Teenager dies after putting braces, Indians do not go to Dentist?

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Teenager dies after fixing colored Braces
A 17-year-old schoolgirl in Khon Kaen (Thailand) died of severe infection resulting from an orthodontic fashion procedure performed by an unauthorised practitioner.
The autopsy report on Juthamas Chaiyason cited "thyroid poisoning" and "cardiac arrest" as the causes of death. She died on Sunday in the emergency unit of a local hospital, after complaining of severe tooth-ache for several days following her trip to have coloured braces fitted. The braces are fitted by dentists as a purely cosmetic procedure with no physically beneficial effects, but unqualified practitioners also offer the service. Poisoning and infection Juthamas's parents took her to hospital on August 20, 10 days after the braces were fitted, where the girl was diagnosed with thyroid poisoning and cardiovascular infection and sent home with medication. Her mother, Niannapha, reports that Juthamas passed out the next day after having trouble breathing. She was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead on Sunday night. Link

67 per cent Indians have never visited a dentist: Survey

NEW DELHI: Nearly 67 per cent of Indians have never visited a dentist and around 87 per cent does not believe in visiting one unless there is a problem, a nationwide survey has revealed. The national Consumer Usage and Attitudes Survey (CUAS) reveals that dental problems in India are reflected in the low awareness levels and poor oral hygiene habits. The survey conducted across the country comprised a total of 11,324 interviews by Indian Market Research Bureau (IMRB) and was sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited. According to the survey, 49 per cent of the respondents associate dental problems with lifestyle related reasons such as "improper eating habits" and "not leading a healthy lifestyle". Almost half of the respondents relate dental problems to lack of a daily oral care regimen such as "regular brushing at least twice a day". More Here

Early versus Delayed Loading of Mandibular Implant-Supported Overdentures: 5-Year Results: Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research,Published Online: 5 Aug 2009

Because of poor retention of complete removable dentures for edentulous patients, implant-supported mandibular overdentures have lately become a popular alternative for them. The aims of this prospective study were to evaluate treatment outcomes of mandibular overdentures supported by two unsplinted early-loaded implants and compare these results with those for delayed-loaded implants.

Materials and methods: A total of 26 edentulous patients were treated with two unsplinted implants supporting a mandibular overdenture. All implants were placed in the canine regions of each mandible according to the one-stage surgical protocol. There were two groups: test group, in which the overdenture was connected 1 week after surgery, and control group, in which the overdenture was connected 3 months after surgery. Standardized clinical and radiographic parameters were recorded at surgery, and after 3, 6, 12, and 18 months, and 2, 3, 4, and 5 years.

Results: No implants were lost, and 0.93 ± 0.3 mm marginal bone resorption was noted for all implants after 5 years. Clinical implant stability measurements, clinical peri-implant parameters, and marginal bone resorptions showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups over 5 years.
Conclusion: The results of this prospective clinical study suggest that there is no significant difference in the clinical and radiographic state of patients treated with implant supported mandibular overdentures loaded either 1 week or 3 months after surgery.

Retrograde Peri implantitis from Adjacent Endo treated teeth
Clinical Oral Implants Research, Published Online: 25 Aug 2009
Some cases of retrograde peri-implantitis arise from adjacent natural teeth that have peri-radicular infection.
One hundred and twenty-eight patients of ages ranging from of 24–61 years were recruited for this study. A total of 128 ITI SLA implants with adjacent teeth that had received endodontic treatment at least 1 week before were placed in 128 patients. The date of endodontic therapy and the pulp status of the adjacent tooth before endodontic therapy were recorded. The distance between the implant and the adjacent tooth was determined using a radiograph. The stability of all implants was tested by OSSTELL and recorded at implant placement, after 4 and 12 weeks.

