Dear Cosmetic Dentistry Insider,
White-spot lesions (WSLs) are a source of ongoing frustration for many orthodontists and patients. While there are a number of treatment options, are any of them truly effective?
A new systematic review examined the impact one popular treatment approach -- remineralizing agents -- has on WSLs and found a lack of evidence to support its effectiveness. But another researcher says orthodontists should continue to use these agents for a number of reasons, and that more studies of WSL treatments are needed. Read more.
Elsewhere in the Cosmetics Community news, when Dr. Lawrence Wallace first developed and began marketing his Larell one-hour denture system, he was met with skepticism from many in the dental community who wondered how it was possible to create a set of dentures in such a short amount of time. But a growing chorus of satisfied customers is proving that it is. Click here to read how Dr. Wallace's invention is transforming peoples' lives.
Meanwhile, do successful people share similar aesthetic traits? After comparing images of smiling faces selected from Time magazine's annual list of the 100 most influential people from 2006-2010, Spanish researchers have found consistencies in their facial features, according to a study in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation.
In other clinical research news, the consumption of sugary sodas has contributed to frustrating treatment results in orthodontics for years. A recent study in Angle Orthodontist found that resin infiltration treatment can yield better bond strengths in metal brackets even with regular exposure to Coca-Cola and Sprite.
Another study found that red wine is a bigger culprit than coffee when it comes to enamel staining following teeth-whitening treatment.
And dentists in Ireland are expressing concern that many teeth-whitening providers are unlicensed. Learn how they're responding to the proliferation of whitening services here.
Meanwhile, the Massachusetts dental board has decided that dentists may perform Botox treatments in their practices.
Finally, Merck was found accountable for a 69-year-old New York woman's osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) that resulted from her taking Merck's Fosamax bisphosphonate drug. Novartis also lost its most recent bisphosphonate/ONJ trial.
