Study highlights social benefits of straight teeth

People with straight teeth are perceived as more successful, smarter, and having more dates, according to a perception study conducted by Kelton Research for Align Technology, the makers of Invisalign. The digital perception study contrasted images of men and women with straight and crooked teeth. The survey was taken by 1,047 Americans. Respondents were shown images of people with varying tooth issues and asked to give their opinion about them.

Swallowing exercises help head/neck cancer patients

Among patients undergoing chemoradiation for head and neck cancer, performing targeted swallowing exercises following chemoradiation is associated with short-term improvement in swallowing function, according to a report in the Archives of Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery. However, there were no significant differences in swallowing function between the intervention group and controls at nine or 12 months following treatment, according to the study authors, from Mount Sinai Medical Center (Arch

Study predicts risk of oral mucositis in chemo patients

Inform Genomics has completed the first phase of product development to predict a patient’s risk of developing oral mucositis after receiving high-dose chemotherapy prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The results of this single-center, 153-patient study demonstrated the product’s ability to discriminate which patients develop oral mucositis with 99.3% accuracy. Further development will include validation of these initial results in a multicenter study. Inform Genomics also announced that it entered

Oral bacteria may influence joint failures

The culprit behind a failed hip or knee replacement may exist in the oral cavity, according to a new study in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology. DNA testing of bacteria from the fluid that lubricates hip and knee joints had bacteria with the same DNA as the plaque from patients with periodontal disease and in need of a joint replacement, according to researchers from the Case Western Reserve University School

AHA: No proof that periodontitis causes heart disease

Despite popular belief, periodontal disease has not been proven to cause atherosclerotic heart disease or stroke, and treating periodontitis has not been proven to prevent heart disease or stroke, according to a statement published today in Circulation. The statement, authored by the American Heart Association (AHA) Committee on Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis, and Kawasaki Disease, found no conclusive scientific evidence that periodontal disease causes or increases the rates of cardiovascular diseases.

Should orthodontists read CBCT scans?

Orthodontists should defer to radiologists in the reading and interpretation of cone-beam CT (CBCT) scans to protect themselves from malpractice litigation due to missed nonorthodontic lesions, according to a study in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. Researchers from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry wanted to determine how well orthodontists and orthodontic residents could identify nonorthodontic incidental findings and false positives in CBCT scans (Am J

Saliva test could improve oral cancer detection

A Michigan State University surgeon is teaming up with Delta Dental of Michigan’s Research and Data Institute on a clinical trial to create a simple, cost-effective saliva test to detect oral cancer. Barry Wenig, MD, a professor in the College of Human Medicine’s department of surgery and lead investigator on the project, is working with Delta to compile study data and recruit dentists. The study will enroll 100-120 patients with

Dental student invents single-use toothbrush

Deborah Luis, a Nova Southeastern University (NSU) forth-year dental student, has created and patented FreshTips, a single-use, on-the-go miniature toothbrush and breath-freshener duo. She came up with the idea three years ago after seeing a ball with rubber extensions and wondering if a take on the toy could become a great tooth cleaner, according to a university press release. From there, she created the product, which features soft rubber bristles

Heraeus is the new GBAS fundraising partner

Heraeus Kulzer’s Venus White Teeth Whitening Systems brand has been named the new official whitening fundraising partner of the Give Back A Smile (GBAS) program. GBAS was founded by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) Charitable Foundation to restore the smiles of adult survivors of intimate partner violence. Heraeus will donate Venus White teeth-whitening systems to participating dental practices that pledge to donate proceeds directly to GBAS when they

General dentists can facilitate infant, toddler oral care

Children’s oral health is an important component in many dental offices. The prevention of dental disease in our youngest patients needs to be a priority if we are to positively impact the rising decay rate in this segment of our population. While decay rates have been decreasing in school-age children and adolescents, it is on the rise in preschoolers. We know that dental decay is a multifactorial disease with no

6 dental students win AACD scholarships

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) is giving six students the opportunity to study cosmetic dentistry at the AACD’s 28th Annual Scientific Session, May 2-5, in Washington, DC, through the APEX Scholarship Award. With the scholarship, students’ registration fees are waived, and they receive round-trip coach-class air travel (up to $500), hotel accommodations, and one year of AACD membership. This year’s winners are: Kallie Law, University of Alabama Birmingham

Demand for dentist anesthesiologists on the rise

There is a growing demand for dentist anesthesiologists to treat pediatric patients but a lack of available practitioners able to meet it in every region of the U.S., according to a study in Anesthesiology Progress. Nearly 70% of the pediatric dentists that participated in the study stated that they would use a dentist anesthesiologist if one were available (AP, Spring 2012, Vol. 59:1, pp. 12-17). “This shows that there’s definitely