LED Medical Diagnostics Inc., through its wholly-owned US and Canadian operating subsidiaries, LED Dental Inc./LED Dental Ltd. ("LED Dental") is pleased to announce the launch of the RAYSCAN Alpha Plus, a next-generation extraoral imaging system that is the latest innovation from former Samsung Electronics subsidiary RAY Company (“RAY”).

Building upon the award-winning RAYSCAN Alpha platform, the RAYSCAN Alpha Plus continues RAY Company’s dedication to delivering high-quality imaging technologies combined with innovative features that break new ground in the industry.

Clinicians can utilize the RAYSCAN Alpha Plus to capture high-resolution panoramic, cephalometric and cone beam computed tomography images. The panoramic modality allows for a variety of 2D panoramic examinations, including standard pano and segmented pano acquisitions, in addition to an extraoral bitewing feature.

The CBCT modality of the RAYSCAN Alpha Plus boasts several exclusive features that allow practitioners to truly customize examinations to their patients unlike ever before. First, the Alpha Plus utilizes an innovative light-guided field-of-view that simplifies patient positioning to reduce errors and retakes. The desired field-of-view is super-imposed on the patient’s face, allowing dental professionals to see the exact area being scanned in relation to the patient’s actual anatomy, ensuring accurate image acquisition.

Furthermore, the system adds to the innovative light-guided positioning feature by utilizing Free FOV technology, which makes the field-of-view completely customizable from 4x3 cm to 16x10 cm. While many systems on the market force the clinician to choose one of several pre-set field-of-view options, the RAYSCAN Alpha Plus allows practitioners to collimate the field-of-view to any size, truly limiting radiation exposure to the smallest area possible to still acquire the needed anatomy.

While The RAYSCAN Alpha Plus continues to push new boundaries in terms of dose reduction, image quality and clarity remain the system’s top priority. The CBCT modality delivers voxel resolutions as small as 70 μm, making 3D images from the RAYSCAN Alpha Plus among the highest resolution in the industry. And, new proprietary algorithms allow for images to be reconstructed in as little as 4.9 seconds. 

Finally, the optional cephalometric module is available in either scanning or one-shot options, with the one-shot module acquiring images in less than one second to further reduce image distortion and lessen radiation dose. 

“We could not be more excited to launch the RAYSCAN Alpha Plus in conjunction with our partners at RAY Company,” stated Dr. David Gane, CEO of LED Medical Diagnostics. “Over the last few years, RAY Company has illustrated a commitment to developing technologies that not only deliver exceptional image quality, but also integrate innovative features that make acquiring images more intuitive, delivering an improved user experience while reducing patient dose.” 

Kevin Cho, President of RAY America concluded, “The RAYSCAN Alpha Plus is the culmination of years of development and optimization, relying on clinical feedback to build a system that not only produces outstanding images but utilizes next-generation technologies to make oral healthcare a simpler, more patient-friendly process.” 

The RAYSCAN Alpha Plus is available now through LED Dental. For more information, please call 844.952.7327 or visit www.leddental.com. 

The first data on dental fillings that can actively repair tooth decay are presented by Professor Robert Hill. Professor Hill is Chair of Physical Sciences at the Institute of Dentistry at Queen Mary University of London and co-founder and director of research at BioMin Technologies.

Over 80% of the population in the UK has at least one filling, with seven being the average while 8 million cavities are filled with amalgam each year.

These data, indicating smart repair of tooth decay, prolonging the life of composite fillings, and reducing the need for mercury-based amalgams, indicate a significant step forward in tooth-restorative materials.

Hill outlines how new bioactive glass composites are unique in their ability to release fluoride as well as the significant quantities of calcium and phosphate that are needed to form tooth mineral.

Hill explains that while current dental fillings include inert materials, the data on the new bioactive glass composite shows that it interacts positively with the body providing minerals that replace those lost to tooth decay.

“Our scientists and dentists at Queen Mary University of London replaced the inert tooth filling materials with our new bioactive glass, explained Hill. “Not only did this bioactive glass composite remineralize the partially decayed teeth, but it also creates an alkaline environment that discourages the bacteria that caused the initial decay.

“The new bioactive glass also fills in the gaps with tooth mineral thus preventing the oral bacteria which cause tooth decay from establishing themselves. Research in the United States suggests this will potentially prolong the life of fillings and slow secondary tooth decay because the depth of bacterial penetration with bioactive glass fillings was significantly smaller than for inert fillings.”

