DMG Introduces Revolutionary LuxaCrown Chairside Way to Long-Lasting Crowns

 

 DMG today announced that it is now accepting pre-orders for its LuxaCrown️ semi-permanent crown and bridge material. The revolutionary new product will start shipping to customers in September.

LuxaCrown creates long-lasting crowns directly chairside, which saves time and money for both the patient and the practice. The easy-to-make semi-permanent composite crown is highly esthetic and shows remarkable longevity of up to 5 years.
LuxaCrown is ideal for crown and bridge work and implant procedures where phasing of treatment over several weeks or months is recommended, for geriatric and pediatric patients, and for patients who need an immediate same-day crown. LuxaCrown offers patients the confidence, natural esthetics and economy while delivering the high strength, efficiency and reliability dental professionals have come to expect from DMG.

In-vitro studies have demonstrated LuxaCrown’s outstanding mechanical strength as well as its ability to preserve healthy dentition. It is reliably hard and resistant, with an exceptional fracture toughness (> 2 MPa*m0,5) that ensures stable restorations. By giving the remaining tooth long-term protection, LuxaCrown is able to restore the anatomical form and masticatory function and deliver esthetic corrections. It is well suited for the long-term monitoring of treatment success while bridging the gap during healing stages and in difficult restorations.

According to Jack Ringer, DDS, FAACD, FIADFE, “LuxaCrown is an innovative chairside material that can be utilized for a long-term durable and esthetic provisional or semi-permanent restoration in a highly efficient and cost-effective manner.”

For more information about DMG and its category-defining products, please visit https://www.dmg-america.com/.

About DMG 
 DMG manufactures and distributes market-leading restorative materials and preventive products that are internationally recognized for their quality and innovation. Known for breakthrough material technology, including flagship products Luxatemp, LuxaCore Z Dual, and the revolutionary Icon resin infiltrant, DMG is committed to helping the dental profession meet its materials needs through innovation, collaboration and dedication. For more information about DMG products, or to find a sales representative, please visit online at www.dmg-america.com, or call (800) 662-6383.

Ultradent Announces Support ofOut of Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk

 

Ultradent Products Inc. is honored to announce its participation and support of the upcoming Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk Saturday, September 14, at Liberty Park (600 E. 900 S.) in Salt Lake City. Opening ceremonies begin at 11am, and the 5k Out of the Darkness Walk begins at 11:30am. Any employee, family member, or friend of Ultradent employees are invited to join in on the walk, or to donate. Ultradent hopes to rank as the number one team this year in fundraising, and encourages all employees to register to walk and/or to donate and/or encourage friends and family to support the cause.

There are currently four ways employees can participate and/or donate to the Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk. These include inviting friends and co-workers to join the Ultradent team (extra black Ultradent tee-shirts will be available at the park); inviting those who cannot attend to donate to the Ultradent team; sharing the Ultradent team’s donation page via social media; and emailing the link to Ultradent’s team donation page to friends.

Ultradent invites everyone to participate in any way they can. To register for the walk or to donate, please visitwww.afsp.org/slc, join “Team Ultradent,” and donate the desired amount as an Ultradent team member. Remember, even non-employees of Ultradent can join the Ultradent team, so let’s raise some incredible awareness and support for this worthy cause.

DryShield Evaluation Starting Soon

 

I’m excited to let you know that in the not too distant future (as in the next week) the team and I will start an evaluation of the DryShield isolation system.

I’m excited to be able to do this and to provide to all os you my evaluation of DryShield… especially since ewe’ve been doing a pretty vigorous test and evaluation of the Isolite system.  The 2 products are pretty much direct competitors and it will be nice to be able to report back to all of you on the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Anyone who practices knows what it’s like to battle and to attain proper isolation of the field.  Today’s materials, especially bonded ones, require a very organized field that allows the operator to directly control how much moisture is present and how much water/moisture is used.  The long term success of a restoration can be directly affected by moisture.  Water, saliva, blood, and crevicular fluid can ALL create havoc for an operator.  These things *must* be controlled.

