 and end in criminal charges. That’s according to an article by the Associated Press, which detailed how patients continue to come forward nearly seven months after Dr. Harrington’s two practices were closed, noted Oklahoma Board of Dentistry Executive Director Susan Rogers. However, the state has not begun depositions
The Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP) has published an infographic displaying the average monthly pediatric dental rates found in federally facilitated and partnership marketplaces in the U.S. Available on the group’s website, the infographic averages each state’s premium rates for the low- and high-option standalone pediatric dental products, and reveals considerable disparities in cost, the organization noted. Image courtesy of the CDHP. West Virginia, for example, has low- and high-cost
Dental implant technology is improving steadily as materials and the understanding of osseointegration advance. That reality is having an inevitable effect on treatment planning. But when does it make sense to abandon treating a natural tooth and place an implant? Researchers who completed a systematic review of long-term tooth and implant survival rates believe that a more conservative approach could be warranted that emphasizes treating the tooth over extracting and
Heraeus Kulzer has launched a new line of composites, called Venus, that are free of bisphenol A (BPA). Both of the company’s Venus Diamond and Venus Pearl composites are free of BPA and bisphenol A glycidyl methacrylate (bis-GMA), the vendor said. The composites are based on a tricyclodecan-urethane-monomer and are designed to deliver minimal shrinkage, high strength, and good surface hardness while being easy and convenient to handle. A debate
