Which of your personality traits has helped you the most as a dentist? For Dr. Jeffrey Gurian, being an empath helped him be a better dentist by pushing him to create a safe and comfortable atmosphere for his patients. He helped form “better patients” that were less afraid during their appointments. Subscribe to Oral Health’s … Read more
Next Gen of the Month is a monthly Q&A with a dental student or new dentist where we ask them about their experiences and accomplishments thus far in their dentistry journey. Why did you decide to pursue dentistry? From an early age, I knew I wanted to pursue a healthcare-related occupation. Most people I connect … Read more
Abstract The use of a pacifier in newborns is a common practice. Extended use of the pacifier can cause deviation of the craniofacial growth in children, as well to create oral dysfunctions such as mouth breathing and tongue thrusting. In this paper the authors present an appliance designed to stop the pacifier habit and to … Read more
Background and Context Like many health fields, dentistry has been characterized throughout the years for innovating and improving upon existing interventions. Established and “classical” approaches, materials and techniques have often stood the test of time compared to more innovative and so-called “cutting-edge” technologies. In pediatric dentistry, this has proven to be true, especially when it … Read more
Identifying the etiology of acute facial swelling in children can be a challenge due to growth and development, complex regional anatomy, and difficulty with obtaining a thorough history. We present a case report from rural Alberta that highlights these challenges. In particular, this case demonstrates the necessity for open communication with the child’s family and … Read more
1. “Is the cleaning really necessary today?” Many parents do not see the benefits of dental prophylaxis as they see it as treatment they can easily do themselves at home. The goal of dental prophylaxis is to remove supragingival plaque, stains, and calculus from the patient’s teeth. It provides an opportunity for oral hygiene instruction … Read more
The other day I had a young patient with severe anxiety in my office for a new patient examination. When the young child entered the waiting room, they were tightly clinging to their mother. Upon first impression, our pediatric dental team was not too optimistic that we were going to be able to even look … Read more
Children of all ages may need dental care for a wide range of symptoms from pain during eruption of teeth, dental caries and infections to application of braces for misaligned teeth and complex repair of the facial bones in children with special needs. Dental procedures in children mandate a calm quiet child with an open … Read more
A 9-year-old female patient visited the orthodontic office for an initial consultation. She presented with a Class II malocclusion, crowding, and high/blocked out canines on the panorex. (Fig. 1A) The patient was placed on a reassessment schedule and returned 16 months later. She presented with an improved arch form that resulted in decreased crowding. A … Read more
We are all aware that treating children in our dental practice can be extremely challenging. Whether it be their inability to sit long enough to complete their dental treatment or their anticipation or generalized anxiety, these factors and many more add to the difficulty in treating our pediatric patients. Not only is the experience difficult … Read more
COVID-19 has certainly turned our world upside down. Nowhere is this truer than in the dental profession. Dental offices all over our country have had to step up measures to ensure that our patients and staff are safe. In fact, dentistry has been a success story with how well we have all done to prevent … Read more
Dental and medical professionals have historically kept separate practices. Dentists have struggled to integrate into the medical community outside of the hospital setting. Traditionally, limited information is given to parents by pediatricians and family physicians with regards to infant oral health and general pediatric dentistry. Recently, there has been a trend towards multidisciplinary outpatient clinics … Read more
INTRODUCTON As dental practitioners, we are continuously challenged to rely on our knowledge and experience to guide us when making recommendations to our patients. A thorough clinical exam is essential to narrowing in on a diagnosis. Additionally, an appropriately timed radiograph can prevent undesired sequala. The following case illustrates the value of routine orthodontic radiography … Read more
Interproximal incipient caries, white spot lesions, fluorosis, hypo-mineralization. What would you do if it was your child, your friend, yourself? Would you cut into the tooth to place an intra-coronal restoration? Would you look for alternate treatment options? We all know that intra-coronal restorations come with removal of plenty of healthy tooth structure to access … Read more
Abstract Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the effects of at-home carbonation systems on the pH of water, apple juice, and orange juice as it relates to enamel dissolution at a critical pH. Methods: A 2x3x8 fractional factorial design was employed to determine the effects of at-home carbonation machines on water, apple … Read more
Globally, every three minutes a baby is born with a cleft, that’s 540 babies every day. Babies born with a cleft often struggle to eat, breathe, hear, speak, and thrive. Every child has the right to good oral health, which is why FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) joined forces with Smile Train, to launch new educational … Read more
The American Dental Association Science & Research Institute, together with other U.S. and international collaborators, has been awarded a three-year, $3.5 million grant to create a cell atlas of the nose, mouth and airways from birth through adolescence. The research team received the grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative as part of a $33 million … Read more
The U.S. Department of Education reports on its website that an astonishing 1 in 59 children in the United States are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – a far cry from the figure of 1 in 2,500 that had been the accepted prevalence when I entered the dental profession more than three decades ago. … Read more
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a wide range of conditions that can cause social, communication and behavioral challenges.1 There has been a significant increase in the number of people with ASD over the past few decades with approximately 1-2% of the Canadian population being diagnosed. This translates to approximately 135,000 Ontarians on … Read more
Introduction Dental implants are an increasingly popular treatment choice in young individuals with dento-facial anomalies characterized by missing teeth such as oligodontia and cleft lip and palate. Although dental implants may represent a predictable treatment option in the short term, over the long term the risk of peri-implant disease cannot be overlooked due to its … Read more