Go digital and transform your restorative dentistry with the innovative Primescan supplied by Clark Dental.

Primescan has been manufactured by Dentsply Sirona to offer the latest in intraoral scanning technology, including Smart Pixel sensors and a cutting-edge dynamic lens. This enables you to capture images in a matter of seconds, which can be exported securely as STL or exocad files to your laboratory or other external partners.  

Equally, Primescan can also be combined with CEREC systems to facilitate the design and fabrication of highly accurate chairside restorations, making it ideal for a wide range of dental disciplines – from dental implantology to orthodontics. 

Call today for a demonstration.

For more information, call Clark Dental on 01268 733 146, email info@clarkdental.co.uk or visit www.clarkdental.co.uk

Choose Ten Dental+Facial as a trusted referral partner you can rely on. The multi award-winning team are committed to supporting dentists with an outstanding referral programme that both complements and broadens their existing range of services.

Operating from state-of-the-art practices in the heart of London, the Ten Dental+Facial team deliver top-quality general and specialist dental procedures, alongside dental implant treatment. They have the ability to manage both simple and advanced cases, utilising decades of combined knowledge, skills and experience to achieve the best possible results.  

Rest assured that Ten Dental+Facial also ensures you remain integral to the referral process, keeping you up-to-date as treatment progresses to ensure utmost continuity of patient care.

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

As a global leader in the manufacture of PPE, 3M Oral Care has now launched a dedicated website providing more information on the products you need to keep safe.

Solutions available for dental professionals include:

• 3M™ Aura™ Particulate Health Respirator FFP2, Type IIR 1862+
• 3M™ Aura™ Disposable Health Respirator FFP3, Type IIR, 1863+
• Surgical Mask 1826
• Splash Resistant Surgical Mask 1820S
• 3M™ Triple Layer Molded face Mask 2042F
• 3M™ Cavilon™ No Sting Barrier Film
• 3M™ Comply™ SteriGage Integrating Indicator

Useful information and details of each product can be found on the easy-to-navigate website. Visit 3M.co.uk/dental-ppe today to find out more.

For more information, or to request a video call with your local representative, call 08705 360 036 or visit 3M.co.uk/dental-ppe

END

3M, Aura, Cavilon Comply and SteriGage are trademarks of the 3M Company

ClearCorrect from the Straumann Group is dentist-friendly by nature, having been developed from feedback and advice provided by clinicians.

The clear aligners feature smooth, unscalloped trim limes that extend 1mm over the gingiva to significantly improve retention and reduce the need for engagers (attachments).[i] They also come with a choice of either the Flex (pay-as-you-go) or Unlimited (as many aligners and retainers as needed for 5 years) schemes for maximum cost-efficiency.

The innovative DenToGo™ uses artificial intelligence to facilitate remote treatment monitoring, reducing the need for appointments while ensuring high quality treatment. It also helps to motivate patients and keep them engaged in their treatment for greater compliance.

Available with a comprehensive digital workflow and support that is second-to-none, ClearCorrect is the ideal solution for any clinician committed to operating at the cutting-edge of orthodontics.

For more information on ClearCorrect^®, visit: https://www.straumann.com/clearcorrect/en/home.html

[i] Cowley DP, Mah J, O’Toole B. The effect of gingival-margin design on the retention of thermoformed aligners. Journal of Clinical Orthodontics: JCO 11/2012; 46(11):697-702.

Implants are unparalleled in terms of aesthetic and functional dental rehabilitation. They are a discrete restorative solution, but it is not unheard of for patients to be so pleased with them that they will happily tell their friends, family and acquaintances about implant treatment and show off their results.