I’m also a big fan of competition in any given field.  Competition drives innovation which can create incredible advances on products.  Here is what DryShield has to say about their product, direct from the company website:

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
DryShield performs all of the tasks of a high-suction evacuator, bite block, tongue shield and oral pathway protector in one easy-to-use device. It’s an intelligent breakthrough in isolation that brings unmatched levels of ease and comfort to doctors and patients alike.
Installing DryShield is quick and easy, transporting your dental office into the future in seconds.
DryShield Pediatric Starter Kit boasts the ground-breaking, U.S. and worldwide patent-pending, autoclavable mouthpiece. DryShield mouthpieces are engineered to be fully autoclavable.
Turn your practice into a 100% DryShield Pediatric practice. Feel the freedom to use DryShield on ALL pediatric patients and procedures. Maximize the full potential of DryShield.
Includes:
• DryShield Isolation System
• Portable Operatory Kit
• Y Connector Kit
• Cleaning Brush
• Autoclavable Mouthpiece X-Pedo (4-pack)
• Autoclavable Mouthpiece Pedo (4-pack)
• Autoclavable Mouthpiece Small (4-pack)
• Autoclavable Mouthpiece Medium (4-pack)

The kit is on its way to my office and should be arriving in the next day or 2.  Once it arrives, my assistant Nicky will be doing the install (I love it when I can turn her loose on a project and *know* it will be done right) and then we’ll get right down to putting DryShield through its clinical paces.

We’ll be using it in a variety of situations and for a variety of procedures.  If you’re interested to find out how it’s going before I post my final evaluation, you can get info on my Twitter feed (@jflucke) or though my Facebook feed or from my Instagram page.  I’ll be updating the social media feeds on Dryshield as I go through my evaluation.  Of course, I’ll also be updating those feeds on any personal or technology ramblings on a regular basis.  Be sure to stay tuned!

RESEARCHERS PRESENT KEY FINDINGS ON DETECTION OF WHITE SPOT LESIONS USING THE CANARY SYSTEM

 

Caries detection has become *much* more than just evaluating how “sticky” a pit or fissure feels with a dental explorer.  In fact, the explorer itself is a pretty poor tool for detecting carious lesions in teeth that are not exhibiting obvious cavitated lesions.  Because of that I have pretty much done away with sharp explorer diagnosis when doing clinical exams.  The most predictable and reliable diagnostic devices currently available use some type of digital imaging with light waves that penetrate the intact structure and reveal lesions that are hidden under what appears to be healthy enamel.

Of those devices, The Canary System provides very accurate and reproducible results.  Here is some news about the device that is pretty much  “hot off the digital press”:

The Canary System is sufficiently sensitive to detect early white spot lesions according to a study presented at
the International Association for Dental Research in Vancouver, Canada by Dr. Clif Carey, University of Colorado
Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Dental Medicine. By detecting early white spot lesions, The Canary System
gives an early warning of caries or tooth decay activity allowing for early intervention to preserve the integrity of
the tooth.

Caries or tooth decay will typically start as a white spot. These white spots may appear on various tooth
surfaces and are an indication that destruction of the crystal structure of the tooth has started below the tooth
surface. As the decay process advances, the white spot may not
change in appearance but the underlying tooth structure is being
slowly disrupted and/or destroyed. Waiting for a cavity to
develop is not really the appropriate approach to treatment.
The study also concluded that “The larger Canary Number scale
allows for greater sensitivity in the detection and classification of
the severity of the white spot lesion and is better than a visual
evaluation”.

