Long-Awaited Solution to Help Fight Secondary Caries is Finally Here

 

For the last 2-3 years now I have worked with the smart people at Nobio to help them with their Infinix composite.  It is NOW available!  This product can be a serious disruptor/game changer in the restorative market.  Imagine a restorative material that actually kills bacteria.  The press release is below.  As many of you know, I have been placing Infinix restorations for a few months now and they are starting to show up at recare exams.  They look as good today as the day they were placed.  Here is all the info from Nobio:

Nobio Announces the launch of the Infinix™ Advanced Restoratives Product Line Including an Antimicrobial Bonding Agent and the Dental Industry’s First FDA-Cleared Antimicrobial Composites

Kadima, Israel & Middlebury, CT; February 22, 2022 — Nobio Ltd., is excited to announce the official launch of Infinix™, a new line of advanced antimicrobial restorative materials, designed to fight recurrent decay. “The Infinix family of restoratives is the first use case of a fundamental technology platform, that we see as applicable to a wide range of dental and non-dental products,” said Ronen Raz, Nobio’s Chief Operating Officer. The infinix system currently includes universal and flowable composites, as well as a universal bonding system, all incorporating Nobio’s patented QASi™ antimicrobial particle technology. A bulk-fill composite will be added later in 2022. 

“The goal has been to provide long-lasting bacteria inhibition at the restorative margins, reduce tooth demineralization, and as a result reduce restoration failure due to secondary caries,” said Nathan Zaltsman, Nobio’s Chief Technical Officer.  “Our patented antimicrobial technology is scientifically proven to provide a non-leaching, non-releasing, electrostatic contact kill of bacteria in dental restorative materials.” 

“While the antimicrobial properties of infinix are game-changing, we have also worked hard to achieve the handling and aesthetics that dentists need and expect. The feedback from our early users has been fantastic,” said John Scott, Nobio Chief Commercial Officer and head of U.S. operations. The Nobio team will be at the upcoming Chicago Dental Society Annual Meeting (Feb. 24 – 26th) to mark the initial launch. “We invite the entire dental community to learn more about Infinix™ at infinix.com and are looking forward to in-person discussions with the dentists that attend the upcoming mid-winter meeting at booth #1507,” said Scott.

Infinix products will be available for purchase starting on February 23, 2022. Order online at infinix.com/shop or by calling (844) INFINIX (463-4649). 

About Nobio

Nobio is a material sciences company that redefines the field of antimicrobial products and solutions with its long-lasting, safe, and highly active novel QASi™ particle technology. Nobio developed and is commercializing Infinix, the first line of dental materials with its revolutionary antimicrobial technology to address the main causes of dental treatment failure and tooth loss. Nobio is also working with leading medical, dental, consumer, and industrial manufacturers to bring long-lasting antimicrobial properties to a wide range of products and applications. For more information, visit www.nobio.com or www.infinix.com.

MouthWatch Announces Integration of Its TeleDent™ Teledentistry Platform with Open Dental’s Practice Management System

 

MouthWatch, LLC recently announced the integration of its award-winning, market leading TeleDent teledentistry platform with Open Dental Software’s open-source practice management system. 

TeleDent users now have the ability to utilize  Open Dental’s powerful, flexible, and affordable practice management software that delivers a host of benefits to small and large practices alike

According to MouthWatch LLC founder and CEO Brant Herman. “This integration between TeleDent and Open Dental is the starting point to add teledentistry to one of the leading, innovative practice management solutions. The result will be  a comprehensive, convenient and scalable virtual care platform for digital dental practices.” 

TeleDent/Open Dental integration is now available for new and current TeleDent users. For more information, please contact Jay Martorelli, MouthWatch Director of Sales at sales@mouthwatch.com.

About TeleDent:

TeleDent, the all-in-one teledentistry solution from MouthWatch, LLC was designed to  help dental teams  connect with their patients and collaborate with their colleagues. The recent   introduction of new features such as an intuitive, mobile-friendly patient portal, text messaging, and online patient intake, make it easier to connect with patients in the safe and convenient way they now expect. For example, new patient consults, post-op evaluations, home care instructions, specialist referrals and emergency triage can all be conducted with the highest degree of simplicity, security, and safety. TeleDent’s professional grade technology can serve as the backbone of key virtual clinical workflows to increase 

efficiency and profitability. In recent years, TeleDent has received several prestigious industry awards, such as The 2020 and 2021 Cellerant Best of Class Award. In 2021, TeleDent also won Dentistry Today’s  Top Innovative Products, and Top 25 Aesthetic and Restorative Products awards. For more information visit www.TeleDent.com.