Results: The incidence of retrograde peri-implantitis was 7.8%. The duration from endodontic-treated adjacent teeth to implant placement was 12.15±10.1 weeks, and the distance between the implant and the adjacent teeth was 2.99±1.4 mm. Distance and time were found to be related to retrograde peri-implantitis (P<0.05).>0.05).
Conclusions: The incidence of retrograde peri-implantitis may reduce by increasing the distance between the implant and adjacent tooth, and/or the duration from endodontically treated adjacent tooth-to-implant placement.

Menopause and Oral Health Link
Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, 08/04/09

After menopause, women become more susceptible to periodontal disease. The authors believe the problem is due in large part to estrogen deficiency with resulting bone loss and inflammatory processes. Osteoporosis and periodontal disease are best diagnosed early so that treatment can be started sooner and fractures and tooth loss can be prevented. This article reviews the published studies of the association between menopause and periodontal disease, specifically, the effects of hormonal changes, osteoporosis, and bisphosphonate use on the periodontal status of postmenopausal women. The authors will highlight the interrelationship of dental health and postmenopausal health and underscore the need for cross–communication and patient referral between physicians and dentists. Full Text

Laser helps determine dental health
Dentists can now size up the mineral content of tooth enamel non-invasively with the help of laser-generated ultrasound.

This is the first time anyone has employed such a tool to find the elasticity of our teeth, besides assessing dental health and predict tooth decay and cavities.

Enamel goes through a cycle of mineral loss and restoration, through a lifetime, in which healthy teeth maintain a high mineral content.

If the balance between mineral loss and gain is lost, however, teeth can develop areas of softened enamel -- known as carious lesions -- which are precursors to cavities and permanently damaged teeth.

"The ultimate goal is to come up with a quick, efficient, cost-effective, and non-destructive way to evaluate the mineralisation of human dental enamel," says study co-author David Hsiao-Chuan Wang, graduate student at the University of Sydney (U-S).
These findings were described in the latest issue of Optics Express, Optical Society's (OSA) open-access journal.

New Endodontic Diagnostic Tool
The e-Dx is the next generation in endodontic diagnostic instruments. This instrument can easily cold and fracture test teeth. Using a special open cell foam insert the e-Dx stores dental coolants longer enabling a doctor to easily cold test multiple teeth. The detachable contra-angled pliers are designed to securely hold the foam insert and reach posterior teeth providing improved visibility during cold testing. The built in FracTester™ can be placed onto a tooth cusp to help detect fractures. Link

Ormco and Align Settle Litigation and Become Collaborators

Align Technology Inc and Ormco Corp, a subsidiary of Danaher Corp, have entered an exclusive agreement to jointly develop and market an orthodontic product that will combine Align’s Invisalign system and Ormco’s Insignia custom orthodontic bracket. The agreement is part of the settlement to end the patent infringement case brought by Ormco against Align. Full Link

Want to be an orthodontist? Perhaps you’d like an MBA, too ?

“If they’re running a sound business, they’re going to have a better practice, that’s why we did it,” he said. “They’re going to have more satisfied patients. Nothing drives away patients like a chaotic front office.”

The three-year program is a mix of business and economics courses, orthodontics courses and work in the school’s orthodontics clinic.
Henderson dental school gives students business education with medical training.
USN School of Dental Medicine, Nevada’s newest dental school, is one of about 60 in the United States licensed to provide post-doctoral orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics education (jaw cracking versus teeth wrangling; dealing with face bones in the wrong place versus teeth in the wrong place). UNLV provides a dual MBA-Doctor of Dental Medicine program but no dual MBA-orthodontics program.

USN focuses on advanced and medical education with doctoral programs in pharmacy and now orthodontics, an MBA program and a bachelor’s program in nursing. It has campuses in Henderson and outside Salt Lake City.

The college’s maiden class is full, with 10 residents and three interns working toward the residency program, with a goal of accommodating up to 30 residents.

