Study pinpoints cause of opioid pain meds resistance

The manner in which the human body’s neural cells build rapid resistance to opioid pain medications has been identified by researchers at the University of Montreal’s Sainte-Justine. The data, revealed in the current issue of The Journal of Neuroscience, will help researchers create more effective pain medications with longer therapeutic responses. The researchers studied the interaction between drug molecules and ligands in cell receptors (J Neurosci, April 4, 2012, Vol.

New BPA-free restorative matches competition’s strength

A California company has created an experimental crown and bridge restorative material that is free of bisphenol A (BPA) and performed well when compared to two currently available commercial products in strength testing. Danville Materials, a dental equipment and materials company, presented its findings during a poster session at the recent American Association for Dental Research (AADR) annual session in Tampa, FL. “We were very pleased to see that we

NIH gives Agile Sciences $1.3M for antibiofilm research

Agile Sciences has been awarded $1,030,000 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to advance preclinical development of the company’s novel antibiofilm treatment for dental caries. The Phase II Small Business Innovation Research Award follows a $252,000 Phase I SBIR award granted to Agile Sciences in August 2010. Agile Sciences has developed proprietary compounds that are able to inhibit the formation of oral biofilms and disperse existing biofilms, according to

Dental assistant tops list of best jobs

Dental assistant is the No. 1 best job for young people in the current economy, according to a story in Forbes. Forbes interviewed jobs expert Laurence Shatkin, PhD, author of the new book 150 Best Jobs for Your Skills, who considered a variety of data to determine the 15 best jobs for young people in the U.S. today. Shatkin examined jobs with a large concentration of workers ages 16 to

Retraction capsule reduces gingival retraction time

3M ESPE is now offering the 3M ESPE Retraction Capsule, the first gingival retraction system that delivers astringent retraction paste using common composite dispensers. Designed with an extra-fine tip that can be inserted right into the sulcus, the retraction capsule is an alternative to traditional gingival retraction methods such as retraction cord and other retraction pastes, according to the company. Compared to retraction cords, the system can cut up to

VELscope sales boost LED Medical 2011 revenues

LED Medical Diagnostics, makers of the VELscope oral cancer screening device and parent company of LED Dental, reported record revenues for 2011 (end-December 31) and expects to see this trend continue in 2012. LED Medical reported revenues of $7.1 million for the year, a 352% increase over fiscal year 2010. The company attributed the increase to its partnership with Henry Schein, which has expanded its sales and distribution reach. For

Sleep apnea test gains FDA clearance

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Zephyr Sleep Technologies 510(k) clearance to begin selling the MATRx system, which is designed to help identify patients that will be successful with oral appliance therapy while establishing the protrusive position of the lower mandible for effective therapy. “The MATRx system changes the way oral appliance therapy is prescribed, bringing the knowledge and expertise of both sleep physicians and dentists into the

OC survivor urges tax increase for smokeless tobacco

Gruen von Behrens’s first surgery took 13 hours when he was 17 years old. Two years later, maxillofacial surgeons transplanted bone from his back to his face to give him a mandible. The transplant lasted two days before his body rejected it. Now 34, Behrens is cancer-free, but he has no teeth, has a hard time eating and speaking, and his face is disfigured. Gruen von Behrens, oral cancer survivor,

Medtronic to pay $85M in shareholder lawsuit

Medtronic will pay $85 million to settle a class-action shareholder lawsuit related to its Infuse bone graft product. Originally filed in 2008, the lawsuit claimed that Medtronic did not disclose to shareholders the adverse effects of its Infuse product, illegally marketed the product for uses not approved by regulators, and did not disclose to shareholders how much of the company’s revenue from Infuse came from these unapproved uses, according to

Trade commission to investigate Align patent dispute

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has voted to institute an investigation of alleged patent infringement by ClearCorrect and ClearCorrect Pakistan. The ITC’s decision is based on a formal complaint filed last month by Align Technology. In that complaint, Align asserts that ClearCorrect infringes seven Align patents related to methods for planning and implementing orthodontic treatment using aligners. The complaint alleges that treatment planning for ClearCorrect’s products is performed by

Canada declares triclosan bad for environment

Triclosan, which is used in toothpaste to protect against gingivitis, is not harmful to humans but can harm the environment, according to the findings of a Canadian investigation. Health Canada has been probing the effects of triclosan on the body’s endocrine system and whether the antibacterial agent contributes to the development of antibiotic resistance along with the effect of widespread use on the environment. In a preliminary assessment issued March

Metformin may lower risk for oral cancer

Metformin may protect against oral cancer, according to a new study in Cancer Prevention Research. Metformin is the most widely used treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes, and scientists have noticed a trend toward cancer reduction in a number of organ sites, noted the study authors (CPR, March 31, 2012). J. Silvio Gutkind, PhD, chief of the Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer Branch of the National Institute of Dental and