Synthetic bone, necessary for placement of dental implants, can be made of a range of materials. Unfortunately, some people react poorly to certain synthetic bone grafts that may result in an inadequate attachment of the dental implant to the bone.

A case report in the current issue of the Journal of Oral Implantology analyzed the long-term effects of a specific synthetic bone substitute material. A bone sample was removed from the patient three years after a bone graft procedure involving the maxillary sinus. The authors examined the sample to see how well the synthetic material had been accepted.

A dental implant surgeon frequently needs to add bone between the jaw and the sinus to support dental implants. Synthetic materials are often used to avoid a second surgical site for retrieving natural bone from the patient. It is well known and accepted that natural (autogenous) bone can replace the substitute over a few months, and studies have examined how well the bone and tissue have formed in four to six months.

The authors of this report describe a patient who had undergone a sinus bone graft surgery with the placement of a synthetic bone substitute, but refused the subsequent implant dental placement four to six months later.  However, the patient did return to the dental implant surgeon for subsequent implant placement three years later. This extended time lapse provided an opportunity for the surgeon to obtain a bone sample when the dental implant placement surgery was performed.

When examining the sample, the authors found a large quantity of connective tissue surrounding the remaining bone substitute. There was nearly as much synthetic material left in the sample, as there was connective tissue. In contrast, a relatively small amount of new bone tissue was discovered with limited blood vessel formation.

The authors only found normal bone growth around the crestal aspect of the desired implant site; the remainder of the bone sample showed no signs of ongoing bone growth. The authors speculate that this unexpected result occurred because the graft site had been left dormant and not stimulated by the earlier placement of a dental implant.

Additionally, the researchers concluded that once the connective tissue encapsulated the synthetic bone substitute, the anticipated natural bone growth ceased. It appeared that giant inflammatory cells reacted to the foreign synthetic material shortly after it was placed and may have also lead to degradation of the synthetic bone substitute over time. Further study would be needed to discover which characteristics of the bone substitute material influenced the giant cell reaction.

The full text of the article “Foreign Body Giant Cell–Related Encapsulation of a Synthetic Material Three Years After Augmentation,” Journal of Oral Implantology, Vol. 42, No. 3, 2016, is now available at https://www.joionline.org/doi/full/10.1563/aaid-joi-D-15-00133.

The stress that oral surgery patients experience during a procedure can cause elevated heart rates and blood pressure during operations. To avoid these side effects, surgeons often request sedation or general anesthesia for their patients. However, finding the right dose of anesthetic can be its own challenge, especially when the dosage needed for each patient can vary greatly.

An article published in the current issue of the journal Anesthesia Progress found that male patients required a lower dosage of a sedative than female patients during oral surgery. This finding is consistent with general anesthesia knowledge, which suggests that females emerge from sedation earlier than males. The researchers were able to establish this finding by using an objective assessment tool known as the bispectral index (or BIS), which allowed them to evaluate sedation levels by a special form of brain wave monitoring beyond merely monitoring the patient’s breathing and reactions during surgery.

The authors of the study gathered data from 125 dental patients who were sedated for implant-related surgery. Propofol, a powerful general anesthetic often used during surgery, was given intravenously to each patient. The researchers sought to identify characteristics that affected the average infusion rate of the drug. They found that women generally needed far more propofol to stay adequately sedated for the duration of the surgery. Elderly patients of either sex are also slow to wake from propofol sedation, but the age range in the current study was too small to determine whether patient age was affecting the data.

The authors noted that, on average, the women in the study weighed less than the men. This means that women generally need more propofol per body weight than men to stay at the same level of sedation. The authors concluded that for adequate moderate sedation during implant surgery, women likely need to receive propofol at a high rate.

Oral surgeons and dentist anesthesiologists should be able to give lower doses of anesthesia to male patients, making the sedation safer and more effective. The BIS tool used in this study is not routinely used during dental or medical treatment under sedation. Still, the authors noted that even when the tool is unavailable, the study’s results should help in determining the correct anesthesia dosage for patients undergoing minor oral surgery.

Full text of the article “Female Patients Require a Higher Propofol Infusion Rate for Sedation,” Anesthesia Progress, Vol. 63, No. 2, 2016, is now available at https://www.anesthesiaprogress.org/doi/full/10.2344/0003-3006-63.2.67.

