Month: November 2019

3M Oral Care attracts the crowds

3M Oral Care made a big impact at this year’s BDIA Dental Showcase.

 Impressing crowds of delegates that gathered at its stand, 3M presented one of its most recent innovations – Filtek Universal restorative. The new, stress-free way to restore, Filtek Universal restorative from 3M offers a simplified shade selection and new shades for complex conditions – Extra White (XW) for bleached teeth and Pink Opaquer to mask metal or treat stained dentition.[i]

3M also showed off the lightning-fast setting prowess of its Impregum Super Quick polyether impression material. Faster, better tasting and versatile to clinicians’ needs, Impregum Super Quick combines the speed of a VPS with the world-famous accuracy of Polyether.

If you missed 3M Oral Care at the BDIA Showcase, be sure to contact the team today to learn more.

 

For more information, call  01509 380090 or visit www.3M.co.uk/Dental

 

END

 

3M, Filtek and Impregum are trademarks of the 3M Company.

[i] 3M Oral Care Internal data. Masking with Pink Opaquer. Claim 7393.

 

Mastering digital smile design – Dr Michaela Sehnert – The BACD’s Sixteenth Annual Conference 7th – 9th November 2019

There’s no doubt that digital smile design (DSD) has revolutionised the provision of dental treatment. Clinicians can use the latest technology and software to take videos and photographs, and create digital mock-ups of a patient’s dental and facial features. This provides a clearer representation of the relationship between a patient’s lips, teeth, and gums, and how they work together to form the smile. This data can then be used to formulate a tailored treatment plan to achieve more effective and predictable results.

The BACD’s Sixteenth Annual Conference will provide the perfect platform to explore the topic of DSD in depth. With a world-class speaker line-up, this event promises to be an exciting highlight of this year’s dental calendar, offering the chance for delegates to find out more about the latest trends and innovations relating to cosmetic dentistry. Among the speakers who are looking forward to sharing their wisdom and providing guidance on DSD is Dr Michaela Sehnert.

After studying at Leipzig University and the University of Greifswald, Dr Sehnert worked for two and a half years as a dentist at a practice in Halle (Saale) in Germany, providing holistic dental treatment. In 2016, the mother of two became the owner of another practice in the same city, which she renovated and digitised in order to offer the latest dental treatments. This range has expanded since she started providing Invisalign solutions, enabling Dr Sehnert and her team to implement a modern, predictable and minimally invasive digital workflow.

Dr Sehnert now holds training courses for dentists who wish to become a certified provider of the Invisalign Go system. She is excited to be leading a hands-on workshop – supported by Align Technology – at the BACD Annual Conference, where she will demonstrate how clinicians can use digital technology to achieve predictable results for their ortho-restorative cases. Speaking about her session, she says:

“I’ve always had a vision of providing modern dental treatments, but in a way that ensures patients benefit from an outstanding experience within my practice. My aim is to show delegates how I work and how I have improved my dentistry since I became a practice owner. I will discuss the importance of delivering an exceptional treatment experience, getting patients passionate about treatment, having a motivated dental team, and why patients appreciate this. I will also explain how practitioners can use simple techniques to create a positive impression on patients in order to distinguish themselves from competitors.

“The main focus of my workshop at the BACD Annual Conference will be the digital workflow. Through some example cases – including those that involve Invisalign solutions or composite workflows using iTero intraoral scanners – I will demonstrate how delegates can achieve excellent treatment results quickly and easily. I will also talk about how the iTero Element 5D system and the ClinCheck software can be used to help clinicians better communicate with patients to increase treatment acceptance rates.

“My workshop is not only for dentists, but for the whole dental team. I’d like to show other dental professionals what I’ve done with my practice over the last three years. I also hope to share my experiences of digital dentistry and provide useful tips on developing a successful business. Delegates should leave my session feeling inspired and motivated to adapt their practice workflows in favour of a more digital approach. The digital practice is now, not tomorrow.”

Don’t miss out on the chance to gain some tips and tricks on DSD with Dr Sehnert’s workshop at the Annual Conference. The rest of this event is set to be an inspiring and insightful one, with an eclectic trade show exhibition providing the opportunity for you to get hands-on with the latest dental equipment and materials. You can also look forward to joining an exclusive Gala Dinner, where delegates are encouraged to don their best outfit for an exciting masquerade ball. This is where you’ll be able to let your hair down with friends and colleagues, or seize the chance to network with some of the industry’s leading lights.

Dr Sehnert says: “I have never attended the BACD Annual Conference before, but I’m really excited to. I’ve only heard good things about the Academy and this event, which has been praised for being a place where dental professionals can share their knowledge and talk about dentistry beyond the walls of their own practice.” 

 

Visit the BACD website to book your ticket to this celebrated event. You can sign up as BACD member and benefit from discounted booking rates!

 

The BACD Sixteenth Annual Conference 2019

‘Delivering Excellence: Tradition vs. Innovation’

7th – 9th November 2019

Millennium Gloucester Hotel

Kensington, London

 

For further enquiries about the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, visit www.bacd.com

Health prevention in the 2020’s

Former Chief Dental Officer, Barry Cockcroft looks at current provisions within dentistry.

