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CARISOLV - A new Mechanochemical device to remove carious tooth structure CARISOLV is a a chemical gel with the help of which carious tooth structure can be painlessly scraped away without any pain. The advantages of Carisolv compared with drilling are enhanced patient comfort and the fact that no healthy tooth substance needs to be removed. Scientific proof of the safety and effectiveness of this method has now been presented at a world congress. It has been found that the bond strength between dentine which has been drilled and composite and the strength between dentine treated with CARISOLV and composite is the same. This substance seems to be a very potential methodology for caries removal. Periodontal Disease May Increase Risk of Stroke. Toronto (April 21, 1999) - People with periodontal disease are more likely to have thickened carotid arteries, which can lead to stroke and heart disease, according to a study released at the American Academy of Neurology's 51st Annual Meeting April 17-24 in Toronto For the study, 52 people who had never had a stroke were given oral exams and ultrasound tests to determine the thickness of their carotid arteries, which are the two main arteries in the neck supplying blood to the head. The people with the most periodontal disease had the most thickening of the arteries. On average, the carotid artery wall was thicker by about one-half millimeter in the group with the most periodontal disease than in the group with the least periodontal disease. "This means that periodontal disease may not just present a problem with oral hygiene and pose a risk for loss of teeth, but it may in fact present a problem with cardiovascular health and loss of neurological function or loss of life as well," said study author and neurologist Mitchell Elkind, MD, of Columbia University in New York. Elkind said larger, prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings. If the findings are confirmed, researchers would need to study ways to reduce periodontal disease to prevent stroke. "Dentists may need to treat periodontal disease more aggressively and refer patients with severe disease to doctors for evaluation of the risk for stroke and heart attack," Elkind said. "Doctors who care for patients with strokes will need to take into account their patients' periodontal status and may need to refer them to dentists." Researchers could also examine whether the number of strokes could be reduced by methods such as using antibiotics against the periodontal infection, extracting teeth in the infected area or cleaning people's teeth more often. Researchers are still investigating the relationship between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis, or thickening of the arteries. They believe that certain infections may cause long-lasting inflammation and activation of the white blood cells. Inflammation in the blood and walls of blood vessels may cause hardening of the arteries and also make the blood more likely to clot, precipitating events like heart attacks and stroke, Elkind said. "This is important since the established risk factors for stroke and heart disease - diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol - fail to account for all cases," he said. "This new hypothesis about the role of inflammation may allow us to understand an additional cause of atherosclerosis and treat it better."
Posted By Dr. Ajay Kakar New Endodontic Handpiece Released by Special Products Inc. Jack Jacklich, the modern day Benjamin Franklin of Endodontics has now released his new Fine-Cut Endodontic Handpiece to achieve superfast biomechanical preparation of root canals. The handpiece attaches to a regular air motor and takes on Dr. Jacklich's Fine-Cut files. The handpiece generates a linear oscillating motion at a rate of up to 333 in and out strokes moving approximately 1.2 mm. The technique to be used is circumferential filing with a washed field which creates it's own flushing action. Dr. Jacklich shows preparation of curved molar canals being achieved in a matter of seconds. Most canals can be prepped in 30 to 40 seconds generally with safety and elimination of ledges. The ridiculously low preparation time has been vouched for by users of the prototype of this handpiece around the globe in Australia. For those interested in the science and concept behind this startling trendsetter in endodontics visit the endodontic site by Dr. Jacklich at www.betterendo.com The FibreKor/Sculpture System From Jeneric Pentron The FibreKor/Sculpture System from Jeneric Pentron is a revolutionary concept in Crown and Bridge Prosthesis. The Strength of Metal and the Beauty of Porcelain is what the company claims for this system. This system provides the versatility and predictability required to satisfy esthetically conscious customers. Start with a strong, metal free FibreKor framekork which is available in 5 shades and two widths. FibreKor has glass fibres uniquely coupled with an optimized resin to create a tenacious bond between the fibres. Then layer the FibreKor framework with Sculpture materials. With its blend of PCDMA resin and unique glass filler, Sculpture has a refractive index similar to tooth enamel and reflects light like natural teeth. Sculpture features a material wear rate of less than 3 microns per year. Lasers in Dentistry Lasers in dentistry are about to come of age. They will be capable of removing only caries and leave behind sound tissue selectively. Treatment of walls of the cavity preparation to make them mineral resistant to secondary decay and preparation for bonding will be possible. They may alter the structure of the mineral and make it resistant to further decay, just like a sealant. These unconventional procedures are realities, not just dreams for the future. We can expect many exciting developments in the use of lasers for hard tissue dental applications to be available very soon, and to perhaps see a revolution in dentistry as a result - Ref: (Quintessence Int 1996;27:286-287) Metal Free Veneers and Framework Systems State of the art restorative material must fulfill a wide range of requirements. Today's patients demand aesthetic, tooth coloured, durable restorations. Moreover, quality conscious practitioners require materials to be biocompatible and resistant to oral conditions. They are also interested in clinical reliability of the material and in the technical parameters that determine the behaviour of the materials in the different indications. Targis was developed by a leading company, in co-operation with several universities as advance polymer systems and ceramic fillers from which high performances Ceromers (Ceramic optimized polymers) have been produced. These Ceromers combine the advantages of ceramics with those of state-of-the art composites. Ceromers are composed of specially developed and conditioned fine particle ceramic fillers of submicron size (0.04 and 1.0 mm), which are closely packed (approx. 85 weight percent) and embedded in an advanced temperable organic polymer matrix . On the basis of their composition and structure, Ceromers combine the advantages of ceramics, for example durable aesthetic quality, abrasion resistance and high stability, with those of state of the art composites, for example, ease of final adjustment, excellent polishability, effective bond with the luting composite, low degree of brittleness and susceptability of fracturing, as well as the possibility of repairing restorations in the mouth. In addition of being highly aesthetic, ceromer restorations also conserve the tooth structure. Furthermore, adhesive cementation with advanced luting composites assures the stability of these restorations. VECTRIS is unmatched in the dental world. For the first time ever, it is possible to fabricate metal free, transluscent frameworks for anterior and posterior bridges and crowns with this unique fibre reinforced material. The FRC (fibre-reinforced composite) material is composed of several layers of fibre wafers, as well as uniaxially oriented fibre bundles. In fact, fibre reinforced technology is already being used in the aeronautical and ship building industries. In situations, where permanent loads are applied and light weight is required, this material assures excellent stability due to outstanding distribution of strain as well as elasticity, similar to that of dentin. The composition and shading of Vectris is optimally co-ordinated with the natural tooth and the Targis veneering material. These features assure lifelike aesthetic restorations. In contrast to metal, Vectris demonstrates elasticity siimilar to that of dentin. This characteristic has a favourable effect on the distribution of strain within the material as well as on the stabilty of the material. Mercury Free Silver Alloy Gallium is substituted for mercury in this amalgam like alloy, introduced recently in the U.S. market. It looks and behaves similar to traditional amalgam clinically. Gallium has minimal allergy and toxicity potential accordiing to scientific literature. Pre-market clinical evaluation over several years have shown that galloy placed with meticulous care functions acceptably. However, galloy placed without proper sealing and with moisture contamination has caused post-operative sensitivity and/or tooth fracture. Sealing as described by the manufacturer must be accomplished before galloy placement and after carving restorative to prevent moisture contamination during initial service. Galloy provides mercury free metallic restoration. | |
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