Presented By: James Rivers, DDS, MHS and Henry Martin, CDT

Hosted By: Zimmer Biomet 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

Full arch rehabilitation of the edentulous arch with fixed restorations will provide satisfaction to patients seeking care after loss of their dentition. For the clinician to be successful with the restoration and achieve patient satisfaction, treatment planning and procedures must be done with attention to detail. The dental technician and laboratory have a vital role in the overall success of the case. The restorative doctor and laboratory technician should work closely together from treatment planning through delivery of the restoration. This program will discuss the essential communication and roles that the dentist and technician each have to provide quality care.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the program, the participant should be able to:

•Recognize the value of a working relation between the restorative clinician and laboratory technician.

•Identify the role and expectations of each member of the team in treatment planning the case.

•Learn how to establish a fee-based clinical and laboratory expense.

•Learn what is needed to fabricate the prosthesis and how the laboratory technician can advise the clinician.

•Learn essential entry for writing the laboratory work order.

Register here.

Newswise — CHICAGO – As the global leaders in advocating the value and quality of endodontics, the American Association of Endodontists supports a single standard of endodontic education and care to provide patients with the highest quality care with the best result—saving their natural teeth. The AAE developed the Endodontic Competency White Paper to identify the knowledge and skill that should provide a standard for all practitioners who diagnosis, treatment plan and perform endodontic treatment for their patients. While all dentists are trained in endodontics, that training varies greatly, as does the clinical experience of each dentist. To help ensure that patients receive the best possible care from all practitioners at the highest standards, the AAE’s emphasis on endodontic competency should spur general dentists to undergo additional training, recognize their limitations and consult with specialists on treatment planning and referral.

“The AAE recognizes that there are great variations in endodontic training, as well as the knowledge, competence, experience of performance of endodontics among private practicing dentists,” said AAE President Garry L. Myers. “As such, the AAE developed this comprehensive document outlining the minimum standards any dentist, regardless of years of experience, should meet when providing endodontic care.”

The white paper focuses on three key areas critical to competent endodontic treatment: diagnosis, treatment planning and prognosis. Diagnostic standards include the ability of the dentist to assimilate the necessary subjective, objective and radiographic information to establish a pulpal and/or periapical diagnosis, provide appropriate emergency care and referral, and maintain proper patient records and documentation. Treatment planning standards include case assessment to evaluate the difficulty of treatment and consideration of referral, development of a treatment plan that takes into account the restorability of the tooth, and special consideration for traumatic dental injuries. Competency in the prognosis of endodontic treatment requires that clinicians be able to forecast the outcome of initial nonsurgical root canal treatment.

These guidelines were developed to assist educational institutions and organized dentistry in developing minimum educational requirements and skill requisites needed to perform endodontic treatment. The AAE’s goal is a consistent endodontic curriculum that provides predoctoral students with a firmer foundation in the specialty, including a better understanding of the biologic basis of endodontic disease, diagnosis, treatment planning and prognosis, as well as today’s state-of-the-art techniques and technologies.

“All clinicians must keep current with advances that are generally accepted and embraced by the endodontic specialty,” explained Dr. Myers. “Endodontic best practices change with time and it is the responsibility of practitioners to be aware of such changes for those procedures they perform. The general dentist must perform endodontic care at the same level as the specialist, and it’s in everyone’s best interests, especially the patient’s, to do so.”

The Endodontic Competency White Paper is available on the AAE website at www.aae.org/guidelines. Practitioners are encouraged to use it as a reference with endodontic cases and educators should consider the competencies and intents when developing predoctoral curriculum.

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) recently awarded members for their contributions and accomplishments within the Academy and the specialty of periodontics. The awardees were honored at a ceremony during the AAP’s 103nd Annual Meeting, held Sept. 9-12 in Boston.

“Every year, the Academy recognizes members whose service and commitment have made an impact on our organization and on the specialty,” says Terrence J. Griffin, DMD, immediate past president of the AAP. “Their work sets a standard of excellence.”

