Dental caries, commonly known as cavities, pose a significant threat to oral health. Dental fillings, while essential in treating cavities and restoring tooth structure, are not immune to the potential risk of recurrent caries. The process of recurrent caries around fillings involves a series of factors that compromise the integrity of the restoration, leading to subsequent decay. Understanding this process is crucial for both dental professionals and patients in implementing effective preventive measures.

How Does a Cavity Form Under an Existing Restoration?

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to recurrent caries around dental fillings, let us explore the intricate dynamics involved in this process. Five key elements play a crucial role in the development of recurrent

Dental handpieces are a dental office's most essential and costly investment. Handpieces are the workhorses of the practice. Whether high-speed, low-speed, or cordless, handpieces are considered semi-critical dental devices that must be reprocessed appropriately to avoid harming the device, causing it to operate ineffectively, or reducing its productive life while maintaining sterility.

Dental handpieces contact mucous membranes and oral fluids. These instruments have not been associated with disease transmission at this time; however, high-speed and low-speed handpieces can retract oral fluids into the internal workings of the handpiece.   DNA of viruses has been found inside both highspeed handpieces and prophy angles. If not cleaned and sterilized correctly, this debris could later be transferred to the mouths of other patients.

Handpiece Life

Dental articulating paper is a thin paper used by dentists to check and adjust a patient’s bite. It typically comes in thin strips or sheets coated with a special ink or substance that leaves marks when pressure is applied. Dentists place this paper between the teeth and have the patient bite down. The marks left on the teeth from the paper indicate areas where the teeth meet and where adjustments might be required to ensure a proper bite alignment. This helps in diagnosing and adjusting dental work or identifying irregularities in a patient’s bite.

What Is Articulating Paper Used for?

Articulating in dentistry refers to the relationship between the upper and lower teeth when they come together when biting or chewing. Articulating can be evaluated using various tools such as articulating paper; however, articulating foils and articulating wax can als

Dentistry has evolved significantly, introducing innovative equipment and techniques to elevate patient care. Among these developments, dental ultrasonic scalers stand out as an important device in maintaining oral hygiene. As we discuss the history, science and application, we’ll discover the wealth of benefits these high-tech devices in modern dentistry can provide.

History of Ultrasonic Scalers:

The introduction of dental ultrasonic scalers dates to the mid-20th century when technological innovations started revolutionizing dental practices. An American periodontist introduced the first ultrasonic device in the 1950s, pioneering the use of ultrasonic vibrations for calculus removal. Since then, advancements in materials, technology, and design have enhanced these devices, making them a vital a

An In-Depth Exploration of Uses, Safety Measures, and Applications of Benzocaine

Benzocaine is a popular topical anesthetic that offers relief from things such as pain, itching, and discomfort in various situations. In this article, we'll delve into what benzocaine is, how to use it, where and how to apply benzocaine topicals, potential side effects, and the clinical applications in a dental office.

What is Benzocaine and How Do You Use It?

Benzocaine is a synthetic compound classified as a topical anesthetic. It works by temporarily numbing the area where it is applied, thanks to its ability to block nerve signals. Benzocaine

Dentists use aspirating syringes and non-aspirating syringes to administer local anesthetics to their patients in preparation for pain-free dental treatment. Although many clinicians use non-aspirating syringes, there are benefits to using an aspirating syringe or self-aspirating syringe when administering local.

What is an aspirating/self-aspirating syringe?

To best understand the function of an aspirating syringe, first let’s review what it means to aspirate, medically speaking. Aspiration is the removal of fluids or cells such as blood, pus, ascites, or even cerebrospinal fluid, from the body. Syringes, although widely known for injecting medicine into the body, they now have the capability to aspirate.

The key difference is that an aspirating syringe has a harpoon at the end of the piston rod or plunger, that penetrates t

Dentists use dental dams as a barrier to isolate specific teeth or oral tissues during certain dental procedures.

The dental dam acts as a barrier to prevent saliva, blood, and other bodily fluids from interfering with the dentist's view and access to the tooth or oral tissue being worked on.

As dental professionals, it is not new news that enamel falls prey to constant demineralization.  In the Enamel 101 of dentistry, we learned the fact that hydroxyapatite can be attacked by acids and break down if there is not a remineralization balance.  The ideal balance is to stop acid attacks period. 

Dental impression materials have evolved significantly over the years. In this article, we will discuss the different types of impression materials commonly used in dentistry, including polyvinyl siloxane, polyether, agar hydrocolloid, and alginate hydrocolloid, along with a brief history of their development.

Dental impression materials are an essential component of restorative dentistry. They are used to create an accurate replica of a patient's teeth and oral structures for the fabrication of dental restorations or prostheses.

The 3 Types

There are three types of impression materials: preliminary, final, and bite registration.

Preliminary impressions are used to create a rough model of the teeth and oral structures for diagnosis and treatment planning.

Impression trays are an important part of dentistry.

These specialized tools are used to create a precise impression or mold of a patient’s teeth and surrounding oral structures, that is then used to create an accurate 3-dimentional model of the patient’s mouth. The models made from the impression can then be used for different dental appliances or treatments, such as orthodontics, prosthodontics, mouth guards, snoring appliances, dentures, whitening trays, crowns, bridges, and more. 

During a dental visit, if an impression is required, the impression tray is filled evenly with the impression material of choice, alginate is one of the most common materials used for impressions in dentistry. The filled tray is then seated over the arch of the teeth capturing a negative imprint of the teeth, gums.

The material sets quickly once it is inside the mou