New Findings about Philips Sonicare Power Flossers

 

Everyone involved in the dental profession knows one of the key components of periodontal health is proper cleaning between the teeth.  Keeping the interproximal areas clean and healthy is important.  Especially because of all the discoveries of oral-systemic links to disease.

The easiest way to clean interproximal areas is flossing, but it can be challenging for patients.  Probably one of the most difficult things in dentistry is motivating people to floss.  Isn't there a better, easier way?  The good news is that, yes, there is a better and easier way.  Oral irrigators that clean between the teeth are becoming more and more popular.

While a device that does this is, obviously, more expensive than traditional 'kite string' floss,  most patients are much more likely to use an irrigator than try to floss.  In our office, we recommend irrigators routinely and patient acceptance is pretty high.  We do *not* sell the devices in the office.  Patients purchase them based on our professional recommendation, which I think is a pretty good indication of their acceptance of the idea.  Most patients don't like to floss, but using something like the Philips Sonicare Power Flossers is easier and appeals to them.

These devices have been proven to clean just as well, if not better than floss.  If you need even more info on what they can do,  a special issue of Compendium has several articles dealing with the Philips Sonicare Power Flossers.   There are several studies that definitely deserve to be read on the subject.

Motivating patients is only half the goal.  Patients need a solution that they will actually use.  I highly recommend reading them.

Owandy Radiology Relocates its U.S. Headquarters to Larger, Modern Facility in Garden City, NY

 

Owandy makes some pretty incredible radiology equipment.  Here's an announcement about the new company headquarters...

 – Owandy Radiology Inc., a global leader in the manufacture of dental radiology hardware and imaging software, recently moved its US headquarters to a newly-renovated office building on 585 Stewart Street, Suite L30, Garden City, New York. This move is the company’s third expansion and relocation on Long Island since establishing its U.S. headquarters there almost 20 years ago.

The new 1,800 sq. foot ultra-modern facility is a combination of office, showroom, and training center. According to Boris Loyez Owandy’s VP of Sales and Marketing for North America. “Our Paris-based company has a strong presence in 100 countries world-wide, but this new location will help us to better serve our largest market, North America for years to come.”

The recent move enables Owandy to hire the additional employees such as field sales representatives, administrative personnel and technicians required to respond quickly and efficiently to the growing demands of its North American customers. The custom-configured facility will also be able to host hands-on technical training for distributors and customers.

“We invite any GP dentist or specialist in the New-York tri-state area to schedule a visit to our new headquarters,” added Loyez. “Here you can see first-hand our game-changing, wall-mounted, high-resolution  I-Max 3D CBCT unit which is compact and affordable. Also available for on-site demonstrations are our full line of  innovative digital radiology hardware including I-Max 2D pan ceph units,  digital scanners, intraoral cameras, digital sensors, and our breakthrough AI powered software for dental implant placement.”

In conjunction with the grand opening of its new facility, Owandy’s, year-end special pricing is now in effect. Download the promotional flyer from https://www.owandy.com/offers.  To schedule a product demonstration in Owandy’s new Garden City, NY showroom, call 516-858-5695 or send an email to sales@OwandyUS.com. 

About Owandy Radiology, Inc.: 

Headquartered in France, and serving North America from Garden City, New York, Owandy Radiology is a global leader in the manufacture of dental radiology hardware and imaging software. Its products are distributed through dental dealers across the USA, and in more than 100 countries world-wide, on every continent. For more information, visit www.Owandy.com.

3D Printing Utilizing Different Systems for Great Results

 

As you probably know, I've spent a lot of my time testing time this year, working with 3D printing.  If you'd like to know more about the entire world of 3D printing in dentistry, you can read my cover story from the September issue of Dental Products Report by following this link.  That article has a lot more info on the entire subject than I normally cover in a blog post here.

Today's subject is just to expand things a bit for people that are looking to get into this, but are a little confused about it.  As I've said before, the tech has been around since before Covid in 2020.  Some offices even decided to purchase one... but they are critically underused by most of those offices.  The main impediment?  Design.  Printing and finishing a project is actually pretty fast and easy.  It's getting that project to a form that is something you need... well that's another story.  Or at least it used to be.  Todays' post is about how easy it can be.

One of the systems I've been working with is the DentalMile system from DMG.  The company sells a complete turnkey system.  They sell everything you need, including the resins, and every piece, including the resins, are validated to all work together.  That's a huge plus.

