Could buprenorphine replace morphine? And, Fla. to pay implant group $725,000

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Addiction clinics use it to wean patients off opioid dependence. Physicians sometimes turn to it as an analgesic. Will dentists be next to experience the wonders of buprenorphine, a drug that has 30 times as much pain-relieving power as morphine without the same addictive qualities? A commercial version for dentistry is now in clinical trials. Find out more by clicking here or visiting the Restoratives Community.

Meanwhile, the state of Florida is paying the American Academy of Implant Dentistry $725,000 for legal costs incurred in a seven-year battle over dentists' rights to advertise their dental credentials in the state. But the state dental board reportedly is crafting new rules that some say will make the original court ruling moot. Should other states be worried? Read more.

And over in the Cosmetics Community, we're highlighting some of the new products you may have missed at the Chicago Midwinter Meeting. Click here to read more.

Finally, in her latest Second Opinion column, Dr. Helaine Smith considers the growing popularity of mouthguards among professional athletes and wonders why some dental professionals still question the viability of the advances that are changing the way people manage their oral health.