Michael Quirk

 feature-reach OP300 Maxio Pan/Ceph/3D introduces new and larger fields-of-view for dental and maxillofacial imaging, as well as Low Dose Technology (LDT), which is designed to provide quality-optimized cone beam 3D scan at radiation dosages up to 5 times less than traditional 2D panoramic images.

“The new OP300 Maxio represents the pinnacle of Instrumentarium Dental innovation,” said Filippo Impieri, Senior Director of Marketing for 

. “The Low Dose Technology delivers high quality-optimized 3D imaging for a comprehensive range of clinical procedures while helping clinicians manage radiation exposure.”

LDT is said to be ideal for dose sensitive applications like pediatric patients, follow-up imaging or implant planning. The new expanded 3D field-of-view of the OP300 platform extends to 13 x 15 cm, covering both the mandibular and maxilla to include airways and the upper cervical spine or sinus area.

The OP300 Maxio offers clinicians a variety of targeted FOVs as small as 5 x 5 cm to optimize the cone beam scan for single site implants or localized diagnostics, all while keeping the patient dose at a reduced level.  Plus, clinicians can freely adjust the position of the 3D FOV based on the region of interest.

Invivo 5.3, the enhanced end-user software that is included with all OP300 systems, is capable  of combining digital impressions and CBCT scan for improved accuracy in treatment planning. The software also includes new restoration tools that improve communication between dental professionals and labs, as well as a new implant planning tool that offers greater flexibility and a more seamless implant selection and placement process.

“We are thrilled to unveil the new OP300 Maxio to the dental community,” said Vicente Reynal, Group President of KaVo Kerr Group, Dental Technologies. “The OP300 Maxio is a perfect example of how Instrumentarium Dental’s close collaboration with clinical partners has resulted in innovation that delivers new and advanced imaging tools while lowering the radiation dose level provided to patients.”

For more information about the OP300 Maxio, or to find a dealer, call 1-800-558-6120 or head to Instrumentarium’s website at 

Articles

Instrumentarium Dental’s feature-reach OP300 Maxio Pan/Ceph/3D introduces new and larger fields-of-view for dental and maxillofacial imaging, as well as Low Dose Technology (LDT), which is designed to provide quality-optimized cone beam 3D scan at radiation dosages up to 5 times less than traditional 2D panoramic images.

Feature-rich OP300 Maxio delivers Low Dose Technology, flexible field-of-view, and more [VIDEO]

As Oral Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, DPR Products Editor Michael Quirk reached out to Joana Breckner, an oral cancer survivor, to learn more about this disease from the patient’s perspective.

A Westlake Village, Cali. resident and mother of two, Joana was first diagnosed in 2000 after her dentist noticed white spots on her tongue during a routine cleaning. After being referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist who removed the benign leukoplakia patch, Joana’s cancer returned in 2007, after which a small cancerous tumor was removed from her tongue. In 2011, Joana’s cancer returned again more aggressively than ever, and required her to undergo a 10-hour surgery at UCLA that removed half of her tongue.

Joana was pleased to inform us that, after years of monitoring, surgery and radiation treatment, her doctor informed her just last week that she is finally cancer free.

But not everyone who is diagnosed is as lucky as Joana. 

, 80 to 90% of oral cancer patients survive if the cancer is found early, but the majority of these cancers are diagnosed late, accounting for a mortality rate of 43% within five years of their initial diagnosis.

For more information about oral cancer, head to the Oral Cancer Foundation’s website at 

Oral cancer from a survivor’s perspective [VIDEO]

	Even the most fashion-forward of dental practitioners might squirm at the thought of using real human teeth as fashion accessories, all good dentists and hygienists know that healthy teeth belong in one's head, not worn on a lapel or around the neck.

Still, there appears to be fringe market for repurposing real human teeth and acrylic dentures into all kinds of wardrobe accouterments: shoes, rings, necklaces and more.

