Introduction Dental plaque, what has been re-termed “oral biofilm”, has long been connected with periodontal problems and to a lesser extent caries related to the bacteria contained within it. Oral bacteria have long been ignored for any effects outside the oral cavity. Yet, research has been accumulating directly connecting a link between oral health and … Read more
Introduction Most restorative dental treatment is because of dental caries, the most-prevalent disease in humans. Unchecked dental caries infection causes dentinal spread (cavitation) and destruction of tooth surfaces. Although we have been well trained as dental clinicians to diagnose caries lesions as early as possible, identifying the presence of early caries lesions proves to be … Read more
Implant supported dentures provide many individuals with a better quality of life, but this is not without some challenges. Specifically, what is the recommended self-care for this type of prosthesis? There are two areas for discussion: removable dentures and fixed dentures. Research in the area of implant self-care is limited and often based on low-level … Read more
Statement of Problem It has been established that maintenance is of utmost importance in the delivery of comprehensive prosthodontic treatment. Therefore, consideration of the possible factors which impact the maintenance phase is essential to take into account during the treatment planning stage. Although, most clinicians recognize the importance of prosthesis maintenance, few of them are … Read more
The main objective in the treatment of periodontitis is removal and disruption of bacterial biofilm.1 This can be performed via non-surgical approach (scaling and root planning/SRP) or via surgical approach by employing open flap debridement (OFD) for deeper inaccessible periodontal pockets.2 Along with oral hygiene instructions for improved oral care at home, this can result … Read more
INTRODUCTION Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease that affects the hard and soft tissues that surround the teeth and is estimated to affect 10-15% of the world population.1 Following the 2017 world workshop on the classification of the disease, a system was created to encompass the staging and grading of the disease.2 There are four stages … Read more
Background Even with the declining prevalence of dental caries in industrialized countries during the past decades, predominately due to fluoride use, 1 dental caries is still a major problem in most industrialized countries, affecting 60% to 90% of children, and the vast majority of adults. 2 Also, there is mounting international evidence that this decline … Read more
Occlusal decay and its consequences have a major impact on the dental health of our patients. It is the single most common chronic childhood disease world-wide 1 and its results affect our patients throughout their lives. Molars and premolars are vulnerable, especially during their eruption phase. Deep pits and fissures provide an ideal environment for … Read more
I first began using silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in my private pediatric dental practice in 2015. Minimally Invasive Dentistry is a topic near and dear to my heart as a mother and advocate for improving children’s oral health and safety. My own daughter having surgery under general anesthesia at just nine months coupled with experiencing … Read more
The concept of using amputation to treat an infectious disease was last used by the medical profession to treat gangrene in the late 1800s. The pharmacological management of dental caries aims to leave most caries in situ, killing the bacteria and enabling infected dentin to heal as arrested caries. A way of achieving this is … Read more
Keywords Minimal Invasive Dentistry, Tooth whitening, White spot lesion, CPP-ACP, MI Paste Abstract This article discusses the philosophy behind the clinical protocols to achieve enhanced results in tooth whitening, and the successful reversal of enamel white spot lesions. External tooth whitening has long been recognized as having successful but variable results. An often-unintended consequence of … Read more
Introduction Approximately 90% or more of oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). These often begin as potentially malignant oral lesions such as a white patch (leukoplakia; Fig. 1), or red patch (erythroplakia; Fig. 2), 1 which progress to an invasive cancer.1 Although the term “premalignant” is widely used for such lesions, the term “potentially … Read more
What an amazing world we live in – constant information at our fingertips…news…views…and more…till we plead for a break. We are constantly plugged into some device spewing data and opinion at us, so that we start to confuse opinion for fact and our own opinions become suspect. What are they really based on? The 24/7 … Read more
In order for implant therapy to be successful there is a need for the dental implant to be adequately integrated into host bone in the proper position in three dimensions. For this to be achieved, adequate height and volume of alveolar bone is required. However, the alveolar ridge is prone to resorption following extraction of … Read more
Keywords Composite Resin, Gloss retention, Tooth Brushing, Surface Roughness Abstract The surface gloss and average surface roughness (Ra) of eleven RBCs was measured after brushing with Colgate Optic White toothpaste. It was found that toothbrushing with a dentifrice had the least effect on the surface of Mosaic Enamel and Filtek Supreme Ultra composites, and the greatest … Read more
Introduction General dentists in private practice place numerous direct tooth colored resin restorations because of patient demand for more aesthetically pleasing restorations. In other instances, they utilize tooth colored adhesive dentistry because of its benefits of minimally invasive preparation design and adhesive retention to preserve tooth structure. The placement of these indirect and direct tooth … Read more
In years past, traditional restorative care relied on treating damaged and decayed teeth with aggressive preparation to place a strong, firm restoration. The emphasis was on the strength of the restoration, and less about the function and biomechanics of the final restored tooth. Unfortunately, this often led to weaker teeth and complications such as root … Read more
My dental world was rocked upon reading the article by Horst et al in the January 2016 California Dental Association Journal.1 It became the launching pad for my journey of using silver diamine fluoride as a vital part of my caries management tool kit. The article became my ‘bible’ for an all-out offensive on dental … Read more
Composite resin is a suitable restorative material to restore an existing failed restoration, however it is unsuitable to restore a carious lesion due to the large amount of remineralizable dentin required to achieve a reliable adhesive base. Glass ionomer cements (GIC) will adhere to caries affected dentin, minimizing the amount of tooth removal required to … Read more
Introduction The word “bioactivity” is one of the latest buzzwords in the dentistry. It is highlighted as a feature in many restorative products with different and conflicting claims. This has stirred up confusion and controversy surrounding the concept. This article will attempt to provide clarity for the practicing restorative dentist: What is bioactivity? What are … Read more