According to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID), 15 million Americans have crown or bridge replacements and three million have dental implants – with this latter number rising by 500,000 a year. The AAID estimates that the value of the American and European market for dental implants will rise to $4.2 billion by 2022. …

Researchers at Okayama University report in Scientific Reports successful tooth regeneration in a postnatal large-animal model. The approach used involves the autologous transplantation of bioengineered tooth germ into a canine jawbone; the in vivo artificially created tooth has the structure, composition and physiological characteristics of a natural tooth. Conventional therapies for restoring the loss of…

A new review published online in the scientific journal Addiction has found that dental patients with substance use disorders have more tooth decay and periodontal disease than the general population, but are less likely to receive dental care. With drug use increasing by approximately three million new users each year, this is a problem that…

New research suggests there is a strong correlation between obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and complications with previously implanted oral prosthetics. OSA is a relatively common condition where the walls of the throat relax and narrow during sleep, interrupting normal breathing. The sleep disorder has been linked to sleep bruxism, a condition where a person clenches and tightens…

In a study of 1566 community-dwelling Japanese elderly who were followed for 5 years, the risk of developing dementia was elevated in individuals with fewer remaining teeth. Individuals with 10-19, 1-9, and no teeth had 62%, 81%, and 63% higher risks of dementia, respectively, than individuals with >20 teeth. Likewise, an inverse association was observed…

Ancient DNA found in the dental plaque of Neandertals – our nearest extinct relative – has provided remarkable new insights into their behaviour, diet and evolutionary history, including their use of plant-based medicine to treat pain and illness. Published in the journal Nature, an international team led by the University of Adelaide’s Australian Centre for…

A new method of detecting bacteria during root canal treatments could eradicate the need for follow up appointments and prevent treatments from failing, according to a study published in the Journal of Dental Research. The SafeRoot device, created by a team of researchers at King’s College London, enables rapid bacterial detection inside the root canal,…

A tailored preventive oral health intervention significantly improved the cleanliness of teeth and dentures among elderly home care clients. In addition, functional ability and cognitive function were strongly associated with better oral hygiene, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland. The study is part of a larger intervention study, NutOrMed, and…

Dr Michael Norton will become the the first ever non-American president of the Academy of Osseointegration (AO), when he is inaugurated in Orlando, Florida later this month (18 March). The AO is one of the world’s premier implant organisations. It was founded in 1986 by the original group of clinicians who returned to the US…

Most people know to brush and floss their teeth regularly. However, many people have questions about whether water flossing is an alternative to traditional flossing. Read on for more information on each of these techniques, and whether one is better than the other. Flossing Brushing the teeth is an effective way of removing food…