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A new study looks at the highly sophisticated structure of teeth and how this structure could be applied to aircraft and space vehicles of the future. It's been a mystery: how can our teeth withstand such an enormous amount of pressure, over many years, when tooth enamel is only about as strong as glass? Professor Herzl Chai of Tel Aviv University's School of Mechanical Engineering and his colleagues at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and George Washington University gives the answer. The researchers applied varying degrees of mechanical pressure to hundreds of extracted teeth, and studied what occurred on the surface and deep inside them. The study, published in the May 5, 2009, issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, shows that it is the highly-sophisticated structure of our teeth that keeps them in one piece — and that structure holds promising clues for aerospace engineers as they build the aircraft and space vehicles of the future. Check it out at Science Daily.
“White wine rots your teeth… and brushing makes it worse,” claimed the Daily Mail today, a British newspaper. This statement was based on a study published in the Journal of Nutrition Research. According to the study, dental erosion from red wine is not as severe. 'The tradition of enjoying different cheeses for dessert or in combination with drinking wine might have a beneficial effect on preventing dental erosion because cheese contains calcium in a high concentration.' The British National Health Service takes issue with the research and findings. What do you think?
Children are not "left behind" in the Democratic versions of the health care reform proposals, as reported by Kaiser Health News. This is encouraging news for our nation's children, but not without some pitfalls according to some. Your thoughts?
Researchers in China have hypothesized that third molar tooth buds could be harvested during development and later used to replace missing teeth in the future. Could this mean the end of dental implant treatment? The dental implant manufacturers probably have nothing to worry about anytime soon. Time will tell. Comments?
Congratulations on 150 Years!
The American Dental Association turned 150 years old this year, and it’s in very good health for its age. With 157,000 members, the ADA represents more than 70 percent of U.S. dentists, making it the world’s largest and oldest national dental association—America’s leading advocate for oral health.
It's hard to believe that the ADA has been in existence for 150 years. Are you satisfied with the benefits of membership, and the role that the ADA has played in organized dentistry, public health and dental awareness?
One of the newest treatments on the frontier of cosmetic dentistry is Juvederm and Restylane. These are injectable fillers that can create fullness in the lips,as well as to eliminate "smiles lines". We have all been taught that the lips are the frame for the smile, and the teeth represent the "artwork". An increasing number of restorative dentists have embraced these techniques and are incorporating them into their daily esthetic dentistry practices. What are thoughts about this? Any experience?
The American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) said times have changed and patients should forego prolonged dental heroics to save failing teeth and replace them with long-lasting dental implants.
"There really is no justification for undergoing multiple endodontic or periodontic procedures, and enduring the pain and financial burden, to save a diseased tooth," said John Minichetti, DDS, speaking for the AAID. "The days are over for saving teeth till they fall out. Preserving questionable teeth is not the best option from both oral health and cosmetic perspectives."
This is certainly true in modern dental times. The question for many practitioners is "Where do you draw the line?", or "At what point do you condemn the tooth?" There is definitely a difference in opinion in this regard. Do you typically rely on your own personal judgement, or that of a specialist, or maybe both?
