MELVILLE, N.Y. – Henry Schein, Inc. announced that its laboratory supply business, Zahn Dental, acquired Custom Automated Prosthetics (CAP), a digital laboratory supply company serving U.S. dental laboratories. The addition of CAP to Henry Schein’s laboratory supply business will provide a full suite of innovative, interoperable solutions, services, and support that meet the individual needs of dental laboratory customers, Henry Schein says.

Founded in 2010 with headquarters in Stoneham, Massachusetts, CAP had sales for 2015 of approximately $30 million and has more than 60 employees. CAP offers CAD/CAM equipment including integrated milling systems, scanners, and printers, as well as a full line of zirconia materials. CAP’s milling center features crowns, bridges, models, surgical guides, and design services. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Bob Cohen, President and Co-Founder, and Rob Nazzal, CEO and Co-Founder of CAP, will join Henry Schein and bring with them significant dental laboratory and digital dentistry experience.

“CAP is a successful digital solutions provider to the dental laboratory market and their business is highly complementary to our Zahn Dental and Custom Milling Center business. CAP will bring to Henry Schein a highly-trained and experienced customer service and training support team,” says Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein. “In offering core laboratory products, digital products, and milling services, Henry Schein will strengthen its relationships with dental laboratory customers, as well as with our laboratory supplier partners, as we continue to lead the transition to digital dental technology. We welcome Bob, Rob, and their colleagues to Team Schein.”

Wixom, MI - Expanding its solutions portfolio, Axsys Incorporated announced that it has entered into a reseller agreement with DWS Systems.

Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Axsys will distribute the DWS Systems Digital Wax^®- D series of dental 3D printers. The Digital Wax^®- D series printers include four rapid manufacturing systems suited to the needs of small, medium, and industrial orthodontic laboratories. The DIGITALWAX® D line also includes resins and materials for the production of castable high-definition crowns, bridges, medical devices, and long-term temporary restorations.

Axsys will also provide the dfab® 3D printing system, dedicated to dental clinics, which makes it possible to obtain long-term provisional restorations in a single appointment. The line includes two versions: dfab® desktop, which can be connected with any personal computer via the USB interface, and dfab® chairside, an all-in-one solution with an integrated personal computer.

"We are very happy to have been chosen as distributor of DWS Systems’ dental 3D printing products," says Steve Braykovich, President of Axsys. "We believe that 3D printing will be a revolutionary factor in dental restoration in the new digital era of dentistry. “Axsys has been involved with 3D printing and rapid prototyping solutions since 1994 and has been evaluating the 3D printing dental market for quite some time. As the technology and solutions have changed, we found the innovative technology contained within the DWS products provided reliable, high-quality results at a price any lab could afford”

DWS 3D printers feature the latest technology in 3D printing, including BluEdge®, which provides the unique ability to use laser stereolithography to fuse a variety of materials into solid objects including acrylate resin, ABS, polypropylene, rigid opaque, transparent, ceramic, rubber, and even wax. Additionally, the company’s innovative TTT System (Tank Translation Technology) automatically shifts the resin tank during the building of the model, reducing wear of the tank, improving the resin tank life and efficiency of the building process.  

The DWS Systems Dental Series line of 3D printers expands Axsys Dental Solutions’ existing portfolio of digital dental solutions, which includes: Versamill 4-axis and 5-axis CNC dental machining centers, dental CAD and CAM software, scanners, implant and abutment components, as well as consumable products such as tooling, zirconia, non-precious metal, wax, and PMMA CAD/CAM discs.

While using marijuana for as long as 20 years was associated with periodontal disease, it was not associated with some other physical health problems in early midlife at age 38, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.

Policymakers, health care professionals and the public want to know whether recreational cannabis use is associated with physical health problems later in life after major policy changes in the U.S.

Madeline H. Meier, Ph.D., of Arizona State University, Tempe, and coauthors used data from 1,037 individuals who were born in New Zealand in 1972 and 1973 and were followed to age 38. The authors looked at whether cannabis use from age 18 to 38 was associated with physical health problems at age 38.

Self-reported and laboratory measures of physical health were obtained for periodontal health, lung function, systemic inflammation and metabolic health.

Just more than half of the 1,037 participants were male; 484 had ever used tobacco daily and 675 had ever used cannabis.

Cannabis was associated with poorer periodontal health at age 38 but was not associated with the other physical health problems, according to the results. Other analyses suggest cannabis users brushed and flossed less than others and were more likely to be dependent on alcohol.

Study limitations include self-reported cannabis use. The study also was limited to a specific set of health problems assessed in early midlife.