About Open Dental Software:

Open Dental is a HIPAA compliant open-source dental practice management software that provides on-premises electronic charting, billing, practice management, and imaging applications that's suitable for any large and small dental practice. Open Dental’s practice management solution includes patient care charts, prescribing capabilities, treatment planning, appointment scheduling with automated appointment reminders, an integrated graphical tooth chart, SMS and email texting, credit card processing, and custom reporting. For more information, visit www.OpenDental.com.

Heading to Chicago!

 I'm heading to Chicago today for the 157th Chicago Dental Society MidWinter Meeting!

I'll be meeting with companies and scouring the trade show for the latest and greatest improvements.

Follow my Twitter feed @jflucke for updates

Midmark and Bien-Air Announce Strategic Partnership

 New collaboration brings enhanced simplicity and safety to the dental operatory

Midmark Corp., a leading dental solutions provider focused on the design of the clinical environment to improve the delivery of care, today announced a new strategic partnership with Bien-Air Dental SA that combines the two companies’ renowned dental technology into a simple, easy to use delivery care solution. 

With a shared commitment to enhancing the point-of-care experience and a combined 170 years of design and manufacturing experience, Midmark and Bien-Air are partnering to integrate Bien-Air’s latest electric handpiece solutions into Midmark’s dental delivery equipment for a more complete operatory ecosystem.

Dental clinicians are exposed to health and safety risks on the job every day. Midmark and Bien-Air are working together to enhance safety, optimize ergonomics and improve both clinician and patient experiences. Now, dental clinicians can select Midmark’s leading Procenter and Elevance delivery units with Bien-Air’s newest micromotor and contra-angle handpieces for an operatory-ready solution designed to:

• Simplify workflow with the versatility of the newest micromotor and two new contra-angle handpieces to perform a broad range of clinical procedures compared to the limitations of other solutions that require up to seven attachments.

• Provide proper ergonomic balance, lighter weight and smaller size for less strain on the clinician’s hand, arm and shoulder. 

• Enable remarkable access to the oral cavity with smaller handpiece heads for a better workflow and patient experience.

• Reduce the risk of patient burn with CoolTouch+, the world’s first heat-arresting system proven not to exceed human body temperature.

• Reduce cross-contamination with the only autoclavable anti-retraction valve. 

“Midmark is constantly looking for ways to help design better care in the clinical environment, which is what makes this partnership so exciting,” says Jon Wells, president, and CEO for Midmark. “We are thrilled to be joining forces with another industry-leading company like ours that shares our strategic vision. Our collaboration reflects the emphasis both of our companies place on improving the lives and livelihoods of each dental team we serve and improving the experience at the point of care.” 

“For more than 60 years, Bien-Air has been leading the way in electric motor systems for dental and surgical applications,” says Edgar Schönbächler, CEO, Bien-Air Dental. “Reliability and efficiency, typical Swiss values, have always guided our company. We are excited about this new step in our long-term partnership with Midmark. The seamless integration of our products is the result of a common understanding of the practitioner’s needs, helping to improve clinical efficiency and the patient’s journey.”

As part of this new partnership, Midmark is also offering Bien-Air’s Lubricare 2 handpiece care and maintenance system for automatically cleaning and lubricating handpieces. This maintenance system integrates easily into the instrument processing workflow and is compatible with handpieces from a variety of manufacturers.

Bringing together the key elements of the operatory into a single offering is the next evolution in better care. To learn more about Midmark and Bien-Air electric handpiece solutions, visit www.midmark.com/bienair.

About Midmark—Dental

Midmark helps dental professionals deliver exceptional care by harmonizing design, technology and workflows. Quality, high-performance solutions provide integrated ergonomic support, keeping the principles of safety for patients and practice teammates at the center of design. Midmark is a single-source leader for planning, equipping and developing better utilization of operatory, imaging, digital impressions, instrument processing, dental cabinetry and mechanical room solutions. Learn more at midmark.com/dental.

