Month: September 2021

Align Technology’s UK and Ireland cycling team raises £30,000 for Operation Smile

Align Technology’s UK and Ireland cycling team exceeded its charity fundraising target of £25,000 and raised over £30,000 for Operation Smile. The funds will be used to help change the lives of 240 children from underprivileged countries who were born with a cleft lip and cleft palate

The marathon fundraiser was achieved by a small convoy of motivated Align team members who cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats – a road trip of 928 miles over 10 days from 11th – 20th September.  The team of cyclists made daily pit stops at Invisalign practices en route, as well as dropping in on the British Orthodontic Society Congress in Manchester. They were also joined by Dr. Sandeep Kumar and specialist orthodontists Dr. Chris Buchanan and Dr. Peter McCullum for parts of the ride.

Some of the expedition statistics include:

  • Total miles covered: 928
  • Hours cycled: 71 hrs 38mins
  • Calories burnt: 48,398
  • Feet climbed: 52,849
  • Equivalent of 1.8 of Everests climbed
  • Top riding speed achieved: 51.9 mph

According to team lead Dan Parsons, Align Technology marketing director UKI: “The Invisalign practices we visited en-route every day were unbelievably welcoming, fuelled us with food and drinks, and one of the clinics held a raffle and raised additional funds to add to the event total.  Their support and enthusiasm for what we were trying to achieve provided a welcome boost every day and definitely spurred us on. We cannot thank them enough for their sustenance and TLC.”

Below is the daily ride and clinic visit schedule:

  • 11 September Set off from Lands End to Bodmin – 65 miles – Lander Dentistry, Truro
  • 12 September Bodmin to Whiddon Down – 57 miles – Better Smiles, Tavistock
  • 13 September Whiddon Down to Wookey Hole – 76 miles – Confident, Taunton
  • 14 September Wookey Hole to Ludlow – 100 miles – Whitetree Dental, Bristol and The Dentist, Tupsley
  • 15 September Ludlow to Chorley – 114 miles – Monksmoore Dental, Shrewsbury and Dr Nikhil Oberai Clinic, Northwich
  • 16 September Chorley to Carlisle – 100 miles – Brock Street Dental, and SmileVille, Lancaster
  • 17 September Carlisle to Cumbernauld – 109 miles – Lockerbie Dental, Lockerbie
  • 18 September Cumbernauld to Fort William – 113 miles – weekend, no practice visit
  • 19 September Fort William to Dornoch – 107 miles – weekend, no practice visit
  • 20 September Dornoch to John O’Groats – 80 miles – end of the cycle challenge

David Henry, senior partnerships manager for Operation Smile, commented: “Congratulations to the whole Align cycling team for this amazing achievement, the money you have raised will have a life changing impact around the world, and we can’t thank you enough for undertaking this epic ride to help Operation Smile further our work.”

To make a donation, please follow the link: https://aligntech.enthuse.com/pf/align-cycling-team.

Since 2013, Align Technology has supported Operation Smile worldwide s and donated over $2.5 million to date, as part of Align’s purpose to transform smiles and change lives.

New Ways to Smile

Looking for full arch rehabilitation solution you and your patients can trust? Consider NeoArch® from Neodent® – a Straumann Group brand. 

The system has been designed to maximise the longevity and effectiveness of full-arch treatment with dental implants.

With the wellbeing and satisfaction of patients in mind, NeoArch® provides a one-step surgery to minimise any pain or discomfort that a patient might feel. This process also enables the soft and hard tissues to heal quicker compared to a two-step surgery.[i]

With a one-day procedure available, patients will experience a highly efficient and effective treatment, giving them the satisfaction of being able to enjoy their new smile right away.

As a highly cost-effective full-arch implant solution, NeoArch® is a suitable treatment for a wide range of patients with varying individual requirements.  

If you’re looking for a highly reliable full arch restorative solution, consider NeoArch® from Neodent® and give your patients a reason to smile again.

 

For more information, please visit https www.neodent-uk.co/efficiency

 

[i] Straumann. (2021). Neodent® NeoArch® Immediate Fixed Full-Arch Solution. NEOARCH®. 3-40.

GC introduces an impressive portfolio of product innovations at IDS 2021

Under the banner of “Smile for the World – Since 1921 – 100 years of Quality in Dental”, GC held an international press conference on 20th September to introduce GC’s latest cutting edge developments being featured at IDS 2021 in Cologne.

This year’s IDS has been of particular significance to the company as it took place during GC’s 100th anniversary year. Unlike in previous years, GC felt it was their corporate responsibility in the current climate to organise this special press conference online.