One of the other parts of the 3D printing space I've been evaluating is resins.  Not all resins work and cure properly in all 3D printers.  If you currently have a printer and want to try a new resin, be sure and check with the printer manufacturer.  The will have a readily available list of resins they have verified to work with their system.  

I've also been working with VOCO on testing some of their 3D resins.  They do not currently sell a printer, but they have validated that their resins work with the Asiga line.  Asiga is a company based out of Australia that are becoming bigger players in the market here in the US.  The Asiga UV Max is verified with VOCO resins and because I have one, I figured this was a great case for that.

I recently had a case where a patient had a hard acrylic splint they had been wearing for several years and it finally needed replacing.  I didn't do the original one, but the patient understands the value of wearing one and asked me if I could make a new one.  One of the resins I've been testing is VOCO's V-Print Splint and I wanted to use it on this case.

Of course the critical part of any occlusal guard or splint is the design.  As a doctor, you want precision when creating a hard splint.

That's where having access to a good design system enters the equation.  DMG has a Cloud based system called DentaMile Connect.  It's part of the DMG system and users pay a monthly or yearly fee for access.

There are lots of design systems out there, but I've been really impressed with DentaMile Connect.  The system uses a lot of AI in the design process, which makes creating things incredibly easy.  I downloaded the patient's scan to my computer.  We use iTero scanners in the office and it's easy to log into the iTero Cloud based storage and download the stl files.  I selected 'models mounted in occlusion' and then downloaded.

In DentaMile Connect, I uploaded the upper and lower scans and selected occlusal splint.  The system took the scan data (from both stl files) and then virtually mounted them on a virtual articulator.  This greatly simplifies the design process.  

Advancing through the process, the system created the guard and showed it to me on the models in occlusion.

In the above image you'll notice the red and green dots in the UR & UL corners.  Those represent the condyles.  You then can adjust the margins of the device.  The next two images will show what I mean.

This is the guard from a straight on view.  The red and green areas are indicating undercuts and their severity so that you can good a path for placement.  The blue line is the margin of the project.  If any changes need to be made, it's as simple as left clicking an area and dragging it to the correct spot.   The system will then adjust it automatically and show you the new margin line.  These virtual models are in 3D and can be rotated to any view.

This image shows the margin from the lingual aspect.  Once again, if an edit is necessary, it's a simple click and drag.

When the correct margin is done, you are then given a view of the occlusion which the virtual articulator has worked out and proposed.  All of this is completely editable if you want to change anything.  

Once the design is completed and finalized, the file can be downloaded and printed.  In this particular case I was not using the DMG printer.  I chose the Asiga UV Max because I wanted to use the VOCO V-Splint Print resin and I knew the VOCO resin was validated with that system.  I bring this up because this is a great reason for 'Open Architecture' systems.  I created in DentaMile Connect and downloaded the completed project as an stl file.

I then opened the stl file with Asiga Composer which is Asiga's 'nesting software'.  A nesting software is a program that translates the stl file into a language that the printer can understand.  From Asiga Composer, I sent the completed project to the printer via WiFi.  The completed guard is the first image in today's post.

Really, the point of this rather long post is #1 how easy this is to do.  The design took about 5 minutes.  Point #2 is that if you find a design system/program you like, you can use it with any printer you have.  As long as it is 'open architecture'.  In those systems, everything works with everything else.

In this case there were no impressions, no models, nothing physical... other than the patient.  This is a truly digital workflow.  The guard went right to place, fit perfectly, and required zero adjustments.

3D printing is going to change dentistry in the next 12-18 months... maybe sooner than that.  This is a tech that can be used routinely for 'bread and butter' things that we do every day.  If you've been thinking about exploring this tech, the time is now.  It's affordable and easy to do.  A well trained dental assistant can design things like this and have it ready for doctor approval in minutes.  This is not a tech that needs to improve or will see radical changes in the future.  We've already seen those changes.  This is ready for prime time right now.  

If I can do this, *you* can do this too!

OraQ AI and Patterson Dental Canada, Inc. Partner to Deliver Advanced AI Technology

The AI industry in dentistry continues to expand.   I've been working with several AI companies over the years and since I first got involved back in 2016, I've seen some amazing advancements.  Almost every imaging company is dentistry is either offering AI or partnering with existing AI companies to bring the tech to the forefront of diagnostics and practice management.  Now comes word that Patterson Dental Canada will be offering a system to their customers...