The Government published its long awaited green paper on prevention in July. There has been some coverage in the dental press since then but most of it has had a very narrow focus. The green paper makes specific reference to consulting on a new school toothbrushing scheme and makes probably the strongest statement of support for targeted water fluoridation that any government has done previously. Both of these are valuable opportunities and will need to be promoted and supported strongly by the profession if they are to develop into actual schemes. However, to focus purely on the direct references in the document would be to miss one of the wider essential points that it is making which has a direct relevance to oral health.

For years the NHS has been a service focused organisation, sometimes fixated by the efficacy of hospital procedures and the unacceptable waiting times, often focussing on the length of life rather than the quality of life. This paper emphasises that what we should also be measuring is the quality of life and how we can deliver more ‘QALYS’ rather than just increasing life expectancy. QALYS stands for quality added life years and for the first time, probably, recognises that life expectancy on its own is not a good measure. Many people of my generation have had to deal with helping to look after older relatives, which can be very difficult and sometimes distressing, while at the same time bringing up children; this is much more common now and an increasing issue.

So how do we increase the number of quality life years and how is it relevant to dentistry? Soon after I joined the Department of health in 2002, Ian Philp, the then ‘older persons czar’ produced a paper setting out what most improved the quality of life for older people which became known in the Department as the teeth and feet report. Ian said that setting aside ongoing existing medical conditions that clearly needed treating, the two things that most improved the quality of life for older people were healthy feet, enabling them to remain active and mobile, and a functioning natural dentition, to enable them to eat a healthy and varied diet and to be able to communicate effectively.

Having worked in the dental and eyecare division of the Department for health for over 10 years I would add good eyesight to this list. Over the last couple of decades the growth in the older population has been huge. Thankfully, most are now dentate, which helps them eat, but they will need oral healthcare to maintain their dentition in a healthy condition. The recent report by the Care Quality Commission on the availability of dental care for residents of care homes made grim reading, especially when you realise that there are more people being cared for, in some way or another, in their own homes than are actually residents in care homes. Perhaps NHS England should use some of the money it gets back from under delivered contracts to support this type of service. It may not need to always be dentists providing the help but other members of the dental team helping care home staff understand the oral health needs of their residents has been shown to be very beneficial.

Both eyecare and podiatry services seem to be even more like ‘cinderella services’ than dentistry. As we face the challenges associated with an ageing population, prevention needs to be taken just as seriously in the ophthalmic world as it does in dentistry. Setting aside the obvious benefit to the individual concerned, the cost to the social care budget of a person losing their sight in later life is huge. The same goes for podiatry where immobility leads to other complications which are unpleasant for the individual concerned and costly to deal with for the service.

In the run up to what looks like an inevitable general election the new Prime Minister has promised more investment in our hospitals but the answer to many of the problems now faced by our hospitals does not lie in giving them yet more money, it lies in greater investment in prevention and primary care where most people are best treated if at all possible.

In our area Primary Care Networks are being established but, so far, to me they look like networks of GPs, we need our medical colleagues to realise that other members of the healthcare workforce have a significant role to play… But I am not (yet) optimistic.

World Diabetes Day – Dr Federico Tinti Specialist Periodontist – Ten Dental

 

Over the last 40 years, the number of people with diabetes has risen from 108 million to 422 million worldwide.[i] It is estimated that there are at least 4 million people in the UK living with either diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes, and this figure is predicted to increase to 5 million by 2025.[ii] These alarming statistics emphasise the importance of World Diabetes Day, which takes place every year in November and is co-ordinated by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) to help raise awareness of the condition, and encourage people to seek the care they require to prevent or manage it. As dental professionals, it is vital that we understand the effects of diabetes on general and oral health, so that we can provide relevant treatment to those with the disease.

What is diabetes?

The pancreas produces a hormone known as insulin, which helps glucose (sugar) pass from the food we eat into our cells to be used as energy for the body. When a patient has diabetes, their body either does not make enough insulin, or cannot use it as well as it should, which results in high levels of glucose remaining in the blood.[iii] The most prevalent types of diabetes are type 1 and type 2, but patients can suffer from other rarer types of diabetes. With type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks beta cells in the pancreas until it is incapable of producing insulin. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, but it can occur at any age. This condition can be managed by taking insulin every day, but it is currently incurable and irreversible.

Type 2 diabetes is characterised by the body losing its ability to respond to insulin. The body tries to compensate for this by producing more insulin, but it cannot always produce enough. Over time, this effect can place strain on the beta cells in the pancreas, thereby destroying them and diminishing insulin production. People can develop type 2 diabetes at any age – even during childhood – but it is more prevalent in middle-aged and older individuals, and is the most common type of diabetes.[iv] Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be similar to those of type 1, but are often less obvious. As a result, the disease may not be diagnosed until several years after onset, once complications have already risen. Although type 2 diabetes is also incurable, the latest research demonstrates that it is possible for some patients to put the condition into remission through diet changes, exercise, or weight loss surgery.[v]

How does diabetes affect the body?

