Estrogen therapy has already been credited with helping women manage an array of menopause-related issues, including reducing hot flashes, improving heart health and bone density, and maintaining levels of sexual satisfaction. Now a new study suggests that the same estrogen therapy used to treat osteoporosis can actually lead to healthier teeth and gums. The study outcomes are being published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

As estrogen levels fall during menopause, women become more vulnerable to numerous health issues, including loss of bone mineral density, which can lead to osteoporosis. Around the same time, changes in oral health also are common as teeth and gums become more susceptible to disease, which can lead to inflammation, pain, bleeding, and eventually loose or missing teeth.

In the Menopause article “Association between osteoporosis treatment and severe periodontitis in postmenopausal women,” 492 postmenopausal Brazilian women aged 50 to 87 year, 113 in osteoporosis treatment and 379 not treated,were evaluated to determine whether osteoporosis treatment could help increase the bone mineral density in their jaws and, subsequently, improve overall oral health.

The study found that the rate of occurrence of severe periodontitis was 44% lower in the postmenopausal osteoporosis-treatment group than in the untreated group. Treatment consisted of systemic estrogen alone or estrogen plus progestin, as well as calcium and vitamin D supplements, for a minimum of six months.

“Osteoporosis can occur throughout the body, including the jaw, and lead to an increased risk of periodontal disease,” says Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, NAMS executive director. “ This study demonstrates that estrogen therapy, which has proven to be effective in preventing bone loss, may also prevent the worsening of tooth and gum disease. All women, but especially those with low estrogen or on bisphosphonate treatment for osteoporosis, should make good dental care a part of their healthy lifestyles.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dentsply Sirona is supporting Dental Lifeline Network (DLN) by participating in the first Every Smile Counts Day on Thursday, Feb. 23, during the Chicago Midwinter Meeting (CMW).

On Every Smile Counts day, Dentsply Sirona, along with many of their distribution partners, will donate up to one percent of national sales earned that day to support the gallant efforts of DLN. 

DLN, founded in 1974, allows patients with permanent disabilities, who are medically fragile or those who are older than 65 years of age- all of whom cannot afford dental care- to receive care at no cost. Through DLN’s flagship program, Donated Dental Services (DDS), care is provided through a national network of 15,000 volunteer dentists and 3,700 volunteer laboratories across the U.S. Each dollar that is donated to DLN produces $8.87 in dental care for patients. The program has received more than $330 million in donated dental therapies, which has aided in improving the lives of 117,000 people.  

In addition to the participating organizations’ donations, dentists attending CMW can help raise money through their purchases as well by planning to purchase equipment and supplies on Every Smile Counts Day. Hundreds of people can receive treatment as a direct result of Every Smile Counts Day, so practitioners are encouraged to make their purchases on Thursday, Feb. 23.

Prior to Every Smile Counts Day, dental professionals can show their support and help spread awareness through social media by using the hashtags “#EverySmileCountsDay” and “#SupportDLN.” Those interested in participating can go to www.everysmilecountsday.org for additional details.

To learn more about Dental Lifeline Network (DLN), their programs, staff and how to get involved, visit www.dentallifeline.org.

Mt. Laurel, NJ – ACTEON North America introduces the X-Mind® Trium 3D CBCT device that facilitates osseointegration with instant volume measurement and bone density assessment.  X-Mind® Trium provides exceptional image quality with 75 μm voxel resolution for a variety of applications such as dental implant planning and endodontic diagnoses.  The wide range field of view (110x80, 80x80, 60x60, and 40x40) makes it possible to focus on the region of interest based on the diagnosis.  A device this versatile deserves powerful imaging software and the ACTEON Imaging Suite can assess volume and bone density for improved bone grafting procedures and implant placement while all scans are produced in STL format for export into surgical guide design software.  The software also has a virtual endoscope feature for airway evaluation and nerve canal tracing for implant planning.  The X-Mind® Trium is fully upgradable from a 2D panoramic X-Ray to 3D, and a Cephalometric arm can also be added so the device can grow as your practice grows.

Tim Long, COO of ACTEON North America said, “This is the biggest launch to date for ACTEON North America and we feel the dental market is ready for a unique product like the X-Mind Trium.”  He also added, “With the introduction of X-Mind® Trium, ACTEON has achieved our goal of providing a complete digital offering from intraoral cameras, a full range of 2D digital radiography and now CBCT, providing clinicians a comprehensive solution.”

The X-Mind® Trium will be introduced by ACTEON North America at the Chicago Mid Winter Dental Meeting from February 23 - 25, 2017 in booth 3011.

See more at: https://www.acteongroup.com

Apollonix, an online B2B platform for dentists and dental laboratories to order oral prosthetics, will compete for $50,000 at SUP-X: The Startup Expo (sup-x.org).

Apollonix is one of 50 companies that will showcase startups in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, next month.

