The RCDSO’s new guidance, COVID-19: Managing infection risks during in-person dental care, is now available on the College’s website. The guidance was developed by the RCDSO based on the best available evidence and research, along with expert feedback. This includes information obtained through: Daily calls with the Ontario Ministry of Health Discussion with other dental regulators in … Read more
As Canadian provinces and their economies slowly begin to re-open, a survey on consumer attitudes towards use of healthcare services reveals hesitancy to return to pre-pandemic behaviour in a pre-COVID-19 vaccine world. It also reveals a rapidly increasing interest in virtual healthcare services that eliminate physical interaction between patient and health provider. In a survey … Read more
GreenMark Biomedical uses non-invasive nanotechnology to rethink how dental professionals will diagnose and treat carious lesions Typically the purview of science fiction writers and medical researchers, nanotechnology isn’t something dental professionals are asked to think about very often, let alone incorporate into their daily clinical practice. As more people learn about what GreenMark Biomedical makes … Read more
Introduction Enhanced magnification and visualization, innovations in instrumentation, new sealing materials and the incorporation of soft and hard tissue augmentation practices have brought Endodontic Microsurgery (EMS) from a last resort procedure to an integral part of endodontic retreatment.1,2 The retreatment of a failing root canal treatment is fraught with potential complications. The removal of cast … Read more
In Endodontics, a clinical examination and diagnostic imaging are both essential components before making a pre-operative diagnosis. The process of selecting a treatment option specifically of whether to extract or retain a tooth can often be complex. Conventional 2-dimensional imaging is still the most popular imaging modality in endodontics. However, the potential of periapical imaging … Read more
Introduction Imagine the following scenario. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you can only treat patients with acute emergencies, in order to help slow or stop the spread of the coronavirus. However, a patient calls you complaining of a severe tooth ache or swelling that you must somehow manage. You may wonder if you could or … Read more
Introduction Primum non nocere – “first do no harm”–Hippocrates In today’s society, as life expectancy increases, patients expect their teeth to last a lifetime as healthy dentition is important for a good quality of life.1-4 Endodontic therapy is usually the last resort to retain natural teeth and teeth requiring root canal treatment are often structurally … Read more
Introduction “The pulp is a big issue about a little tissue.” This quote is credited to early endodontic educator Dr. Sam Seltzer of Philadelphia. Nothing has changed. Restorative dentists have discovered that endodontics is one of the fastest ways to grow their practices, and, therefore, most dentists want to add more endodontic procedures to their … Read more
Introduction The long-term retention of root canal treated teeth depends on many factors but it has become evident that the most common reasons for extraction of these teeth are ‘large carious lesion’ or ‘unrestorable tooth’, followed by ‘tooth fracture’, ‘periodontal disease’ and last of all, ‘endodontically related disease’ (Ng, Mann and Gulabivala, 2010). Moreover, it … Read more
The main objective of endodontic treatment is the prevention and/or the elimination of apical periodontitis. This is achieved by instrumentation, disinfection, and obturation of the root canal system in three dimensions. Gutta percha is the most widely used and accepted obturation material because of its biocompatibility, inertness, dimensional stability, compactability, plasticity when heated, and ease … Read more
In 2014, I was published in the Ontario Dentist journal pleading for speakers and content that could address the stress that dentists incur day after day and ways in which to successfully handle it. I can’t believe that six years later, that I would actually be that person! When I wrote this letter to the … Read more
It’s fair to say that day-to-day life and dentistry as we’ve known it have been turned upside down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Overnight, we went from normal, day-to-day dental care to a near medically induced coma with many, if not most, dental offices shutting their doors. Even though these are fluid times, the common … Read more
The New Brunswick Dental Society (NBDS) said late on Friday that they don’t’ expect to have dental offices open until at least Wednesday, May 13. The NBDS said it needs time to allow its members to prepare to follow the society’s new operational plan. Those plans were a requirement for all businesses planning to reopen … Read more
Thousands of oral health kits will be donated to Fort McMurray and others in need thanks to the recent flooding and increased need of oral hygiene items due to COVID-19. The Alberta Dental Foundation has partnered with the University of Alberta School of Dentistry, Colgate and GUM to provide the oral health kits to the … Read more
“The task of making choices in how we will equip our offices and arm our staff to deal with the coronavirus is fraught with uncertainty. This is made especially cogent given that scientists do not yet understand the true character of this pathogen. According to Daniel Kahneman in his seminal book ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow,’ … Read more
Core3dcentres® (Core3dcentres®) announced on April 30, 2020 the launch of its new division – Open Health® (Open Health®). Open Health® has rapidly retooled its additive (3D Printing) dental manufacturing technologies and techniques to produce Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and COVID-19 testing swabs for healthcare professionals. Open Health® is utilizing Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software and skilled … Read more
A drug that has life-extending effects on mice also reverses age-related dental problems in the animals, according to a new study published today in eLife. Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a common problem in older adults that causes painful inflammation, bone loss and changes in the good bacteria that live in the … Read more
Dr. Parviz Yazdani, a dentist in Saskatoon, said once his office reopens May 4, safeguards will be in place to guarantee everyone’s safety. “You will not be able to have as much of a chit chat with your dentist,” he said. “You’ll be wearing a gown. I’ll be wearing a gown. I’ll be in a … Read more
On the very day Nova Scotia shut most dental clinics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jennifer Allen bit into a carrot and broke a back tooth. A month later, she’s still in pain. The Halifax woman called her dentist in March and he told her to take Advil and Tylenol to manage the nerve pain. He … Read more
All CDSS members are required to review this CDSS Alert as CDSS members transition to Non-Emergency Dental Care Some oral health care facilities may choose to remain closed due to shortage of PPE or recent facility requirement changes. However, all CDSS members are required to maintain contact information for patient dental emergencies. Rationale for providing … Read more