Greater the number of teeth in your mouth, longer and healthy you Live
Gerodontology,Published Online: 21 Aug 2009

The study population comprised of 523 community-living elderly people who participated in the population-based Kuopio 75+ study. The data for each subject were collected using a structured clinical health examination, an interview and laboratory tests. Linear regression models were used to estimate adjusted mean values and confidence limits.

Results: Edentulous persons and persons with a small number of teeth had lower serum HDL cholesterol and higher triglyceride, leucocyte and blood glucose levels and a higher body mass index (BMI) compared with subjects to a large number of teeth.

Conclusion: The study showed that, in the Finnish home-dwelling population aged 75 years or older, those with a large number of teeth were less likely to have cardiovascular risk factors such as a low serum HDL cholesterol level, a high triglyceride level and a high BMI than did subjects with a small number of teeth or who were edentulous.

Smokers seen twice as likely to develop active TB

A study in Taiwan has found that smokers are twice as likely to develop active tuberculosis compared to people who have never smoked, prompting calls for policymakers to be tougher on smoking.

The study tracked nearly 18,000 people in Taiwan representing a general population for more than three years.

"We found a two-fold increase in the risk of active TB in current smokers compared with never-smokers (those who have never smoked)," wrote the lead author Hsien-Ho Lin, a postdoctoral research fellow from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Full Story

Grape Products and Oral Health
The Journal of Nutrition, 08/05/09
Grape seed extract, high in proanthocyanidins, positively affected the in vitro demineralization and/or remineralization processes of artificial root caries lesions, suggesting its potential as a promising natural agent for noninvasive root caries therapy. Raisins represent a healthy alternative to the commonly consumed sugary snack foods.

How to Market practice, Mini Implant, Poor endo v/s Heart,

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Effect of screw diameter on orthodontic skeletal anchorage AJODO Aug 09

Ninety-six titanium alloy screws were placed into 24 hemisected maxillary and 24 hemisected mandibular specimens between the first and second premolars. Specimens were randomly and evenly divided into 2 groups. In the first group, 24 large-diameter screws (2.5 × 17 mm) and with 24 small-diameter screws (1.5 × 15 mm) were placed monocortically. In the second group, 24 large-diameter screws (2.5 × 17 mm) were placed monocortically and 24 small-diameter screws (1.5 × 15 mm) were placed bicortically. All screws were subjected to tangential force loading perpendicular to the miniscrew with lateral displacement of 0.6 mm.

Conclusions
In vitro, larger-diameter (2.5 mm) monocortical screws provide greater anchorage force resistance than do smaller-diameter (1.5 mm) monocortical screws in both the mandible and the maxilla. Smaller-diameter (1.5 mm) bicortical screws provide anchorage force resistance at least equal to larger-diameter (2.5 mm) monocortical screws. An alternative to placing a larger-diameter miniscrew for additional anchorage is a narrower bicortical screw.

Bonding the buccal tubes on Molars
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Poor Endo may lead to Coronary Heart Disease
J Am Dent Assoc, Vol 140, No 8, 1004-1012

Results from numerous studies have suggested links between periodontal disease and coronary heart disease (CHD), but endodontic disease has not been studied extensively in this regard.

The authors evaluated the relationship between self-reported history of endodontic therapy (ET) and prevalent CHD in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, aprospective epidemiologic study sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The authors used multivariable logistic regressionto analyze data obtained from oral health questionnaires, medical evaluations and clinical dental examinations.

Results. Of 6,651 participants analyzed, 50.4 percent reported never having had ET; 21.5 percent reported having had ET one time; and 28.0 percent reported having had ET two or more times. Final multivariable regression models indicated that among participants with 25 or more teeth, those reporting having had ET two or more times had 1.62 (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.04–2.53) times the odds of prevalent CHD compared with those reporting never having had ET. Among participants with 24 or fewer teeth, no significant differences in CHD prevalence were observed among groups regardless of their history of ET.
Conclusions. Among participants with 25 or more teeth, those with a greater self-reported history of ET were more likely to have CHD than were those reporting no history of ET.