With a strong focus on how GC can support and empower today’s clinicians and technicians, Josef Richter, COO & President, GC Europe outlined a selection of GC’s priority products. These included:

  • EQUIA Forte HT – the new bulk fill glass fill hybrid restorative system that needs no complex finishing or polishing, achieving a finished restoration in just 3.5 minutes.
  • G-ænial A’CHORD – the new universal composite featuring exceptional technology with a simple unishade system.
  • G2-BOND Universal – a new standard of universal bonding with the convenient choice of self-etch and etch-and-rinse in one system for a multiple range of indications.
  • G-CEM ONE – the new self-adhesive resin cement with self-curing ability for a wide range of indications in just one syringe.
  • GC Initial LiSi Block – the first lithium disilicate CAD/CAM block that does not require crystallisation firing ensuring smooth, accurate margins, durable aesthetics and predictable outcomes.
  • GC Initial IQ ONE SQIN – the new and highly aesthetic, paintable colour-and-form ceramic system for the creation of all zirconia and lithium disilicate restorations.

For more information on GC UK’s restorative portfolio contact GC UK Ltd on 01908 218999, email info.uk@gc.dental or visit https://europe.gc.dental/en-GB/products/restore

Value, strength and beauty that lasts – what every patient wants

COLTENE’s BRILLIANT COMPONEER™ is a direct composite veneering system that proves stunning, enduring results can be delivered cost-effectively.

BRILLIANT COMPONEER™ ­is comprised of prefabricated, pre-shaped shells for chairside treatments. It might be innovative – the material utilises sub-micron filler technology – but it’s an easy-to-use system too.

In one session, you will create a beautiful smile. This means value for you and your patient, but aesthetics won’t be compromised as BRILLIANT COMPONEER™ also offers exceptional polishability and long-lasting gloss.

Work conservatively and meet your patients’ expectations every time. Join other great dentists in using BRILLIANT COMPONEER™, from COLTENE.

 

For more on COLTENE, visit www.coltene.com,
email info.uk@coltene.com or call 0800 254 5115.

Apicectomy vs dental implants – conserving teeth where possible

Dental implants are a fantastic treatment options for patients with failing dentition, restoring function, aesthetics and self-esteem. However, it’s important to appreciate that certain procedures may help to preserve some teeth, even if only for a few more years. Dr Irene Amrore is one of several ADI Webinar presenters to have created content for ADI members to access at their convenience, exploring this topic. With regards to her session, entitled “Apicectomy or Implant: Should We Delay Implant Placement?”, Irene offers an introduction …

 

There is some confusion surrounding when to choose an apicoectomy or implant treatment. This is, at least partly, because the procedure may not be in the undergraduate curriculum – though it would be taught as part of postgraduate training for surgical endodontics or oral surgery. Many dentists seem risk averse with an unwholesome fear of litigation, which is supported by findings from when I presented a few of my cases at one of the past ADI Members’ National Forums.

Another issue may be time constraints. The fast pace of NHS dentistry may not afford many clinicians the time to consider options that they might have otherwise evaluated if they had more time to spend with patients and provide the most conservative procedures.

A third and equally as important challenge for this decision-making process is that NHS dentistry does not always remunerate the dentist enough for the time spent on treatments such as apicoectomies. Based on conversations with colleagues, it appears that the remuneration provided through an NHS contract for such a procedure may not actually cover the costs of providing it to a high standard.

Putting these aspects aside, the following are the main criteria for selecting an apicoectomy:

  • The tooth has to be stable or, if slightly mobile, likely to stabilise after the pathology is removed.
  • After removing the pathology and apical portion of the root, what is left should be equal to or greater than the length of the clinical crown.

Where it is appropriate, an apicoectomy affords several key benefits. For example, it enables the clinician to conserve the natural tooth so that it might be kept by the patient for an unknown number of years. This, in turn, can delay the need for dental implants – a treatment that clinicians know is not without its own potential complications.

If I cannot save the tooth or am attempting to save a tooth with a hopeless prognosis, then the more suitable solution would be extraction and dental implant placement, if the patient is happy with this treatment. This approach facilitates the complete removal of pathology – i.e. the diseased tooth. For this reason, it has become the gold standard solution where teeth have a hopeless prognosis or are already lost, offering several benefits over alternatives like removable dentures.

I would always explain the two options of an apicoectomy or dental implant to patients using videos to help them understand the procedures, if I feel that saving a tooth is worth considering. To

I think it’s very easy as a clinician to get carried away placing dental implants and to forget that sometimes an apicoectomy could save a tooth. We just need to ask ourselves if there is any way of delaying dental implant placement until it is absolutely necessary. There are many teeth in many mouths that can’t be saved and definitely require dental implant placement, but some will be suitable for apicoectomies. It is a relatively simple procedure to learn for the experienced practitioner and there are many oral surgery courses that will teach the skills – plus there is always the referral pathway. Other clinical procedures that may also be useful in saving a tooth and delaying dental implant surgery include periodontal surgery to deal with one-wall defects, root resections and hemisections.

