tooth

Could a Medication One Day Be Given Instead of Braces to Control Tooth Movement?

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Recent research from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) showed that osteocytes have a crucial role in orthodontic tooth movement as the major source of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL) which is a protein critical to bone remodeling. It is  known that the differentiation of osteoclasts is regulated by RANKL. However, the source of RANKL in the periodontal tissue during orthodontic tooth movement was not previously identified. Now thanks to the research team it is know that osteocytes mainly express RANKL and play a key role in the remodeling of  bone surrounding teeth during orthodontic tooth movement. To explore this issue, the researchers used an orthodontic tooth movement model in which open coil springs were inserted between teeth of mice to move first molars. They then injected a neutralizing antibody against RANKL intended to reduce tooth movement. The … Read more

The Rise of Do It Yourself Dentistry on TikTok

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In recent years the social media platform TikTok has gained lots of popularity with teenagers and young adults. TikTok has become a become a hotspot for do it yourself dentistry. Once such do it your self dentistry trend has been shared on this site before in 2021 titled Is it Safe to Drink Large Amounts of Pineapple Juice after Wisdom Teeth Surgery that People on TikTok are Doing? Other trends that have been shown on TikTok include people shaving down their teeth and using a bottle of liquid hydrogen peroxide to whiten their teeth.  Dentists are worried about many of these practices that are promoted by influencers on TikTok. Some dentists have said that they can be dangerous and both the short and long term risks are worse than the immediate payoff. Furthermore, the long term costs can be much … Read more

Can Neck Hyperextension During Dental Treatment Lead to Stroke Like Symptoms?

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An interesting article titled “Major Neurological Deficit Following Neck Hyperextension During Dental Treatment: Report of 2 Cases and Review of the Literature,” written by Victor G. El-Hajj and et. al. appears in the 2022 edition of the The Neurologist. The authors discuss two cases where patients had dental treatment performed and then suffered from neurological impairment due to hyperextension of the neck. Both patients had routine dental treatment done and had their necks overstretched which lead to a hopsital stay. The first patient discussed was a 67 year old man who saw his dentist for bridgework. He had been taking a medication for high blood pressure for nine years but had no history of cerebrovascular events. The man’s dental work took around 45 minutes and he was given local anestheisia. His neck had to be extended during the procedure to … Read more

What to Expect for Your First Dental Filling

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When you go for your first dental filling, whether it’s just one of the first of many, there are a few things to expect. Whether you have a cavity needing a filling or your tooth has been severely worn away by grinding at night, you can trust that the procedure is less traumatic than you’ve been previously led to believe. What Is a Filling, Anyway? The ultimate goal of dentistry is to make your smile as beautiful and long-lasting as possible. To maintain that beauty, your dentist may have to place a dental filling, also known as a “dental restoration,” in your tooth. Dentists can use a variety of dental fillings for the many different kinds of dental cavities. Dental fillings are used in cases where cavities are present in the teeth. A cavity is caused when a sugar-craving bacteria … Read more

What are Dental Extractions?

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Dental extractions are the process of removing teeth. They typically are not painful. Dental extractions can range in difficulty depending on factors including position, anatomy, and density of bone. They can be simple or complicated, requiring a surgical approach. A dental anesthetic is used to freeze the extraction site to prevent pain during dental extraction. Patients usually have mild discomfort following dental extraction that can be relieved with pain killers such as Ibuprofen. What Are Dental Extractions? Teeth are extracted when they aren’t performing their normal functions. These could include teeth that would cost too much to repair or teeth with deep decay which could damage nerves and other healthy teeth in your mouth if they were left untreated. Sometimes dental extractions are necessary for orthodontic purposes. Extractions can range in difficulty depending on factors including position, anatomy, and density … Read more