About Midmark 

Midmark Corporation is the only clinical environmental design company that enables a better care experience for the medical, dental and animal health markets. With more than 2,200 teammates worldwide, Midmark focuses on harmonizing space, technology and workflows, creating a better experience for caregivers and patients at the point of care. Founded in 1915 and headquartered in the greater Dayton, Ohio area, Midmark maintains production facilities, administrative offices, and the Midmark Experience and Technology Centers in Versailles, Ohio, with nine additional locations in the United States as well as subsidiaries in India and Italy. To learn more about Midmark, visit midmark.com.

About Bien-Air

Bien-Air Dental SA is a family-owned company founded in 1959 and headquartered in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. The Bien-Air Group is active in the field of powered instrumentation for dental and surgical applications. Renowned for its innovative Swiss Made products and based on a large sales network of 9 subsidiaries throughout the world, Bien-Air Dental is one of the world’s leading manufacturers for dental electric motor solutions and rotary instruments. To learn more, visit bienair.com. 

Ultradent Introduces MTApexTM Bioceramic Root Canal Sealer

 

Endodontics continues to evolve and I am excited to see *all* aspects of the treatment evolve as well.  We've seen major improvements in the last 10 years in both instrumentation as well as irrigation.  In the early to mid 2000s we saw the dawn of bonded obturation systems, but since then I feel the most improvements had been outside the realm of the filling process.

Now we are seeing a great deal of research and product implementation of biocompatible sealers... which I am very excited about.  The latest entry into the area comes from the smart folks at Ultradent and their MTA based sealer with syringe deliver.  Here is all the low down from the great minds in South Jordan, Utah:

Ultradent Products, Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of high-tech dental materials and equipment, is thrilled to announce the launch of its new endodontic product, MTApexTM bioceramic root canal sealer. 

For clinicians performing root canal treatments requirement obturation, MTApex bioceramic root canal sealer provides a sealer that is bioceramic and can be used with any endodontic obturation method. It features an extra smooth consistency that when mixed is designed to be delivered through Ultradent’s 29 ga Single Sideport NaviTipTM tip. The proprietary gel and tricalcium silicate powder mixture releases calcium ions, stimulating bone repair and increasing the pH of the canal. This helps avoid post- procedure bacterial growth and root resorption. Each kit of MTApex bioceramic root canal sealer contains enough powder and gel to seal approximately twenty canals. 

Bien Air Annonces Nova Electric Handpiece Will be Available for Ordering at Chicago MidWinter Meeting

 

I have used electric handpieces in my clinic for about 10-15 years now and I cannot bear the thought of ever being without them.  Because of my job in evaluating products for my peers, I approach things cautiously, letting products prove to me their value rather than expecting the value before I touch them.

So when I started with electrics, I went into it thinking there would not be much of a difference... and I cold not have been more wrong.  Within about 2 procedures, I understood electric headpieces were a total game changer for med  Before long I had invested in electrics in all of the 'doctor ops' in my practice and the air turbine headpieces began to gather dust.

Now I proud to announce to you that there is a new addition to the Bien Air family of electric handpieces.  The Nova system takes electrics to a new level.  I have been test driving them in my office since early December 2021 and I can tell you that if you are looking to upgrade your current electrics or are ready to install electrics in your practice, this handpiece should be on your short list to evaluate.  Here are some of the things that set it apart from the competition:

• The Nova is the first handpiece to be constructed of stainless steel.  That means it is durable and will look like new no matter how many autoclave cycles it goes through.
• It has the industry's ONLY sterilizable anti-retraction valve.  Almost every dental unit has these now, but the Nova has one inside the handpiece, which is an industry first.  That means added safety for your patients.
• The chuck of the Nova is the industry's first PVD coated chuck.  PVD stands for "Physical Vapor Deposition" which is a manufacturing technique where a solid material is vaporized in a vacuum chamber and deposited onto a target material.  The PVD coated chuck extends its life by 30%.  That is an amazing extension of service life.
• Cyclcro Gears - these are a material that are is used in the transmissions of high performance racing cars.  I find it incredible that the same type of metallurgy used in the transmission of Formula 1 cars is used in the transmission of a dental handpiece.  These smooth running gears help decrease vibration (which patients love) and doubles the service life of the handpiece.
• Between the PVD chuck and the Cylcro gears, this handpiece spends much more time in the doctor's hand & a lot less time in the repair shop.
• The smallest head with a 4 port water spray in dentistry.  In order to perform well, your must see well.  Having a handpiece that is small but has incredible torque and performance means your access to the field is better which means more efficient appointments with high quality preparations.

