The filter principle: Is every patient a finals patient?

You remember finals, don’t you? Of course you do. Your examiners carefully selected a patient(s) for you to examine and diagnose and for whom to present a treatment plan. The finals patients were unlucky enough to have more than one dental problem and you were marked on finding all of them and your ability to determine a set of solutions for the patient.

Jan 25, 2012 | DENTAL HYGIENE

Guidance evolving on cleaning dental implants

As a dental implant sales rep, I speak with many clinicians on a daily basis about implants. Coming from a background of 28 years as a dental hygienist, the topic of cleaning dental implants always seems to come up in conversation. These communications suggest that the majority of dentists and hygienists are experiencing a great deal of frustration and misunderstanding about the biology and the armamentarium used when maintaining dental implants.

Jan 18, 2012 | GENERAL DENTISTRY

Case report: Internal root resorption rules out restoration

For decades, case reports and scientific studies have described the condition of internal root resorption. A recent web search related to internal root resorption revealed 247 results in PubMed and more than 1 million results in Google. According to many of the studies, internal root resorption is infrequently detected in clinical or radiographic examinations of teeth, but is a frequent finding in teeth with pulp inflammation or necrosis.

Jan 17, 2012 | PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

HR 101: Tees and tats causing a stir

Amber is an assistant in Dr. D’s office. She’s what you picture when you think “free spirited.” She likes to color her hair a new shade every month: bleach blond, jet black, fiery red, etc. She has a few ear piercings. It’s a somewhat edgy style but not offensive … until recently.

Jan 11, 2012 | DENTAL LAB

Let patients test-drive their new smiles

The decision to pursue ceramic dental restorations is a major one for most patients. There may be a concern that the results will turn out to be different from what the patient imagined — or perhaps the patient simply cannot picture the vast improvement to appearance that a well-designed dental restoration can create.

Jan 5, 2012 | COSMETIC DENTISTRY

Life-saving treatment includes complete maxillary and mandibular dentures

Michael Boyd, a 55-year-old male, lived a life of many challenges. By age 52, Michael had a diabetic medical emergency and upon recovery was relieved of his job. At that point his diabetes had already caused him to lose one foot and a portion of his other foot. Getting around was a challenge, but it didn’t stop him from helping others.

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