Richard Whatley, the CEO of BioMin Technologies who has recently licensed the technology from Queen Mary Innovations, adds, “We plan to translate the remineralizing technology developed with the BioMinF® toothpaste into restorative dental products. This is a really exciting development which is attracting interest from a number of commercial companies.” 

He added, “There is also huge pressure to eliminate mercury based amalgam fillings by 2020, which is outlined in a host of international agreements. Using this type of bioactive glass composite to fill cavities eliminates the need to use mercury-based amalgam by offering esthetic white fillings, which help heal the tooth.”

Sagemax Bioceramics, Inc., announced the winners of the 2016 NexxZr Plus Competition as chosen by users on Dental Lab Network.

Ryan Gottlieb of Gottlieb Dental Lab in the US took first place, winning $10,000. Britta Anderson (Dentallabor Zahntick, Germany) took the $5,000 second-place prize, and Massimo Fabbro (Oral Tecnica, Italy) came in third and won $2,000.

Sagemax also is giving a $1,000 credit toward future purchases to each of the other top-10 finishers, and all of the top 10 were invited to visit the company's headquarters and manufacturing facility in Seattle, Washington. Sagemax will host a banquet honoring them at the Fairmont Olympic hotel in Seattle, and airfare and room accommodations will be provided.

"Each of the talented technicians who participated brought a unique perspective and esthetic to this competition," Sagemax Chief Operating Officer Katie J. Kosty says in the official announcement of the winners. "In the future, we will add categories to recognize the technicians who created restorations with beautiful contour, natural esthetics, high translucency, and possibly more. As the competition grows each year, we may even host competitions in various regions to accommodate more laboratories who want to participate. 

"This has been a fun event to be a part of and we appreciate everyone involved for their time and effort. We look forward to continuing to grow this competition in the future and seeing what other amazing things technicians around the world are doing with NexxZr zirconia."

Alexandria, Va. – The International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) have published a Discovery! manuscript titled "Effects of Taxing Sugar-sweetened Beverages on Caries and Treatment Costs" by lead author Falk Schwendicke, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. This manuscript, published today in the OnlineFirst portion of the IADR/AADR Journal of Dental Research (JDR), provides the first economic evaluation of the effect of taxation on caries experience and treatment costs. Accompanying this article is an editorial titled "Taxes on SSBs: A Strategy to Reduce Epidemics of Dental Caries?", written by JDR Editor-in-Chief William Giannobile, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA; and JDR Associate Editor Jessica Lee, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

According to the Global Burden of Disease Study, diet is the leading cause of health loss. The dietary impact of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), in addition to tobacco, alcohol and salt, serves as a major contributor to death. SSBs have demonstrated putative effects on diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases and certain cancer types. Furthermore, the increasing rise in dental caries experience due to SSBs has become a global public health problem that has attracted the attention of clinicians, scientists and policymakers.

In this study, Schwendicke and colleagues modeled the implementation of a 20% of SSBs' sales tax in a German population and concluded that taxation reduced caries increment and treatment costs especially in younger individuals and those with low income. If such a tax rate of 20% was implemented, this could help alleviate the rates in obesity, dental caries increments and perhaps other comorbidities, such as diabetes. There have been successes in the implementation of SSB taxes in an effort to reduce dietary intake of added sugars to combat obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Obesity, like dental caries is broadly perceived as a preventable condition that can be managed through behavioral changes, in most cases.

As far as recent triumphs in affecting change, Mexico and the UK have successfully passed legislation on SSBs using prototypes of taxation adapted from alcohol and tobacco. Taxing SSBs can be an important tool in the prevention of dental and metabolic diseases to promote oral and systemic well-being.

"This landmark contribution provides convincing evidence that changes in tax policy can result in improved oral health, at both the individual and population levels, and also yield significant financial benefits to governments," said oral health policy expert and AADR President-elect Raul Garcia. "These findings have immediate implications for formulation of health policy at the national level in all countries."

Please visit https://jdr.sagepub.com/content/early/recent to read the Discovery! manuscript titled "Effects of Taxing Sugar-sweetened Beverages on Caries and Treatment Costs" and the companion editorial.

Doceram Medical Ceramics GmbH, headquarted in Dortmund, Germany, and 3M, headquarted in St. Paul, Minnesota, announced they have signed a licensing agreement for Doceram to use 3M’s patented techology that enables the coloring of unshaded ceramics by color-matching dental restorations to the natural color of patients’ teeth.