I truly feel that Bien Air has hit a home run with this product... and I don't say that lightly.  If you are looking to add to your electric armamentarium or if you are in the process of preparing to upgrade from air turbines to electric handpieces, be sure you to a close look at the new Nova.  I think you will be as impressed as I am.

Beware of Budget Composite Curing Lights

 Technology can be a double edged sword.  It can do amazing things, but it can also be used to perform amazing criminal acts.  One of those less than ethical things is selling goods that appear to be high quality but instead are not.

For the last decade many of us have been warning doctors about the risks of buying curing lights over the Internet from non name brand companies.  Often times a doctor, looking for a bargain will see an amazingly low price and make a purchase expecting the product to be similar to a name brand.

Unfortunately, curing lights are hard to judge.  You buy a light, it lights up blue, you figure it's doing what it is supposed to do...

However, that isn't always the case.  My friend Dr. Richard Price is part of a recently done study that should be required reading for the profession.  Dr. Price is a dentist and an amazing top-notch researcher as well.  I tell people that he may have forgotten more about curing lights than many of us will ever know.

The study he is part of compared "no name" curing lights against a well known quality brand unit.

Give the study a read and make your conclusions.  I think you'll see why many of us that teach have been encouraging name brand purchases...

Here is a link to the study.  

Bien-Air’s Nova Delivers New Standard in Electric Handpieces More Vision, Better Accessibility Top Enhanced Feature Set

 

For the past 2-3 months I've been evaluating the new Bien Air Nova electric handpiece.  I've used Bien Air in my own clinic for years and have always been happy with them.  They are durable,  powerful, and make doing dentistry easier.  One of the things about electric hand pieces that make them so much superior to air driven, is their power.  However, that sometimes comes as a tradeoff with the size of the handpiece head.

Bien Air has solved that problem with the new Nova.  The head is appreciably smaller and it is much easier to see around.  However, greater visibility is just ONE of the new features that make the Nova very special to me.  Here is the lowdown from the company...

Bien-Air Dental is excited to launch Nova, a new contra-angle engineered for practical innovation, optimal ergonomics and extreme reliability, at the 2022 Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting.

"Without agility, strength and power become ineffective. At Bien-Air, we approach our design and engineering problems from a holistic perspective to balance each point of strength—we don't want to reduce the weight if it means we increase noise, or we don't want to reduce the head size if it means you cannot use a standard length bur,” said Edgar Schönbächler, CEO of Bien-Air. “The Nova is our greatest achievement in making a handpiece that is smaller, quieter, and will last longer than any previous version. We were able to substantially reduce the size of the areas that come in contact with the fingertips of the user, without increasing vibration or reducing power. This makes the Nova a truly versatile tool—the, 'Swiss army knife' of dental handpieces." 

Nova is designed to overcome the challenges of a traditional handpiece. Highlights include:

• Small Head Packed with Power. The Nova’s small head and slim handle enhance the dentist’s field of vision and guarantee easier access in the abc of the mouth. It is the smallest head to also feature the Accu-Spray Quattro Mix system, focusing four asymmetrical air/water sprays on the end of the bur with laser precision to ensure optimal irrigation in the working area. Connected to one of Bien-Air’s LED motors, a multi-strand optical glass conductor simulates daylight conditions with reduced reflection for exceptional visibility in the working area.

• Unparalleled Ergonomics. In addition to being optimized for balance, the Nova’s stainless steel construction makes it the lightest handpiece in the Bien-Air portfolio. Its lightweight design improves the ergonomics and reduces wrist fatigue during day-to-day work. In addition, the perfectly optimized gears, and monobloc handle reduce both vibrations and the sound level for improved user comfort.

