Dental Research

Infection is one of the biggest risks of any surgical procedure, and no dentist wants his or her patients to suffer from ongoing problems. But according to a study of Minnesota dental patients in five counties, prescribing antibiotics as a "just in case" measure may have repercussions that dentists don't see. The results of the 7-year study, shared with attendees...

Gum disease runs the range of being mildly uncomfortable to downright painful. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control estimate that nearly half -- 47.2 percent -- of adults over age 30 have some form of periodontal disease. Caused by harmful oral bacteria that proliferate in our mouths, periodontal disease symptoms range from sensitive or bleeding gums to gums pulling...

The field of nanodentistry is progressing rapidly from theory to practice as dental researchers seek ever more precise methods for dentists to maintain and improve oral health. Nanotechnology has been at the forefront of scientific advances for decades. It has not had, until recently, viable clinical applications. Nanotechnology is based on manipulating matter at the cellular level. The term nano is...

Dental health problems, particularly the impact of various types of dental bacteria, is a complicated situation that is difficult to assess. Numerous studies have been taken to understand how genetics and environmental factors impact a child's dental development. The finding of one recent study is worth examining alongside that of similar reviews to get a feel for how parents...

Researchers at Umea University in Sweden have recently released the results of a study that links highly virulent types of the Streptococcus mutans bacterium to children with increased risk of dental caries. The study, conducted over five years, sampled saliva from 452 children at 12 years of age and then reviewed their dental health again at 17 after five years of ordinary dental and...

It seems like science fiction, but researchers at The University of Nevada Las Vegas have developed a method for the harvestation of viable, preservable stem cells from tooth root pulp. The stem cells are then multiplied in Petri dishes and frozen for possible future use to treat any number of chronic illnesses. The multidisciplinary research team at UNLV has worked diligently to develop a...

The composite resin materials that are used in fillings and other dental restorations are durable and easy to match to the tooth's enamel color, but they don't do anything special to repel the bacteria that led to decay in the first place. Further, they don't help eradicate harmful bacteria from forming on and around the new filling. Now, researchers...

Should amalgam fillings be completely banned? While there's no scientific proof that the metals in amalgam can negatively impact human health, patient request and concern has made composite resin fillings more popular in recent years. But amalgam may be tougher and a better choice for a subset of people who have genetic or environmental factors that negatively influence their ability...

A particularly intriguing study from the field of anthropology may give modern dental practitioners a way to see if their patients are low on Vitamin D. Vitamin D is produced by the human body in the presence of sunlight and is necessary for bone growth and health -- including teeth. The fat-soluble vitamin is also needed for cell growth, immune system function...

The world has been using digital products for so long that no one can remember the old analog days. On the other hand, those needing dental help remember the analog days, because they're still with us. Making a plaster mold of the mouth, sending off for crowns, bridges, partial plates and dentures are still analog procedures. It seems the...