Gold Medal Award: For more than 40 years of service and an enduring imprint on the Academy and periodontics, the AAP bestows the Gold Medal Award, its highest honor, on David Cochran, DDS, PhD. This devoted educator has held various academic appointments, most recently as the professor and chair of the Department of Periodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, a position he’s held for 25 years. With more than 360 publications to his credit, Dr. Cochran has also had an illustrious career in research, which includes landmark reports on morphogenetic proteins and osseous regeneration. He adds to his Gold Medal decoration a 2013 Distinguished Scientist Award, 2007 William J. Gies Periodontology Award, two R. Earl Robinson Periodontal Regeneration Awards, and a 1999 Special Citation Award.

Master Clinician Award: Jack Caton, DDS, MS, is the 2017 recipient of the Master Clinician Award. This recognition, sponsored by Hu-Friedy, is presented to an Academy member who demonstrates clinical excellence in the specialty and shares his wisdom and experience with others. With extensive research that has been published in more than 110 scientific articles and book chapters, Dr. Caton has made an indelible impact on the scientific advancement of the specialty. His work also led to the development of the first biodegradable barrier membrane and of Periostat, the first dentistry drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In addition to maintaining a private practice in Rochester, N.Y., he is a clinical dentistry professor, periodontics program director, and periodontics chair at the University of Rochester’s School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Distinguished Scientist and Outstanding Periodontal Educator Award: This year, the Academy is pleased to present two awards to one esteemed honoree: Hom-Lay Wang, DDS, MSD, PhD, is the 2017 recipient of the Outstanding Periodontal Educator Award (which is sponsored by Hu-Friedy) and the Distinguished Scientist Award. Dr. Wang, whose research interests include oral plastic surgery, regeneration, tissue engineering, and other implant-related topics, has published more than 130 scientific abstracts, 25 book chapters, and more than 500 scientific articles, generating over 25,000 citations to his work. He has also given more than 650 lectures around the world. Dr. Wang is the Endowed Collegiate Professor of Periodontology at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, where he has served as the director of the graduate periodontal program for more than 20 years. As an educator, he has trained over 85 graduate students from all over the world, and many of them have gone on to attain fellowships, training grants from the National Institutes of Health, and research awards. Of the many qualities that make Dr. Wang an outstanding educator, his students consistently note his generosity, mentorship, and enthusiasm.

Distinguished Service Award: For decades of service to the AAP and the specialty, the Academy confers the 2017 Distinguished Service Award to John Kobs, DDS, MS. Dr. Kobs’ work with the AAP began in 1987 as the vice chairman of the New Practitioner Committee, continuing with participation on the Public and Professional Communications Committee, District IV Nomination Committee, Nominating Committee, and Finance Committee. He served two stints as the liaison to the Task Force on Dental Hygiene Education in 2000 and 2004, and in 2003, he became the chairman of the Task Force to Review the Annual Meeting. In 1998, he began the first of two three-year terms on the Board of Trustees, culminating in service on the Executive Committee in 2004. Most recently, Dr. Kobs acted as the chair of the Academy’s Executive Director Search Committee, which vetted and recommended Erin O’Donnell Dotzler as the AAP’s Executive Director last fall after a national search. A graduate of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Dr. Kobs has maintained a private practice in Holland, Mich., since 1977. The Distinguished Service Award is sponsored by Kittleman & Associates.

Honorary Membership: The AAP presents its Honorary Membership Award to a practitioner who does not qualify for active Academy membership, but has made notable contributions to the art and science of periodontology. This year’s recipient, Hiromasa Yoshie, DDS, PhD, is a recognized educator and researcher whose contributions on such topics as regeneration, tissue engineering, and systemic relationships have enhanced the canon of periodontal research. In addition to his extensive background in teaching and investigation, Dr. Yoshie has been an instrumental leader at the Japanese Society of Periodontology (JSP), helping to foster the group’s long-standing collaboration with the AAP. He has presented at a number of AAP Annual Meetings over the years, including the first AAP-JSP meeting in 2000 and most recently at the 2016 Annual Meeting in San Diego. Dr. Yoshie is currently a professor at Niigata University’s Institute of Medicine and Dentistry in Niigata, Japan.

Humanitarian Award: The 2017 AAP Humanitarian Award is awarded posthumously to Michael Perry, DMD, MS, an Oxford, Miss., periodontist who passed away on Aug. 14, 2016. He was a three-time participant of the Dominican Dental Mission Project, which has provided dental treatment to underserved patients in the Dominican Republic since 1983. Dr. Perry’s benevolence extended into the community when he invested millions into the 2013 construction of the Oxford-Lafayette Sportsplex, a 73-acre athletic complex complete with baseball, softball, football, and lacrosse fields. Dr. Perry, who earned his Master of Science in Periodontics at Baylor College of Dentistry after graduating from the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry, opened his first periodontics office in 2002. He and his late wife Kim are survived by their three children, Sarah, John West, and Anna Reed.

