Rapid Prototyping Comes To Dentistry

Have you ever thought of what would happen if your dentist could quickly scan your jaw and "print" your new teeth using a rapid prototyping machine?  Instead of waiting days or weeks for a cast to be produced and prosthetic dental implants to be made?

Good news!!  Iranian researchers have recently explained “how medical imaging, coupled with computer-aided design could be used to create a perfect-fit blueprint for prosthetic dentistry.”

Gene Combination Affects Success of Dental Implants

It's no secret that the health of the surrounding tissue plays a great role in the success of a dental implant, and that is why identifying and reducing risk factors is the most important step in the implant process.  A recent study showed that "a combination of genes has been identified as a possible indicator of greater tissue destruction leading to negative outcomes for implants."

The process of tissue inflammation and destruction is very similar to periodontal disease.  The researchers were trying to find any association of these genotypes.

Dental Implants - Protein More Effective than Bone-Grafting?

A recent research showed that when it comes to dental implants, a bone-creating protein is more effective than bone-grafting.

Despite the fact that the implants screws that anchor permanent prosthetic teeth, they do not work like the bone, as the bone is too thin, which is a consequence to tooth loss. Taking into account that nowadays the favored way is to supplement the area with bone grafts, this technique is a little bit problematic, as “primarily because it involves additional surgeries to harvest the bone,” said Dr. Ulf M.E. Wikesjw, Interim Associate Dean for Research and Enterprise in the College of Dental Medicine, Georgia Health Sciences University. During the studies they came to the following conclusion: “We found that BMP induced superior bone quality over that following bone grafts, which improves the chances for successful implants.” Wikesjw added that “BMP is phenomenal, because it’s a true, off-the-shelf product with ease of use that can produce real results, and it could be the new gold standard for this procedure.”