	Read on to discover what we found after looking into this weird fashion statement - and let us know in the comments what you think: are they creepy or cool?

	Pop singer Kesha is reknowned for her spectacular live performances, in which she sports one outrageous wardrobe after another. But did you know that the artist also has a weird penchant for turning teeth into wearable art? In 2011, 

Kesha requested that her fans send their teeth to her 

and fashioned a bra, headdress and earring out of those she received. Not content to just sport the weird accessories herself, Kesha has gone on to create a line of jewelry with pieces cast from real human teeth.

(image via www.kesharosebycharlesalbert.com)

	SARUSTAR offers an entire line of necklaces, tie pins, cufflinks and more with teeth as the center piece of each design. According to their website, the jewelry is made from fully sterilized acrylic dentures, but they do accept special orders to create pieces using real teeth supplied by the buyer.

	According to its website, this company sells "gothic jewelry and gifts," including this human molar on a chain. The product description only says "no two alike" and nothing more. I think we're just going to leave it at that, too.

	Fantich & Young aren't fashion designers so much as they are artists, creating weird artifacts out of even weirder materials. Take, for example, their men's suit made entirely from human hair, or their denture-soled line of shoes.

	As the name suggests, Loved to Death offers a macabre selection of antiques, home decor, art and jewelry, including this Victorian-styled ring with a genuine human tooth as its centerpiece. No word on how Loved to Death acquires its genuine human teeth, but we're sure it's all on the up-and-up.

	Of all the pieces shown in this article, VAN DER GLAS's line of jewelry may be the most sophisticated. Or as sophisticated as a real human tooth inside of a brushed sterling silver setting can be. Bonus: a tooth in the bottom ring has a filling - every piece of jewelry tells a story, I suppose.

Even the most fashion-forward of dental practitioners might squirm at the thought of using real human teeth as fashion accessories, all good dentists and hygienists know that healthy teeth belong in one’s head, not worn on a lapel or around the neck.

Fashion with a bite: creepy or cool?

I recently had the opportunity to ask Dr. Jack Ringer, president of the 

 (AACD), what trends he sees in cosmetic dentistry and what role universal adhesives might play in advancing the specialty. 

On top of his position at the AACD, Dr. Ringer is in private practice at Advanced Smile Design in Anaheim Hills, Calif. and has lectured on and taught contemporary esthetic dentistry for 16 years.

What trends do you see in cosmetic dentistry for 2014?

There are two major trends I see in cosmetic dentistry for 2014. The first is the continual advancement and development of technology that assists diagnosis, e.g. 3D imaging, and restoration manufacturing, e.g. CAD/CAM. Dentists and labs will find it easier to acquire and utilize these devices because as their cost drops, they are becoming more precise and accurate, as well as “talk to each other” due to the open architecture that manufacturers have developed for these devices.

The second trend I see is a definite increase in the demand for cosmetic therapy. This was also confirmed by a recent survey done by the AACD. I believe that the increased confidence in our economy has helped motivate many to engage in elective cosmetic work that they may have put off previously.

With all of the advances in materials and adhesives, what advice do you and the AACD have for keeping up with the latest trends?

Since there are many dental manufacturers who are eager to have a “slice of the economic pie” when it comes to the sale of materials and equipment, it is imperative that dentists review independent studies about these products to make sure they fit the practice’s style and expectations before purchasing and incorporating them into their arsenal.

Dentists have to make sure that what manufacturers are promoting for their products is substantiated and will make clinical and financial sense for their practice.

How do you see universal adhesives fitting into the dentist’s arsenal?

Universal adhesives have been proven to be extremely valuable for dentists in regards to efficiency and success when placing direct and indirect restorations. Due to their chemical nature and versatility, less time is spent cementing restorations, bond strengths in most cases are comparable to other adhesive systems, and patients are experiencing less post-operative sensitivity.