Special Citation Award: This award is presented to members for outstanding work on an Academy committee or special project. Among this year’s recipients is Allan Charles, DDS, a Pasadena, Calif., periodontist who has served on numerous AAP committees. His participation includes 16 years on the Academy’s Patient Benefits and Advocacy Committee (which he chaired from 2012 to 2016) and the Board of Trustees. In addition to his service to the AAP, Dr. Allan is a past president of the California Society of Periodontists and the Western Society of Periodontology. This year’s special citation honorees also include Academy Trustees David Okano, DDS, MS, Christopher Richardson, DMD, MS, and Secretary/Treasurer James Wilson, DMD, who comprised the AAP Task Force on General Assembly Voting. Together, the group implemented procedures that enable members to vote on Constitution and Bylaws amendments without having to be present at the General Assembly held during each AAP Annual Meeting.

William J. Gies Award: Gary Armitage, DDS, MS, is the 2017 recipient of the William J. Gies Periodontology Award. Presented by the American Dental Education Association’s William J. Gies Foundation for the Advancement of Dentistry, this award is conferred to those who have made outstanding contributions to the field of periodontology. Dr. Armitage, the R. Earl Robinson Distinguished Professor of Periodontology at the University of California San Francisco, is a distinguished researcher with more than 90 articles and book chapters to his credit. Much of his work has been instrumental to the diagnosis, classification, and treatment of periodontal diseases, and he currently serves on the Academy's organizing committee for the 2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-implant diseases. He is a sought-after lecturer and well-respected educator who has held visiting professorships at the University of Otago School of Dentistry in New Zealand and at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Dr. Armitage is the 2000 recipient of the AAP Gold Medal Award.

Clinical Research Award: This award is presented to an outstanding recently published scientific article with direct clinical relevance to periodontics. The 2017 recipients of this award, authors of “A randomized, controlled, multicenter clinical trial of post-extraction alveolar ridge preservation,” published in the December 2016 issue of the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, are as follows: E. Todd Scheyer, DDS, MS; Rick Heard, III, DDS, MS; Jim Janakievski, DDS, MSD; George Mandelaris, DDS, MS; Marc Nevins, DMD, MMSc; Stephen Pickering, DDS; Christopher Richardson, DMD, MS; Bryan Pope, DMD, MSD; Gregory Toback, DMD, MS; Diego Velasquez, DDS; and Heiner Nagursky, PhD. The Clinical Research Award is sponsored by Quintessence Publishing.

R. Earl Robinson Periodontal Regeneration Award: This award recognizes an outstanding recent scientific article about periodontal regeneration in the basic and clinical sciences. For their article, “A Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating rh-FGF-2/βTCP in Periodontal Defects,” published in the May 2016 issue of the Journal of Dental Research, the Academy recognizes the following members: David Cochran, DDS, PhD;Tae-Ju Oh, DDS, MS; Michael Mills, DMD; Donald Clem, III, DDS; Pamela McClain, DDS; Rachel Schallhorn, DDS, MS; Michael McGuire, DDS; E. Todd Scheyer, DDS, MS; William Giannobile, DDS, DMSc; Michael Reddy, DMD; Ramzi Abou-Arraj, DDS, MS; Philip Vassilopoulos, DMD, FACD; Robert Genco, DDS, PhD; Nico Geurs, DDS; and Akane Takemura, PhD. The R. Earl Robinson Periodontal Regeneration Award is sponsored by the AAP Foundation.

Steven R. Daniel, DDS, a periodontist in Murfreesboro, Tenn., was installed as the American Academy of Periodontology’s (AAP’s) president during its 103rd Annual Meeting, held Sept. 9-12, 2017, in Boston. Other newly installed officers include President-elect Richard T. Kao, DDS, PhD, of Cupertino, Calif.; Vice President Bryan J. Frantz, DMD, MS, of Scranton, Pa; and Secretary/Treasurer James G. Wilson, DMD, of Tampa, Fla. Terrence J. Griffin, DMD, of Boston will act as the Academy’s immediate past president.

