Dental Research

The International Federation of Dental Hygienists, or IFDH, has always encouraged a high level of autonomy in dental hygienists. Autonomy refers to a person's ability and responsibility to make important decisions without external control or, in our line of work, making decisions about a patient's care without a dentist approving or standing over our shoulders. Mostly, in America and Canada,...

In Norway, dental treatment is run by the Public Dental Service (PDS) and is free for children, adolescents, and young adults until age 19. Anyone who has a documented mental disorder, developmental disability, the geriatric population, and people who live in assisted living or utilize at-home nursing care receive free dental care. As an extension to this rule, in...

Patients experiencing tooth loss may benefit from dentures or dental implants, but tooth transplants also show promising results. In a recent study, researchers used a substance extracted from the patient's own blood called concentrated growth factor, in addition to 3D-printed tooth replicas, to promote healing and recovery from tooth transplant surgery. Medical Applications of Concentrated Growth Factor A platelet-rich substance called concentrated growth...

Organ failure results from a variety of reasons, like genetic disorders, drug or alcohol abuse, or injury. In addition to treatments and medications, an organ transplant may increase the patient's quality of life, but sometimes an immune response causes the patient's body to reject the donor's organ. Immunosuppressive medications reduce this immune response, but with unfortunate side effects, like...

Patients who experience bruxism, or teeth grinding and clenching, often suffer from jaw pain, tooth sensitivity, headaches, and other symptoms. A diagnosis usually starts with a patient's self-report data, but bruxism may go unnoticed for those who grind their teeth unconsciously. A recent study from Switzerland shows promising results in using panoramic radiographs to diagnose bruxism by looking for changes in...

A new study by New York University Rory Meyer College of Nursing researchers found that each tooth you lose increases your risk of dementia and cognitive impairment. In their findings, published in JAMDA: The Journal of Post-Acute and Long-term Care Medicine, the researchers report a decreased risk of cognitive decline in older adults using dentures. These findings suggest that you...

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a smart dental implant. The implant will resist bacterial growth and generate electricity from its piezoelectric qualities. The electricity could power a light for phototherapy that will protect periodontal tissue from inflammation and disease. The Smart Dental Implant Millions of Americans have dental implants, which replace missing teeth due to decay, injury, or...

Is the phrase mind over matter true? A group of scientists has decided to test this theory by evaluating whether a person's sense of coherence and other psychological factors can have a noticeable impact on their oral health-related quality of life after receiving periodontal treatment. Their study, "Do psychological factors predict changes in oral health-related quality of life and...

Good oral health is essential for overall health and if you want to enjoy a higher quality of life. Harmful dental conditions such as periodontitis can have a serious impact on the body and systemic health. A recent scientific study examined whether the baseline stage and grade could predict future tooth loss due to periodontitis. The study, "The influence...

Background on Peri-implant Diseases and Conditions Implant placement for adults has been increasing and is expected to reach 17% by 2026 for adults age 35 and older who have lost at least one permanent tooth due to periodontal disease or caries.1 Over the years, significant improvement with implant survival rate has been observed, which is predicted to be 95%.2,3 However,...