• Improved Reliability. The use of stainless steel significantly reduces wear on the handpiece and makes it 4 times more resistant to shocks. The chuck system features a new PVD coating that makes the opening/closing system more reliable and extends the service life by 30 % compared to a conventional handpiece. It also reduces the risk of jamming, allowing you to perform procedures without any interruptions. The Cylcro gears are designed to reduce friction and protect against wear. Thanks to the new design, the Nova offers double the service life of the previous generation.

• Enhanced Safety for Dentist and Patient. Risks of cross contamination are reduced thanks to the non-return valve and the Sealed Head protection. The non-return valve considerably reduces the flow of fluids from the oral cavity back into the dental unit’s hoses. Alongside this, the protective Sealed Head mechanism reduces the aspiration of fluids into the instrument head. Additionally, the patented Cool Touch+ heat-arresting technology integrated in the ceramic push-button prevents the build-up of heat to reduce the risk of burns to patients.

"Without compromising performance, our goal was to push the limits, to deliver the size and weight reduction demanded by the long hours kept by dental professionals," said Marco Gallina, VP of Innovation and Marketing for Bien-Air. "This is why we pushed ourselves to provide the smallest front bearing with four-port water spray, that will not overheat the working surface of the patient."

For more information about Nova or to schedule a demo, go to bienairusa.com/choosenova.

About Bien-Air Dental

Bien-Air develops dental instruments of the highest quality, recognized for Swiss-made precision that brings out the clinical best in dental practitioners. Founded by Swiss watchmaker Samuel Mosimann in 1959, the Bien-Air opened its US branch 20 later, delivering quality in product, service and support to dentists throughout North America. Find out more at bienairusa.com.

Announcing the 5th Annual Dental Hygiene Superhero Competition!

I just love to see a great idea take shape!  With that statement in mind, I'd like to give a shout out to the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association.  They have taken the idea of nominating someone who goes above and beyond expectations and turned it into a fun superhero themed competition.  Here are all the details...  

February 7, 2022 (Ottawa, ON) — Join forces with the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) as we mark our fifth year recognizing dental hygiene health care superheroes in communities across Canada. Championed by CDHA and sponsored by SENSODYNE, the Dental Hygiene Superhero competition runs from February 1 to May 17 and celebrates dental hygienists who educate and empower their clients to embrace the “oral health for total health” motto.

Do you know a dental hygienist who promotes oral health for disease prevention and overall wellness? “The SENSODYNE Superhero competition is a great way to share your experiences with us, and to recognize the impact your dental hygienist has had on your oral and overall health,” says Wendy Stewart, CDHA president. “As a dental hygienist, I am always so proud to hear stories about how dental hygienists make differences in people’s lives,” adds Stewart. Over the past four years more than 3,200 deserving dental hygienists have been nominated by employers, clients or colleagues. In 2022 we hope to exceed last year’s 778 nominations. Nominees are evaluated on their client focus, empowerment through education, accountability, leadership, integrity, respect, and compassion. 

Nominate your dental hygienist health care superhero today! www.dentalhygienecanada.ca/healthcaresuperhero. 

CDHA is the collective national voice of more than 30,200 dental hygienists in Canada, directly representing 21,000 individual members, including students. Since 1963, CDHA has worked to advance the profession and promote the importance of oral health. Dental hygiene is the sixth largest regulated health profession in Canada with professionals working in a variety of settings, including independent dental hygiene practice, with people of all ages, addressing issues related to oral health. For more information on oral health, visit: www.dentalhygienecanada.ca.

OraCare Doubles Down with Dentists to Support Cancer Patients

 Company Agrees to Mates Dental Practice Purchases of OraCare Rinse with In-kind Donations to Cancer Patients

In recognition of National World Cancer Day, OraCare is expanding the scope of its OraCare Cares program with an in- kind donation to cancer patients when participating dentists purchase OraCare Rinse. Under the new initiative, called “Your Order, Their Relief”, the company will send a free set of OraCare Rinse to patients suffering side effects of radiation or chemotherapy, with each order placed. 

“OraCare was invented for general hygiene patients as a better alternative to chlorhexidine rinses. But almost immediately we started hearing from cancer patients telling us that it provides incredible relief from their uncomfortable side effects. We started the OraCare Cares Program specifically to help more of these patients,” said Dr. Robert Martino, OraCare CEO. Initially launched in November of 2020, the OraCare Cares program invites OraCare practices to register their patients facing cancer treatment to receive a free rinse kit. To date, the program has helped more than 2,000 cancer patients. 