A native of Knoxville, Tenn., Dr. Daniel has been a practicing periodontist for more than 34 years. He completed his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and certificate in periodontics from the University of Tennessee School of Dentistry. He earned his board certification and became a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology in 2005. A lifelong learner, Dr. Daniel has continued extensive studies in advanced periodontics, including on recent technologies such as laser-assisted surgery and cone beam computed tomography. He also completed an externship in the surgical management of dental implants at the Misch Implant Institute. In addition to many years of service at the AAP, Dr. Daniel has served as a trustee for the Tennessee Society of Periodontists and the Southern Academy of Periodontology. He currently maintains a private practice in Murfreesboro, Tenn., with his wife and partner Dr. Joanne Gaydos-Daniel.

About Other Installed Officers:

Richard T. Kao, DDS, PhD, President-elect: Dr. Kao is in private practice in Cupertino, Calif., and is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Orofacial Sciences at the University of California San Francisco. He also serves as an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Periodontology at the University of the Pacific. He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree, certificate in periodontics, and PhD from the University of California. His past work in organized dentistry includes service as a Trustee for the California Dental Association and as past president of the California Society of Periodontists.

Bryan J. Frantz, DMD, MS, Vice President: A board-certified periodontist in Scranton, Pa., Dr. Frantz is also the Clinical Associate Professor at Commonwealth Medical College’s Department of Surgery, Eastman Institute of Oral Health, and at Temple University’s Kornberg School of Dentistry, where he earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree. In addition to more than 25 years in practice, he has served as a past president of the AAP Foundation and as past president and board chairman of the Scranton District Dental Society.

James G. Wilson, DMD, Secretary/Treasurer: Dr. Wilson begins his service as Secretary/Treasurer after completing two three-year terms on the AAP Board of Trustees. He is a past president of the Florida Association of Periodontists, and he currently serves as the president of the Florida Academy of Dental Practice Administration. He is a fellow of both the International College of Dentists and the American College of Dentists. Dr. Wilson earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree at the University of Florida College of Dentistry, where he also completed his periodontics residency. He maintains a private practice in Tampa, Fla.

Terrence J. Griffin, DMD, Immediate Past President: Originally from Lowell, Mass., Dr. Griffin is a Doctor of Dental Medicine graduate of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. After completing a two-year tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, he earned a certificate in advanced graduate studies in periodontology at Tufts as a postdoctoral fellow. Dr. Griffin later served as Director of Tufts’ postdoctoral periodontology program for 16 years. He maintains a private practice in Boston. 

These AAP officers will serve a term ending with the installation of a new slate of officers at the 104th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, to be held Oct. 27-30, 2018.

Elevate Oral Care, the only company cleared by the FDA to provide silver diamine fluoride 38% recently announced the availability of tinted Advantage Arrest. The new tinted silver diamine fluoride enhances placement visualization. The functionality of the chemistry has not changed. Advantage Arrest was cleared for use by the FDA as a desensitizer in 2014 and received Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the arrest of severe early childhood caries in 2016. Tinted Advantage Arrest is available in 8 mL multi-dose bottles. For more information visit www.elevateoralcare.com or call 877-866-9113.

As part of its ongoing evolution, DentalEZ Integrated Solutions today announced changes that will continue the transformation of the company. Effective September 18, 2017, Lou Guellnitz is joining the DentalEZ team as Key Account Manager.

In his more than 30 years of experience, Mr. Guellnitz worked for both Henry Schein and Patterson Dental, two of the largest dental distributors in North America. Mr. Guellnitz most recently held the title of VP of Sales, North America for Air Techniques. He joins DentalEZ with a wealth of experience and deep relationships.

“We are excited to announce that Lou is joining the DentalEZ team,” said Ric Vordermark, Sr. Director of Sales. “Lou’s ability to develop and maintain relationships in all areas of dental makes him uniquely qualified for this role. He will make a significant, positive impact with dental dealers and help drive forward the continuing evolution of DentalEZ.”

Mr. Guellnitz commented, “To me, even in today’s business climate, the value of relationships with our dealer partners is key, and I am looking forward to developing and maintaining new and existing business and relationships for DentalEZ. I am committed to growing share in all categories we compete in.”