For anyone interested in finding out more, I have recorded a webinar on the topic available free to ADI members on the association’s website. I hope that colleagues will use the information explored to avoid extracting every tooth with apical pathology. Some teeth can be saved – if not for the remainder of the patient’s life, then for a few more years. It is still well worth the effort put in to conserve the tooth.

 

ADI members can access ADI Webinars for free. For more information about the ADI, or to join, please visit the website www.adi.org.uk

Easier placement, innovative design

Your dental composite should be simple to use and reliable.

So why not trust what the critics say and choose the award-winning Filtek Supreme Flowable Restorative from 3M?

Lauded as “Innovative Product of the Year” at the 2021 Dental Advisor awards,[i] Filtek Supreme Flowable Restorative by 3M has a number of pioneering features.

For example, the tip has been designed to prevent material run-on and bubble formation during and after dispensing. Plus, the easy to bend cannula means that you can reach hard to access areas with ease.*

Available in a vast array of shades and boasting excellent adaptation, polish retention and wear resistance, * Filtek Supreme Flowable Restorative from 3M is a valuable addition to any armamentarium.

Find out more today by visiting: 3M.co.uk/filtek-flow

END

*3M internal data.

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

[i] Dental Advisor. 2021 Top and Preferred product Awards. Link: https://www.dentaladvisor.com/awards/ [Last accessed July 21].

Dr Ferhan Ahmed on Being Unstoppable (S05 E05)

Dr Ferhan Ahmed joins podcast to discuss his new book: Being Unstoppable – The Mindset Of A Great Clinician, which not only strives to help clinicians grow to achieve their full potential, create an impact and be proud of their work, but also sees the full proceeds donated to the Dental Aid Network.

The book, as Ferhan discusses, is the result of 20 years of professional experience in dentistry and medicine, as well as meeting the right person at the right time combined with lockdown.

Ferhan talks about how will clinicians benefit from reading the book, in addition to how will it help the Dental Aid Network.

For more information, please visit https://www.drfahmed.com/being-unstoppable

You can buy a copy from Amazon, supporting the Dental Aid Network, by clicking here.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more:

 

For more from The Probe, visit the-probe.co.uk. Theme tune courtesy of Bensound.

 
 
 

X-rays without restraints

Wall-mounted radiograph technology can be restrictive, especially in regards to patient positioning and workflows.

Experience a new level of freedom with the Nomad PRO 2, available from Clark Dental.

Designed for handheld use, the Nomad PRO 2 utilises the latest X-ray technology, ensuring high quality radiographic images and exact, repeatable exposures. A lead-impregnated acrylic shield protects the user against excess radiation, while the handheld nature of the system allows for complete freedom and control.

Experience diagnostics like never before by contacting the team at Clark Dental for more information.

 

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

BACD Annual Conference Gala Dinner is a Sell Out

The BACD Seventeenth Annual Conference is set to once again be an absolute highlight of the cosmetic dental calendar. In addition to hours of exclusive content and a truly impressive international speaker line-up, the event promises all the community and social benefits that it has become so well-known for.

It is no wonder, therefore, that the Gala Dinner has now sold out!

The black-tie event, with free bar and plenty of entertainment offers the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy some downtime with friends from across the profession.

The BACD has worked hard to ensure that this conference could safely go ahead despite all the challenges, with no compromise in quality of education delivered, speakers gathered and social opportunities presented. Thank you to everyone who has made this possible, including our fantastic Board and President, Paul Abrahams, and the amazing Suzy Rowlands!

The BACD Seventeenth Annual Conference
‘Seeing Is Believing’
11th – 13th November 2021
The EICC
Edinburgh, Scotland 

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

Inspiring the next generation of dental technicians

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to join the Dental Technology Showcase 2022 and hear from the industry’s leading voices on how we can inspire the next generation to enter the market.

The 2022 show promises to be a platform for positive change and growth for the industry, covering engaging topics aimed at tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the profession. Delegates will be able to join one of the most important conversations of our time concerning how we inject new blood into the industry, against the backdrop of a major shortage of UK dental technicians.

Key points of discussion will cover changes to apprenticeship schemes, Brexit, and how we can improve the perceptions of dental technicians to motivate and inspire the next generation into the industry.

Make sure to play your part in some of the most exciting debates taking place in our profession to date. Don’t delay and register your interest for the Dental Technology Showcase today.

 

DTS 2022 will be held on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th May, Birmingham NEC, co-located with the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show.

For the latest information, please visit www.the-dts.co.uk, call 020 7348 5270 or email dts@closerstillmedia.com