Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

2 News United Kingdom Edition October 2013 Published by Dental Tribune UK Ltd © 2013, Dental Tribune UK Ltd. All rights reserved. Dental Tribune UK Ltd makes every effort to report clinical information and manufacturer’s product news accurately, but cannot assume responsibility for the validity of product claims, or for typographical errors. The publishers also do not assume responsibility for product names or claims, or statements made by advertisers. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and may not reflect those of Dental Tribune UK. Editor Lisa Townshend Tel: 020 7400 8979 Lisa@healthcare-learning. com Advertising Director Joe Aspis Tel: 020 7400 8969 Joe@healthcare-learning. com Sales Executive Joe Ackah Tel: 020 7400 8964 Joe.ackah@ healthcare-learning.com Editorial Assistant Angharad Jones Angharad.jones@healthcare- learning.com Design & Production Ellen Sawle Tel: 020 7400 8970 ellen@healthcare-learning. com Dental Tribune UK Ltd 4th Floor, Treasure House, 19–21 Hatton Garden, London, EC1N 8BA A new 3D printed toothbrush tailor-made to fit a person’s mouth is claimed to com- pletely clean teeth in six seconds. To make the ‘Blizzident’, den- tists take a digital scan of a per- son’s teeth and use that to deter- mine the optimal placement of 600 bristles by simulating biting and chewing movements. The bristles resemble normal tooth- brush bristles but are much finer and tapered to reach the gum line better. The scan is used to create a computer aided design (CAD) model of the brush, which is converted into a 3D object using stereolithography, a method in which liquid plastic is cured into a shape with an ultraviolet laser. The bristles are then attached. To use the Blizzident, a per- son bites down on it and grinds their teeth for about six seconds. The brush’s makers say this is sufficient time to clean teeth com- pletely, although independent studies have yet to verify this. DT 3D printed toothbrush cleans teeth in six seconds A nna Jefferson, CQC’s current Head of Me- dia, has been cleared of wrong-doing in an internal enquiry. As previously reported, a report revealed that the CQC ‘covered up’ knowledge of its failings over a series of baby deaths at a Cumbria hospital. Anna Jefferson, along with Cynthia Bower and Jill Finney, were blamed in a follow-up report. They were all said to be present at a meeting where deletion of a critical report was allegedly discussed. Ms Jefferson is alleged to have said of the report: “Are you kidding me? This can nev- er be in a public domain.” However, the CQC has now released a statement that says: “Anna Jefferson had not used ‘any inappropriate phrases’ as attributed to her by one witness quoted in the Grant Thornton report” and that “Anna Jefferson had not sup- ported any instruction to de- lete and internal report pre- pared by a colleague – Louise Dineley.” It added: “The CQC regrets any distress Anna Jefferson has suffered as a consequence of this matter and is pleased to welcome Anna back to the or- ganisation following a period of maternity leave. She is cur- rently undertaking a course of postgraduate study with CQC’s support.” DT Anna Jefferson cleared over CQC cover up P atients should hang onto problem teeth as long as possible rather than get- ting dental implants, a new lit- erature review suggests. The review, published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, found that 15-year tooth loss rates range from 3.6 per cent to 13.4 per cent, where- as implant loss rates range from nought per cent to 33 per cent. Some clinicians recom- mend dental implants as an alternative to treating severely diseased teeth, however the re- searchers note that even teeth classified as ‘hopeless’ may sur- vive, especially if periodontal treatment address the underly- ing problem. “The results of this systemat- ic review show that implant sur- vival rates do not exceed those of compromised but adequately treated and maintained teeth, supporting the notion that the decision to extract a tooth and place a dental implant should be made cautiously,” the authors write. It was found that more coni- cal implants had higher stresses than did cylindrical and screw- shaped implants, and textured implants had better outcomes than those with machined sur- faces. Implants were more likely to fail in patients with periodon- titis-related tooth loss, in those who smoked, and in those with diabetes mellitus, a history of radiotherapy, or impaired bone quality. “In light of the above review, the decision to retain prop- erly treated and maintained teeth for as long as possible seems to provide an overall so- lution that can reduce the treat- ment risks over the long term,” they conclude. DT Natural teeth last longer than dental implants A man has had his sight restored after one of his teeth was implanted in his eye. More than two decades ago, former factory worker Ian Tibbetts began to lose his sight after suffering an indus- trial accident. According to the Independent, as he was re- moving a piece of scrap metal from an oven it struck him in the right eye, ripping his cor- nea in six places. By 1998 he had lost all sight in his right eye, followed a decade later by nearly all the remaining vision in his left. Now thanks to an operation in which one of his teeth was implanted in his eye socket to act as a cradle for a false lens, his sight has been restored. The procedure, known as os- teo-odonto-keratoprothesis (OOKP) was carried out by surgeon Professor Christopher Liu at the Sussex Eye Hospital in Brighton. The two-stage surgery in- volves the removal of a piece of tooth and bone from the pa- tient’s mouth, and then stitched into the eye socket. “The technical success rate is close to 100 per cent. The number of people who will see well for a very long time is two-thirds to three- quarters. If I am a bit more pessimistic I will say half to two-thirds. But for the major- ity of people it will work,” says Professor Liu. DT Tooth restores man’s sight