This, however, is dependent on the dentist accurately following the manufacturer’s recommendation on how, where, and when to place the adhesives. Universal adhesives are the latest development for bonding restorations, so they have the shortest track record as far as their long-term success is concerned. Therefore, though the results initially look extremely promising, dentists must keep an open mind as to how the adhesion will hold up over time.

What is the focus of this year’s AACD scientific sessions?

The AACD’s focus at all our scientific sessions is comprised of education, accreditation, philanthropy, and fun. 2014 is our 30th anniversary, so to celebrate we are bringing in some of the world’s top educators in the field of comprehensive cosmetic dentistry, we will be providing diverse programs; such as marketing strategies and business management; for the dentist, lab technicians and the team, and we will be putting on more hands-on clinical programs than ever before for our attendees.

Times are changing and evolving, and so is the AACD as we are continually focusing on bringing new offerings for our members to ensure a true value proposition for being a member. 

I recently had the opportunity to ask Dr. Jack Ringer, president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), what trends he sees in cosmetic dentistry and what role universal adhesives might play in advancing the specialty. 

Q&A with Dr. Jack Ringer, president of the AACD: Trends in cosmetic dentistry and universal adhesives

As you may have already heard, there’s a new bug called Heartbleed that lets attackers read the memory of a server of client, allowing them to retrieve private keys and other sensitive information.  Read on to find out 4 things you need to know about the Heartbleed bug to make sure your dental practice is protected.

 Computer viruses are small programs that spread from one computer to another, often leaving a path of destruction in their digital wake.  On the other hand, a bug like Heartbleed is a software defect that causes a program to malfunction or creates a security breach that ne’er-do-wells can exploit to gain access to your sensitive information, files, data and more.

 Check with your system administrator to see if any of the programs you run utilize OpenSSL, or you can browse 

 of affected programs that Mashable recently assembled.

3.     Even if your system administrator says your practice management software is safe, 

it’s probably a good idea to change all of your passwords across the web

.  The same computers you use to run your software may be used to access a site using OpenSSL, so as a result your system may be compromised in other ways.

create a schedule to routinely update all of your passwords

, as well as inform your employees that they are required to do the same. Instituting a practice-wide password policy will help ensure everyone is on the same page when it comes to the security of the system they depend upon.

4 things dental practitioners need to know about the Heartbleed bug

Said to be built with convenience in mind, the 

3M ESPE Pentamix Lite Automatic Mixing Unit

 is portable, affordable, and works with all 3M ESPE impression materials, including 

Impregum Soft Polyether Impression Material

Designed for high-viscosity to medium-bodied materials, the unit reportedly delivers a consistent, homogenous, reproducible mixing quality for void-free impressions, plus its intuitive set-up is designed for ease of use. 

It is lightweight and features an integrated handgrip for portability between operatories, while a compact design saves space when in the standby position. Additionally, the Pentamix Lite allows for the hygienic direct-filling of trays and syringes without the risk of cross-contamination.

3M ESPE will be showcasing the Pentamix Lite Automatic Mixing Unit at the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. 

For more information on how to see it in action, check out 

DPR’s guide to must-see products at CMW

Said to be built with convenience in mind, the 3M ESPE Pentamix Lite Automatic Mixing Unit is portable, affordable, and works with all 3M ESPE impression materials, including Imprint 4 VPS Impression Material and Impregum Soft Polyether Impression Material.

3M ESPE Pentamix Lite Automatic Mixing Unit is the affordable entry model to automatic mixing [VIDEO]

 demonstrates how easily and efficiently the companies Virtual XD performs a heavy/light, dual-phase, full arch impression technique.

The Virtual® XD system of VPS impression materials reportedly offers optimized flow characteristics for deeper penetration to the sulcus; enhanced preparation coverage; exceptional wetting ability for precise hard and soft tissue reproduction; and greater tear strength that maintains marginal integrities and fine detail after removal.