“This study has a number of implications. First, cannabis use for up to 20 years is not associated with a specific set of physical health problems in early midlife. The sole exception is that cannabis use is associated with periodontal disease. Second, cannabis use for up to 20 years is not associated with net metabolic benefits (i.e., lower rates of metabolic syndrome). Third, our results should be interpreted in the context of prior research showing that cannabis use is associated with accidents and injuries, bronchitis, acute cardiovascular events, and, possibly, infectious diseases and cancer, as well as poor psychosocial and mental health outcomes,” the study concludes.

Nobel Biocare is further advancing its product range for edentulous treatment with the Locator R-Tx™ Removable Denture Attachment System. Locator R-Tx™ will officially be launched for Nobel Biocare implants at the company’s Global Symposium in New York, taking place June 23–26, 2016.

Locator R-Tx™ is an evolution of the successful Locator® Attachment System. This next-generation attachment offers clinicians a number of advantages versus its predecessor. These include the new DuraTec™ titanium carbon nitride coating. DuraTec™ is harder and more wear-resistant than the nitride coating of the legacy Locator® and is designed to reduce roughness.

The Locator R-Tx™ system eliminates the need for pre-angled abutments. Its redesigned attachment housing is able to pivot up to 30° over the seated Locator R-Tx™ nylon retention inserts, allowing up to 60° convergence or divergence between implants. The attachment housing also incorporates flats and grooves to prevent dislodgement of the denture and is anodized to give it a pink color, which can help improve esthetics. 

Seating is aided by the narrow coronal geometry of the attachment, while dual retentive surfaces support strong engagement. For convenience, all the required components are delivered together, with abutment and processing components held separately in one double-ended vial. With an industry-standard .050”/1.25 mm hex-drive mechanism, no special drivers are required.

The Locator R-Tx™ attachment system is available for Nobel Biocare implants with internal conical, tri-channel and external hex connection.

Hans Geiselhöringer, President, Nobel Biocare and Dental Imaging, said: “By combining improved performance, esthetics and ease of use for both clinician and patient, the Locator R-Tx™ Attachment System is an ideal addition to the Nobel Biocare product range.

“As leaders in the treatment of edentulous and soon-to-be edentulous patients, and the company behind both the All-on-4® treatment concept and zygomatic implant treatment, we know that developments in this area have a huge impact on quality of life for patients. We are therefore delighted to offer our customers yet another innovation that is designed to further improve treatment quality.”

Locator R-Tx™ is available to purchase from Nobel Biocare in CE-accepting markets, the US and Canada, as of June 1, 2016, and in additional markets as of June 23, 2016. In the relevant markets, Locator R-Tx™ will be available to purchase from store.nobelbiocare.com. Dental professionals are advised to contact their local Nobel Biocare representative to confirm availability.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (June 1, 2016) - Dentsply Sirona, The Dental Solutions Company™, launched a mobile app for the upcoming SIROWORLD: The Ultimate Dental Meeting Aug. 11-13, 2016, in Orlando, Florida.

Prior to the start of the meeting, the SIROWORLD app allows guests to access the complete event agenda*, including general sessions, breakout sessions, speaker profiles, trade show and exhibitor information, details on the stellar lineup of entertainment activities and more!

Users can begin planning and customizing their experience to the ultimate dental meeting by bookmarking the various sessions and events they would like to attend. Photos can be posted and shared on the app as well, and it’s a great tool that makes networking with other attendees simple and convenient.

The app is accessible to anyone with an Apple or Android device and is downloadable through the Apple Store and Google Play.

Hosted at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, SIROWORLD is expected by many in the industry to be the mecca of all dental events. With riveting general sessions, 11 specialized educational breakout sessions and incredible entertainment events planned, including a standup comedy act by the legendary Jerry Seinfeld and a private concert by popular band OneRepublic, SIROWORLD is shaping up to be the largest educational, inspirational and entertaining event of 2016.

Doctor registration is $1,995 and staff/spouse/guest/technician registration is just $1,195. Additionally, government and military personnel can register for just $1,695, and mentors, trainers and SSA members can register for $1,995 and receive a free VIP upgrade.

VIP tickets are available to all registrants for an additional $500 and include reserved seating, upgraded dining options and special admittance into SIROWORLD entertainment events.

To register for SIROWORLD now, visit www.siroworld.com. For further information, please contact our SIROWORLD help desk by emailing SIROWORLD@sirona.com or calling 1-844-GO2-SIRO (1-844-462-7476).

*Please note: SIROWORLD agenda and speakers subject to change. 

Nobel Biocare is further advancing its comprehensive product range for edentulous treatment with the Locator R-Tx™ Removable Denture Attachment System. Locator R-Tx™ will officially be launched for Nobel Biocare implants at the company’s Global Symposium in New York, taking place June 23–26, 2016.