While dental implants have a phenomenal success rate, implant failure is a possibility and, to some extent, always will be. There are early failures – where some factors result in the implant not properly osseointegrating – and failures that occur during the longer term. Early failures can be reduced with good case selection and surgical skill, but we should expect the number of late failures to gradually rise. This is somewhat a case of being victims of our own success. More people are investing in dental implants and generally living longer, meaning our population is aging. More than a fifth of the population are currently over 65 and this figure is projected to become a full quarter by around 2040.[i]

That extended lifespan can mean more years in a state of poorer health and a potentially longer service life for dental implants. Increasing numbers of people are living with conditions like diabetes, which may increase the risk of peri-implantitis and implant failure.[ii]^{, [iii]}  With regard to diabetes, how under control the disease is appears to play a substantial role in how much of a risk it is.[iv]

Furthermore, bruxism is a significant risk factor for implant failure, as the habitual movement can exert substantial forces and chip or fracture the implant (and corresponding teeth), as well as overload the implant and surrounding tissues – which can, in turn, result in a loss of retention.[v] Bruxism can occur at any age and is associated with depression, stress, breathing difficulties during sleep, chronic migraine, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).[vi]^{, [vii]} SSRIs that are used to treat depression and anxiety, and proton pump inhibitors used to treat GERD and gastric ulcers, are also associated with implant failure.[viii]

Researching the long-term survival of dental implants (beyond the first decade) is challenging, so the true survivability of implant systems can be difficult to evaluate. One study reported that implant survival after 16 years was just shy of 83% but after 10-16 years, the complication rate was 48%.[ix] However, these numbers may be misleading due to the comparatively small sample size.

Peri-implantitis can be very painful and is the most common cause for late implant failure and implant removal. While early failures are characterised by poor osseointegration, late failures are far less mobile, if at all (outside of terminal cases). This makes removing the implant more difficult and more invasive, thus increasing the risk of causing damage to the surrounding tissues.[x]

Moreover, the loss of an implant does carry with it some increase in risk for subsequent implants, although the implant can be replaced in many cases.[xi] Under some circumstances, immediate implant reinstallation is possible, but alveolar bone loss, infection, inflammation and other factors may dictate the recovery period and additional treatment. Most methods of implant removal damage the bone surrounding the implant, requiring the replacement to have a larger diameter and/or bone graft treatment. Fixture removal kits can help avoid this damage from occurring, but a variety of circumstances can frustrate their use.[xii]

Methods are being developed that can avoid significantly damaging the alveolar bone and widening the socket. There is an advanced technique where a diamond-tipped bur can be used to split the implant into pieces, enabling it to be removed minimally invasively. This method presents a number of challenges. Cutting a titanium implant requires substantial force and generates a lot of heat, requiring a great deal of irrigation to avoid thermal damage to the surrounding bone. Furthermore, cutting the implant inside the mouth unavoidably results in titanium particles being released, which will need to be immediately removed using suction.[xiii] There are numerous other means of removing implants currently in use and being developed.

Implant failure is not simply a biological and mechanical problem. Undergoing treatment is relatively costly, time consuming and invasive for patients to undertake. In the eventuality that something does go wrong, particularly early on, patients can be understandably distressed. Developing a strong rapport with the patient, keeping them informed and assured, can be very beneficial.

If you are dealing with an advanced case such as a failing dental implant, consider referring patients to the multi award-winning Ten Dental+Facial team. Highly experienced in treating patients with complex oral health needs, Ten Dental+Facial offers a range of both general and specialist dental procedures, alongside top-quality dental implant treatment.

Dental implants remain the best restorative option for many partial or fully edentate patients. Their overall failure rate is low and they can function healthily for many years. However, they are not indestructible and the health of the tissue surrounding an implant is important. Patients receiving implants should continue to attend regular follow-up appointments, and be instructed on how to maintain their oral hygiene to minimise the chance of complications.

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

Author: Nik Sisodia, implant surgeon and co-Principal of Ten Dental+Facial

[i] ONS. Overview of the UK population: august 2019. Office for National Statistics. 2019. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/articles/overviewoftheukpopulation/august2019#the-uks-population-is-ageing March 13, 2020.