The new “Your Order, Their Relief” initiative expands the company’s scope of support for cancer patients by creating a pledge of in-kind donations for every order placed. Dental providers looking to support the initiative can purchase online at oracareproducts.com or via phone at (855) 255-6722. With each order, one set of rinse will be automatically donated to patients in need, as designated by the participating practice, complements of OraCare. 

“Cancer patients have a unique set of dental health challenges, and they rely on dentists and their teams to help them cope,” said Kristin Goodfellow RDH, OraCare’s Clinical Director. “We think World Cancer Day is the perfect occasion to announce our increased commitment to supporting OraCare practices which in turn help so many patients at the most challenging points in their lives.”

To learn more about the OraCare Cares Program and register your patients, please visit

oracareproducts.com/oracarecares. For additional questions, interviews, and information; please contact Leah Wray, OraCare Cares Program Manager.

About OraCare

OraCare products are dedicated to raising the standard of care in dentistry through the development, production, and delivery of revolutionary products. Our unique partnership with the dental community is built upon the promise that you can only find our products in the dental office setting. Each product in our line is backed by real science and centered around the ingredient activated chlorine dioxide. Our company was founded for dental professionals by dental professionals, so we understand the doctor-patient dynamic. All of our products reflect our commitment to creating better health for our patients and to advancing the dental profession through our providers.

Ultradent Now Distributing Dental Bone Grafting Plug

 

For several years now, in my practice we have used OsteoGen bone grafting materials.  They are easy to use and they provide exceptional clinical results.  So I was excited to recently learn that those materials are now available for ordering through Ultradent.  I'm a big fan of Ultradent products and we use a lot of their products in the day to day operation of our practice.  Needless to say I was excited to hear about Ultradent now selling OsteoGen materials.  We order a lot of our supplies from Ultradent so this will make our ordering that much easier.

The OsteoGen Plugs are outstanding materials and now they are even easier to order.  Here is the info from Ultradent:

Ultradent Products, Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of high-tech dental materials, is now distributing the OsteoGen® Plug by Impladent Ltd. 

The OsteoGen® Plug is a dental bone grafting plug that combines non-ceramic OsteoGen® bioactive resorbable calcium apatite crystals with a Type I bovine achilles tendon collagen matrix. The bioactive calcium apatite crystals create a structure that mimics the organic and inorganic characteristics of actual bone and is resorbable allowing it to be replaced by host bone tissue within a few months. The OsteoGen plug is radiolucent when placed but will become radiopaque within 3–5 months when it has been replaced with host bone tissue; implant placement can then be achieved. The OsteoGen® Plug is manufactured by Impladent Ltd. Jamaica, NY.

Warming Composite is No Longer an Interesting Concept

 

I've been a big fan of warm composite for years now.  I think that I started with the concept over 15 years ago and I've used it consistently ever since.  Of course you don't have to take my word for it, there has also been tons of research done on the concept and those studies show that the science doesn't lie.

In fact, you can find links to some of those studies as well as a video that shows the science if you follow this link to the Addent Website.

Warming composite increases curing density and makes the material easy to place as well.  In the link above, you can find info not only on warming composites but also on the Calmest device which is the warming device created by Addent.  I love the Calmest system and they have been in my treatment areas as long as I've been working with warmed composites.

However, the one drawback to warming bases is the fact that once you take the material off the warmer ti starts to cool down.  If only there was a way to keep the composite warm right up to the point that it is placed in the preparation.  So say "Hello" to the Compex HD from Addent.  It is the company's newest product the "Thermal Assisted Composite Dispenser".

This high tech device is a dispenser gun that heats the composite capsule as it sits in the barrel.  That solves the problem of the material being warm right up to the point it goes into the prep!

The Compex HD arrived in my office on January 31st and as I type this, I've used it  in a total of ONE procedure.  My initial impressions are very favorable.  The drive feels good in the hands, dispenses composite easily, and performs as expected.  Of course, one procedure is not nearly enough to give an overall evaluation.

I'll continue using it and will report back in a month or so on how my clinical evaluation has progressed.    For you early adopters out there, if you would like to order one of your own right now, here is the link to the Addent website.