Locator R-Tx™ is an evolution of the successful Locator® Attachment System. This next-generation attachment offers clinicians a number of advantages versus its predecessor. These include the new DuraTec™ titanium carbon nitride coating. DuraTec™ is harder and more wear-resistant than the nitride coating of the legacy Locator® and is designed to reduce roughness.

The Locator R-Tx™ system eliminates the need for pre-angled abutments. Its redesigned attachment housing is able to pivot up to 30° over the seated Locator R-Tx™ nylon retention inserts, allowing up to 60° convergence or divergence between implants. The attachment housing also incorporates flats and grooves to prevent dislodgement of the denture and is anodized to give it a pink color, which can help improve esthetics.

Seating is aided by the narrow coronal geometry of the attachment, while dual retentive surfaces support strong engagement. For convenience, all the required components are delivered together, with abutment and processing components held separately in one double-ended vial. With an industry-standard .050”/1.25 mm hex-drive mechanism, no special drivers are required.

The Locator R-Tx™ attachment system is available for Nobel Biocare implants with internal conical, tri-channel and external hex connection.

Hans Geiselhöringer, President, Nobel Biocare and Dental Imaging, said: “By combining improved performance, esthetics and ease of use for both clinician and patient, the Locator R-Tx™ Attachment System is an ideal addition to the Nobel Biocare product range.

“As leaders in the treatment of edentulous and soon-to-be edentulous patients, and the company behind both the All-on-4® treatment concept and zygomatic implant treatment, we know that developments in this area have a huge impact on quality of life for patients. We are therefore delighted to offer our customers yet another innovation that is designed to further improve treatment quality.”

Locator R-Tx™ is available to purchase from Nobel Biocare in CE-accepting markets, the US and Canada, as of June 1, 2016, and in additional markets as of June 23, 2016. In the relevant markets, Locator R-Tx™ will be available to purchase from store.nobelbiocare.com. Dental professionals are advised to contact their local Nobel Biocare representative to confirm availability.

Locator and Locator R-Tx are trademarks of Zest IP Holdings, LLC 

DURHAM, N.C. -- A research team at Duke University has discovered a potential new class of small-molecule drugs that simultaneously block two sought-after targets in the treatment of pain.

These proof-of-concept experiments, published June 1 in Scientific Reports, could lead to the development of a new drug to treat conditions including skin irritation and itching, headaches, jaw pain, and abdominal pain stemming from the pancreas and colon.

More than 100 million people suffer from chronic pain in the United States, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine, and new medicines are badly needed.

"We are very pleased with what is a first chapter in a highly promising story," said Wolfgang Liedtke, MD, PhD, a professor of neurology, anesthesiology and neurobiology at Duke University School of Medicine, who treats patients with head and face pain and other sensory disorders. "We hope to be able to develop these compounds for clinical use in humans or animals."

In the new study, the researchers initially aimed to develop more effective blockers of TRPV4, a molecule their previous research had shown transmits skin irritation elicited by sunburn, and painful sensations coming from the head and face. Liedtke and his Duke collaborator Farshid Guilak used a prototype TRPV4 blocker in a 2009 study and then set out to develop more potent versions.

Compared to the prototype, one of the new candidate drugs, called "16-8," worked 10 times more effectively in cells with active TRPV4 that are key for the development of osteoarthritis. It also worked well in another cell type involved in nerve cell injury, stroke and epilepsy.

But to their surprise, when assessing the specificity of 16-8, the scientists discovered that it also blocked TRPA1, which is a promising target in pain and itch research.

"As a physician, I soon realized the enormous potential that these compounds might have, given how beneficial dual-target molecules can be in clinical medicine," Liedtke said.

Both TRPV4 and TRPA1 are members of the family of TRP ion channels, which function in sensory nerve cells to directly sense painful stimuli. Other research groups are now targeting these channels in clinical trials for pain relief.

In this study, the drug 16-8 also quelled pain in living animals, including abdominal aches in mice with pancreas inflammation. So-called pancreatitis is extremely painful and difficult to treat, and new cases are on the rise globally, said study co-author Rodger Liddle, M.D., of the Duke University School of Medicine and a member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences.

Liedtke sees potential for the 16-8 drug to treat osteoarthritis and other types of joint pain as well as head, face and jaw pain. In general, it might also treat aches radiating from internal organs or resulting from nerve cell injury.

The group's preclinical work will focus on understanding the compound's potential use in these conditions as well as learning more about how it works. They also hope to explore topical applications to mucous membranes, which are present throughout the body and skin.