[ii] Naujokat H., Kunzendorf B., Wiltfang J. Dental implants and diabetes mellitus – a systematic review. International Journal of Implant Dentistry. 2016; 2:5. https://journalimplantdent.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40729-016-0038-2 March 12, 2020.

[iii] Dubey R., Gupta D., Singh A. Dental implant survival in diabetic patients; review and recommendations. National Journal of Maxillofacial Surgery. 2013; 4(2): 142-150. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3961886/ March 12, 2020.

[iv] Moraschini V., Barboza E., The impact of diabetes on dental implant failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis.  International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. 2016; 45(10): 1237-1245. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijom.2016.05.019 March 13, 2020.

[v] Zhou Y., Gao J., Luo L., Wang Y. Does bruxism contribute to dental implant failure? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research. 2015; 18(2): 410-420. https://doi.org/10.1111/cid.12300 March 13, 2020.

[vi] Castroflorio T., Bargellini A., Rossini G., Cugliari G., Deregibus A. Sleep bruxism and related risk factors in adults: a systematic literature review. Archives of Oral Biology. 2017; 83: 25-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archoralbio.2017.07.002 March 13, 2020.

[vii] Li Y, Yu F., Niu L., Hu W., Long Y., Tay F., Chen J. Associations among bruxism, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and tooth wear. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2018; 7(11): 417. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6262381/ March 13, 2020.

[viii] Chappuis V., Avila-Ortiz G., Araújo M., Monje A. Medication-related dental implant failure: systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Oral Implants Research. 2018; 29(Suppl. 16): 55-68. https://doi.org/10.1111/clr.13137 March 13, 2020.

[ix] Simonis P., Dufour T., Tenenbaum H. Long-term implant survival and success: a 10-16-year follow-up of non-submerged dental implants. Clinical Oral Implants Research. 2010; 21(7): 772-777. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-0501.2010.01912.x March 13, 2020.

[x] Solderer A., Al-Jazrawi A., Sahrmann P., Jung R., Attin T., Schmidlin P. Removal of failed dental implants revisited: questions and answers. Clinical and Experimental Dental Research. 2019; 5(6):

[xi] Zhou W., Wang F., Monje A., Elnayef B., Huang W., Wu Y. Feasibility of dental implant replacement in failed sites: a systematic review. International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants. 2016; 31(3): 535-545. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27183062 March 13, 2020.

[xii] Lee J. Selectable implant removal methods due to mechanical and biological failures. Case Reports in Dentistry. 2017: 9640517. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/9640517 March 13, 2020.

[xiii] Li C., Chou C. Bone sparing implant removal without trephine via internal separation of the titanium body with a carbide bur. International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. 2014; 43: 248-250. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijom.2013.09.010 March 13, 2020.

You may not know yet how Coronavirus will affect your service provision, even in the short-term. It’s a waiting game for everyone and bold decisions maybe unwise. Once your practice is open again, a key issue will be ensuring that your patients feel that it is safe for them to attend. Practices should therefore have a sensible and pragmatic strategy for moving onto the next “phase”.

Maybe you have been using your website, or social media, to get positive messages out and to keep your patients updated. You may also be using these platforms to outline your infection control processes and procedures and how these will be reinforced, post the Coronavirus pandemic.

We are currently in a position where infection control is being talked about outside of the healthcare environment – most people will now know what PPE stands for, when they didn’t before. So, it is possible that they will have questions and concerns about things they took for granted before the outbreak. They might be feeling anxious about what they have read, and unsure whether to postpone routine check-ups when you are able to offer them once more. Gaining the trust of your patients, so that they feel confident about resuming ongoing oral care, is essential. They need to be reassured that they will be safe from the minute they step inside the practice and that every member of the dental team is working safely too.

Temporary or permanent changes?

While your practice was closed, you might have taken the opportunity to make physical changes, for example, to how the waiting area is configured. If you haven’t considered this, ensure that your space allows social distancing to continue, which may involve rejigging the furniture. Whether or not official guidelines change, cramped, busy receptions are going to be a thing of the past, for now at least. In the short-term, you will also want to control the flow of patients coming into the practice, as far as possible.

