Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

9CommentMarch 25-31, 2013United Kingdom Edition Contra angle range offers: • Attractive new design • Versions with and without light available • Thermo washer disinfectable and sterilizable • 2 year warranty • Data matrix code for traceability HG-43 A 1:1 WG-56 A 1:1 WG-66 A 2:1 Some Things You can Rely On!Synea Fusion - A synthesis of design, technology and value WG-99 A 1:5 Now Only £299 Now Only £350 Now Only £525 Now Only £475 Special Prices on Top Quality Non-Optic Handpieces Whatever happens: With W&H equipment you are always prepared. Excellent quality at unbelievably low prices Non-optic slow speed handpieces without spray WE-56 1:1 Contra angle WE-66 4:1 Speed reducing HE-43 1:1 Straight handpiece Now Only £136 Now Only £175 Now Only £125 Prices shown are subject to VAT. Offers valid from 1st January 2013 to 31st March 2013 and are available for dental professionals residing in the UK and Ireland only. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offers. Terms and Conditions apply. E & O E. ISO 9001:2008 Certificate No. FS 36436 wh.com WINTER OFFERS 2013 1st January - 31st March 2013 FREE 14 day trials available at wh.com For information call 01727 874990 Top Quality OpticTurbines only £425 AT W&H PEOPLE HAVE PRIORITY also states ‘the six per cent hy- drogen peroxide limit applies to any compound whether used externally or internally e.g. on a root-canal treated tooth’ and that ‘it remains il- legal to use tooth bleaching compounds containing or re- leasing more than six per cent hydrogen peroxide’. Dental Protection also states that ‘the use of prod- ucts containing or releasing more than six per cent hydro- gen peroxide is a breach of the Regulations’ and ‘members may consider, for example, the extensive published evidence that products containing or releasing more than six per cent hydrogen peroxide may lead to a higher incidence of side effects including sensitiv- ity, which in turn are respon- sible for a significant number of complaints relating to these procedures. Furthermore, this evidence suggests that the use of these higher concentra- tions, whether administered in the surgery or at home, may ultimately confer no long-term benefits in aesthetic terms when compared to the alter- native products that remain within the proposed new six per cent limit.’ If a member considers that it is in a pa- tient’s best interests to use a product containing or releas- ing more than six per cent hy- drogen peroxide and a mem- ber chooses to use this product they may be challenged on the use of the product by Trading Standards Officers. As part of the agreement to change the directive the EU demanded that there should be reporting of any adverse ef- fects from the use of HP prod- ucts up to six per cent. At the time of writing I am not en- tirely sure as to how this is meant to work in practice, so if I ever find out I will do my best to update you on this po- sition. Alternatively if there is anyone out there who knows please email me at neel@saw- stondentist.com. In what may seem as a somewhat contradictory posi- tion The Department of Busi- ness, Innovation & Skills (BIS), who oversee consumer safety and trading standards, have advised that the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and the cosmetic Products (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 do not cover the final ‘use’ of the product, therefore these specific regulations do not prevent the direct applica- tion of any whitening product of any concentration to the teeth. This suggests that it is not illegal under these regulations for anyone to apply whitening products of any strength di- rectly to the teeth of patients, however it is difficult to see how this can work if dentists are restricted from purchasing HP products over six per cent and are not supported by their dental defence unions. Essentially, the need to use stronger concentration whitening products has al- ways been debatable given that similar results can eas- ily be achieved using ‘weak’ or ‘strong’ products. Those advocates of ‘power whiten- ing’ may ultimately feel dis- heartened by the ruling, how- ever really have no choice but to abide by it. Over the past year I personally noticed seemingly excellent deals in a number of power whitening lamps – I am now extremely glad that I wasn’t tempted to buy one. DT About the author Neel Kothari qualified as a den- tist from Bristol University Dental School in 2005, and currently works in Sawston, Cam- bridge as a princi- pal dentist at High Street Dental Prac- tice. He has completed a year-long postgraduate certificate in implantol- ogy and is currently undertaking the Diploma in Implantology at UCL’s Eastman Dental Institute. ‘Dental Protection also states that ‘the use of products con- taining or releasing more than six per cent hydrogen per- oxide is a breach of the Regulations’