Treatment Planning: The Full Mouth Reconstruction

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Every patient with extreme tooth wear has unique treatment needs, and all of these needs may not be addressed specifically in this article. The general guidelines for treatment of these patients include the following: 1. A comprehensive examination, including a thorough medical and dental history, orofacial and dental clinical examination, dental radiographs, TMD screening history … Read more

Predictable Immediate Implant Prosthetics: Part 2

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Introduction This article discusses a novel protocol to deliver a full-arch immediate fixed provisional prosthesis, which is clinically accurate and predictable. Detailed steps are outlined and documented that enables conversion of the provisional into a fixed screw-retained final prosthesis after healing and the osseointegration of the dental implants. Case Presentation A 58-year-old female patient was … Read more

Forward to the Past: Dentistry in the Information Age

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A Crisis of Trust In a Gallup poll taken in November 2012, Americans were asked to rate service providers, including dentists, on ethical standards and honesty. Among health professionals, nurses came out on top with 85 percent of respondents rating them “high” or “very high”, followed by pharmacists at 75 percent, medical doctors at 70 … Read more

Grafting with Biomaterials – Did You Get Consent?

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I remember my first days as a new dentist and my introduction to the great debate over amalgam restorations vs. composite restorations. Today, we no longer place an amalgam or resin restoration without having a discussion with our patients over the advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses of amalgam vs. resin. This also applies to … Read more

Synergy of Aesthetics and Biomechanics

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The following article will illustrate a comprehensive full mouth reconstruction therapy with treatment objectives for Aesthetics and Biomechanics. Our patient (N.B.) presented to the office with the pre-existing dental treatment done from another country as illustrated in photos 1 and 2. After the initial consultation, our patient wished for fixed implants and prosthodontics to restore … Read more

Altering Vertical Dimension with Bonded Composite

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Abstract This case report demonstrates the importance of careful diagnosis and treatment planning to effectively treat a worn dentition in a conservative manner while maximizing the long-term prognosis. The patient presented having completed orthodontic treatment with a significantly worn dentition seeking an aesthetic improvement. A comprehensive evaluation of the patient occurs to determine the etiology … Read more

Modern Biomaterials: What, Where, When and Why

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Lifelike aesthetics in prosthodontics has been a moving target since the dawn of modern dentistry. The definition of what meets the contemporary understanding of a clinically acceptable prosthesis has always been dependent upon what is considered possible and practical at the time. To date, the aesthetic restoration of a patient’s missing or damaged dentition has competed with … Read more

The Rule of 3 “P”s

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As a long time devout Christian, I have listened to many inspiring sermons by numerous Pastors over the years. One particular Pastor’s sermon style stands out in my mind with a transferrable concept that is very practical and relative to the practice of clinical dentistry. He titled his Sunday morning presentations as The 3 Point … Read more

PANDAS: A Story of Molecular Mimicry

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Background PANDAS is an acronym for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infections. This is a condition that affects a small group of children resulting in a sudden and abrupt onset of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms. In the late 1990’s, investigators at the US National Institutes of Mental Health, during a study of … Read more

Diagnosing Bulimia

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In the September 2016 issue of this journal, I shared information about how the dental professional can help patients with their general and oral health through the diagnosis of acid reflux, a condition that affects up to 50% of the population. In this article, I discuss bulimia, an eating disorder which in the early stages … Read more

Crystal-Balling the Future of Oral Health

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Sometimes it takes a village, sometimes a marriage of powerful forces to produce something meaningful and that is the case with the recently-released custom collaboration between Colgate and Scientific American Custom Media. “The Future of Oral Health, Global Challenges, Advances and New Technologies” is an important document introduced at the ADA’s annual meeting in Denver … Read more

Majority of Nursing Home Patients Found to Deny Dental Services

Nearly 90 percent of patients at long-term care facilities don’t take advantage of dental services, even when they are free, a recent study by University at Buffalo researchers has found. The research, published last month in Special Care in Dentistry, found that the longer a patient stayed at a long-term care facility, such as a … Read more

E-Cigarettes and Cigarettes are Equally Damaging to Oral Health

A University of Rochester Medical Center study suggests that electronic cigarettes are as equally damaging to gums and teeth as conventional cigarettes. The study, published in Oncotarget, was led by Irfan Rahman, Ph.D. professor of Environmental Medicine at the UR School of Medicine and Dentistry, and is the first scientific study to address e-cigarettes and … Read more

Autofluorescence has Important Role in Screening for Oral Cancer

LED Medical Diagnostics Inc. (“LED” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: LMD) is pleased to announce the results of a meta-analysis on the clinical use of autofluorescence to assess its accuracy for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) and investigate its applicability in general dental practice. The study by Luo et al … Read more

Dental Hygienists Support Children’s Rights to Oral Health Care

On November 20, dental hygienists will celebrate Universal Children’s Day, reminding us all of the importance of protecting and promoting children’s rights, including the right to good oral health. As Gerry Cool, president of the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA), explains, “Optimal oral health is the cornerstone of overall physical, social, and mental well-being.  CDHA … Read more

Sleep Apnea Directly Effects Blood Pressure Regulation, Research Finds

A single bout of sleep apnea impacts the human body’s ability to regulate blood pressure. In a recent study measuring the impact of simulated sleep apnea on humans, researchers at UBC’s Okanagan campus found that just six hours of the fluctuating oxygen levels associated with sleep apnea can begin to deteriorate a person’s circulatory system. … Read more

Researchers Find Impact of Seemingly Harmless Bacteria on Oral Health

Researchers at the University at Buffalo have received a $239,000 grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research to study what happens when seemingly harmless bacteria overstay their welcome. The research, led by Jason Kay, PhD, assistant professor of oral biology in the UB School of Dental Medicine, will examine Streptococcus gordonii, a … Read more

Romantic Relationships Impact Patients’ Oral Health Habits

Being struck by Cupid’s arrow can be good for your teeth. According to University of Queensland researcher Grace Branjerdporn, finding a soul mate puts a smile on your face in more ways than one. “We studied how the dynamics of our romantic relationships affect our oral health,” Ms Branjerdporn said. “We determined that those who … Read more

Dental Detectives Use Single Tooth Fossil to Identify New Species

Paleontologists study evolution by examining as many fossils as they can unearth. These fossils are removed from rock or sediments, scraped clean and sorted based on similarities in appearance to each other and to other fossils. One of the most common fossils from animals are teeth because they fossilize easily. Fossil teeth are valuable to … Read more

Constant Exposure to Pesticides Can Cause Change in Oral Microbiome

Pesticide exposure in farmworkers from agricultural communities is associated with changes in the oral microbiome. This is the first study to demonstrate such a correlation in humans. The research is published November 11th in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. In the study, the investigators sampled oral swabs from … Read more