OraQ AI is excited to announce a strategic partnership with Patterson Dental Canada, Inc., aimed atintroducing OraQ’s innovative clinical AI decision support tool to dental professionals across Canada. This collaboration will allow OraQ AI’s advanced dental treatment planning software to empower dental teams and patients to make informed decisions that enhance oral health and elevate practice profitability.

“As a practicing dentist and founder of OraQ AI, I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of AI in transforming patient care,” said Dr. Amreesh Khanna, CEO of OraQ AI. “By partnering with a trusted name like Patterson Dental, we can now deliver AI-driven solutions that go beyond traditional methods like X-rays, helping dentists across Canada provide precision care while ethically growing their practices.”

OraQ AI’s cutting-edge software brings a new level of transparency and personalization to dental care. By holistically analyzing patients’ medical and dental histories, OraQ’s AI offers tailored treatment recommendations, which have resulted in up to a 30-40% increase in patient acceptance rates for its users. Patients can conveniently access their exam results and treatment plans from their smart devices or computers, enabling them to approve treatment from home, with instant notifications sent to their dental offices.

“OraQ is proud to be at the forefront of dental technology, having achieved all necessary approvals and clearances, including our Medical Device Establishment License (MDEL) from Health Canada and the FDA in 2023,” Dr. Khanna added. “This ensures that our technology adheres to the highest standards of safety and compliance.”

Patterson Dental Canada’s Region President, Dan Begin, expressed the company’s enthusiasm for the partnership: “At Patterson, we have always been committed to advancing dental care through strong, innovative partnerships. By collaborating with OraQ, we are reinforcing our dedication to equipping Canadian dentists with top-tier clinical solutions that support patient care and treatment acceptance.”

The partnership signifies a key step forward in OraQ’s mission to expand its commercial footprint while continuing to provide groundbreaking AI solutions that empower dental practices and improve patient outcomes.

For more information about OraQ AI and its groundbreaking technology, please contact Dr. Amreesh Khanna, CEO at

amreesh@oraq.ai.

Ultradent Donating to Red Cross for Hurricane Helene Relief

 

With Milton on the way to Florida, I'm sure Ultradent will be updating this info.  They do a lot of charity work which I am extremely happy to tell you all about.  Here's their latest on helping with the fallout from Helene...

Ultradent Products, Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of high-tech dental materials, is donating 5% of total sales from orders placed on Tuesday, October 8th, to the Red Cross to support relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Helene. "The devastation caused by Hurricane Helene has deeply impacted countless lives and we are inspired by the compassion we’ve seen from so many people working to help those in need,” says Ultradent President and CEO Dirk Jeffs. “We invite the dental community to join us in supporting these communities through the Red Cross.”

 Additionally, Ultradent is offering dental supplies to affected care providers to assist in their recovery.

About Ultradent Products, Inc.

Ultradent Products, Inc., is a leading developer and manufacturer of high-tech dental materials, devices, and instruments worldwide. Ultradent’s vision is to improve oral health globally. Ultradent also works to improve the quality of life and health of individuals through financial and charitable programs. For more information about Ultradent, call 800.552.5512 or visit ultradent.com or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

Oral Biolife Announces Large Animal Data Breakthrough in Periodontal Disease

 

Every once in a while a company reaches out to me with some interesting news.  When that happens, I try and pass it along to all of you.  Today's post is something I feel bears further investigation, but it looks promising in its initial stages.  

One of the most difficult areas to treat, from a periodontal standpoint, is furcation involvement.  It seems that frequently once the furcation of a molar becomes periodontally compromised, there is little we can do to help stem the tide of the disease.

The study sited below is *very* small (only 3 subjects), but a positive result is still intriguing.  I'm interested to see how this looks long term and with more results.  I would say that at this point, it definitely bears more investigation.  Long term, something like this (if it pans out) could be a great thing for patients.  Especially as our medical system continues to improve and people are living longer, quality of life becomes extremely important.  Being able to eat and stay well nourished is part of the quality of life.  Periodontal health has a tremendous impact on overall systemic health and patients with periodontal disease aren't always good candidates for implant placement.  That means helping those patients keep their natural teeth is critically important.

