Research

Alcohol Containing Mouth Rinse linked with Increased Cancer Risk

Australian researchers have linked mouthwash containing alcohol to an increased risk of developing oral cancer. The alcohol in mouthwash is believed to allow cancer causing compounds to attack the lining of the mouth more easily. The review author, Michael McCullough, is an Associate Professor in Oral medicine at Melbourne University. He says dentists need to be aware of the risks of mouthwash. “If they are going to recommend alcohol-containing products then they recommend it for a good reason, for a

Nanocrystallizing Implant Surfaces Reduces Biofilm Infections

Canadian researchers at the University of Alberta have found the surface nanocrystallization of a metallic material is an effective approach for modifying the surface energy of metals. “Our results demonstrate that the combination of surface nanocrystallization and thermal oxidation treatment is a promising approach to suppress the formation of infectious biofilms on metallic materials, thus providing a surface technique to minimize bacterial biofilms on implant surfaces for improved orthodontic and orthopedic applications” says Li the lead researcher. This surface modification

Histatin Speeds Oral Healing

A report by scientists from the Netherlands published in the FASEB Journal identifies a compound in human saliva that greatly speeds wound healing. Scientists found that Histatin, a small protein in saliva previously only believed to kill bacteria was responsible for the healing. Because saliva is a complex liquid with many components, the next step was to identify which component was responsible for wound healing. Using various techniques the researchers split the saliva into its individual components, tested each in

Nanocrystalline Titanium shows Exceptional Mechanical Properties

Novel processing of commercially pure titanium (CP Ti) has produced exceptional mechanical properties and recent clinical trials have proven its superior biocompatibility as well. CP Ti is desirable mainly for its superior biocompatibility, but suffers from low strength compared to either steel or alloyed titaniums. Severe plastic deformation (SPD) processing aims to get microstructural refinement to a level not achievable with traditional processing yielding nanocrystalline titanium. Fatigue life has nearly doubled and although damage tolerance suffered, the levels are still

Nanoparticles Aid Bone Growth

Bioengineers and bioscientists at Rice University and Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands, have shown they can grow denser bone tissue by sprinkling stick-like nanoparticles throughout the porous material used to pattern the bone. To grow new bone, tissue engineers typically place bone cells on porous, biodegradable materials called scaffolds, which act as patterns. With the right chemical and physical cues, the cells can be coaxed into producing new bone. As the scaffold degrades, it is replaced by new bone. “Ideally,

Cannabis Smoking may be a Risk factor for Periodontal Disease – Peri-Implantitis?

Researchers at the Dunedin School of Medicine, Dunedin, New Zealand have reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that Cannabis smoking may be a risk factor for periodontal disease that is independent of the use of tobacco. Tobacco smoking was strongly associated with periodontal disease experience, but there was no interaction between cannabis use and tobacco smoking in predicting the condition`s occurrence

Osteo Odonto Kerato Prosthesis

Dr Christopher Lie of the Sussex Eye Hospital in Brighton, England performed a sight restoring procedure called Osteo Odonto Kerato Prosthesis (OOKP) which involves fitting a living canine tooth with an optical cylinder and transplanting it into the eye cavity, restoring a blind Irishman`s sight. The procedure involves removing a canine tooth, a part of the adjacent bone and related ligaments from a patient. It is attached in the first stage to the cheek area to develop a blood supply

Dark-Field Xray Imaging Improves Diagnostic Resolution

Swiss Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute have developed a novel method for producing dark-field x-ray images at wavelengths used in typical medical and industrial imaging equipment. Dark-field images provide more detail than ordinary x-ray radiographs and could be used to diagnose the onset of osteoporosis, breast cancer or Alzheimer’s disease. Unlike traditional x-ray images, which show a simple absorption contrast, dark-field images capture the scattering of the radiation within the material itself, exposing subtle inner changes in bone, soft

Maxillary Bone Regeneration using Stem Cells

Researchers at the Regea Institute of Regenerative Medicine, part of the University of Tampere, Finland have successfully replaced a 65-year-old patient`s upper jaw with a bone transplant cultivated from stem cells isolated from his own fatty tissue and grown inside his abdomen. Stem cells were isolated from the patient`s fat and grew for two weeks in a specially formulated nutritious soup that included the patient`s own blood serum. When they had enough cells to work with, they attached them to

Saliva Test for Breast Cancer

Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston can identify and quantify specific protein markers in human saliva to provide an early, non-invasive diagnosis of breast cancer, according to a study published in today’s issue of the journal Cancer Investigation. “Why not the dentist?” said lead researcher Charles Streckfus, D.D.S., . “Most folks, especially women and children, visit the dental office way more often than they ever see the physician. Saliva is a non-invasive, quicker way for