Diabetes – especially when undiagnosed and uncontrolled – can cause long-term damage to many parts of the body. This is due to the fact that diabetes can damage blood vessels and nerves, restricting blood circulation throughout the body, and raising cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Patients with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease (CVD) or stroke, compared to those who are free from the disease.[vi] Diabetics are also at a 40% increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease.[vii] In some cases, nerve damage as a result of diabetes may necessitate amputation of the affected extremity. Current figures show that 169 people in the UK each week are having to undergo a diabetes-related amputation procedure.[viii] 

Beyond this, diabetes can have devastating effects on oral health. Periodontal disease is one of the most common oral complications of uncontrolled diabetes, with the risk of periodontitis being around three times higher for diabetics than non-diabetics.[ix], [x] The literature currently places great emphasis on a two-way relationship between the two conditions, meaning uncontrolled diabetes can increase inflammation in the periodontal tissue, while periodontitis can compromise glycaemic control, thereby exacerbating the severity of diabetes.[xi] Where a diabetic patient presents with a history of poor glycaemic control or poor periodontal health, referral to a specialist for required treatment to restore dental function and aesthetics may be necessary.

In this case, it is important to choose a referral partner who will be able to co-ordinate with you alongside allied professionals, in order to help patients manage the effects of diabetes on their periodontal condition. The multi award-winning Ten Dental+Facial team of clinicians are highly experienced in treating patients with complex oral health needs, including those who suffer from diabetes. They have the specialist knowledge and skills to treat both simple and advanced cases, providing a trusted referral service that ensures patients benefit from the highest quality care. 

Diabetes is a serious concern, but the good news is that the risk of most diabetic-related problems can be minimised by maintaining glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels within the recommended range. This ultimately comes down to following a healthy diet, exercising regularly, reducing alcohol intake, and avoiding smoking. So long as patients take these key steps, they can avoid developing diabetes altogether, or at the very least ensure that the disease does not become an overwhelming burden on their general health.

 

For more information visit www.tendental.com or call on 020 33932623

 

References

[i] World Health Organisation. (2018) Diabetes. Link: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes. [Last accessed: 04.07.19].

[ii] Diabetes.co.uk. (2019) Diabetes Prevalence. Link: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-prevalence.html. [Last accessed: 04.07.19].

[iii] Diabetes.co.uk. (2019) What is Diabetes? Link: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-diabetes.html. [Last accessed: 04.07.19].

[iv] National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2016) What is Diabetes? Link: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes. [Last accessed: 04.07.19].

[v] Lean, E. J. M., Leslie, W. S., Barnes, A. C., Brosnahan, N., Thom, G., McCombie, L., Peters, C., Zhyzhneuskaya, S., Al-Mrabeh, A., Hollingsworth, K. G., Rodrigues, A. M., Rehackova, L., Adamson, A. J., Sniehotta, F. F., Mathers, J. C., Ross, H. M., McIlvenna, Y., Welsh, P., Kean, S., Ford, I., McConnachie, A., Messow, C-M., Sattar, N. and Taylor, R. (2019) Two-year results of the randomised Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT). Link: https://www.directclinicaltrial.org.uk/Pubfiles/Final%20accepted%20draft,%20prior%20to%20editing%20and%20corrections.pdf. [Last accessed: 04.07.19].

[vi] Bertoluci, M. C. and Rocha, V. Z. (2017) Cardiovascular risk assessment in patients with diabetes. Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome. 9: 25. doi:10.1186/s13098-017-0225-1. Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5397821/. [Last accessed: 04.07.19].

[vii] Gheith, O., Farouk, N., Nampoory, N., Halim, M. A. and Al-Otaibi, T. (2015) Diabetic kidney disease: world wide difference of prevalence and risk factors. Journal of Nephropharmacology. 5(1): 49–56. Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5297507/. [Last accessed: 04.07.19].

[viii] Diabetes UK. (2018) Diabetes not taken seriously by UK public. Link: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/be-in-the-know-diabetes-complications. [Last accessed: 04.07.19].

[ix] Vernillo, A. T. (2003) Dental considerations for the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus. The Journal of the American Dental Association. 134(1): 24S-33S. Link: https://doi.org/10.14219/jada.archive.2003.0366. [Last accessed: 04.07.19].  

[x] Mealey, B. L. and Ocampo, G. L. (2007) Diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease. Periodontology 2000. 44(1): 127-153. Link: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0757.2006.00193.x. [Last accessed: 04.07.19].

[xi] Preshaw, P. M., Alba, A. L., Herrera, D., Jepsen, S., Konstantinidis, A., Makrilakis, K. and Taylor, R. (2012) Periodontitis and diabetes: a two-way relationship. Diabetologia. 55(1): 21–31. doi:10.1007/s00125-011-2342-y. Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3228943/#CR10. [Last accessed: 04.07.19].