“The Canary System provides dentists with the ability to detect
and monitor tooth decay on all tooth surfaces, beneath the edges
of fillings, crowns and bridges and underneath sealants. X‐Rays
can only aid clinicians to diagnose decay on the sides or
interproximal areas of teeth once the decay is well advance into
the tooth”, said Dr. Stephen Abrams, co‐founder of Quantum
Dental Technologies. “Visual detection provides very little information on what is occurring beneath the tooth surface. Early detection of tooth decay, before it is seen visually or on an x‐ray means that dentists can treat problems before the decay has destroyed large amounts of vital tooth structure.”
The Canary System, with its unique crystal structure diagnostics, can quantify, image, monitor and record
changes in the structure of enamel, dentin and cementum. It can detect caries beneath opaque sealants, around
the margins of restorations, around orthodontic brackets and beneath interproximal, occlusal and smooth
surfaces. The Canary Cloud enables dentists to view and manage this data and track Canary usage in the office.
The Canary Patient report provides the patient with information on the examination and engages them in their
oral health care.

Homeland Security Issues Warning of GE Medical Device Flaw

 

One of my very worst fears is the hacking of healthcare devices.  It’s not just because I happen to be IN healthcare mind you; it’s that lives potentially hang in the balance.  A couple of years ago, back in 2017 there was a virus or worm that was unleashed on Ukraine called NotPetya.  This malicious piece of software suddenly began replicating and spread across Europe.  It caused massive destruction including wreaking havoc on the British healthcare system.  I’ve never seen any evidence, but there could very well have been some deaths due to the effects of this thing in hospitals in the UK.

However, even before the nightmare of NotPetya I have had concerns about nefarious parties hacking into medical devices and either turning them off or changing critical parameters.  Now comes word from the Department of Homeland Security that a vulnerability exists in the following GE Aestiva and Aespire Anesthesia Machines:

• GE Aestiva  and Aespire Versions 7100
• GE Aestiva  and Aespire Versions 7900

Here is part of the notice from DHS:

A vulnerability exists where serial devices are connected via an added unsecured terminal server to a TCP/IP network configuration, which could allow an attacker to remotely modify device configuration and silence alarms.
GE Healthcare recommends organizations use secure terminal servers when connecting GE Healthcare anesthesia device serial ports to TCP/IP networks. Secure terminal servers provide robust security features, including strong encryption, VPN, authentication of users, network controls, logging, audit capability, and secure device configuration and management options.
GE Healthcare recommends that organizations utilize best practices for terminal servers that include governance, management, and secure deployment measures such as network segmentation, VLANs, and device isolation to enhance existing security measures.
GE Healthcare plans to provide updates and additional security information about this vulnerability for affected users at the following location:
http://www3.gehealthcare.com/en/support/security
NCCIC recommends users take defensive measures to minimize the risk of exploitation of this vulnerability. Specifically, users should:
Minimize network exposure for all medical devices and/or systems.
Locate medical devices behind firewalls and isolate them where possible.
Restrict system access to authorized personnel only and follow a least privilege approach.
Apply defense-in-depth strategies.
Disable any unnecessary accounts, protocols and services.
Where additional information is needed, refer to existing cybersecurity in medical device guidance issued by the FDA at the following location:
https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/DigitalHealth/ucm373213.htm
NCCIC reminds organizations to perform proper impact analysis and risk assessment prior to deploying defensive measures.
NCCIC also provides a section for control systems security recommended practices on the ICS-CERT web page. Several recommended practices are available for reading and download, including Improving Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity with Defense-in-Depth Strategies.
Additional mitigation guidance and recommended practices are publicly available on the ICS-CERT website in the Technical Information Paper, ICS-TIP-12-146-01B--Targeted Cyber Intrusion Detection and Mitigation Strategies.
Organizations observing any suspected malicious activity should follow their established internal procedures and report their findings to NCCIC for tracking and correlation against other incidents.
No known public exploits specifically target this vulnerability.

The good news is the last line above.  No known public exploits have yet been discovered.  However, I’m afraid this is a situation we’ll be seeing more of in the future.  For the full rundown on this exploit, follow this link.

