Endonasal technique improves tumor removal

Surgeons at the Cranial Base Center at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute have developed a minimally invasive technique to reach and remove skull-based tumors through the nose or mouth, sparing patients from considerable pain from traditional open surgery and allowing for a quicker recovery. The procedure combines endoscopic endonasal surgery with minimally invasive robotic surgery to treat many

Komet launches abrasive caps

Komet now offers round abrasive caps (9958R) that have been developed to grind hard and soft acrylics, silicone, and dry plaster. The caps, which are constructed of glued paper and coated in abrasive grit, compression-fit on a reusable mandrel (9957R) that features a stainless-steel shank and a rubber head. Unlike an arbor band, which is secured on a lathe, the cap-fitted mandrel is placed into a handpiece, thus offering exceptional

Align files more complaints against ClearCorrect

Align Technology has filed two complaints with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) against both ClearCorrect and ClearCorrect Pakistan alleging patent infringement. In the first complaint, Align asserts that ClearCorrect infringes seven Align patents, comprising 280 claims, related to methods for planning and implementing orthodontic treatment using aligners, according to the company. The complaint alleges that treatment planning for ClearCorrect’s products is performed by ClearCorrect Pakistan at a facility in

Mobile app educates kids on oral health

Orca Health has developed the KidsDental App, designed to teach young users about basic tooth care. The KidsDental App is divided into four sections: Explore: Takes advantage of Orca’s 3D engine to enable 360-degree examination, with full zoom, of the jaw and teeth Conditions: Uses animation and interactivity to teach users about caries, early tooth loss, abscessed teeth, broken teeth, late loss of teeth, and periodontal disease Learn: The touch

Inovio vaccines target HPV-related cancers

Inovio Pharmaceuticals’ SynCon therapeutic vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11 induced strong antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in mice, according to a study to be published in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics (April 2012, Vol. 8:4). HPV types 6 and 11 are the major causes of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis and genital warts. They are also associated with otolaryngologic malignancies and carcinoma of the lung, tonsils, and larynx. Similar to

Pharmacy mistakes cancer meds for fluoride pills

A CVS pharmacy in New Jersey is being investigated by the state attorney general’s office after mistakenly distributing breast cancer medication instead of prescribed fluoride pills to kids in as many as 50 families. The pharmacy, located in Chatham, acknowledged dispensing Tamoxifen instead of chewable fluoride tablets between December 1 and February 20, according to an Associated Press story. Company investigators are working to determine how and why the errors

Texas Medicaid dental program no longer state-run

Changes to the Texas Medicaid dental program have pediatric dentists across the state scrambling to help patients maintain their appointments. For years the Texas Medicaid dental program was state-run, but now it is being handled by three different insurance companies: Delta Dental, DentaQuest, and MCNA Dental. Patients have to pick one of the providers and select a doctor that is also covered by that particular company. The change, which took

GHSU spin-off develops chewing gum for xerostomia

An all-natural chewing gum designed to relieve mild to severe symptoms of xerostomia is the first consumer product developed through the Life Sciences Business Development Center at Georgia Health Sciences University (GHSU). The center, a business incubator that nurtures entrepreneurial enterprises related to biomedical science, is home to Camellix, a company that develops dietary and therapeutic product lines based on green tea technology by Stephen Hsu, PhD, a professor in

Study: Oral hygiene not linked to osteonecrosis risk

Recent studies have suggested that preventive dental care may reduce the risk of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) in patients who are about to undergo bisphosphonate therapy. The authors of a 2008 study in Annals of Oncology, for example, found that BRONJ is a manageable and preventable condition. Their data confirmed that the application of preventive measures can significantly reduce the incidence of ONJ in cancer patients receiving bisphosphonate

Raven Maria Blanco video a YouTube hit

A video of a song written in honor of a young girl who died five years ago following sedation prior to routine dental treatment has become a YouTube sensation of sorts, growing from 4,000 hits on March 4 to 40,000 one day later. Raven Blanco Raven Maria Blanco died in March 2007 after receiving 1300 mg of chloral hydrate and 30 mg of hydroxyzine prior to having her teeth cleaned

AAE endorses PBHS for websites

The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) has selected dental website provider PBHS for its 7,400 members. PBHS will provide its endodontic custom and semi-custom website development services to participating AAE members, according to the organization. PBHS website packages cover every endodontic procedure with animations, patient presentations, AAE informational libraries, and search engine results. PBHS also offers secure online patient registration, referral collaboration, and practice management software integration. An AAE member

Small Smiles to shut down NY office

Small Smiles, the dental chain facing lawsuits over alleged mistreatment of young patients, will close its Syracuse, NY, office. Church Street Health Management, the company that operates Small Smiles, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month but claims the clinic closure has nothing to do with the bankruptcy, according to a story by WSYR-TV. Two separate lawsuits were filed against the company in 2011 in New York State Supreme Court