Buffalo Dental Manufacturing Bundles Two Best Selling Dental Lab Products to Create the Dynamic Duo

 

Combining the High-Powered V35 Electric Handpiece with the Time-Saving ThermaKnife™ Keeps Lab Benches Organized and Boosts Productivity

Buffalo Dental Manufacturing (BDM), a leading dental company with the industry’s widest range of handpieces, lab products, lab equipment and vacuum forming materials and accessories, recently launched “The Dynamic Duo” a lab bench innovation that combines two of BDM’s best-selling products.

Specifically, The Dynamic Duo combines BDM’s V35 Electric Handpiece; a high-powered, reliable value-priced 35,000 RPM electric handpiece system for dental laboratories and the ThermaKnife; an effective and time-saving tool for fast and easy trimming of bleaching trays, night guards, mouthguards, and 3D printed prostheses.

According to Buffalo Dental Manufacturing CEO Don Nevin, “The Dynamic Duo not only saves dental labs time, money and bench space, it also makes workflows more efficient – especially when detailing aligners.”

The Dynamic Duo includes the following features and benefits:

• Four Multi-Speed options (14k, 22k, 27k, 35k rpm) enable ideal speed selection for most cutting needs.

• High-Torque motor provides smooth operation and powerful performance with less operator fatigue.

• Fully adjustable temperature control for precise cutting action. The cutting tip heats ultra-fast to save time and eliminate waiting.

• A & B selection switch enables the use of two different Thermal Pens to reduce time and increase trimming productivity.

• Lightweight pen features an ergonomic design and sharp, permanent tip for improved comfort and control.

• An optional Heated Aligner Dimple Plier is also available, which is used for creating dimples in the aligner where the doctor wants to apply additional pressure to accelerate and/or guide tooth movement.

For more information, or to order the Dynamic Duo, visit www.BuffaloDental.com, call 800-828-0203, or send an email to sales@mailBDM.com. Distributor inquiries welcome.

 About Buffalo Dental Manufacturing:  

Headquartered in Syosset, NY, Buffalo Dental Manufacturing (BDC) supplies the dental profession with the  widest range of handpieces, lab products, lab equipment and vacuum forming materials and accessories. Dental offices and lab facilities worldwide choose BDC to protect their staff and patients alike. While Buffalo is proud to serve the global healthcare community, a majority of its products are manufactured in the United States, bringing you quality and value that are close to home.

TBS Dental Teams Up with Wounded Warrior Project to Support America's Bravest

In addition to my profession, my patients, and tech... I am also very passionate about the Armed Services of the United States.  I never served, unfortunately, and that is one of my regrets about my life.  In fact, just last week I was telling that to a patient who served in Desert Storm.  He told me, "Doc, we all get our callings and our gifts.  I think you did ok."  It was a compliment I am tremendously grateful for!

However, today's post isn't about me.  No, it's about those who served and need our help.  Since I never served, I feel it is tremendously important to support those who have.  That's why I was really excited to learn about TBS Dental announcing their support of the Wounded Warrior Project.

I truly believe "no one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends."  So if you have the opportunity, let's help TBS help our wounded warriors!

GUZ8Y9

TBS Dental, a leading dental equipment manufacturer, is proud to announce a new partnership with Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). Through this partnership, TBS Dental will donate funds, volunteer time, and host events to support WWP's mission to honor and empower wounded warriors.

"We are passionate about giving back to the communities we serve," said Haseeb Sajid, CEO of TBS Dental. "Teaming up with Wounded Warrior Project is a natural fit for us, as we share a commitment to supporting those who have served our country. We are honored to have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of wounded veterans and their families."

WWP is a non-profit organization that provides a variety of programs and services to wounded veterans, including mental health support, career counseling, long-term rehabilitative care, and policy advocacy. The organization has served over 3.7 million veterans and their families since its inception in 2003.

"We are grateful for the support of TBS Dental," said Brea Kratzert Todd, WWP vice president of business development. "Their partnership will help us continue to provide our life-changing programs and services to wounded warriors and their families."

As part of the partnership, TBS Dental will donate a minimum of $250,000 to WWP over the next two years. The company will also host events and volunteer time to raise awareness of WWP's mission.

"We are committed to making a lasting impact on the lives of wounded veterans," said Sajid. "We believe that this partnership is a step in the right direction."

To learn more about TBS Dental's partnership with Wounded Warrior Project, please visit the company's website.