Clinical Implications. More accurate epidemiologic quantification of endodontic infection and inflammation is required before definitive conclusions can be made about potential relationships between endodontic disease and CHD. Get the BEST APICAL SYSTEM

Labial access opening in mandibular anterior teeth—An alternative approach to success

Objective: To compare the conventional lingual access to labial access preparation in mandibular anterior teeth in terms of achieving a straight-line access to the apex with maximum conservation of coronal tooth structure. Method and Materials: One hundred extracted human mandibular incisors with intact crowns and patent root canal configuration were collected, numbered, and weighed in a microbalance. Each tooth was radio­graphed in a labiolingual direction, traced, evaluated, and assigned into 1 of 5 classes as per the classification given by Zillich and Jerome (1981).The frequency of types of canal configuration in each class was determined as a percentage. The teeth were randomly divided into 2 groups of 50 teeth. Access was prepared lingually in group 1 and labially in group 2 to achieve a straight-line access to the apex. The amount of tooth tissue lost as a result of access preparation was measured for all teeth. Results: A total of 71 teeth had their tracing projections buccal and buccoincisal. The tooth tissue lost during lingual access was significantly more than that lost during labial access preparation (P < .001). Conclusion: A labial access opening for endodontic treatment of mandibular incisors would facilitate straight-line access to canals more consistently and conservatively. (Quintessence Int 2009;40:597–602)

Neurological deficit of the facial nerve after root canal treatment
Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontology
Volume 108, Issue 2, August 2009, Pages e46-e48

Here we report the unusual case of a patient who suffered neurological deficit of the facial nerve as a complication of a root canal treatment. During the canal treatment, 3% hydrogen peroxide and 90% ethanol rinses were performed. The present case demonstrated rinse toxicity to vital tissue as evidenced by severe clinical damage. Chlorhexidine can be used instead of potentially toxic rinses with good antimicrobiological results. Furthermore, special attention should be paid to determination of the root canal length and the integrity of the canal system before rinsing. Also irrigation should be applied at a low pressure.

Magnification in Dentistry, A useful tool ?

In spite of their significant cost, the relatively long learning curve associated with their use,
frustrations during use, their occasional need for being replaced and their peculiar appearance to patients, magnifying loupes assist all types of clinical dentists in producing higher-quality dentistry. Read full JADA article Here
Most important things to look for in a loupe system (in order of importance):

1. Resolution
2. Field Width
3. Field Depth
4. Magnification
Buyers guide to make sure you buy correct loups

Know the Indian behind Nano composite Filtek Supreme

"Dr. Mitra's extraordinary inventions have changed the field of dentistry for dentists and patients around the world," said Fred J. Palensky, Ph.D., executive vice president, Research and Development and chief technology officer at 3M. "Her discoveries will influence and benefit society for decades. The financial impact of her work is enormous and far-reaching. To date, her research has resulted in commercialized products that have contributed nearly $2 billion to 3M's revenue." MORE HERE

Print Crowns, Project with Camera, Tooth worm, Swine flew

Get your all ceramic restorations out of your printer
Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 88, No. 7, 673-676 (2009)

CAD/CAM milling systems provide a rapid and individual method for the manufacturing of zirconia dental restorations. However, the disadvantages of these systems include limited accuracy, possible introduction of microscopic cracks, and a waste of material due to the principle of the ‘subtractive process’. The hypothesis of this study was that these issues can be overcome by a novel generative manufacturing technique, direct inkjet printing. A tailored zirconia-based ceramic suspension with 27 vol% solid content was synthesized. The suspension was printed on a conventional, but modified, drop-on-demand inkjet printer. A cleaning unit and a drying device allowed for the build-up of dense components of the size of a posterior crown. A characteristic strength of 763 MPa and a mean fracture toughness of 6.7 MPam0.5 were determined on 3D-printed and subsequently sintered specimens. The novel technique has great potential to produce, cost-efficiently, all-ceramic dental restorations at high accuracy and with a minimum of materials consumption.