Heather Trombley, President and COO of DentalEZ commented “We are fortunate to have Lou as a member of the DentalEZ family. As recent announcements have indicated, we are continuing the evolution of DentalEZ, putting our customers first, working hard on becoming a vibrant and trusted partner to them and striving to realize our company vision. This is another step in that evolution.”

Dentsply Sirona, The Dental Solutions Company™, announces the acquisition of gutta-percha material technologies from Healthdent Technologies International. Healthdent – located in Palmdale, CA, USA – is market leader in this dental segment.

“Healthdent’s unique and innovative gutta-percha material technologies are an ideal addition to the Dentsply Sirona Endodontics’ portfolio and perfectly complement its range of leading nickel-titanium root canal preparation file systems”, says Bill Newell Senior Vice President, Chairside Consumables & Endodontics. “Thanks to Healthdent, we will be able to offer dentists an even more comprehensive end-to-end solution for safer, faster and accurate root canal treatments.”

Ideal addition in Endodontics

As the world’s largest and most diversified manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, Dentsply Sirona has the goal to offer complete end-to-end solutions to its customers for better, safer and faster dental care. Dentsply Sirona Endodontics has over 120 years of expertise in the field of endodontics. It provides both endodontic specialists and generalists worldwide with products and solutions to best suit their needs in the mutual quest to preserve natural teeth. Products and services are aimed to support the clinician in facilitating predicable outcomes, and more comfortable treatments for the patient with fewer treatment steps. In addition, the company aims to empower dental professionals to resolve even the most demanding cases with the best instruments and materials.

Healthdent and Dentsply Sirona have a long history together, as Healthdent has been supplying Dentsply Sirona with gutta-percha master cones for the ProTaper Gold® and WaveOne Gold® file systems worldwide in addition to ProTaper Next® and TRUshape® file systems in North America. The formulation has been trademarked Conform Fit™.

Healthdent was established in 1996 by Dr. Nathan Li, D.D.S., a worldwide leading expert in the development and manufacturing of gutta-percha. With Healthdent Technologies, Dr. Li created a unique, patented gutta-percha formulation that enables high-precision injection molding of gutta-percha master cones which are compatible with the shapes created by multi-tapered file systems. These have consistently accurate dimensions which are considerably more accurate than conventional gutta-percha cones. The formulation also provides a lower melt temperature and ideal flow characteristics that provide better performance of the gutta-percha in warm obturation techniques.

Dentsply Sirona will continue to benefit from Dr. Li’s proven experience and thought leadership as he will continue to support Dentsply Sirona as a consultant in order to ensure a smooth transition of the business and continued innovation.

“We are delighted with the acquisition of Healthdent”, concludes Valerie Baschet, Group Vice-President Global Endodontics. “It reaffirms Dentsply Sirona’s commitment to endodontic excellence.”

A new affiliation between Case Western Reserve University and The MetroHealth System aligns the university’s School of Dental Medicine (SDM) with Cleveland’s public hospital system to provide a range of oral health services to the Greater Cleveland community. Additionally, expanded clinical and research opportunities will be available for dental students and residents. 

The new master affiliation agreement is effective immediately.

Case Western Reserve and MetroHealth have long maintained an affiliation through CWRU’s School of Medicine and other health-related schools and centers within the university. The new affiliation with the SDM will strengthen and broaden the existing relationship. 

Under the new affiliation agreement, all SDM students will have the opportunity to train at MetroHealth’s Department of Dentistry. Supervised by MetroHealth personnel, dental students and residents will provide patient care from general dentistry and oral surgery to pediatric dentistry and other potential services. 

Patients of the SDM’s Oral and Maxillofacial Department, for example, are treated by dental students, surgical residents or faculty. Residents and staff provide a range of surgical services, from tooth extractions and jaw and face reconstruction to facial plastic surgery, oral cancer management and management of cleft lip/palate and other craniofacial abnormalities.

A CWRU associate dean will be appointed to manage all programming. A chair to be recruited for MetroHealth’s Department of Dentistry will also serve as the division chief for the SDM.

“Case Western Reserve and The MetroHealth System share common goals and commitments to the highest standards of performance in education, research and patient care,” said Kenneth Chance, dean of the School of Dental Medicine. “We are pleased to partner with The MetroHealth System to enhance dental education for both institutions and provide exceptional oral health care for the community.” 

