Dear Restoratives & Cosmetics Insider,
Whitening patients' teeth is a simple service that can have a big effect on their lives. Participants in a recent study ranked models with white teeth as more popular, friendly, intelligent, and confident.
Models with whiter teeth were also deemed to be younger and better educated by study participants. You can read the full results in this edition's Insider Exclusive.
Given the demand for bright smiles, you may want to warn patients against risky do-it-yourself whitening methods, such as one that went viral on TikTok this summer after a TikTok user suggested whitening teeth with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. In the video, the woman claimed she had used the melamine foam sponge on her own teeth for the past two years, drawing concern and condemnation from dentists on the platform.
Also new in the Restoratives & Cosmetics Community, a pair of randomized controlled trials found low-level lasers reduced pain following extraction and implant surgeries. The blinded split-mouth studies each enrolled about a dozen participants, who reported significantly less pain on the side treated with the laser.
Speaking of dental procedures, you've likely seen an influx of patients with cracked teeth during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a recent video, Dr. Stephen Abrams shared how he approached the case of one patient who called his office last summer saying she had cracked a tooth. His treatment plan ultimately included more than just a root canal.
Last but not least, Halloween is around the corner, which means dental offices may be in for some frightening emergency cases. In one recent case study, emergency clinicians detailed the Halloween fright of a 55-year-old man who got fake vampire fangs stuck in his mouth. A team of maxillofacial surgeons had to use a special dental technique to remove the fangs, but the man made a complete recovery.
