Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have discovered that diamonds on a much, much smaller scale than those used in jewelry could be used to promote bone growth and the durability of dental implants. Nanodiamonds, which are created as byproducts of conventional mining and refining operations, are approximately 4 to 5 nanometers (nm) in diameter and are shaped like tiny soccer balls. Scientists from the UCLA School
The VELscope (LED Medical Diagnostics) is well-known as a noninvasive fluorescence device used by dental professionals to identify tissue abnormalities — including cancerous and precancerous lesions — in the oral cavity. Now a new study has found that the VELscope may also be a useful aid in the surgical treatment of osteonecrosis of the jaw induced by bisphosphonates (BRONJ) (Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, September 4, 2013). The VELscope Vx by
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are working together to support tobacco-related research by funding more than a dozen new Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science (TCORS). As part of an ongoing interagency partnership, the two agencies have awarded some $53 million in fiscal year 2013 to create 14 TCORS across the U.S.. A new, first-of-its-kind regulatory science tobacco program, TCORS is designed
Researchers involved in the development of the Identafi multispectral oral cancer screening device have now introduced another oral cancer screening device that uses fluorescence technology and costs less than $1,000. The OralID device, from Forward Science, is based on technology developed by the company president, Brian Pikkula, PhD, and CEO Robert Whitman. The OralID cancer screening device gained U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance in March 2013. All images courtesy
Philips Sonicare has added new power toothbrush to its product line, the FlexCare Platinum. Sonicare FlexCare Platinum addresses aggressive brushing with an intuitive Pressure Sensor to guide proper brushing technique. The handle vibrates when too much pressure is applied, alerting users when they are brushing too hard, the company noted in a press release. The toothbrush also features the new InterCare brush head, which has bristles of different lengths to
The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) and Tulsa Health Department have officially connected one case of hepatitis C to the office of oral surgeon W. Scott Harrington, DMD. Dr. Harrington is accused of exposing thousands of patients to blood-borne viruses at his practices in Tulsa and Owasso. The Oklahoma Board of Dentistry launched an investigation into Dr. Harrington in March after being notified that health officials were looking into a complaint
A groundbreaking University of Otago study of dental therapists in New Zealand has highlighted the crucial role they play in child protection, plus the barriers they face when seeking to report suspected cases of child abuse. Registered dental therapists, most of whom work for District Health Boards, are often the most consistent healthcare practitioner New Zealand school-age children will see up to the age of 14 years, the study authors
Covered California, California’s health insurance exchange, will start off offering small-group, child-only dental coverage from seven carriers. Managers of California’s public exchange said the small-group dental menu will include products from insurance providers such as Blue Shield of California, Delta Dental, Guardian, and MetLife, according to Benefitspro.com. WellPoint’s Anthem unit, will sell child-only dental coverage through the individual exchange but not the small-group one. Rates begin at $8 per child
Wisconsin’s Lac du Flambeau Native American tribe has developed an accredited tribal-technical college dental hygiene program. Nicolet College in Minocqua, in association with the Peter Christensen dental campus in Lac du Flambeau, developed the accredited program. The collaboration is the first partnership between an Indian tribe and a technical college, according to a Lakeland Times story. Nicolet College recently received its initial accreditation approval from the national Commission on Dental
The use of prilocaine in pediatric patients can increase the levels of methemoglobin in those patients, putting them at risk of associated problems that can include headache, dizziness, and seizures (Anesthesia Progress, Fall 2013, Vol. 60:3, pp. 99-108). While the role of local anesthetics has made many dental procedures commonplace, the use of these drugs do come with risks, noted the study authors, from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry.
United Health Products has received formal notification of allowance by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its patent application for a hemostatic gauze product, HemoStyp. A patent will be issued shortly, and the company is pursuing additional applications and filings for its HemoStyp product line. HemoStyp is an all-natural product made of regenerated oxidized cellulose gauze that is formulated to aid in the process of hemostasis when positioned on
The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) is urging seniors to seek a proper dental examination every six months and has compiled a short list of common concerns that seniors express about their smile. More than half of the adult U.S. population surveyed who are older than age 50 agree that a smile is the one physical feature that stays the most attractive as we age, according to the AACD