Doceram Medical will expand the Nacera® brand as a complete system solution for dental laboratories and dental technicians, leveraging 3M’s patented technology for staining zirconia with a new product marketed as Nacera® Classic Liquids.

3M has licensed its patented technology to several other partners in the dental industry and remains open to licensing this technology to other interested parties.

CHICAGO, September 26 – Whether by choice, by culture or by need, grandfamilies are more commonplace with one-in-ten children residing fulltime in their grandparents’ homes. Grandfamilies face unique challenges, including those related to oral health as demonstrated by Oral Health America’s 2016 Public Opinion Poll conducted by Wakefield Research.

Though grandparents may experience increased stress-related issues while raising children children in their homes, 56% also reported that they were more likely to go outside specifically because their child encouraged or influenced them, compared with 43% of parents. Grandparents are working to provide the dental care their children require, while also remaining vibrant and benefiting from their children's influence.

Oral Health America’s Fall for Smiles campaign focuses on the oral health of families, and encourages everyone to spread the word about the positive effects of daily brushing and flossing, regular dental visits, eating a healthy diet and avoiding tobacco products. This year’s campaign highlights “grandfamilies” or kinship care to address the oral health issues that impact young and older generations.

Hu-Friedy supports Fall for Smiles with a free Nevi coloring sheet available for download online. Other free resources include interactive quizzes, brushing chart, and tips for the whole family.

Fall for Smiles is generously sponsored by 3M; Trident; Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait, an initiative of Dental Trade Alliance; Patterson Dental; Hu-Friedy; Midmark Corporation; SciCan, Inc.; Septodont USA; Sunstar Americas, Inc.; Whip Mix Corporation; the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention; National Dental Association; and Crosstex Dentapure.

Learn more about Fall for Smiles at oralhealthamerica.org/fallforsmiles.

PHILADELPHIA – More than half of opioids prescribed to patients following surgical tooth extraction – such as the removal of impacted wisdom teeth – were left unused by patients in a new study from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and School of Dental Medicine. The authors say the surplus is troubling given the ongoing opioid epidemic and evidence showing that individuals who abuse prescription opioids often use leftover pills that were prescribed for friends or family members. The study, published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, suggests the availability of prescription disposal kiosks in pharmacies and small financial incentives may increase proper disposal of opioids by more than 20%.

“When translated to the broad US population, our findings suggest that more than 100 million opioid pills prescribed to patients following surgical removal of impacted wisdom teeth are not used, leaving the door open for possible abuse or misuse by patients, or their friends or family,” said lead author Brandon C. Maughan, MD, MHS, MSHP, an emergency physician and health services researcher at The Lewin Group, a health policy consulting firm, who conducted the study while serving as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “Given the increasing concern about prescription opioid abuse in the United States, all prescribers – including physicians, oral surgeons and dental clinicians – have a responsibility to limit opioid exposure, to explain the risks of opioid misuse, and educate patients on proper drug disposal.”

In the study, researchers examined prescription opioid use for 79 patients after dental impaction surgery, and how a small financial incentive and information about a pharmacy-based drug disposal program would affect patients’ willingness to properly dispose of unused medications. Researchers also tested the effectiveness of using a text message-based platform to collect data on pain and prescription medication use.

During enrollment, participants received a debit card preloaded with $10. Surveys assessing pain levels and medication use were delivered via text message every day for the first week following surgery, and again on days 14 and 21 following surgery. For each survey completed, the participant would receive an addition $3 credit on the debit card (a possible $27 total). Patients who completed a follow-up health interview received an additional $10.

Just 24 hours after surgery, patients reported an average pain score of 5 out of 10 while taking pain medication. By the second day, more than half (51%) reported a low pain score (0-3 out of 10), and by the fifth day, almost 80% had a low pain score.

The majority of patients (94%) received a prescription for an opioid medication to manage pain, with 82% also receiving a prescription-strength nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and 78% received a prescription antibiotic. On average, participants who did not have post-surgical complications (93%) received prescriptions containing 28 opioid pills, but three weeks following surgery had only used 13, leaving more than 1,000 unused opioid pills. Only five patients used all of the prescribed pills.

“Results of our study show within five days of surgery, most patients are experiencing relatively little pain, and yet, most still had well over half of their opioid prescription left,” said Elliot V. Hersh, DMD, MS, PhD, a professor in the department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Pharmacology at Penn Dental Medicine, and a co-author on the study. “Research shows that prescription-strength NSAIDs, like ibuprofen, combined with acetaminophen, can offer more effective pain relief and fewer adverse effects than opioid-containing medications. While opioids can play a role in acute pain management after surgery, they should only be added in limited quantities for more severe pain.”