Swine Flu
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How to Prevent and deal with Leding and Blockage of Root Canal
Ledge formation, that is the iatrogenically created irregularity in the root canal that impedes access of instruments to the apex, and canal blockage caused by packing dentin chips and/or tissue debris are the least-studied parameters of root canal instrumentation. Variables associated with ledge formation and canal blockage by dentin chips and/or tissue debris
are presented. Most common causes, recognition, management, prognosis, and prevention is discussed. FULL PAPER

Tooth worm Myth ? Proved true by Research,Do worm-like structures cause tooth decay?

Washington (IANS): For years, scientists have debated the exact nature of the worm like structures inside a human tooth. The structures are not worms, but what they are is still in question.

Micro-images in a dissected molar suggest they caused tooth decay.

Studies by University of Maryland (U-M) Dental School researchers' revealed cylindrical objects extending or 'growing' out of the natural pores or tubules of teeth.

Inside a human tooth, more than 50,000 such tubules per square mm act as channels running from the nerve up through the tooth. They are associated with transporting hot or cold sensitivity to the tooth. More Here
image here

Now get a Digital Camera with Built in Projector

The Nikon Coolpix S1000pj will let you project images after you take them, priced at $430, will be available this September
It will come with a 12-megapixel sensor, a 5X optical Nikkor zoom lens (28mm to 240mm), a 2.7-inch-diagonal LCD, and ISO levels of up to 3200 at full resolution (as well as ISO 6400 at a 3-megapixel resolution).The miniature projector (on the front and center of the camera) has a 10-inch to 6.5-foot throw range, standard-definition VGA resolution, and a brightness rating of 10 lumens.
More here

Promote Optimal Oral Health With Probiotics

Based on extensive research, Life Extension introduces Advanced Oral Hygiene, an oral health lozenge that contains the probiotics S. salivarius and B. coagulans, two strains of beneficial bacteria to help maintain healthy teeth and gums. Similar to the mechanisms involved with probiotics which target the gut, these probiotics populate the mouth cavity with beneficial bacteria which provide protection against harmful bacteria that are implicated in the accumulation of dental film. More Here

Alveolar bone regeneration by transplantation of periodontal ligament stem cells and bone marrow stem cells in canine peri-implant defects model: A pilot study
Journal of Periodontology, online on July 22, 2009

The test groups were more effective than control group on alveolar bone regeneration in surgically created peri-implant saddle-like defects. The BMSCs group had the highest new bone formation (34.99% and 40.17% at each healing time) followed by the PDLSCs group (31.90% and 36.51%) and control group (23.13% and 28.36%), respectively. The test groups exhibited a significantly higher new bone formation than the control group at 8 weeks, but the same was true only for the BMSCs group at 16 weeks (P <0.05).More Here

Kids on Junk food will have small mandibles ?
EJO July 2009

The aim of the present study was to investigate the influences of changes in mastication on mandibular growth and morphology. Twenty-five 3-week-old (at the time of weaning) imprinting control region mice were randomly divided into three groups: mice fed a hard diet (HD), mice fed a soft diet (SD), and mice alternately fed hard and soft diets (HSDs) every week for 4 weeks. The morphometry of the mandible was analysed using 3D microcomputed tomography (µCT). Statistical analysis was undertaken using a t-test.

µCT analysis showed that the condylar width was significantly greater in the HD group than in the SD group after 1 week. After 4 weeks, mandibular length was significantly longer and ramus height was greater in the HSD group than in the other two groups. Bone volume was significantly less in the SD group than in the other two groups after 4 weeks. These findings suggest that changes in mastication markedly affect mandibular condylar cartilage growth and mandibular morphology. It is considered that dietary education at an early age is important in order to prevent disruption of the development of the mandible.