PSI the gold standard for initial periodontal exams

While the periodontal screening index (PSI) is an essential screening tool for periodontal disease, panoramic images are less so, according to a new study in BMC Oral Health (January 14, 2011). Researchers from University Medical Centre Göttingen compared the role of PSI to that of panoramic imaging for determining a patient’s “periodontal situation.” They examined 112 male subjects, ages 18-58. The exam covered DMF-T, QHI, and PSI scores at four

IMRT improves outcomes in head/neck cancer patients

Patients with pharyngeal cancer had better salivary function, less xerostomia, and improved quality of life when treated with parotid-sparing intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) rather than conventional radiotherapy, according to a new study in Lancet Oncology (January 13, 2011). In a randomized, controlled trial conducted between January 21, 2003, and December 7, 2007, a team of U.K. researchers compared conventional radiotherapy (control) with parotid-sparing IMRT. The trial’s primary objective was to assess

Evident Dental Lab offers new dental lab resource

Evident Dental Lab has created a website that provides relevant information from the most popular dental lab resource Web pages. Here are some of the site’s key features: The Dental Lab Resource site home page lists articles on various topics, including a few words on why each article was included. The Dental Lab Associations page gives visitors access to a list of associations in Canada and the U.S. The Dental

Lawsuit claims root canal led to extreme pain

An Illinois dentist is being sued by a patient for inflicting extreme pain after a file separation allegedly occurred during a root canal, according to an article in the Madison Record. Anna Smith, DMD, of Dentistry With TLC in Godfrey, IL, performed the procedure on Amanda Markel on November 20, 2007; the three-count complaint was filed in Madison County Circuit Court on January 4, 2010, and seeks a judgment of

FDA limits acetaminophen in combination products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is asking manufacturers of prescription combination products that contain acetaminophen to limit the amount of acetaminophen to no more than 325 milligrams in each tablet or capsule. The FDA is also requiring manufacturers to update labels of all prescription combination acetaminophen products to warn of the potential risk for severe liver injury. Acetaminophen, also called APAP, is used in many prescription products in

Dental students donate mouthguards to inner city football team

The football team at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, TN, received a special gift from dental students at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) this year: custom mouthguards. The project, led by UTHSC student Matt Teale, started two years ago when Teale noticed that students in inner city high school football teams could not afford proper mouth protection because of rising poverty, according to a news

Ceramic restorations to top market by 2015

All-ceramic crown and bridge restorations fabricated with CAD/CAM technology will grow from 40% of overall ceramic unit share to almost 70% in 2015, according to new research by Millennium Research Group (MRG). Of the materials used to fabricate CAD/CAM restorations, high growth over the next five years in all-ceramic restorations will mainly stem from the segment of newer and alternative materials such as lithium disilicate, MRG said. Lithium disilicate, a

Argentine firm to store dental pulp stem cells

Biocordcell Argentina, a Cord Blood America company, has launched a program to store dental pulp stem cells, the first stem cell storage bank in Argentina to offer this service. This particular type of stem cell can differentiate into a variety of other cell types, and research is ongoing on using these cells to generate nerve tissue, repair muscle, and generate bone and cartilage, according to the company. “We are pleased

U.S. marshals seize dental products from Fla. firm

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising healthcare professionals to discontinue using products manufactured by Rite-Dent Manufacturing after U.S. marshals seized all dental products from the company’s facility in Florida on January 5 and 6. The marshals were acting under a court order sought by the FDA, which has issued numerous warnings to the company for more than five years. The seizure of products, valued at $208,910, was

Most N. American orthodontic programs include CBCT training

The majority of postgraduate orthodontic programs in the U.S. and Canada has access to and regularly use cone-beam CT (CBCT) as part of their hands-on curriculum, according to a study in the Journal of Dental Education (January 2011, Vol. 75:1, pp. 98-106). Researchers from A.T. Still University sent an anonymous electronic survey to the program director/chair of all 69 U.S. and Canadian postgraduate orthodontic programs. Of these, 36 (52.2%) of

American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery names new president

Angelo Cuzalina, MD, DDS, of Tulsa, OK, was named president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS) at the organization’s annual meeting in Phoenix this week. Dr. Cuzalina, who has performed more than 10,000 cosmetic surgical procedures in the past 13 years, has lectured on cosmetic surgery all over the world. He is known for his expertise in body contouring after massive weight loss along with simultaneous breast lift

Dr. Fresh FireFly kids’ toothbrush gets ADA seal

Dr. Fresh’s FireFly children’s toothbrush and its licensed counterparts — Barbie, Spider-Man, Hot Wheels, Hello Kitty, and Peanuts toothbrushes — have been awarded the ADA Seal of Acceptance, the company announced. The ADA Council on Scientific Affairs said its acceptance of FireFly is based on its finding that the product is effective for removing plaque and helping to prevent and reduce gingivitis when used as directed. FireFly and its licensed