WATERTOWN, MA:  June 20, 2016 — In 1947 Pulpdent introduced the first premixed calcium hydroxide paste. Nearly seventy years later Pulpdent continues to lead the way with its newest calcium hydroxide product offering: TempCanal™ Enhanced. With pH > 12, TempCanal Enhanced disinfects canals and prevents flare-ups, making it ideal for routine use between visits and for extended treatment of complicated cases.

TempCanal™ Enhanced is simple to use.  The material flows easily through 27-gauge x 25mm, 2-side-vent, endo irrigation needles. The non-setting, non-drying formula will not clog the needle and is easily removed with file and irrigation. The 2-side-vent, closed-end needle controls placement and ensures uniform coating of canal walls, while also preventing extrusion beyond the apex.  The paste will not dry out in the syringe. 

TempCanal™ Enhanced is packaged in standard 1.2mL and 3mL luer lock syringes for convenient one-hand operation. Endodontic irrigation needles are available with the product and are also sold separately.

Committed to maintaining relevancy in the dental laboratory technology profession, the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology (NBC) recently announced a new reference list for its Certified Dental Technician (CDT) and Recognized Graduate (RG) examinations as part of the CDT program’s revalidation process.

“NBC has been working extremely hard behind the scenes in 2015 and 2016 to update our certification programs,” said NBC Chair Heather Voss, CDT. “These updates include modernizing our exam blueprint, enhancing our references, modifying our practical examinations to reflect current practices and technology advancements, re-working our written examination question banks and reviewing eligibility requirements to take the exam.”

These references will be active for any examinations offered by NBC after January 1, 2017. Most of these references are written by notable industry leaders and can easily be purchased through Quintessence Publishing.

“It is time to make a change regarding the references that our program uses to create its written certification examinations,” said Voss.  “By selecting updated examination references that are more applicable to today’s dental technology climate, we believe that we can elevate the level of our certification program.”

The CDT designation demonstrates a significant mastery of the knowledge and applied skills needed in dental technology. It illustrates a technician's commitment to the field of dental technology and demonstrates their knowledge in all six specialty areas. Individuals who obtain the CDT designation have demonstrated a competency not all of their peers will achieve, says Voss. 

“I am a second generation certified dental technician and this program was a way for me to prove my level of knowledge and skill against a national standard set by my peers,” said Voss. “It is a way to unite and elevate our profession. I take pride in being a CDT and I can think of no greater letters of recommendation than CDT after my name.” 

For a complete list of references, please visit www.nbccert.org/news. 

For more information on the CDT certification, visit www.nbccert.org/certificants/certified-dental-technician. If you have any questions, please contact the NBC office at (800) 684-5310 or certification@nbccert.org. 

Toronto, ON – June 23, 2016 – Canadian dentists continue to increase their use of social media to promote their dental practices, according to results from the DIAC (Dental Industry Association of Canada) Twentieth Annual Future of Dentistry Survey.

Over 50% of respondents now actively employ social media as a promotional tool, an all-time high and progressively trending upward from 33% in 2015, 25% in 2014 and 13% in 2012 when the question was first asked. This year’s large jump in utilization has moved the social media option from last place to number 3 on the list of preferred promotional options, after the traditional “Asking for Referrals” (#1) and “Promotion of new technologies” (#2), which continue to be the most popular tools. Community Service (36%), E-Newsletters/Newsletters/Direct Mail (35%) and Traditional Media Advertising (33%) were the least popular current tools in 2016.

There is also a large percentage of respondents (35%) were either planning to use (16%) or considering using Social Networking (19%) in the future. While only about a third of respondents are currently utilizing Community Service, 45% are either planning (16%) or considering (29%) its use in the future. Dentists also expect more widespread use of E-Newsletters/Newsletters/Direct Mail with another 41% either planning (15%) or considering (26%) their use.

This movement to on-line promotion mirrors where dental patients are telling practitioners they are getting information on dental treatment options. According to the survey, Internet achieved an all-time high rating and was ranked as the top patient source for the first time. This was followed by the more traditional sources of Family members, friends, etc. and Dentist/Dental Team presentations.

