Benzocaine has been used to treat pain for more than a century, but the available data about its efficacy for the relief of tooth pain have long been lacking, prompting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to assign it category I status as an external anesthetic or analgesic for the temporary relief of a number of oral issues, including minor dental procedures, dentures, orthodontic appliances, canker sores, and teething
American alligators might serve as suitable models to study tooth replacement in human adults, according to a new study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (May 13, 2013). To uncover molecular mechanisms of tooth renewal, Cheng-Ming Chuong, MD, PhD, from the University of Southern California and an international team of colleagues studied repetitive tooth formation in American alligators. Because alligators have well-organized teeth with morphological traits similar to
The ADA is partnering with the American Academy of Facial Esthetics (AAFE) to provide education on the use of Botox for aesthetic and therapeutic treatments. They will offer a live-patient course for dental professionals prior to the ADA annual session in New Orleans, the organizations noted in a press release. The annual session takes place October 31 through November 3, 2013. Attendees can expect hands-on learning in the latest techniques
High-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV) are increasingly associated with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). However, HPV-positive OPSCC is highly curable, and patients with HPV have better survival compared with HPV-negative patients, whose cancers are usually associated with alcohol and tobacco use. To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying these differences, Jochen Hess, PhD, and colleagues at University Hospital Heidelberg monitored changes in DNA modifications in HPV-positive and HPV-negative OPSCCs
The Children’s Dental Health Project (CDHP) and the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families — along with 44 other organizations, including the ADA and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry — are urging federal officials to reconsider the interpretation of the final rule on health insurance premium tax credits. In a letter sent May 9 to U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, the organizations seek clarification that premium tax credits,
Vatech America and Sinclair Dental have donated a REVE panoramic/cephalometric cone-beam (CBCT) unit to the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto. The donation will aid in the care of patients who require specialized dental care. The SickKids dental team will have the ability to see 3D views of the patient’s head, mandible, and teeth, as well as ultralow-dose 2D views of the head and oral cavity. The device, worth
Tennessee legislators have made it easier for more children to have dental care, including dental sealants and fluoride varnish treatments. Starting in July, an amended law will allow public health hygienists greater flexibility to give preventive dental care, the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) noted in a press release. Some 20% of Americans 65 years and older are edentulous, but in Tennessee the rate is 30%, according to TDH Oral
The formation of dental plaque involves a rather sequential pattern of bacterial colonization. As the teeth erupt or are cleaned, surfaces of the enamel are first coated with conditioning film that is characterized by molecules from the host (such as saliva) and from the bacteria (such as secreted by-products). Early colonizers will grow and change the local conditions to increase its suitability for more discriminating species that colonize later, attaching
Vident has released an enhanced Bleachedguide 3D-Master system. The Bleachedguide 3D-Master now integrates the 29 shade levels defined by the ADA, the company noted in a press release. It also includes additional numerical designations for accurate recording of shade changes during the bleaching process. This allows the dentist and patient the ability to discuss the desired result of the teeth-whitening procedure prior to treatment using the shade samples, and then
Scheu Dental and Stratasys have formed a partnership to bring digital products and services to the orthodontics market. Stratasys, which makes 3D printers, will join Scheu Dental to offer orthodontic labs digital solutions, the companies noted in a press release. Digital orthodontics offers a number of advantages, including the ability to shorten delivery times, increase production capacity, and eliminate bulky model storage, according to the companies.
Oklahoma health officials now say 70 people who were patients of Tulsa oral surgeon W. Scott Harrington, DMD, have tested positive for hepatitis C. A fourth round of testing identified one new case of hepatitis C but no new cases of hepatitis B, according to an Oklahoma State Department of Health press release. In addition, four people have tested positive for hepatitis B and three have tested positive for HIV
Aspen Dental conducted 3,440 ViziLite oral cancer screenings at Aspen Dental locations across the U.S. during April, resulting in a $17,200 donation to the Oral Cancer Foundation (OCF). The program, which included a $5 donation for each ViziLite screening conducted, was run throughout the Aspen Dental network of 380 practices across 25 states. According to the OCF, approximately 42,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer in 2013, the seventh