How You Can Help

There are many ways you can help support TBS Dental's partnership with Wounded Warrior Project. You can:

• Donate to WWP.

• Volunteer your time to WWP.

• Spread the word about the partnership.

Every little bit helps. Thank you for your support!

Aziyo Biologics Announces Voluntary Recall of Viable Bone Matrix Products

 

Not too long ago, I made a post to let readers know about a recall and product warning regarding a VBM (Viable Bone Matrix) material.  The material, "AlloOss Plus" is made by Aziyo Biologics, Inc.  The company recently annouonced a recall on the product.

Here is the information (via a press release) that Aziyo Biologics has posted regarding the situation.  Please note this information is dated and was posted on July 13, 2023

SILVER SPRING, Md., July 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aziyo Biologics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AZYO), a company that develops and commercializes biologic products to improve compatibility between medical devices and the patients who need them, today announced a voluntary recall of its viable bone matrix products, which are bone repair products made from human tissue that are used primarily in orthopedic and spinal procedures.

Notice of the voluntary recall was issued to centers after the Company learned of post-surgical Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infections in two patients treated with viable bone matrix product from a single donor lot. Prior to release, samples from this specific lot had tested negative for MTB by an independent laboratory using a nucleic acid test that is designed to specifically detect the MTB organism. Aziyo is fully cooperating and investigating the events in coordination with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Out of an abundance of caution, the Company has suspended shipments of all viable bone matrix products from all donor lots. The Company is also working closely with CDC staff to notify physicians of the patients who received the particular donor lot at issue to initiate post-exposure prophylaxis.

“We are taking immediate action to safeguard patients by implementing a full product recall as we work with the CDC to investigate this event,” said Dr.

Randy Mills, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aziyo Biologics. “The people of Aziyo care deeply about the patients we serve and will continue to work with the medical community, patients, and regulatory authorities as we gather additional information.”

About Aziyo Biologics

Aziyo develops and commercializes biologic products to improve compatibility between medical devices and the patients who need them. With a

growing population in need of implantable technologies, Aziyo’s mission is to humanize medical devices to improve patient outcomes. For more

information, visit www.Aziyo.com.

Understanding and Manipulating Color by Fay Goldstep, George Freedman

 

I have known Dr. George Freedman and his wife Dr. Fay Goldstep for around 20 years know.  They are a great c couple, but more to the point of today's post... they are smart.

Recently the duo created an article of how to understand color.  It's sponsored by the very smart folks at AdDent.  I've been using AdDent products for probably longer than I have know George & Fay.  They make some really cool products that can make practicing dentistry easier.  For sure you should check them out.

Here is what AdDent has to say about Fay and George's article and the link to the article will follow...

The study of color can be extremely complex and involved. In fact, the understanding of color and its manipulation is fundamental to the ability to create esthetically pleasing restorations in the mouth.

 

In today’s dentistry, both composites and porcelains are expected to mimic not only the shade of natural dentition, but also the translucence, opacity, and shade distribution of a real tooth.

 

Overall the indications for color and shade matching can encompass both the direct and the indirect procedures that are undertaken by the dentist on an everyday basis. Much of today’s dentistry is esthetically related or expected to be esthetic by patients. Whether the restoration is a direct composite filling or an indirect ceramic or ceramic porcelain-fused-to-metal procedure, it is expected to match the coloration of all the existing teeth.

 

If the procedure is done incorrectly, then the resulting restoration will not match the teeth; and, of course, in that case the procedure will have failed even before the restoration is placed in the patient’s mouth.

To read the full article, follow this link:  https://pocketdentistry.com/7-color-and-shade/ 

Patients File Lawsuit Against Meta for Potential of Collecting Protected Health Information

 

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is facing a lawsuit for their use of a tracking tool called Pixel.

Meta Platforms Inc. is facing a number of lawsuits from patients who allege that the company's Pixel tracking tool has been improperly used to collect their protected health information (PHI). The lawsuits allege that Meta and its healthcare clients have violated HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and state privacy laws by sharing PHI without the patients' knowledge or consent.

The lawsuits stem from allegations that Meta Pixel code has been embedded in the websites and patient portals of healthcare providers. This code allows Meta to collect information about patients' visits to the websites, such as the pages they view and the information they enter into forms. This information can be used to target patients with personalized advertising on Facebook and Instagram.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuits allege that Meta and its healthcare clients have violated HIPAA by failing to protect PHI. HIPAA requires healthcare providers to take steps to safeguard PHI from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. This includes implementing technical safeguards to prevent unauthorized access to electronic health information (EHI). The plaintiffs allege that the use of Meta Pixel code on healthcare websites violates these safeguards by allowing Meta to access PHI without the patients' authorization.