Computerization is also impacting on practice operations

Computerization in the dental operatory continues to trend upward to another record high of 87% (up significantly from73% last year and 52% in 2010) of dentist respondents having terminals in their operatories, while 2/3 (66%) overall have an Internet/Email connection on those terminals continuing the steady increase from 54% last year and 49% in 2013. For the first time, all respondents had an Internet/Email connection in the office in some way, with 92% having a connection at the Front Desk and 82% with a connection in the Private Office. This movement to Internet utilization was confirmed by the 2016 result that well over 3/4 of respondents (84% and all-time high) have used the Internet for dental purchases (up from average of 52% over past 5 years and the initial 8% in 2000).

Over 200 practicing Canadian dentists responded to this year’s survey with a good proportional distribution across all regions of the country. Based on this response rate, overall 2016 survey results have an accuracy of +/- 6.8% 19 times out of 20.

Source: Twentieth Annual Future of Dentistry Survey

Dental Industry Association of Canada / Eric P. Jones & Associates Inc.

Red Bank, NJ, June 20 – The American Association of Dental Office Management (AADOM) is pleased to announce that their program "A Future to Smile About" will continue to grow. The program is made possible by partnering with Patterson Dental. The campaign will support Oral Health America’s Smiles Across America® program, which benefits under-served children across the United States by providing much needed oral health care. For every AADOM membership purchased through the program during this year-long initiative, AADOM and Patterson Dental will each donate $50 to the Smiles Across America program.

Vice President Lorie Streeter is excited to announce that the program resulted in 260 new members which resulted in a donation to Smiles Across America. She commented “we were able to donate $26,000 to this wonderful program. AADOM looks forward to contributing additional funding to this worthy cause.”

Visit afuturetosmileabout.com for more information or to purchase a membership, using the promo code “OHA16” to ensure the membership is counted as part of the fundraising campaign.

For more information on the program please contact AADOM Vice President Lorie Streeter at lorie@dentalmanagers.com.

Newport Beach, CA, June 16, 2016 -  Glidewell Dental, industry-leading provider of dental products, implant solutions and lab services, announced today that the Inclusive® Tapered Implant is now available in a 3.2 mm diameter. In a continuation of the company’s commitment to provide practitioners with the tools they need to achieve predictable results in a wide variety of clinical situations, the new implant size incorporates a narrow-diameter apex and was designed to ease positioning in areas of limited anatomical space, such as upper lateral incisors, lower incisors and narrow ridges. With the latest addition, the Inclusive Tapered Implant is now available in 3.2 mm, 3.7 mm, 4.2 mm, 4.7 mm and 5.2 mm diameters.

The new 3.2-mm-diameter implant includes a 3.0 mm prosthetic platform, a design feature engineered to increase soft-tissue thickness at the abutment-implant connection, which can facilitate crestal bone preservation. Featuring an industry-standard, internally hexed conical connection, the implant is compatible with popular prosthetic components and instrumentation. The implant’s deep conical interface encourages lateral stability, while its coronal micro-threads increase the surface area available for bone-to-implant contact at the crest of the ridge. The tapered body of the implant and buttress threads are designed to engage and gently compress the bone, increasing primary stability and aiding the osseointegration process.

The addition of the 3.2 mm implant is accompanied by the release of an all-new surgical kit, which has been redesigned for greater simplicity, durability and ease of use, and expanded to accommodate the full range of Inclusive Tapered Implants.

Inclusive Tapered Implants have performed well in clinical studies, are machined from high-strength titanium alloy and include a surface that has been treated with resorbable blast media (RBM), a process that has been shown to promote bone development on the implant. For more information on the Inclusive Tapered Implant, call 800-407-3379 or visit inclusivedental.com.

Inclusive Tapered Implants are made in the U.S.A. by Prismatik Dentalcraft, Inc., the manufacturing arm of Glidewell Dental based in Irvine, California. Glidewell Dental is a privately owned corporation that has more than 45 years of history as a provider of high-quality restorations and implant solutions to dental practitioners nationwide. Its CAD/CAM processing capabilities are recognized as among the most advanced in the industry. To view its large selection of clinical videos, CE courses, and products and services, visit glidewelldental.com.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 20, 2016 — LED Medical Diagnostics Inc. (“LED” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: LMD) reports that its wholly owned subsidiary, LED Dental Inc., has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Biocare Health Supply Ltd. for the sale and distribution of its award-winning VELscope Vx system in China and Hong Kong. The agreement is subject to quarterly minimum purchase requirements over the term of the agreement. Biocare is a British Columbia-based firm whose mission is to introduce innovative medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and treatments into the Chinese healthcare market through its partnership with National Medicines Prospect Dentech (Beijing) Co., Ltd. Prospect Dentech is the largest oral medicine, dental equipment and materials distributor in China with on-site sales teams in the majority of the capitals of each province of China. It is the only subsidiary of Sinopharm focusing on sales and distribution of dental products, including technologies from major global manufacturers such as Acteon, Yoshida, Sunstar and Kavo Sybron. Sinopharm is China’s largest pharmaceutical group. 

