Controversy Over Proposed Dental Legislation in N.C.

Written by Dentistry TodayTuesday, 05 June 2012 15:34



Legislation has been proposed in North Carolina that will revamp the regulations for dental treatment. Many people are divided on how the impact will be felt.

The purpose of the bill, according to legislators, is to regulate companies in the way billing is handled between dental management companies and the dentist. This issue came to the forefront because some of the dental management companies allegedly profited from some treatment in recent years instead of performing only necessary dental work that was in the best interest of the patient. If these allegations are true, the taxpayers end up paying more money than they should be paying.

There are laws in North Carolina and many other states that prohibit corporate dentistry for that reason. Changes have been made in other states already, like Texas.

Many dentists associated with the North Carolina Dental Society are in favor of the bill because they feel the state dental board should pay closer attention to billing to make sure dentists only bill for necessary treatment.

Many other people, including some of the investors of the dental companies, are doing everything to prevent the bill from passing. They held a news conference outside of the Legislative Building to oppose the bill and have raised money for a campaign against the bill.

Both sides have sponsored commercials about the issue.

The bill has not yet taken effect and the issue is still ongoing.

Laser Treatment May Significantly Aid Gum Disease Patients

Written by Dentistry TodayWednesday, 06 June 2012 15:29



People with gum disease may not have to deal with all of the headaches associated with the condition.

A new treatment the utilized water and laser technology may be on the way. The treatment includes spraying a combination of water and air through a handpiece while the lasers are directed toward the mouth.

The lasers generate an explosion from the water molecules, which demolishes the diseased tissue. That tissue is then removed. The lasers don't come into any contact with the body, making the process painless. There is also no anesthetic involved.

This type of treatment may also be used for teeth whitening, removal of decayed tooth tissue and extractions.

Gum disease impacts roughly 90 percent of people at some point in their lives, with many cases being minor. The other 10 percent of people would be considered susceptible to the disease.

The current treatment for gum disease is generally complex and requires many visits. In some cases, surgery is necessary.

Debate About Dental Therapists’ Qualifications Rages On

Written by Dentistry TodayThursday, 07 June 2012 14:52



More people are starting to visit dental therapists for dental treatment as opposed to seeing a dentist. But is that a good thing?

Since roughly 17 million people don’t see a dentist each year—according to the Pew Charitable Trust—the market for dental therapists has opened. They can’t perform all of the procedures that dentists can, but the cost could be significantly lower in some cases.

Alaska was the first state to set up a dental therapy program, having done so in 2005. Minnesota passed legislation in 2008 that opened up the possibility for dental therapists to treat patients. California, Oregon, Connecticut and New Hampshire are looking at similar legislation.

Evidence doesn’t suggest that an influx of dental therapists causes dentists to lose business based on the fact that there is a wide array of procedures that dental therapists cannot perform.

According to the American Dental Association, however, flooding the market with more people that can provide basic dental care isn’t the answer to helping more people receive treatment. Informing people about the importance of maintaining good oral health is the answer.

Still, dental therapists have an important role to fill in remote areas where there is a lack of dentists or no dentists at all. It’s too be determined, however, how the roles of dentists and dental therapists will impact each other and dental patients in the future.

Dental Phobia Poses Problems for Many

Written by Dentistry TodayFriday, 13 July 2012 10:35



There are many reasons why people don't visit the dentist. A fear of the dentist is a major one.

Dental phobia could prevent some people from going for a routine dental visit for years. The result is obviously poor oral health. A small problem often turns in a larger one that could have easily been prevented.

For some, a bad experience as a child may have set them on the path toward fearing future visits.

But this issue can be fixed for many people based on the advances in many dental offices. There are many techniques and tools in modern dental offices that can alleviate fear. There are also various anesthetics and anti-anxiety drugs available to ease one's nerves.

There are even some dentists that give the patients the ability to say when they want to start and stop treatment after explaining exactly what will be done. This allows the patient to believe they are in control, a feeling many feel they don't possess during a dental visit.

There are even some dentists who could be considered dental phobic specialists, enabling them to work with a patient to overcome his or her dental phobia.

Based on all of these innovations, there should be fewer people who fear dental visits. Lowering the amount of people that fear dental visits would be a big step for more people to maintain solid oral health.

BPA Fillings Could Lead to Increased Risk of Behavioral Issues

Written by Dentistry TodayWednesday, 18 July 2012 11:17



Bisphenol A fillings may have some unintended results.

A new study indicates that BPA fillings may be linked to behavioral problems in children. The research showed that children who had some type of dental fillings made from BPA had a higher chance to encounter some type of behavioral or emotional problem.

The research did not take into account the level of BPA in the fillings. There was no research done on some of the other chemicals that may have been present in the fillings, either.

The study was done, according to lead researcher Nancy Maserejian of the New England Research Institutes in Waretown, Mass., because the leaching process of chemicals from fillings is a hot-button issue in dentistry.

BPA fillings are becoming more prevalent because of their color, which blends in with teeth. BPA, however, is also a substance utilized in the manufacturing of packaging materials and tinned items.

The researchers poured through data of 534 children ages 6 through 10 who had some type of amalgam or composite filling. BPA was utilized in one of the two newer kinds of fillings.

Five years after the receiving the filling, the parents answered questions about their child’s behavior and attitude, in addition to school and any feelings of anxiety/depression. The researchers concluded that children with BPA fillings had a higher point score on average (signifying behavioral issues).

The research also concluded that children with fillings on chewing surfaces of their teeth also had a higher point score. The possible leaching of chemicals in this case may come from the constant chewing and grinding of the teeth.