FDA Panel to Review Classification of Blade-Form Implants

FDA Panel to Review Classification of Blade-Form Implants

Written by Dentistry TodayFriday, 24 May 2013 08:09

The Food and Drug Administration may soon lower the risk class of blade-form dental implants.

An advisory panel will meet in July to analyze the case of lowering the blade-form endosseous dental implants from the highest risk category to a lower one.

The FDA will look at reclassifying Class III devices into the Class II category. The FDA believes that certain controls can effectively monitor the risks associated with these types of implants. These devices have been discussed for numerous years.

The devices have displayed a high success rate in regards to staying implanted in the mouth without the necessity for removal. It also appears as though these implants have the ability to hold up over time.

The dental blade-form implant was created to be put in place of tooth roots, in addition to providing support in the gingival tissue through the oral cavity. The goal is to allow the possibility for chewing. These implants are rectangular-shaped with a narrow edge. The implants are often made of titanium.

These implants are one of the few Class III devices left. They were first placed into that category because they are implanted in the body and can cause pain at any moment based on nerve impingement or bone issues in the jaw. There also may be extremely damaging effects if a person with these implants undergoes an MRI. Nerve damage or tissue infections are some of the possibilities stemming from an MRI.

The Dental Products Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee will meet on July 18 to discuss this topic.

Soda, Some Drugs Impact Teeth Same Way

Soda, Some Drugs Impact Teeth Same Way

Written by Dentistry TodayWednesday, 29 May 2013 10:20

Judging by the impact on teeth, it may be difficult to tell the difference between methamphetamine use, crack cocaine use and soda consumption.

At least that’s what a new study says. The study, which was published in the March/April 2013 issue of General Dentistry, says that all of those substances can cause the same amount of teeth erosion.

Tooth erosion stems from acid wearing away at the tooth enamel. The teeth then become more vulnerable to cavities, discoloration or other issues.

To compile the data, three people were studied. One person was a methamphetamine user, another was a longtime cocaine user and the third person consumed large amounts of diet soda. All of the participants had poor oral hygiene and did not often frequent the dentist.

Just like the citric component in soda, the ingredients utilized in methamphetamine are corrosive, including things such as battery acid, drain cleaner or lantern fuel. Cocaine could be considered an acidic substance as well.

The soda drinker of the group consumed 2 liters of diet soda on a daily basis for three to five years. The impact on the teeth was so similar to the drug users that it begs the question of whether or not soda should ever be consumed.

Switching to more water over soda is always a good idea. Rinsing with water or chewing sugarless gum can also minimize the effects of soda by promoting saliva flow.

UAB School of Dentistry Tops in Research Funding

UAB School of Dentistry Tops in Research Funding

Written by Dentistry TodayWednesday, 29 May 2013 15:35

No school receives more funding for dental research than the School of Dentistry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

The $12.5 million given to the school in 2012 was No. 1 in the nation.

The school received a grant of $67 million last year, enabling the school to jump from 15th to the top spot on the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Researcher list. The seven-year deal was based on the institute’s three regional research networks, which are combined into a nationally coordinated effort to conduct studies on the best practices in dental care. This effort was given $9.9 million in 2012.

UAB previously reached as high as No. 4 on the list in 2011 when the school received $4.25 million.

The rest of this year’s top five included Forsyth Institute ($9.84 million), the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor ($9.76 million), the University of California San Francisco ($8.52 million) and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill ($8.35 million).