For more information about Virtual XD VPS impression materials, call 1-800-533-6825 or head to 

A new video from Ivoclar Vivadent demonstrates how easily and efficiently the companies Virtual XD performs a heavy/light, dual-phase, full arch impression technique.

How to take fast, accurate impressions with Virtual® XD VPS impression material [VIDEO]

Said to be the fastest impression material on the market, 

3M ESPE Imprint™ 4 VPS impression material

Also, Imprint 4 VPS provides the same long lasting time of Imprint 3 VPS, but speeds up the set time with an active 

 self-warming feature developed specifically for this product.  Plus, the impression material’s enhanced hydrophilicity is said to aid in capturing fine details and preventing retakes. 

Imprint 4 VPS is available in Heavy & Super Quick Heavy, Light & Regular, Super Quick Light & Regular, and Putty formulations.

For more information about Imprint 4 VPS impression material, head to the product page 

Said to be the fastest impression material on the market, 3M ESPE Imprint™ 4 VPS impression material reportedly sets in just 75 seconds. 

3M ESPE Imprint 4 VPS impression material offers fast setting time and reliable results

Apparently, the avian cast from the Angry Birds game aren’t content to just battle evil pigs anymore - now they’re targeting tooth decay as well.

Firefly Angry Birds Anti-Cavity Mouth Rinse

 by Dr. Fresh is said to be an excellent adjunct to regular, thorough brushing and flossing. The bubblegum and berry-flavored formula formula is alcohol and sugar-free, plus it contains fluoride to help strengthen tooth enamel and prevent decay.

And by tapping into the popularity of the Angry Birds brand among youngsters, Firefly hopes to instill healthy hygiene habits in kids by making dental care fun. The pump bottles feature 3D likenesses of the popular Red Bird and Stella characters, plus a “no-mess” cup attached to the bottom of the bottle for proper usage and storage between rinses.

Recommended for children ages 6 and up, the rinse has reportedly been thoroughly tested for safety, purity and efficacy, but should only be used under parental supervision. The 16-oz bottle has a suggested retail price of $3.99 and will be available early this year at Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Safeway, Rite-Aid, and many other retailers.

For more information about Firefly Angry Birds Anti-Cavity Mouth Rinse, head to 

Angry Birds™ Anti-Cavity Mouth Rinse offers kids a fun, effective way to tackle tooth decay

Find out how to easily craft crown restorations in office using the 3M True Definition Scanner and TS150™ milling solution.

3M ESPE announced at the CDA’s San Francisco event the pairing of the 

 milling solution to provide dental clinicians with in-office milling and same-day dentistry.

Featuring FastDesign™ software, the TS150 leverages Glidewell Laboratories’ dental anatomy library to craft accurate crown proposals, all while guiding users through the entire design process.

After the digital impression is captured on the 3M True Definition Scanner and a crown is design in FastDesign, the TS150 mill – an air-driven unit featuring a 150,000-RPM spindle – uses an orbital mill path that prevents the burr from crossing over the margin, reportedly offering marginal integrity for better fitting restorations.

Also, the TS150 mill is accepted for use with 

, 3M ESPE’s own resin nano ceramic material.

Watch the video below to see how this new integrated system works:

“This new Trusted Connection combines the 3M True Definition Scanner’s unprecedented quality and affordability with the intuitive and easy-to-learn CAD/CAM system from IOS Technologies, making it easier for dentists to create beautiful and strong dental restorations with 3M ESPE’s Lava Ultimate Restorative.” said David Frazee, vice president and general manager of 3M Digital Oral Care.

“In the midst of this fast-paced digitization of dentistry, 3M expects to be the leader in rapidly delivering new and affordable connections for dentists and labs alike.”

The TS150 in-office milling solution and Lava Ultimate Restorative for the TS150 are sold through Burkhart Dental Supply and Benco Dental.

For more information about the 3M True Definition Scanner, head to 