“Apollonix is a vehicle to streamline the workflow for dental professionals and we are proud to highlight new solutions in the dental industry,” says CEO and Co-Founder Paul Shin.

For more information about Apollonix, go to apollonix.com and watch a video about the company here.

Before treatment, a dentist should have a sense of whether a patient is willing and able to cooperate during the procedure. This can be difficult to determine when the patient is a child. If a dentist could predict how a child is likely to respond to the usage of laughing gas, also known as nitrous oxide, the visit is more likely to be free of anxiety and fear.

The authors of an article published in the current issue of the journal Anesthesia Progress wanted to learn whether a child’s disposition is linked to successful usage of nitrous oxide. This form of sedation is often used by dentists treating children. Although children in general are prone to fear and discomfort in a dentist’s chair, research suggests that attitude is a key factor in how well a particular child will navigate a dental visit. However, no prior behavioral studies looked solely at nitrous oxide use.

The study included 48 patients, from 3 to 8 years old, who were receiving dental care at a university-based clinic in Seattle, Washington. The children’s caregivers completed a validated behavior questionnaire, which the researchers used along with data from the patients’ charts to assess behavior and sedation success during the dental visit.

The researchers found that the types of children successfully treated with nitrous oxide vary widely. When they focused on uncooperative children, they found that if scores were better in one temperament category, Effortful Control, laughing gas was more successful. Subscales of a few other characteristics were also helpful in predicting success during the dental visit.

Children who did well in the Effortful Control category had specific behavioral traits. For example, they could easily stop doing something when told “no” and could focus and become absorbed in a task, such as looking at a picture book. “It appears that children who are able to focus on a task and inhibit negative reactions are likely to be good candidates for treatment with nitrous oxide,” said lead author Travis M. Nelson.

The researchers concluded that, unsurprisingly, children who can overcome poor attitudes about a trip to dentist are most successful in receiving dental care. Those who can focus on the task and remain focused throughout the visit have the best ability to control negative reactions. The researchers suggested that those who cannot focus might be better candidates for oral sedation or general anesthesia.

Full text of the article “Temperament as a Predictor of Nitrous Oxide Inhalation Sedation Success,” Anesthesia Progress, Vol. 64, No. 1, 2017, is now available at https://www.anesthesiaprogress.org/doi/full/10.2344/anpr-63-03-01

WATERTOWN, MA:  February 15, 2017 — Dr. Christopher Ramsey sampled the ACTIVA BioACTIVE-BASE/LINER and CEMENT and sent a video with feedback to Larry Clark from Pulpdent. Ramsey, a general and cosmetic dentist from Florida, describes the ACTIVA BioACTIVE-BASE/LINER as “over the top,” noting that the product eliminates post-op sensitivity. Ramsey calls the cement an “all-in-one” and says units cemented with ACTIVA BioACTIVE are staying in place and show no signs of microleakage.

Click here to see the video.

Two Dental Benefits providers, Companion Life (also doing business under Total Dental Administrators) and Kansas City Life, have both recently announced coverage for dental procedure code D5994 documenting a periodontal medicament carrier, a custom-fabricated tray used to deliver medication into periodontal pockets.

Initial reviews of insurance claim data for patients who have received Perio Trays® indicate that this benefit translates into better treatment outcomes for patients and a reduction in longer-term health costs. For companies that provide both dental and medical insurance, the savings in health care costs are expected to multiply given that treatment for periodontal disease has been shown to reduce overall healthcare costs for patients with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and pregnancy.

The most common periodontal medicament delivery device available to patients is the Perio Tray. Perio Trays have an internal peripheral seal and are proven to deliver medication deep into periodontal pockets to fight infections between office visits. Patients can only obtain a prescription Perio Tray through a licensed dentist who will develop and monitor a treatment plan for individual patients.

Perio Trays are used adjunctively to provide the best homecare. Toothbrush, rinse and floss can’t reach deep enough into periodontal pockets to help the 46% of Americans adults with chronic periodontitis. The Perio Tray has been shown to place medication into shallow and deep pockets to reduce inflammation and pocket depths when used in 15-minute daily applications.

“The key with prescription tray therapy” says Dr. Duane Keller, the inventor of the Perio Tray, “is to use a low concentration of peroxide to oxygenate the pockets, kill anaerobic bacteria, and change the microenvironment to create conditions for healthy bacterial regrowth. We used to provide antibiotics, but their benefits were largely temporary. Peroxide delivered deep with the tray overcomes these antibiotic limitations for long-term gingival health.”

Source: Perio Protect

https://www.perioprotect.com/

CHICAGO, February 15, 2017 - Oral Health America (OHA) has been awarded a grant from the DentaQuest Foundation. Specifically, the grant in the amount of $668,000 will provide significant support to expand the Wisdom Tooth Project® and increase efforts in Advocating for Publicly Funded Dental Coverage for older Americans.

