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NEWS 04 DENTAL TRIBUNE Pakistan Edition May 2016 OTHENBURG, SWEDEN: Occasional snoring in children is common and often harmless. However, persistent breathing disturbances during sleep can result in an increased risk of trouble concentrating, learning difficulties and delayed growth, experts say. A new study from the Sahlgrenska Academy in Sweden has now found that many parents underestimate the negative effects that the condition can have on their children’s quality of sleep and life. Examining the prevalence of snoring and sleep apnoea in 754 children aged 11 and under, the researchers found that 4.8 per cent experienced sleep- disordered breathing symptoms several times a week. Despite pronounced snoring, only 31 per cent of these children had been in contact with a health care provider regarding their symptoms, the survey established. “The study shows that awareness is low regarding the negative effects of breathing disturbances during sleep on children’s health and that most parents are not aware that this is something that should be investigated. An obvious result of the study is that we must consider how parents are given information about the condition and where they can seek help,” said Dr Gunnhildur Gudnadottir from the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the academy. “Children with persistent snoring often have a reduced quality of life. In particular, this applies to children who have sleep apnoea,” Gudnadottir said. This is mainly due to the condition affecting sleep quality, which in turn can lead to daytime tiredness, concentration and learning difficulties, bedwetting and delayed growth. Since many parents do not seem to be aware of the risks associated with habitual snoring, the researchers advised parents with children suffering from severe recurrent snoring and sleep apnoea to seek medical evaluation. The most common reason for snoring in children is enlarged tonsils or adenoids. In these cases, snoring can often be resolved or reduced with surgery. Other common causes are anatomical, such as a small jaw or a small airway that the child was born with, or poorly integrated breathing muscles that do not open the airway enough during sleep. The results of the study, titled “Healthcare provider contact for children with symptoms of sleep- disordered breathing: A population survey”, was published in the March issue of the Journal of Laryngology and Otology. DT Sweden G LBANY, USA: Market r e s e a r c h c o m p a n y Transparency Market Research has reported that the global dental equipment market is expected to reach US$7.6 billion by 2018, from US$5.5 billion in 2011, growing at a compound annual rate of 4.7 percent from 2012 to 2018. Technological innovations and increasing awareness of dental hygiene are contributors to the segment’s growth, but high initial costs for dental equipment remain. The report analyzes different types of dental equipment, including dental radiology equipment, systems and parts, laboratory machines and hygiene maintenance devices. An earlier report by business consulting firm Grand View Research forecast that the market would reach US$8.45 billion by 2020, equaling a compound annual growth rate of 8.2 percent. Both reports linked the demand for dental equipment with surging dental tourism, increasing popularity of cosmetic dental treatment, and advancements in diagnostic and treatment technologies. Systems and parts remain the largest product segment, followed by dental radiology equipment. According to both reports, dental lasers are predicted to grow at an accelerated pace owing to the increasing adoption of minimally invasive surgical procedures that remove dental decay without harming the soft and hard tissue. The growing ageing population and the baby boomers are additional factors for the rising demand for dental procedures. North America has traditionally led the market for dental equipment, while Asia Pacific has grown at a faster rate. Increased demand for dental instruments and technologies, in combination with improving health care infrastructure, will affect this trend in the coming years. The growth in patients travelling to Asia Pacific and eastern Europe for cheaper dental surgeries and implants will also affect sales of dental equipment in these regions. The Transparency Market Research report covers the financial figures, business strategies, product portfolios and recent developments of the major companies operating in the global dental equipment market, including Carestream Dental, GC Corporation, Henry Schein, Danaher Corporation, DENTSPLY Sirona, Planmeca, BIOLASE, Ivoclar Vivadent and A- dec. The full report is available for purchase at www.transparencymarket research.com/dental-devices- market.html. The Grand View Research report can be bought at www.grandviewre search.com/industry-analysis/dental- equipment-market. DT USA Dental tourism and lasers to fuel growth of dental equipment market A Dental lasers are predicted to grow at an accelerated pace over the next years Parents not aware of risks associated with persistent snoring in children Symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing, such as frequent snoring, apnoea and choking, may lead to health problems if untreated, the researchers said New X-ray imaging technique visualises teeth’s nanostructures UNICH, GERMANY: With the help of a new computed tomography (CT) method that is based on the scattering of X-rays, a team of international researchers has been able to visualise nanostructures in objects measuring just a few millimetres for the first time. To demonstrate the potential of the technique, the researchers reconstructed the precise 3-D orientation of collagen fibres in a piece of human tooth. The new method, which was developed by a team of researchers from Technische Universität München (TUM), the Charité hospital in Berlin, Lund University and the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, utilises the scattering of X-rays rather than their absorption. Conventional CT methods calculate exactly one value, known as a voxel, for each 3-D image point within an object. The advantage of the new technique is that it assigns multiple values to each voxel, as the scattered light arrives from various directions. “Thanks to this additional information, we’re able to learn a great deal more about the nanostructure of an object than with conventional CT methods. By indirectly measuring scattered X-rays, we can now visualise minute structures that are too small for direct spatial resolution,” explained Prof. Franz Pfeiffer, head of the Institute of Biomedical Physics at TUM. B y c o m b i n i n g 3 - D information from scattered X- rays with CT, the researchers were able to view clearly the 3-D orientation of collagen fibres in a piece of human tooth measuring around 3 mm. In order Continued on page 14 M Representation of the orientation of collagen fibres within a tooth sample. The new method makes it possible to visualise structures in the nanometre range in millimetre-sized objects at a high level of precisio