Re: May 2018 Oral Health Editorial I’m always a tad confused with this supposed popular topic in dentistry today… Since when did it become Endo versus Implants? Doesn’t versus imply against each other? Perhaps I’m in the minority but for me, if a patient needs a root canal, they need a root canal. And if … Read more
Today’s health standards mandate the retention of functional teeth (or their substitutes) throughout adult life. This is a colossal change of expectations in just less than half a century. In the mid-20th century, partial and complete edentulousness were common in people approaching their forties and beyond, even in the industrialized world. Science, research, materials and … Read more
After performing oral sex, a 47-year-old man developed a wound inside his mouth, according to a new case study by a team of dentists from Mexico. The report titled “Fellatio-associated erythema of the soft palate: an incidental finding during a routine dental evaluation” was published in BMJ Case Reports on June 11. The unnamed patient from Mexico … Read more
Confidence can affect many aspects of an adult’s life spanning successful relationships, career and earning potential. According to a recent national survey from Delta Dental, Americans relate success with smiling often. More than half of adults (53 percent) say their smile has a bearing on their overall success. The majority of adults (70 percent) say … Read more
NOTE: GRAPHIC IMAGES Introduction Necrotizing soft tissue infections of the head and neck constitute a small proportion of all head and neck infections, but have significant morbidity and historically mortality rates of up to 50%. 1-4 Necrotizing infections may be of odontogenic or non-odontogenic origin. Common non-odontogenic sources of head and neck infections in healthy … Read more
Trauma to the mandibular condyle or infection in the temporomandibular joint (e.g. septicaemia or chronic mastoiditis) in a paediatric patient can have a marked impact on facial development, particularly in the small percentage of patients that develop ankylosis. Ankylosis implies the loss of joint function due trans-articular fusion with bone (Fig. 1). Whilst it is … Read more
Introduction A hematoma is an abnormal collection of blood outside of a vessel that is still confined within a tissue space. A common cause of a hematoma is traumatic injury to a blood vessel wall. The location of the blood accumulation can have differing consequences depending on its compressive effects against adjacent anatomic structures. One … Read more
Introduction The Lingual nerve (LN) is a branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve (V3) that is responsible for general somatic afferent (sensory) innervation. It supplies the mucous membranes of the mandibular lingual gingiva, floor of the mouth and the ipsilateral two-thirds of the tongue. 1 It also carries specialized taste fibers and … Read more
Introduction: The Digital Revolution in Dentistry Whether or not a clinician is working under the model of an in-house chairside milling solution or a more traditional lab-based relationship, digital scanner capture for crown and bridge restorations offers significant advantages over impression based capture – especially when prescribing digitally manufactured restorations. Many esthetic restorative materials are … Read more
If you have never heard of the Wannacry virus, it’s a story you need to know. On March 14, 2017, Microsoft issued a patch for a flaw in their operating system. A flaw that could allow a malicious actor to take control of a system over the internet. In fact, the tools to conduct the … Read more
Introduction General dentists and dental specialists alike are often called upon by Emergency Department (ED) physicians to assess patients with dental injuries and concomitant maxillofacial trauma. Whether the assessment occurs in the ED, the hospital ward, or the private dental clinic, a full examination of the oral and maxillofacial structures is required to identify all … Read more
As part of a recent centennial celebration, Baycrest revealed the latest donor-funded renovations and new spaces on campus, created to better serve the aging population. Among these spaces is the new Alpha Omega Dental Centre for Geriatric Care, a dental centre dedicated to the treatment of geriatric patients in the community who have complex medically … Read more
The Canadian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (CAOMS) is a not-for-profit organization that serves the needs of hundreds of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons across Canada. It is designed to support the ongoing practise requirements of OMFS and ensure that they are able to maintain excellence in their area of specialty – translating into the … Read more
In 1993, we wrote an editorial for Oral Health entitled “Wisdom Teeth: To Extract or Not?” and our accompanying two-part review on the current concepts and controversies involving third molar surgery. The articles provided a discussion of the indications for third molar removal and the influences of a variety of factors upon the surgical outcome. … Read more
Leslie Arlene Henderson has lost multiple teeth. She can’t remember the last time she had major dental work. And for the last year, she’s been in dire need of a root canal. But with only $1,000 in monthly income, the 62-year-old Parkdale resident is too strapped for cash to pay for anything beyond a basic dental … Read more
At the time of writing this article, the Check Your Mouth™ campaign is growing exponentially. The North American launch of the public campaign in February of this year has been a long awaited aspiration of the Oral Cancer Foundation and specifically of the founder, Brian Hill, a stage IV oral cancer survivor himself. The emergence … Read more
Despite the fact that degradation and dissolution of gutta-percha (GP) and sealer (SE) jeopardize positive treatment outcomes, these legacy materials are still used in diverse protocols for root filling canals. 1 This paper reviews the historical cognitive dissonance in endodontics; the biochemical seal created by GP and SE diminishes over time with negative sequelae and … Read more
Errors accumulate during procedures. That’s the reason botching the access at the start of an RCT is so much more devastating than say, problems that come from misfitting a gutta percha cone just before finishing the case. Miss a canal and the case is going down regardless of how brilliant the remaining procedure is carried … Read more
IntroductionAs a practicing endodontist and a clinical endodontic educator for more than 30 years, the most frequent question I am asked about technique is, “Is it predictable?” While every dentist wants his or her endodontic treatment to be easier, more efficient, simpler, and profitable, in the end, it is predictability that trumps all considerations. As … Read more
Innovations in the micro-armamentarium, techniques and materials used for endodontic microsurgery are seminal to enhanced predictable outcomes by comparison with historical microsurgical procedures. The superior magnification and illumination of surgical operating microscopes heightens identification of root peripheries, ensures a lesser degree of root reduction and diminishes the size of osteotomies thus retaining greater residual bone. … Read more