The Biotech company has large animal proof-of-concept results for its lead product, Ambrilux Dental Gel, in the setting of periodontal disease characterized by bone loss in the tooth furcation 

Oral Biolife (OBL), a biotechnology company developing a first-of-its-kind dental treatment for humans and companion animals, today announced critical new developments of large animal data backing their lead product, Ambrilux Dental Gel. 

Ambrilux Dental Gel has been shown to promote the regeneration of bone in the furcations of teeth in three Beagle dogs with induced periodontal disease(PD). 

Radiographs were taken at baseline 28 days after the first application and 29 days after the 2nd application. The radiographs demonstrated that 100% (n=3) of animals treated with Ambrilux showed increased bone regeneration at both the 1st and second month post-treatment while only 33% (n=3)of control animals had detectable bone growth. The ability of Ambrilux to promote bone growth in the setting of periodontal disease in large animals provides key translatable data supporting the potential use in human disease.

 There were no Adverse Events or other safety issues noted throughout the study. An adverse event is defined as any unexpected observation seen in dogs that is unfavorable and unintended and occurs after the use of an investigational veterinary product, regardless of the possible relationship to the product. 

“This proof-of-concept marks a major milestone in our journey. It reinforces our confidence that Ambrilux Dental Gel has the potential to revolutionize how dental care is provided, offering a less invasive and more accessible option for patients," says Bill Breitenbach, CEO of Oral Biolife.”

With Periodontitis affecting nearly 20% of the global population, 47% of US adults, as well as costing an estimated yearly 54 billion USD in loss of productivity1, there is clearly an unmet need for an effective non-invasive solution to treat PD. OBL’s findings are a step towards a potential breakthrough in dental and oral health research.  

“At OBL our mission has always been to find a way to provide Americans with access to non-invasive dental care,” says Stella Vnook, President of Oral Biolife. “We are pleased with these promising results and are excited to continue our research to further establish the safety and efficacy of the Ambrilux Dental Gel.”

About Oral Biolife Inc.

Oral Biolife is an innovative biotechnology company headquartered in Bethlehem, PA that utilizes the unique properties of biotechnology materials to develop groundbreaking, first-to-market products. Their lead asset, Ambrilux Dental Gel, via its unique ability to regenerate bone lost due to periodontal disease, represents a potential breakthrough for treating periodontal disease. For more information, please visit https://www.oralbiolife.com/ and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/oralbiolife-inc/.

References:

Thornton-Evans G, Eke P, Wei L, Palmer A, Moeti R, Hutchins S, Borrell LN; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Periodontitis among adults aged ≥30 years - United States, 2009-2010. MMWR Suppl. 2013 Nov 22;62(3):129-35.åˇ

Join Dr; Nate Lawson for a Terrific Learning Opportunity on Anterior Composites - October 22nd

 

One of the things I love about my work in the industry outside of clinical practice is the friendships I've made over the span of my career.  I've gotten to meet, spend time with, and make friendships with some of the best minds in dentistry.  One those people is Dr. Nate Lawson.  I've known him for about a decade and he is an impressive individual.

He is one those people who has some unique gifts.  Number one, he is just a 'great human being'.  He's one of those people who is personable and funny.  He's a great guy to hang out with.

However, Dr. Lawson is also one of the brightest people I've had the pleasure to meet.  In all seriousness, he has an incredible mind and an amazing comprehension and knowledge of dental materials.  He graduated from the UAB School of Dentistry in 2011, but he was just getting started.  He then dug in and obtained a PhD in Biomedical Engineering in 2012.

He now serves as the Director of the Division of Biomaterials at UAB.  That means he spends a lot of time in the lab testing, working with, and studying cutting edge dental materials.  He's published over 200 peer reviewed articles (which is impressive, trust me) as well as chapters for books.

In addition to his smarts, he also is a great communicator.  He's got a real knack for taking complicated subjects and breaking them down into easy to understand concepts.  When you listen to him, you'll understand what I mean, but he is one of those people who provide you tons of information you can immediately use to make your dentistry better.

In addition to all of the above, he also works in the UAB Faculty Practice which means that he not only knows a lot, but also understands what things are like from the perspective of the practicing dentist.

Dr. Lawson will be presenting "Materials and Techniques for Anterior Composites" as part of the DPR webinar series on October 22 at 7:00pm Eastern Time.  This is one of those events that help you be a better doctor for your patients.  You really need to be there!

Register for the event by following this link