You may have had a specialist deep clean while routine services were suspended; once you are open, make sure your patients know the additional steps you have taken. They will also need to be reminded about their own, key role in stopping the spread of infections. Posters about hand hygiene, include directions on proper technique, should be displayed everywhere. Patient should be reminded to use and provided with a quality hand sanitiser to use on entering your premises. It must also be made clear that they should stay away if they are feeling unwell or living with anyone who is unwell. Again, use the practice website or social media to restate these messages. If a patient has not seen this guidance, and has turned up anyway, the dental team must use their own judgement about whether treatment can safely go ahead.

Augment your infection control

Dental treatment requires close contact between patient and practitioner. Although infection control was a key issue long before the pandemic, Coronavirus is more easily spread by respiratory droplets, expelled by speaking as well as coughing or sneezing, than other infections. It may also be spread by someone who is asymptomatic, too. The oral cavity is a “reservoir” for pathogenic microorganisms and your patients will likely have questions about face masks.[i] The safe use of face masks for dental practitioners was always a far from black and white subject, partly due to the stop/start nature of some procedures which require a mask to be removed in order to perform another part of the treatment, then re-worn. Regarding the issue of PPE, including what kind of face covering should be worn for varying procedures, practice managers/owners and practitioners can refer to guidance (which are subject to change), set out by public health agencies across the UK.

Your patients will want to know that you have augmented your infection control processes. Has the Coronavirus outbreak highlighted any weak points? Get the team together, virtually if necessary, to go through all your protocols and make sure that they are fully understood by everyone. Before returning to clinical practice, the whole team should be up to date with their infection control knowledge and skills. There is online training available, via a range of different platforms, updated to incorporate information relevant to Coronavirus.

The team must know how to deal with clinical waste, including correct classification and disposal. They must also know the gold-standard for cleaning in between patients. When the team is informed and confident, they can pass on this information and help to build patient confidence that you are operating a safe practice.

To reinforce your infection control, ensure you’re using the very best products. The Steri-7 Xtra range from Initial Medical has a formula that kills up to 99.999% of a broad range of pathogens within seconds of contact; it has also been tested against feline coronavirus; a surrogate for coronavirus*. Micro-emulsion technology means that when applied to surfaces, a microbe-killing barrier remains for up to 72 hours, for residual protection between cleans (if it is not wiped away). The Steri-7 range includes hand sanitisers as well as surface cleaners, for a multi-pronged approach.

You want your patients to return to your practice with confidence. Although a disruption to services was unavoidable, people must not neglect their oral heath for longer than is necessary. A well informed, knowledgeable team, using the best protocols and products, will help all patients feel protected in your care.

For further information please visit www.initial.co.uk/medical or Tel: 0870 850 4045

Author:

Rebecca Waters, Category Manager, Initial Medical

Rebecca has worked in the Healthcare sector for the past 17years and was a Research Chemist with Bayer Cropscience prior to joining Rentokil Initial in 2003.  She keeps up to date on all developments within the clinical waste management industry and is an active member of the CIWM, SMDSA and BDIA.  

-Ends-

About Initial Medical

Initial Medical is an expert in healthcare waste management, providing a complete collection, disposal and recycling service for hazardous and non-hazardous waste and offensive waste produced by healthcare providers, and other businesses and organisations within the UK.

The safe management of healthcare waste is vital to ensure your activities are not a risk to human health.  Initial Medical’s healthcare waste services ensure that all of your waste is stringently handled in compliance with legislation and in accordance with Safe Management of Healthcare Waste best practice guidelines, providing you with the peace of mind that you are adhering to current legislation.

For further information please visit www.initial.co.uk/medical or Tel: 0870 850 4045

Media enquiries:

For more information, please contact:

erica@ekcommunications.net

01227 265700

[i] Laheij AM, Kistler JO, Belibasakis GN, Välimaa H, De Soet JJ, European Oral Microbiology Workshop (EOMW) 2011. Healthcare-associated viral and bacterial infections in dentistry. Journal of Oral Microbiology. 2012 Jan 1;4 (1): 17659.