ADA Files Complaint about SmileDirectClub withFederal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection

 

For those of you who didn’t hear or see the announcement, on Thursday July 11th the American Dental Association announced that they have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection regarding the business pratices of Smile Direct Club.  The press release does a better job of describing the situation than I can so I’ll let you read it direct from the ADA.

The ADA is a strong advocate for the public and the profession. We are also strong advocates on the issue of direct to consumer orthodontic aligners.  For that reason, the ADA has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against SmileDirectClub, L.L.C. (SDC).
In compiling its citizen petition with the Food and Drug Administration, the ADA identified a number of advertising and marketing claims of SmileDirectClub. The ADA believes these are false and misleading, and constitute substantive deceptive acts under Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act.”
Therefore, on June 27, the American Dental Association (ADA) sent a complaint letter to the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection citing the following practices of SmileDirectClub that the ADA believes to be deceptive:Informing customers they have recourse against SDC via arbitration when, in the same document, SDC hides a “small print” provision obligating the customer to waive any and all rights the customer “or any third party” may have against SDC;
Encouraging consumers to become customers by telling them individually and directly that SDC aligners will correct their overbite, underbite, and crossbite conditions or their “extreme” malocclusion, and then, when customers complain, SDC invokes other SDC documents that state its aligners cannot treat bite conditions at all and can only treat mild to moderate teeth misalignment, not “extreme” misalignment; and,
Claiming that SDC customers receive the same level of dental/orthodontic care as actual dental patients when actually SDC and its “affiliated dentists” provide virtually no care and, contrary to its prominent and repeated claims, SDC does not use teledentistry.
The ADA considers it our duty on behalf of the public to make the regulatory agencies aware of concerns with direct to consumer orthodontics.
We will continue to keep you apprised of developments.
Sincerely,


Jeffrey M. Cole, D.D.S., M.B.A.
President
American Dental Association

Isolite 3 Evaluation Complete

 

For over a month now we’ve been using and evaluating the Isolite 3 from Zyris and I have to admit that I have come away very impressed.

For those of you who may not be completely knowledgable about the system, the Isolite 3 is a retraction, vacuum, and illumination device.  It provides a bite block, tongue, and cheek retraction in a disposable mouthpiece.  The system is connected to the office vacuum pump.  The mouthpiece has several holes that provide incredible removal of water and saliva leaving a dry well isolated field in which to work.  The non-disposable part of the system has 2 high intensity LEDs.  One of the LEDs is bright white from illumination of the field while the other is orange and works as illumination while performing procedures with light sensitive materials such as composites.  It allows the field to be brightly defined without worry of premature photo polymerization.

We have used it in a variety of clinical situations.  It makes things remarkably easy.  Whether it’s for operative or fixed prosthetics, the device makes treatment *much* easier to perform.  By retracting all tissues, lighting the field, and keeping the field dry the Isolite has been a welcome addition to the armamentarium.  One of the really great things about the parent company Zyris is their commitment to educating offices on proper usage.  The staff went thought a very detailed live online training utilizing 2 way video that allowed the trainer to show us the proper way to place the device and then she watched the staff place it on each other and offered suggestions.  when the training was complete we all walked away with a high degree of confidence.

In clinical usage I can assure you that the training paid off.  Without training, the Isolite learning curve would have been much greater.  Instead, it was placed and we were off to work.  The device made me more efficient and helped free up the assistant as well.

After each procedure where it was used I took time to talk to the patient and get their honest evaluation.  In all of the procedures, only 1 person said they would prefer to have treatment without it.  All the others stated it was comfortable and they loved being able to close on the bite block.  Many also commented on the fact that the vacuum system also worked extremely well and that they preferred it over the standard way.

If you are looking for a way to increase you efficiency while also making patients more comfortable I feel you should check out the Isolite 3 by Zyris.  This product is highly recommended.