“MetroHealth is an academic health system that is committed to serving our community,” said Bernard Boulanger, MD, executive vice president and chief clinical officer of MetroHealth. “This new affiliation with Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine enables us to work together on a shared mission.”

“The affiliation presents another opportunity for our graduate students and individuals in residency programs in various specialties to expand their clinical experience,” said Dale Baur, professor and chair of the School of Dental Medicine’s Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. “The relationship will also help the Greater Cleveland community, so it’s a win-win. They have a wealth of patients who could really benefit from our services.”

The SDM and MetroHealth also will explore additional opportunities for collaboration.

In a study, researchers at the University of São Paulo's Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine (FMRP-USP), in Brazil, finds that the more frequent the migraine attacks, the more severe will be the so-called temporomandibular disorder, or TMD. The temporomandibular joint acts like a sliding hinge connecting the jawbone to the skull, therefore the disorder's symptoms includes difficulty chewing and joint tension.

"Our study shows that patients with chronic migraine, meaning attacks occurring on more than 15 days per month, are three times as likely to report more severe symptoms of TMD than patients with episodic migraine," said Lidiane Florencio, the first author of the study, which is part of the Thematic Project "Association study of clinical, functional and neuroimaging in women with migraine", supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP.

Previous studies already indicated that migraine is somehow associated with pain in the chewing muscles. However, this research was the first to consider the frequency of migraine attacks when analyzing its connection with TMD: eighty-four women in their early to mid-thirties were assessed, being that 21 were chronic migraine patients, 32 had episodic migraine, while 32 with no history of migraine were included as controls - the results were published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.

Signs and symptoms of TMD were observed in 54% of the control participants without migraine, 80% of participants with episodic migraine, and 100% of those with chronic migraine.

For Florencio, central sensitization may explain the association between the frequency of migraine attacks and the severity of TMD.

"The repetition of migraine attacks may increase sensitivity to pain," she said. "Our hypothesis is that migraine acts as a factor that predisposes patients to TMD. On the other hand, TMD can be considered a potential perpetuating factor for migraine because it acts as a constant nociceptive input that contributes to maintaining central sensitization and abnormal pain processes." Nociceptive pain is caused by a painful stimulus on special nerve endings called nociceptors.

Migraine and TMD have very similar pathological mechanisms. Migraine affects 15% of the general population, and progression to the chronic form is expected in about 2.5% of migraine sufferers. On the other hand TMD is stress-related as much as it has to do with muscle overload. Patients display joint symptoms - such as joint pain, reduced jaw movement, clicking or popping of the temporomandibular joint - but also develop a muscular condition, including muscle pain and fatigue, and/or radiating face and neck pain.

Which came first?

TMD and migraine are comorbidities. However, while people who suffer from migraine are predisposed to have TMD, people with TMD will not necessarily have migraine.

"Migraine patients are more likely to have signs and symptoms of TMD, but the reverse is not true. There are cases of patients with severe TMD who don't present with migraine," said Débora Grossi, the lead researcher for the study and principal investigator for the Thematic Project.

The researchers believe that TMD may increase the frequency and severity of migraine attacks, even though it does not directly cause migraine.

"We do know migraine isn't caused by TMD," Florencio said. "Migraine is a neurological disease with multifactorial causes, whereas TMD, like cervicalgia - neck pain - and other musculoskeletal disorders, is a series of factors that intensify the sensitivity of migraine sufferers. Having TMD may worsen one's migraine attacks in terms of both severity and frequency."

The journal article concludes that an examination of TMD signs and symptoms should be clinically conducted in patients with migraine.

"Our findings show the association with TMD exists but is less frequent in patients with rare or episodic migraine," Grossi said. "This information alone should change the way clinicians examine patients with migraine. If migraine sufferers tend to have more severe TMD, then health professionals should assess such patients specifically in terms of possible signs and symptoms of TMD."

Ivoclar Vivadent announced today that it has acquired Sagemax Bioceramics, Inc. Sagemax Bioceramics is an innovative manufacturer of zirconium oxide for the dental laboratory industry. The company was founded by Larry Dang in 2006 and maintains manufacturing, R&D, and general business operations in Seattle, Washington.

Ivoclar Vivadent will keep all operations of Sagemax Bioceramics separate. It will operate as an independent company with a primary focus on zirconium oxide products for the global laboratory market.