Outside Job: A Look at Today’s Extraoral Radiography

Posted by Mike Wong on August 22, 2019

While clinicians typically rely on digital intraoral radiography to capture full mouth X-rays and bitewings, sometimes you just need a big picture. Extraoral radiographic imaging may be either film based or digital, and either two-dimensional (2D) as in panoramic or cephalometric imaging, or three-dimensional (3D) as in cone beam computed… Read More

The Pain Game: Diagnostics in Dentistry

Posted by Mike Wong on August 7, 2019

When a patient comes to you in pain, the source of the problem is not always easy to pin down. Diagnosis of the pain may be difficult because the patient may be uncertain of its exact location, and palpation, percussion, thermal testing, and X-rays don’t always identify it. But because… Read More

3D Printing: An Important Milestone on the High-Tech Highway

Posted by Mike Wong on July 31, 2019

Digital technology is increasingly common in many of today’s dental offices, and it includes some of the slickest technology ever to hit the dental profession. Clinicians who travel the digital workflow route often report higher patient treatment acceptance, faster treatment times, an efficiency boost, enhanced precision, increased revenue, and cost… Read More

The Benefits of Going Cordless in Dentristry

Posted by Mike Wong on July 23, 2019

It’s gotten to the point these days, that it might be hard to find dental technology that isn’t cordless. Available in everything from curing lights and obturation systems to intraoral cameras and ultrasonic scalers, cordless technology is an increasingly common choice for busy practitioners. Cordless devices tend to be quieter,… Read More

Ergonomic Adjustments Can Foster Improved Hand and Wrist Health

Posted by Mike Wong on July 16, 2019

When it comes to practicing dentistry, there’s nothing like a good pair of hands. Unfortunately, the profession can take a toll on hands, wrists, and pretty much everything else, in the form of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Research shows that oral health care practitioners are at high risk of developing work-related… Read More

Bulk-Fill Composite Resins Save Time and Limit Operator Errors

Posted by Mike Wong on July 9, 2019

To ensure complete cure and to minimize problems associated with polymerization shrinkage, composite resins, used for direct restorations, have traditionally been placed and cured incrementally, one layer at a time, with none exceeding 2 mm.1 But, especially in deep cavities, this process can be time consuming and fraught with multiple… Read More

Minimizing the Risk of Cross Contamination in Dental Practice

Posted by Mike Wong on July 1, 2019

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while disease transmission among patients and dental health care personnel is rare, if proper infection control and preventive protocols are not followed, any dental practice can become ground zero for a number of contagious viruses.1 The CDC counts unsafe… Read More

Dentinal Hypersensitivity: Causes and Treatment Strategies

Posted by Mike Wong on June 25, 2019

You love ice cream, but suddenly that triple fudge cone doesn’t seem so appealing due to dentinal hypersensitivity.  Though statistics vary widely, research indicates that dentinal hypersensitivity affects more than half of all patients, especially in the 20 to 40 age group,1 with women slightly more affected than men.2 Characterized… Read More

Zeroing in on Xerostomia

Posted by Mike Wong on June 17, 2019

Saliva plays many roles in the oral cavity. Composed of 99.5% water, this biofluid is endowed with elements such as electrolytes, mucus, proteins and enzymes. Together, they help to maintain oral hygiene through continuous bathing of the mouth in antimicrobial, optimally pH-balanced fluid, countering acidic conditions favored by cariogenic bacteria. Read More

Gingival Recession: An Equal Opportunity Condition

Posted by Mike Wong on June 4, 2019

Gingival recession affects many of us as we grow older, but it can become a problem at any age. In fact, according to one study, while 88% of adults age 65 and older experience gingival recession, 50% of adults between the ages of 18 and 64 develop it in multiple… Read More