Dear Restoratives Insider,
When a 52-year-old man in overall good health presented at New York University's School of Dentistry clinic with extreme enamel erosion that had occurred in a matter of months, it took a bevy of specialists to unravel the mystery.
A number of possibilities were debated before one faculty member discovered that the source of the patient's problem was in an exercise routine. Read more about this bizarre case, chronicled in the September Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, in our latest Restoratives Insider Exclusive.
In other Restoratives Community news, a recent study in the Journal of Endodontics found that when it comes to referring patients for dental implants, the majority of general dentists would not choose an endodontist. Find out why here.
That article prompted one endodontist to pen a response expressing his concerns about the impact single-tooth replacement with implants is having on endodontics "as a science and a specialty." Click here to read his Second Opinion commentary.
Meanwhile, an article in the Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry provided an informative overview of advances in light-curing technology and composite materials that have occurred over the last 20 years. While these advances are, for the most part, positive, they have also made the process more challenging, and manufacturers aren't providing enough guidance, according to one light-curing expert. Click here to read his advice on curing times.
In legal news, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is being taken to task for denying Medicare coverage for dental services to patients with diseases such as oral cancer and Sjögren's syndrome. Read more about this ongoing lawsuit here.
And a group of consumers has filed a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California claiming the water district's fluoridation program is using an unapproved drug that violates their Constitutional rights. Read more.
In research news, a new peptide developed at the University of Leeds could open the door to improved remineralization techniques. Find out how it performed in a small human trial here.
Meanwhile, a study in Caries Research found that oolong tea may help prevent the development of caries by inhibiting dental plaque. Read more.
Finally, in our ongoing Leaders in Dentistry series, we spoke with Joel Weaver, DDS, PhD, an accomplished dental anesthesiologist from Ohio State University, to get his views on drug shortages, the safety of administering general anesthesia to very young patients, and other current topics in dental anesthesiology. Read our exclusive Q&A with him here.