TRIOS®, 3Shape’s digital color impression solution, is now integrated with Insignia™ Advanced Smile Design ™, a computer-designed treatment planning and custom-fabricated appliance software system by Ormco, a manufacturer and provider of advanced orthodontic technology and services.

The time-saving workflow integration enables orthodontists to send TRIOS intraoral scans with just a click to Ormco for the planning and delivery of its Insignia bracket treatment system.

For orthodontists using TRIOS, the integration eliminates the steps of having to either take an analog PVS impression or manually upload a large and bulky intraoral scan file to a server.

Now they can just choose Insignia from their 3Shape Communicate™ account to submit the case and send the TRIOS digital color impression file to Ormco, who then uses the intraoral scan to create its customized digital orthodontic treatments. With a keen focus on the orthodontist and their clinical needs, Insignia has been recently updated to include enhanced custom TIB tubes with reduced profiles and increased bond strength. To offer orthodontists better, more accurate tracking and planning information, Insignia also offers dynamic case tracking.

“3Shape constantly seeks new ways to increase TRIOS value for our customers,” says Allan Junge Hyldal, Vice President 3Shape Orthodontics. "The collaboration with Ormco makes it possible for clinicians to take advantage of the unique strengths of our respective products as well as offer their patients more choices for orthodontic treatments.”

“At Ormco, we’re always looking for ways to strengthen our industry relationships and partner with established, respected players in the field of orthodontics,” said Spence Miller, general manager, digital business unit at Ormco. “By integrating with 3Shape, we’re pleased to be able to offer clinicians working with TRIOS impression files the opportuntiy to take advantage of the clinical excellence, precison, and efficiency that Insignia can provide.”

Dentsply Sirona announced the addition of internationally recognized fitness instructor and founder of Tae Bo®Fitness Billy Blanks® to the agenda of health and fitness activities occurring at SIROWORLD in Orlando, Florida.

Blanks is set to instruct an exclusive one-hour Tae Bo course for SIROWORLD attendees at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort on Saturday morning, Aug. 13. This activity is offered for all attendees- from the fitness junkie to the attendee who wants to try something new and out of his/her comfort zone.

After working up a serious sweat, SIROWORLD attendees can learn about Blanks and his ascent to the top of the fitness hierarchy during his 30-minute breakout session on Saturday afternoon.

Spearheaded in 1992, Tae Bo Fitness is known as “America’s original full-body workout.” It is a fun and energetic martial arts workout regimen composed of lower body movements and boxing, hence the term “Tae” (a Korean term meaning foot or leg) and “Bo,” which is short for boxing. Tae Bo is described as more than a workout, but rather a life mantra.

Blanks has devoted himself to helping others obtain a healthy lifestyle through his Tae Bo training. In addition to instructing here in the states, he travels around the globe training various groups of people, including the U.S. Armed Forces stationed in the Middle East and Africa. 

Though known as a fitness superstar today, Blanks was not always the epitome of health. Suffering from severe hip and joint issues as a young child, Blanks and his coaches were skeptical he could overcome his clumsiness and become a successful athlete within the realm of contact sports. At age 11, he participated in his first martial arts class and quickly acquired a mastery of the sport, against all odds. The rest is history.

Some of the many accolades Blanks holds under his “black” belt include the first Amateur Athletic Union Champion (of which he won five times), an eighth-degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, Black Belt in five other Martial Arts categories making him a Grand Master, seven-time world Karate champion and he has captained the U.S. karate team. 

Not only does Blanks encourage physical improvement, but he is active within the community and founded the Billy Blanks Foundation, which he and his former wife established in 1999. This foundation is dedicated to helping high-risk individuals build the necessary skills to achieve their full potential professionally and personally.