The fundamental principles of preventive dentistry are the preservation of tooth structure and the repair of lesions to minimize the risk of progression of oral disease. The management of the dynamic equilibrium of demineralization/remineralization of tooth enamel is key to this process. Acidic attack on dental tissue is most often caused by bacterial sugar conversion … Read more
It feels real. Virtual reality and haptic technologies are providing more lifelike experiences in niches from sports training to video games to surgical procedures. Promethean Dental Systems customized the game-changing technology for the dental space with the virtual reality-haptic simulator called the Simodont Dental Trainer. The device promotes skill building, repetition boosting and end-to-end workflow … Read more
Sint Maarten. My Island Bride. I Crave Your Curves: Hillside, Bays and Beaches, Narrow, Wide. Some Parts Raw. Some Gentrified. Your Warm Embrace, Sunnyside Let’s me Hike or Bike, Mountainside. Swim or Sail, Race or Ride. While Gentle Breeze Makes Heat Subside. Statehood-wise, a Great Divide: French – to the North; Dutch – South-side. But When … Read more
As a dentist, when you are prepping a dental crown or undertaking a dental filling, you would always follow a diligent process, right? However, the same diligence is usually not followed when you are hiring dental staff for your clinic. This is despite the fact that a bad hire can turn out to be extremely … Read more
Commercial air travel is safer with every passing decade.1 Advancements in mechanical, operational, and technological design contribute to an ongoing trend in risk reduction of mortality in the airline industry. That risk is now approximately 1 in 8 million passengers.1 Regardless of how small a given risk, it behooves any industry to continually strive to … Read more
At first, it might seem easy to keep your dental practice’s social profiles active and interesting. After all, we all find time for social media in our off hours and idle moments. However, social media marketing is quite different. It involves setting goals, developing strategies, and creating a cohesive plan involving all channels. To make … Read more
Many of us want to incorporate healthier habits into our lifestyles, but the mere thought of a wellness routine is daunting. You floss, you brush, you exercise, and think to yourself, “there are only so many hours in the day!” I recently read a great article by Jamie Millar about this very topic, and I’ll … Read more
THE WHY: Owner’s story Essex Family Dental opened its doors in 2016. Essex is a growing community located in the heart of Windsor, Ont., a city situated on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan. The city prides itself on safety, accessibility, affordability and fun, and is a leader in … Read more
Each new grad enters the world of private practice with dreams and visions of maintaining that fresh and vital feeling of importance. As dental professionals, we are excited to deliver great dental healthcare experiences to happy, appreciative patients that value what we can do for them. Then, as patients arrive, the realities of private practice … Read more
A patient emails 20 different dentists her recently taken full mouth series of x-rays, stating, “My previous dentist took these just before I moved to town. The move was sudden (work-related), so my dentist never had a chance to tell me what work I needed done. I’m here for two years on assignment, and I’m … Read more
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” You may have heard this common phrase many times before. Have you thought about this when it comes to your daily interactions with patients? We are trained, educated and taught how to assess, identify and differentiate between healthy and non-healthy, normal and abnormal in terms of teeth, tissue … Read more
Q: Some of my patients resist getting recommended radiographs. What can I do to encourage them to consent? A: If you read my article, “Are you Taking Adequate Radiographs?” (November 2021 issue), you know that most practices aren’t taking the necessary images throughout the process of care, especially considering the recommendation of the new global … Read more
I’m sitting at my desk on a Sunday afternoon in March, contemplating the past 24 months. It was around this time in 2020 that I travelled to Malaysia for an annual academic meeting at IMU, our partner university in Kuala Lumpur. I had a slight concern about a newly emerging respiratory virus but believed that … Read more
Dr. Edmund Wong South Point Dental Centre, Surrey, BC How would you define or summarize your practice philosophy? My practice philosophy is simple. I’m treating more than just a mouth – I’m caring for a person. By keeping this vision clearly at the forefront, everything else I do falls into place from helping patients make … Read more
At this point it is a well-known fact that the dental industry is going through a very stressful phase. Staff shortages, increased costs, increased safety measures – these all impact the stress levels of practice owners and team members alike. In fact, the amount of stress being felt is leading to even more staffing issues … Read more
Introduction Altered sensation in the head and neck can be associated with a broad array of local, regional, and systemic etiologies. Though there are multiple cranial and cervical peripheral nerves supplying the craniofacial region, neurosensory disturbance of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN), its terminal branches, and the lingual nerve are most likely to present in … Read more
Abstract Patients who are diagnosed with MRONJ while being treated with bone modifying agents(BMAs) at oncologic doses, there is insufficient evidence to support or refute the discontinuation of BMAs. Administration of the BMA may be deferred at the discretion of the treating physician, in conjunction with discussion with the patient and the dental specialist. The … Read more
The mandible is the only movable bone of the facial skeleton, as the condyle portion articulates with the temporal bone to form the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). A myriad of benign and malignant lesions (Tumours/Pseudotumours) may affect the TMJ, and many remain undiagnosed until they become symptomatic or are incidentally discovered through imaging. Further complicating diagnosis … Read more
In order to achieve long-lasting adhesive restorations, each detail in the bonding process must be considered. One often over-looked aspect of bonding is the step in which the bonding agent is agitated while being placed on the tooth. Manufacturers of dental bonding agents will often recommend a 10-20 second application time of the adhesive, during … Read more
Introduction The maxillary lateral incisors are the most common congenitally missing teeth after the upper and lower second premolars. Gender differences are negligible, with women slightly more affected than men.1 Agenesis of the maxillary lateral incisors presents a significant challenge to clinicians since it negatively impacts dental and facial esthetics. Furthermore, this condition impacts function … Read more