* Steri-7

Arm & Hammer™ toothpaste is powered by baking soda, which is low abrasive and works its way around the mouth cleaning areas that other toothpastes cannot reach.

Arm & Hammer™ Charcoal White™ toothpaste contains activated charcoal and is clinically proven to remove up to 100 per cent more surface stains than regular toothpaste. In just 3 days, your patients can benefit from a brighter, whiter and healthy smile. Arm & Hammer™ Charcoal White™ smooths surface imperfections and offers enamel gloss.

For a deep, refreshing cleaning and amazing whitening effects, check out Arm & Hammer™ now!

For more information about the carefully formulated Arm & Hammer™ toothpaste range, please visit http://www.armandhammer.co.uk/
or email: ukenquiries@churchdwight.com

Arm & Hammer™ oral healthcare products are available at Boots, Superdrug, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda and Morrisons throughout the UK.

If recent events have taught us anything, it is the power of community and togetherness, as well as the importance of job security. This year’s unprecedented circumstances have tested many of us to the limit. In dentistry, we have been confronted with never-before faced challenges and we’ve been tasked to find new ways of working for the safety of our patients, our colleagues and ourselves.

At Colosseum Dental UK, we are proud of how our practice teams and clinicians reacted and stepped up. We are delighted to have built such a passionate and dedicated team across our clinics and our operational structure. As we look to the future, we are looking for more professionals who share our commitment to excellent patient care to join our progressive and forward-thinking family.

Job security 

For dental nurses looking for job security, you can rest assured that Colosseum Dental UK will stand by you in the good times and the bad. We were able to keep the all our clinics open throughout the COVID-19 crisis, because we have invested in the tools, equipment and training to ensure the safety of patients and professionals during such times. We also really appreciate all the hard work our dental nurses do every day – we know that our clinics couldn’t function in the same way without them and we do our best to recognise and thank them accordingly, in various ways, including through our unique Reward & Recognition scheme.

Career development

However, we are not just about giving you confidence in your job right now. We also want to help you secure the future you see for yourself and we will do whatever we can to help you achieve all of your career ambitions. That means we will listen to you about your professional goals and work with you to carve a pathway specifically for you.

This is supplemented by an array of educational and learning opportunities that we offer all our dental nurses, including enhanced CPD training and the chance to undertake courses for additional skills. We also have a support network in place to ensure that you always have someone to turn to with any questions or concerns. This support includes advice and mentorship from highly experienced professionals, as well as the opportunity to move into different roles such as oral health education and dental hygiene ambassadors for the local community.

Further still, we pay GDC registration fees for all our dental nurses to support you financially and to demonstrate our commitment to and investment in you. The Colosseum Dental Conference is another way in which we aim to recognise and celebrate those individuals that go above and beyond for their patients, while also providing education to all our practice teams.

Ultimately, whatever you are striving for in your career, we will endeavour to help to get there. We invest in you, for you.

Recent feedback

Some of the comments made by our dental nurses to date include:

“Very organised in every way. Everyone is very supportive. I can just pick up the phone and ask if I have any questions.”

“Great team, and new modern surgeries.”

“Everyone in my practice really nice and helpful – I am a person who doesn’t like change but it was really easy to adapt because everyone is great.”

“The end of year conference is a great way to tie up the year and give back to employees!”

“Annual Conferences inspire positivity, change, team building and forward thinking. Employee benefits include healthcare and we have re-vamped, modern practices to work in.”

Secure your present and your future

If you’re looking for a job that provides security both now and, in the future, why not join us at Colosseum Dental UK? We are committed to our dental nurses and offer the opportunity for you to fulfil your every career ambition. 

For more information about Colosseum Dental, please visit www.colosseumdental.co.uk/careers