OHA’s Wisdom Tooth Project is a national program designed to educate older adults and their caregivers, connect communities with support and resources to access care, and advocate for the oral health of all older adults, especially those most vulnerable. The DentaQuest Foundation has been pivotal in supporting OHA’s efforts in the area of older adult oral health since 2010.

“Maintaining a healthy mouth is one of the keys to independence as we age because of the vital connection to overall health and well-being,” said Beth Truett, President & CEO of Oral Health America. “Thanks to the generosity of the DentaQuest Foundation, OHA stands to gain more wide spread support for this important movement by working collaboratively on the national and state levels to bring adult dental benefits to Medicare.”

Through this grant and in partnership with the DentaQuest Foundation, OHA will lead and strengthen the oral health and aging network in order to elevate the relationship between oral and overall health among legislators, advocacy groups, and consumers.

“Now is the time for alignment and collaborative leadership in the movement to secure oral health coverage for all," said Michael Monopoli, Executive Director of the DentaQuest Foundation. "We're thrilled to continue our partnership with Oral Health America in their efforts to mobilize national, state, and community organizations to come together to make dental benefits and improved oral health available to all older adults.”

In 2017, OHA will continue to build the network and infrastructure necessary to move toward the eventual inclusion of an oral health benefit in Medicare. Efforts will focus on creating alignment among key leaders in the network; further developing three working groups – Policy & Procedure, Marketing & Communications, and Politics; and providing a way for states and grassroots organizations to become more involved in the network.

Axsys Incorporated President Steve Braykovich will present a course titled "Behind the Panels: Key Elements of a High-Quality Dental Mill" on Friday, February 24, in Chicago.

The course will be offered from 3:45-4:35 PM and 4:55-5:45 PM in Skyway Meeting Room 261, East Tower, Blue Level, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The course has been approved for 1 Scientific CE credit.

Braykovich will review the various elements of machine tool construction and their effects on machine reliability, life cycle, cost of ownership, and restoration quality. He couples these machine concepts with CAM software considerations to enable prospective buyers of digital dental manufacturing technology the ability to sift through the basic marketing collaterals offered by suppliers to determine what is relevent in their materials and ask meaningful questions of suppliers when determining which manufacturing solution best fits their short- and long-term quality, production, and cost-of-ownership needs and objectives.

Upon completion of this lecture the participants should be able to:

• Describe the key coponents of a quality milling machine.

• Understand how each component affects machine life, tool life and restoration quality

• Understand the importance of proper fixturing.

• Realize the importance of CAM Software, understand the importance of machining strategies and proper machining parameters.

The program, one of very few in the United States, gives dental students the opportunity to gain added expertise in core public health concepts, enhancing their ability to deliver effective public health solutions.

Reflecting a societal need for dentists with both excellent clinical skills and a deep understanding of public health issues and challenges, New York University’s College of Dentistry (NYU Dentistry) and College of Global Public Health (CGPH) have created a DDS/Online Advanced Certificate in Public Health Program through which dental students can complete both the DDS degree program and the certificate program within four years. This dual program option is one of a very few of its kind in the United States.

“We are extremely pleased to introduce our new DDS/CPH program, which offers dental students the opportunity to gain added expertise in providing effective health solutions,” said Dr. Charles N. Bertolami, the Herman Robert Fox Dean of NYU Dentistry. “The two disciplines, dentistry and public health, are naturally complementary as both seek to improve the health of the public.”

Because courses in the online advanced certificate program are offered every semester, including the summer, DDS students will not require additional time beyond their four-year dental curriculum to graduate with the dual program option. CPH courses include epidemiology, global issues in social and behavioral health, global health policy and management, biostatistics for public health, and global environmental public health.

“With this new program, dental students now have the opportunity to gain essential knowledge and training in core public health concepts that will enhance their ability to develop more efficient healthcare delivery, improve patient outcomes, and make a positive difference in people’s lives in global communities,” added Dean Bertolami.

“This unique online certificate underscores the multidisciplinary nature of CGPH,” added Dr. Cheryl G. Healton, Dean CGPH. “We’re excited to team up with our Faculty of Health partner, NYU Dentistry, to maximize the benefits of sharing resources developed here to be accessible at other NYU schools.”

The DDS/CPH program is open to prospective dental students who express an interest in public health training and maintain a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. DDS students may begin taking online CPH courses as early as the summer semester of their first year.

According to NYU College of Dentistry Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Dr. Andrew I. Spielman, “This new dual program option is an additional example of steps NYU College of Dentistry is taking to be at the forefront of transforming dental education in order to best meet the needs of tomorrow’s dentists and the public they will serve.”

Dr. Joyce O’Connor, the program’s director at CGPH, agreed. “Because online technology makes this course so accessible for our College of Dentistry students to take, they can gain invaluable public health perspectives developed here at CGPH without the costly burden of doing an extra year to take the course in person.”