HIV-positive patients benefit from early dental intervention

Early dental intervention can help newly diagnosed HIV-positive patients retain teeth and preserve dentition, according to research to be presented next month at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) conference in San Diego. The study, conducted at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, is part of a U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration project focused on access to oral healthcare in persons living with HIV/AIDS. A

Shofu coloring pastes offer enhanced surface curing

Shofu Dental has introduced Lite Art light curing coloring pastes, designed to recreate the internal effects and characteristics of natural teeth. With a newly developed multifunctional monomer and photo initiator, Lite Art shows excellent surface-curing qualities, the company said. The complete Lite Art set, which sells for a suggested retail price of $312, includes: 1-mL syringes in 15 different colors One 6-mL bottle of Clear Liquid A Uni Brush No.

Ohio senator calls for VA dental clinic probe

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is calling for a Senate hearing on the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Dayton, OH, in response to an announcement that 535 veterans may have contracted hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV as a result of poor infection control practices. Last week, the Dayton VAMC issued a report indicating that several employees may have known that a practitioner was using unhygienic practices for 18

U.S. senators ask Major League Baseball to quit tobacco

Citing the recent announcement by Washington Nationals pitcher Steven Strasburg about the dangers of smokeless tobacco in Major League Baseball (MLB), U.S. Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) are asking MLB commissioner Bud Selig and the MLB Players Association to ban the use of tobacco products on the field, in the dugout, and in the locker rooms at MLB venues. “It has been 28 years since the MLB

Merck wins latest Fosamax/ONJ lawsuit

A state court in New Jersey has found in favor of Merck in the Rosenberg v. Merck case, rejecting the claims of a woman who blamed her dental and jaw-related problems on her Fosamax use. The plaintiff, Allison Rosenberg, 67, said she used Fosamax from 1999 to 2006 and that she suffered various jaw problems and complications following a tooth extraction in December 2005. At trial, Merck presented evidence that

Minn. 3rd graders fare well in first oral health survey

Oral health data collected last year in Minnesota show that the mouths of the state’s third-graders meet and exceed some national norms but fall short on others, according to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). This is the first time the state has collected random oral screening information. The findings were presented February 11 at the Minnesota Oral Health Summit in St. Paul. The summit also marked the release of

More growth projected for dental implant market

Dental implant and facial injectables are among the top surgical procedures slated for growth in the next five years, according to a new report from the Millennium Research Group (MRG). “The aesthetic and dental areas have consistently shown greater than average growth,” said April Chan, publications manager at MRG, in a press release. “Dental implants will show a growth of 9% and facial injectables 12% [between 2010 and 2015], both

Is Europe looking to ban dental amalgam?

Fresh challenges to the use of dental amalgam in Europe may arise following the release next month of a new European Commission report that is expected to recommend a phase out of amalgam. Some countries are already moving in that direction. At present, the EC’s position is that dental amalgams and various alternative materials are considered effective and safe to use, based on a 2008 assessment by the Scientific Committees

Canadian researcher finds cancer therapy target

One of the most important genes in the human genome is called p53 and its function is to suppress tumors, according to Roger Leng, PhD, a researcher in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta. Leng has discovered the mechanism by which p53 is inactivated in cancerous cells, allowing tumors to grow (Nature Medicine, February 13, 2011). “Successful completion of the proposed experiments could lead to

Astra Tech, UIC extend implant partnership

Building on the success of a partnership that began in 2005, the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry has signed a seven-year agreement with Astra Tech to continue supporting its implant dentistry curriculum. A “significantly large” gift from Astra Tech in 2005 helped establish the university’s clinical implant dentistry program, resulting in better and more affordable patient care, a unique curriculum for students, and opportunities for current

Ohio spearheads kids’ oral health initiative

Ohio has launched the Children’s Oral Health Action Team (COHAT), a team of nearly 30 organizations from education, healthcare, dental, and advocacy backgrounds who want to “advocate and educate to improve child oral health in Ohio,” according to the organization’s website. The following are COHAT’s primary goals: Increase the number of primary care providers who are actively involved in improving the oral health of their patients by 2014. Insert an

New ONJ studies are some of biggest to date

Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a debilitating bone condition that affects the jaws and occurs as a result of reduced local blood supply to the bone. However, the literature involving ONJ — especially as it relates to the consumption of bisphosphonates — has been severely limited because most investigations cannot evaluate sufficient numbers of afflicted individuals to accurately determine the incidence of the disease and associated risk factors, according