Additional results showed that offering information specific to a drug disposal program led to a 22% increase in the number of patients who had either properly disposed of or planned to properly dispose leftover opioids. Patients in the control arm received routine postoperative instructions with a controlled substance information sheet including details about the risks of keeping unused opioids and explained that a study hotline was available for information on drug disposal. Comparatively, participants in the intervention arm received the same instructions along with a one-page overview of a pharmacy-based drug disposal program.

“Expanding the availability of drug disposal mechanisms to community locations that patients regularly visit – such as grocery stores and retail pharmacies – may substantially increase the use of these programs,” Maughan said. “By providing a one-page information sheet coupled with a small financial incentive patients were significantly more interested in proper disposal of unused opioid pills. The results suggest that future trials might also use similar low-intensity and low-cost interventions to reduce the misuse of opioid medications.”

Other co-authors on the study include Lee R. Carrasco from the department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Pharmacology at Penn Dental Medicine, Frances S. Shofer, Kathryn J. Wanner, and Elizabeth Archer from the department of Emergency Medicine at Penn Medicine, and Karin V. Rhodes from the Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine. The study was funded by a grant from the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics.

CHICAGO, September 23 – There are approximately 2.5 million grandfamilies with children residing fulltime in their grandparents’ homes. Grandfamilies face unique challenges, including those related to oral health as demonstrated by Oral Health America’s 2016 Public Opinion Poll conducted by Wakefield Research shows that 70% of grandparents reported that they believed it was harder for them to keep up with information surrounding children’s oral health than it was for younger parents.

That’s why OHA engages all Americans about the importance of good oral health as part of its annual public awareness campaign, Fall for Smiles. Oral Health America’s Fall for Smiles campaign, which focuses on the oral health of families encourages everyone to spread the word about the positive effects of daily brushing and flossing, regular dental visits, eating a healthy diet and avoiding tobacco products.

Septodont supportsFall for Smiles with a downloadable brushing chart to help families talk about the importance of toothbrushing. Other free downloadable resources include an interactive quiz, coloring sheet and tips for the whole family.

Fall for Smiles is generously sponsored by 3M; Trident; Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait, an initiative of Dental Trade Alliance; Patterson Dental; Hu-Friedy; Midmark Corporation; SciCan, Inc.; Septodont USA; Sunstar Americas, Inc.; Whip Mix Corporation; the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention; National Dental Association; Crosstex Dentapure and Trident.

Learn more about Fall for Smiles and register to attend the webinar at oralhealthamerica.org/fallforsmiles.

CHICAGO, September 21 – Whether by choice, by culture or by need, grandfamilies are more commonplace with one-in-ten children residing fulltime in their grandparents’ homes. Grandfamilies face unique challenges, including those related to oral health as demonstrated by Oral Health America’s 2016 Public Opinion Poll conducted by Wakefield Research shows that 70% of grandparents reported that they believed it was harder for them to keep up with information surrounding children’s oral health than it was for younger parents.

That’s why OHA engages all Americans about the importance of good oral health as part of its annual public awareness campaign, Fall for Smiles. Oral Health America’s Fall for Smiles campaign, which focuses on the oral health of families encourages everyone to spread the word about the positive effects of daily brushing and flossing, regular dental visits, eating a healthy diet and avoiding tobacco products.

SciCan supports Fall for Smiles with interactive quiz to test your oral health knowledge. The downloadable quiz is available online to share with friends and family. Other free downloadable resources include a brushing chart, coloring sheet and tips for the whole family. Take the quiz here. 

Fall for Smiles is generously sponsored by 3M; Trident; Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait, an initiative of Dental Trade Alliance; Patterson Dental; Hu-Friedy; Midmark Corporation; SciCan, Inc.; Septodont USA; Sunstar Americas, Inc.; Whip Mix Corporation; the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention; National Dental Association; Crosstex Dentapure and Trident.

Learn more about Fall for Smiles and register to attend the webinar at oralhealthamerica.org/fallforsmiles.

Attleboro, MA –ABF Waxes are now available in the U.S. through Sterngold. ABF waxes are characterized by their unique composition that guarantees exceptional properties during use. As their name indicates these waxes make it possible to create the esthetics that will provide your Wax-up with character. A light version to ensure basic coloring and a dark version to generate typical shade in the fissures. In the liquid stage these waxes still remain opaque. For more information or to order online visit www.sterngold.com.