A recent study from the Oral Health Foundation caught my attention. According to the study, evidence suggests that office workers are the most likely to eat sugary food and drinks as a result of stress – rather than those out of work. As a result, the Oral Health Foundation is calling for ‘stress-free working environments’ … Read more
I’m a sucker for custom shirts. I enjoy the process of selecting the fabrics, getting fit by my tailor, Jean Paul, and wearing the final product. They fit perfectly and I feel great when I wear them. I buy four to six shirts a year and I take really good care of them. In doing … Read more
The practice of dentistry has changed from the time I entered the profession 42 years ago. Change is important, for without change there can be no progress. On the other hand, not all change is good and we must be able to recognise when changes are not making positive improvements and re-think. We have witnessed … Read more
Orthodontic treatment in adults is very different than that for adolescents. A significant number of finished ortho cases, are in truth, not finished in the eyes of the patient. Patients that have undergone oftentimes lengthy orthodontic treatments are typically motivated by dental health and esthetics. It simply doesn’t make sense to these patients to be … Read more
Adult patients present with defined treatment goals and priorities. While some of them would like a full mouth rehabilitation, often their goals are more discrete and specific, looking to fix “just the one thing” that brought them into the office. As health care providers, we have to balance the patient’s wishes with their oral health … Read more
Class III malocclusions are the least common type of malocclusion, yet they are often more complicated to treat and more likely to require orthognathic surgery for optimal correction.1 The reported incidence of this malocclusion ranges between 1% to 19%, with the lowest among the Caucasian populations2,3 and the highest among the Asian populations.4,5 Class III … Read more
Introduction Cleft lip and/or palate is one of the most common congenital anomalies affecting the craniofacial structures.1,2 These anomalies are considered a relevant public health issue by the World Health Organization3 due to its effects on facial aesthetics, function and psychosocial challenges for the child as well as for the social and financial burden for … Read more
Primary teeth have many important roles in the health and development of our young patients. Primary teeth are vital to chewing, speaking, smiling, aesthetics and holding space in the jaws for the developing permanent teeth.1 In some cases when a primary tooth is lost due to trauma, infection or early exfoliation, a malocclusion can result … Read more
Impacted maxillary canines are a relatively rare but always memorable clinical presentation. They occur in just two per cent of the population. Eighty-five per cent of the time, the canine impaction is facial. This usually occurs as a result of excessive crowding. Fifteen per cent of the time canine impaction is palatal. The palatally impacted … Read more
Introduction What next? You’ve attended almost every course on Temporary Anchorage Devices (TAD), and Mini-Screw Implants (MSI). You’ve read the numerous publications in the AJODO, JCO and other orthodontic journals about the benefits of incorporating MSI into your orthodontic practice. You’ve decided on a manufacturer, purchased the kit, the necessary anesthetics and accessories. Finally, you’ve … Read more
It should be no surprise to you that the phone in your practice is one of the most important pieces of technology to have. After all, that is how nearly ¾ of patients first contact a dental practice, plus returning patients trust this easy method to schedule appointments, ask questions and refer new patients. How … Read more
With September and the launch of a new school year, we inevitably begin to think about learning and education. When it comes to facilitating the learning and development of new healthcare professionals, mentoring is noted as being a key mechanism to accomplish this goal. While mentoring may not be as prevalent in dentistry as it … Read more
In any type of job, there are elements we hate, fear and try to avoid. For me, that element is dealing with clients who are hit by ransomware. Whether we are able to assist them in decrypting the data or not, it is an extremely stressful and overall nasty experience, to put it mildly. Ransomware, … Read more
You probably know what happens if you don’t practice good oral hygiene: tooth decay, gingivitis, and even worse. But what about preventative maintenance when it comes to employment law? The simple reality is that most dentists, whether they are the employer or the employee, don’t take the time to understand their legal rights and obligations. … Read more
Dr. Staples was the previous Principal owner of the multi location dental practices in Victoria. She nurtured that particular business for 20 years. Growth progressed from a single practice office to a multi-practitioner office with over 30 staff in four different locations. The business model naturally moved to a more corporate structure. In moving to … Read more
Why do we choose one continuing education course over another? Where should we spend our time, effort and money on courses? Why is a particular course of interest to me? How will a course help me and my office, and my patients? What makes a great course? These are all important questions to consider. I’ve … Read more
The 2019 Cellerant Best of Class Technology Award has been acknowledged as the most prestigious and coveted award that a dental manufacturer can receive. It is the only award of its kind, as it is covered by every major dental journal in North America. It is selected by a panel of the most prominent technology … Read more
The evolution of implant treatment planning has changed over the course of history. From the start, implant dentistry was considered to be surgically driven. Our current standard of care is three-dimensional placement of implants being gingivally driven. By using the latest in intraoral imaging, we can now virtualize the ideal gingival zenith position and appearance … Read more
In the last several years, there has been a noted increase in mysterious cases presented to my practice. These patients seem to have similar oral manifestations – rampant decay, poor healing ability, and an assortment of hopeless teeth. It isn’t uncommon for these patients to be dismissed from a practice, referred to a variety of … Read more
Introduction Challenges to implant placement in the posterior maxilla may be related to the maxillary sinus. The sinus may pneumatize (enlarge) related to sinus issues, patient age, how long the site has been edentulous or related to periodontal bone loss associated with the tooth that will or has been extracted.1> Hence, crestal bone height may … Read more