It will be interesting to see how this lawsuit progresses and what comes out of it.  Private practitioners normally trust a third party to create their website(s) and normally this is a good idea simply because the office lacks the knowledge to create the site themselves.  Holding them responsible for code put in by the web designer or programmer is a difficult call.  While I'm a huge fan of protecting privacy it's also a hard call to make as this is an issue which most doctors would not have had the knowledge to be aware of.  I plan on making every effort to follow these lawsuits to see what decisions are made...

Dentbird AI: A New Way to Design Dental Crowns

 

In January of this year I went out on the proverbial limb and stated in my first column of the year that 2023 would be "The Year of AI in Dentistry".  My thought process was that I was seeing several companies making inroads to using the technology in dentistry and I thought, because of that, we'd see some interesting changes in the profession.  Wow!  Honestly, I didn't think it would explode like it has.  Now it seems that every little piece of dental tech is somehow improving with AI.  

Today's post goes that just a little bit further.  Dentbird AI has got a lot potentially going for it...

Dentbird AI is a cloud-based dental CAD software that uses artificial intelligence to automate the design of dental crowns. The software can be used to design crowns for both single and multiple teeth, and it can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.

The dental office first scans the patient's teeth using an intraoral scanner. The scan data is then uploaded to the Dentbird AI cloud platform, where the AI software analyzes it and generates a CAD design for the crown. The design can then be modified by the dentist or dental technician before it is sent to a dental lab for fabrication or the file can then be downloaded and the prosthesis created in the office by milling or 3D printing.

Dentbird AI offers a number of advantages over traditional methods of designing dental crowns. First, it is much faster and more efficient. The AI software can generate a CAD design in a matter of minutes, compared to the amount of time that it can take to design a crown manually.

Second, Dentbird AI is more accurate. The AI software is trained on a large dataset of real-world cases, so it is able to generate designs that are more accurate and precise than those that can be created manually.

Third, Dentbird AI is more affordable. The software is a subscription-based service, so dentists and dental technicians only need to pay for the time that they use it. This can potentially save money over the cost of traditional CAD software, depending on the amount of usage.  There is of course, the reliability of the office Internet connection as well.

If you are a dentist or dental technician, click this link to learn more about Dentbird AI.   

Philips Reaches Resolution of US Economic Loss Litigation for CPAPs

 

As many of you regular readers know, I treat a fair amount of OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) in my practice.  I'm even such a big believer in what a good night's sleep can do for our health that I am now on the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Airway Helath.  So, as you can well imagine, I am also pretty in tune with the situation that has developed since 2021 over devices manufactured by Philips Respironics.  The company manufactures CPAP machines to help patients breathe easier while they sleep.  

It's now been announced that a class action lawsuit filed by patients has reached resolution.  Below is the information released by Philips.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) announced today that the company and certain of its US subsidiaries, including Philips Respironics, have reached an agreement to resolve all economic loss claims in the US Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) related to Philips Respironics’ voluntary recall of certain sleep and respiratory care devices. This settlement, which is expected to be submitted to the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania later today, does not include or constitute any admission of liability, wrongdoing, or fault by any of the Philips parties.


The agreement, which is subject to approval by the court, will provide predefined cash awards to all eligible participants in the US depending on the type of device, extended warranties on all replacement devices, and an additional cash award if they return the recalled device to Philips Respironics. The settlement will further compensate certain individuals who acquired replacement devices post-recall. 


The final cost of the settlement may vary based on, among other things, how many patients participate in the settlement and what the Court awards for the professional fees relating to the resolutions. Philips Respironics has recorded a provision for an amount of EUR 575 million in the first quarter of 2023 to cover for the estimated costs of the final settlement.


Subject to final Court approval, payments to class members under the settlement are not expected to begin until the first quarter of 2024 at the earliest.


The agreement does not settle any personal injury or medical monitoring claims in the MDL, which the Philips parties have moved to dismiss.  

• Patients, hospitals, and sleep labs in the US eligible for benefits under the agreement do not need to take any action at this time in order to participate in the settlement. 
• The settlement must be approved by the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and additional information will be provided in the future.
• All related inquiries by patients, hospitals and sleep labs in the US should be directed to the third-party Settlement Administrator, Angeion Group. More information will be available at www.RespironicsCPAP-ELSettlement.com.