Study IDs link between urinary mercury, dental amalgam

People with dental amalgam have significantly higher levels of urinary mercury, according to a new study in the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology (August 29, 2013). Canadian researchers analyzed the relationship between the number of dental amalgam surfaces and urinary mercury levels using data from a large philanthropic chronic disease prevention program in Calgary, Alberta. The study group included 2,137 people who agreed to have a urinary analysis to

TheraBreath founder aids ADEA research fellowships

Harold Katz, DDS, founder of the California Breath Clinics and creator of TheraBreath, has pledged $10,000 to fund the new American Dental Education Association (ADEA) TheraBreath student research fellowships. Four fellowships in the amount of $2,500 will be awarded in 2014 to dental or dental hygiene students pursuing research the areas of xerostomia and/or halitosis. Each ADEA/TheraBreath student research fellowship stipend will be paid to the student’s dental or dental

More parents report healthy toothbrushing habits

More parents are reporting healthy toothbrushing habits since the Ad Council launched the Children’s Oral Health Campaign. On the one-year anniversary of their Kids’ Healthy Mouths campaign, the Ad Council and the Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives said a new survey demonstrates substantial progress in the effort to improve children’s oral health habits. The survey was commissioned by the Ad Council and conducted by Cayenne Global Research. All respondents

Imaging may contribute to excessive thyroid treatment

An increasing gap between the incidence of thyroid cancer and deaths from the disease suggests that low-risk cancers are being overdiagnosed and overtreated, according to researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN (BMJ, August 27, 2013). Imaging modalities such as ultrasound, CT, and MRI can detect very small thyroid nodules, many of which are slow-growing papillary thyroid cancers, according to lead author Juan Pablo Brito, MBBS, an endocrine fellow

Univ. of the Pacific to offer advanced endodontics

Students and dental professionals interested in pursuing the latest advances in the specialty of endodontics are being invited to apply for the new Advanced Education Program in Endodontology offered by University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. The postgraduate program will start in July 2014. The 27-month program is designed to provide in-depth clinical training built on a solid foundation of biomedical science, the university noted in

Vita launches 2 new restorative products

Vita has released two new products for its In-Ceram restorative materials: Vita In-Ceram YZ Disc Color and Vita In-Ceram YZ Disc HT (high translucent). Available in precolored, monochromatic shades, Vita YZ Disc Color utilizes a controlled coloring process, producing a uniform quality of shades and eliminating the need for manual coloring, the company explained in a press release. Three shade variations are available: light, medium, and intense. If needed, additional

TORS may help sleep apnea sufferers

Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) may be an effective treatment for sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), according to a recent study in Laryngoscope (July 2013, Vol. 123:7, pp. 1811-1816). Ho-Sheng Lin, MD, from Wayne State University School of Medicine, and colleagues reported promising results for treating sleep apnea using TORS, which has recently been established in terms of safety and tolerability for removing cancerous tumors in the back of

Be ready to answer questions about natural dental products

The market for “natural” products has grown steadily in recent years, and the interest in such products has extended into dentistry. During a presentation at the recent California Dental Association (CDA) fall meeting in San Francisco, Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, RDH, PhD, an author and clinical professor at the Ostrow School of Dentistry of the University of Southern California (USC), sought to help dentists, hygienists, and assistants find ways to respond

Report: Disposable bib holders eliminate bacterial risks

Disposable bib holders can eliminate the risk of patient-to-patient transmission of bacteria via the bib clip instead of just minimizing it, according to a recent report in Dental Advisor (June 2013). The report, authored by John A. Molinari, PhD, and Peri Nelson, concluded that the primary reason to use disposable bib holders is to eliminate the risk of transmitting bacteria from patient to patient via bib holders. “After examining the

Brush combines application of bonding, bleaching agents

The new Intraoral Brush (IOB) from Sulzer Mixpac is designed to allow dentists to combine two steps of the process for applying bonding and bleaching agents. IOB is a new accessory for the company’s L-System range. Designed for mixers with a D-shaped outlet, the applicator for bleaching and bonding materials is made entirely from plastic, and it comes fitted with a brush. Combining two components that were previously separate into

Third-molar pain meds overprescribed? And, the skinny on natural products

Dear DrBicuspid Member, Are some oral and maxillofacial surgeons inadvertently overprescribing pain medications following impacted third-molar extractions? Yes, according to a new study in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. The issue appears to be rooted in uncertainty about how long the patient’s postoperative pain is expected to last. Read more. Meanwhile, the market for “natural” products has grown steadily in recent years, and the interest in such products

LED Medical Diagnostics Q2 revenues up 4%

Continued demand for the VELscope Vx helped push LED Medical Diagnostics’ revenues up 4% year over year in the second quarter of 2013 (end-June 30). The company reported revenues of $1.08 million for the quarter, compared with $1.04 million for the same period in the prior year. However, net loss for the quarter was $2.2 million, compared with a net loss of $195,000 for the second quarter of 2012. “Our