Dental oral craniofacial tissue regeneration consortia

Clinicians in the dental sphere are still yearning for more robust and predictable tissue regeneration and regenerative medicine models; more so because even though related technologies have proved viable in animal specimens, most are yet to be rolled out in clinics and health centers. Factors contributing to this limitation include: tech developments without a relevant context, resultant outcomes not conforming to standards of care, plus the lack of a large dental and craniofacial (DOC) presence in the biotech and pharmaceutical spheres.

So to overcome these limitations, the National Institutes of Health (NIDCR) has recently inaugurated the DOCTRC program. The venture is most importantly configured to engage clinicians from the onset of technological advancement, with the main aim being to develop resources and strategies for regenerating DOC tissues. The expedition has already seen two subsidiary resource centers being established: the Michigan-Pittsburgh-Wyss Resource Center, and the Center for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Tissue and Organ Regeneration which is an association of California universities.

The latter is currently preparing for a flagship convention wherein invaluable propositions on the same subject will be tabled by specialists from the NIDCR, from various universities, and from journals involved in dental research. Overseers are hoping to emulate a recent symposium dubbed “Dental Oral Craniofacial Tissue Regeneration Consortia: A New Paradigm,” an initiative from America’s and Canada’s Associations for Dental Research.

Reference

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180323093739.htm

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Biz Beat: Alpha Center Adds New Technology

The Alpha Dental Center has added a novel implement to its equipment array, one that particularly gets rid of all forms of guesswork in the intricate implant and root canal undertakings. Dr. Babak Salahbin points out that only three percent of dental practices have the sophisticated tool.
Going by the name 3-D Cone Beam Machine, the device has surpassed the conventional panoramic X-ray to provide comprehensive views of the oral region, including details on the teeth, bones, nerves, and muscles. Babak mentions that for instance, they can now see how the canal is curved, as the 3-D tool enables comprehensive viewing in different angles.
It’s also safer take since patients are subjected to relatively fewer radiation amounts. But most importantly, the gadget has brought in better treatment plans since a specialist can, for example, ascertain an implant size about the relative nerves and striated muscles in the target area. It’s also negated the risks involved in puncturing a sinus cavity, one being an injury on a nerve. The machine is further bound to aid undertakings in the orthodontics domain, more so because it can facilitate the monitoring of how braces expand with time. Salahbin notes the Cone Beam was quite yearned/needed in their area of operation (Elkton), due to the region harboring lots of underserved people.
Reference
http://www.cecildaily.com/business/article_1636a929-b0c9-58c9-8404-4aa6a74dfa54.html

The Advent of the Primary Prefabricated Zirconia Material

The dentistry domain has in recent times overseen novel advancements, one of them being the primary prefabricated zirconia crowns. These have particularly paved the way for improved and more aesthetic restorations amongst parents and children alike. The technology caters to all primary teeth: molars, cuspids, plus incisors; and the application of the crowns entails milling or injection molding.

The Zirconia material, which serves as the crown make-up in totality, has been noted for many advantageous attributes over its counterparts. Firstly, it offers the flexural strength that greatly surpasses that of a natural tooth, and can also withstand wear at a similar rate. Additionally, prefabricated zirconia crowns can have their configurations altered upon subjection to high temperature and pressure, therefore, a trial and error approach can be used in tailoring one to suit a specific patient.

The process first begins with the subject receiving a dose of anesthesia, and then the portion to be treated is isolated via an Isodry system. What follows is the delivery of copious levels of water and tapered diamond burr via a high-speed hand-piece to reduce occlusion at the area of operation. Sub-gingival preparation is then conducted through a similar approach, but with a finer burr. The aforementioned procedures ensure the crown fits passively without any impediments.
Reference
http://www.dentaleconomics.com/articles/print/volume-107/issue-9/science-tech/the-advent-of-the-primary-prefabricated-zirconia-crown.html

Understanding the Five Stages of Tooth Decay

There are five different phases of tooth decay. At the initial stage, one can be subjected to a few processes which will curb the ailment’s progression. These may include the use of fluoride medication and conventional toothpaste. Also, saliva plus some distinct edibles bear the capability of re-mineralizing an ailing tooth. This nevertheless only applies to the first stage. What about the rest?
Stage One: White spots
In this phase, white spots emerge on the enamel’s surface, which are indications of attack by sugars and acids. These could be hard to detect especially when they’re present in the molars, and here’s why regular visits to the dentist are important since a tailored dental exam can easily identify them.
Stage Two: Enamel Decay
In dental caries, the tooth becomes gradually destroyed from the inside outwards. Initially, the eroding manifests itself in the form of yellow colorations on the enamel’s surface, but afterward, cavities in the form of black spots/cracks appear thereby warranting the application of fillings.
Stage Three: Dentin Decay
At this level, the cavity begins plaguing the dentine (the tooth’s portion below the enamel), and the patient thus starts experiencing some mild pain. A filling still works best at this point as it negates the disease’s advancement to the tooth’s most critical component: the pulp.
Stage Four: Involvement of the Pulp
Severe pain is a key sign at this stage, with root canal being the sole treatment option, if not complete extraction.
Stage Five: Abscess Formation
The infection at this point exits the tooth’s frameworks and begins affecting the surrounding tissues. Manifestations include severe pain and swellings on the face. This phase requires a root canal or extraction to curb the ailing.
Reference
https://www.patientconnect365.com/DentalHealthTopics/Article/Understanding_the_Five_Stages_of_Tooth_Decay

Mail Order Dentistry at Root of Number of Complaints

Dissatisfaction on DIY dentistry was one of the key concerns brought to the table at a 2016 convention overseen by the Dental Complaints Resolution Service. While addressing delegates at the unveiling of the corporation’s annual report, Michael Kilcoyne mentioned there was a significant increase in complaints filed in 2016 as compared to 2015. Most of them expressed discontent on the home orthodontic kits meant to straighten and whiten teeth, asserting that they weren’t performing as expected.
The DIY approach in the oral care domain is quite a unique one. Patients wanting to straighten teeth often leave their impressions in a malleable form, which is then dispatched via post to in turn facilitate the construction of a fitting brace. Some franchises employ this methodology through P.O. Box addresses.
Kilcoyne has recently expressed disapproval on the trend, pointing out that the norm response with all illnesses is visiting the doctor; never has it been seeking the services of the DIY shop. He also notes that customers could be inclined to think the enterprises selling kits by post have some dental prowess or have qualified dentists in their workforce when in reality, it’s not the case. And even worse, pursuing them for unprofessional practices is difficult because they not under any regulation.
Reference
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/mail-order-dentistry-at-root-of-number-of-complaints-1.3160143

Is the Flavor Component in Dental Products Therapeutic?

Oral care items are normally dispensed in various flavors. And even though flavoring is considered a marketing strategy to generate more consumers, it is salient to note that the approach does have advantages on dental tissues/organs. Therefore, dental health specialists should strive to amass a collection of product flavors entailing palatable as well as therapeutic attributes.
The flavoring take has so far been featured in quite an enormous number of consumer products including toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss, breath freshening compounds, and also therapeutics such as restorative materials and dental isolators. Natural flavorings are primarily obtained from edible elements of flora species like grain, fruit, bark, leaf, and root. Other viable sources are seafood, dairies, eggs, poultry, or biochemical/enzymatic processes involving animal/plant raw materials. Furthermore, there are some synthetic flavorings which emulate the above-mentioned classification about chemical properties. The two categories may either be volatile (in that they entail nasal arousal) or non-volatile (catering solely to the tongue’s flavor receptors). The latter division provides gustation depictions like sweetness, sourness or saltiness, impressions responsible for trigeminal sensations such as cooling or burning.
These flavoring agents are essential not only for the oral division but also for the drugs sector as a whole, particularly because they counteract medication with dire distinctive tastes.
Reference
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3283969/

VR In the Chair

Going to the dentist can often be a scary experience for the uneasy and anxious, but a new relaxation technique used by one dental practice in Devon, England is consistently resulting in a better time for dental patients.

As the virtual reality fad continues to envelop the nation, medical practitioners are finding ways to exploit its full potential. A team of researchers in Devon led a study to determine whether such measures could improve a patient’s experience during routine dental procedures.

Patients who consented to the experiment were randomly assigned to one of three virtual reality settings: 1) standard care (the control), 2) a virtual walk on a beach equipped with a headset and handheld controller, or 3) a walk around a virtual city. The researchers concluded that patients who walked around the beach during their time at the dentist reported less anxiety, pain, and had more positive memories of their treatment after some time as compared to those in the standard care condition or those who walked around in the city.

“The use of virtual reality in health care settings is on the rise,” says Dr. Karin Tanja-Dijkstra, lead author of the study. “Under the right conditions, this technology can be used to help both patients and practitioners.”

References: https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality-healthcare/dentistry.html