Because it is a cheaper alternative to champagne, it has proved very popular at barbeques and pretty much any other social gathering, but dentists have warned that drinking too much could damage your teeth. They even have a name for the effect: Prosecco Smile.

What is a prosecco smile? It starts off as a white line just below the gum, a little soft to the touch, but that is the first sign of tooth decay, which can lead to the need for fillings and other dental work.

Why is this unique to Prosecco? According to Professor Damien Walmsley, the British Dental Association’s scientific advisor, Prosecco is a “triple whammy” for your teeth of carbonation (and the acidity that causes the fizz), sugary sweetness and alcohol, all of which is damaging for your teeth. Prosecco as well is a drink that is often had separate from a meal, meaning that it is very easy to have a few glasses without even noticing.

What can be done? Like everything the key is moderation, the main cause of “prosecco smile” is having too much. The other thing to be careful of is when you brush your teeth. Immediately after drinking prosecco the acids make your tooth enamel weaker than normal, so wait a few hours before brushing.

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David Mist of Hull claimed he would have “been dead within three months” were it not for a routine check-up at the dentist.

David had suffered from severe pain in his mouth and swelling, something that when visiting other doctors was diagnosed as mouth thrush, a fungal infection and was provided two antibiotics courses in order to treat it. After suffering weight loss, doctors continued to believe it was an infection of the thyroid gland that was causing it until an appointment with the dentist exposed something more sinister.

Within two weeks David was taken to Hull Royal Hospital for a biopsy, and has only recently completed a six week course of radiotherapy, as well as a fourteen hour operation to create a skin graft in his mouth using his thigh. Currently he is still being fed via tubing.

Mr Mist is incredibly grateful for his dentist to have spotted the issues, and urges people who have concerns about oral conditions to see their dentist for a second opinion, as they have particular skills with oral care that may not be spotted by GPs.

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The gum works through the use of a chemical known as denatonium, which tastes very bitter when it reacts with certain enzymes released in the mouth whenever you have a bacterial infection. Denatonium is also used in certain kinds of nail polish, intended to stop children from biting their nails with a bitter but ultimately harmless taste.

The invention, described in the journal Nature Communication, is claimed by research leader Professor Lorenz Meinel of Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) in Würzburg, Germany to be usable by “anyone” at “anytime without any technical equipment”.

The treatment could be of particular benefit to those who currently have dental implants fitted, which have a higher risk of bacterial infection and for whom dental visits are more frequent.

The research is expected to continue, to expand the scope of diagnosis that these chewing gum-based solutions could be used to detect other illnesses and the cause of ill health. An example Professor Meinel says is that a gum is being worked on that can detect whether a sore throat is being caused by a bacteria or by the flu virus, which could if widely rolled out be used to reduce the use of antibiotics, something that could prove vital given the increase of drug-resistant “superbugs” such as MRSA.

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Currently many patients are opting to have porcelain veneers placed to get that perfect smile. But why do they choose that option? In some cases where there has been structural damage, deep staining, caries and old poor restorations beautiful porcelain veneers can provide huge aesthetic and functional benefits. However, in cases where the teeth are just crowded and out of position veneers often seem attractive. This is because until recently, the orthodontic alternative has been either unattractive fixed brackets which often will take months if not years, or invisible braces which also take time and the costs can be high. Many adults just will not wait that long.

So what if there was a way of aligning their teeth in a much shorter time at less cost? How many patients would still choose to have veneers if they knew they might be able to align their teeth in as little as 4-16 weeks? And surely in cases where veneers are the optimal solution, wouldn’t patients prefer to align their teeth first before veneer preparation to avoid the very real risk of endodontics?

This is where the Inman Aligner comes in and it changes everything….

It has been working within the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry that my inspiration for innovative techniques and minimal preparation was nurtured. This forward thinking highly ethical organisation gave me terrific feedback and help in thinking about

the possibilities of the Inman Aligner. Indeed I gave my first lecture to a BACD audience. Currently only BACD dentists are performing this technique. I have been using the Inman Aligner for over three years and have fitted well over 250 appliances.

Many of these cases would have had veneers and the other patients refused to have conventional orthodontics because of the long wait. Of course not every case is suitable and case selection is critical. The Inman Aligner is only suitable for correcting the anterior teeth. Large side shifts, intrusions and extrusions are impossible but rotations, tipping, bucco labial bodily movements and diastema closures in protrusive cases are all possible as long as case selection criteria have been met.

In this article I am going to present two cases. In both cases you will see how using an Inman Aligner was not only faster, easier and cheaper than more conventional techniques, but from the patient’s point of view was a perfect solution.

Case 1

Case 1 is a 24-year-old female who was concerned about the appearance of her lower anterior teeth. Her lower central incisors were clearly moderately crowded and were starting to wear irregularly. Her alternative treatment options were fixed brackets and Invisible braces. She had attended several orthodontists but was not happy with the amount of time quoted for treatment ranging from 12 to 18 months. Arch evaluation had to be performed because The Inman Aligner will not work in every case. The amount of crowding was calculated using a simple technique and we calculated that her case was suitable.

Impressions and bite records were taken and sent to the UK certified Inman Aligner laboratory. After a couple of weeks the patient returned. The Aligner was fitted, checked and full instructions are given. Space can be easily created with carefully measured inter-proximal-reduction and expansion. This is started on the first appointment.

The patient was seen every three to four weeks for reviews and a small amount of measured IPR. Within nine weeks the alignment was achieved. The patient then wore a clear essix type retainer for a period of a month and then a fixed stainless steel retainer wire is bonded to the lingual surfaces. This is now a very simple procedure as the lab will produce a jig with the pre-bent wire that simply slips onto the teeth is bonded in place and the jig is cut free. The patient then had her teeth whitened.

Case 2

Case 2 was a 22-year-old female who was referred to me by Luke Barnett. Luke is a BACD-accredited technician based near Watford. A dentist had referred the patient to him to assess her for veneers. Luke was rightly concerned that taking the patient’s age and health of her enamel into consideration, it would have been unethical to have started veneer preps before fully exploring all orthodontic options.

The patient was not keen on fixed brackets or a long wait. She wanted her teeth straightened within a few months. Luke knew about the Inman Aligner and sent her to me. Space calculation again showed that this case was treatable with an Inman Aligner. The Aligner was constructed and fitted a week later. Carefully measured IPR was performed and the patient was seen every three to four weeks for further IPR and minimal appliance adjustment. In less than 12 weeks the teeth were fully aligned. A clear essix type retainer was made and she wore this full time for a short period. After which she wore the retainer nightly. The patient was thrilled because she had saved herself from having 8/10 veneers prepped, with the fairly high risk of endodontics associated due to the large amount of prepping required. Thinking ahead, even if the patient ever does opt to have veneers in future to rejuvenate her enamel, at least her teeth are now in a far better position to do so.

Viewpoint

Of course many patients will still want veneers to rejuvenate their enamel, for functional reasons and they may just want that perfect smile. At my practice I have been using the Inman Aligner as a pre-veneer positioner to deradicalise tooth preps. Often this may only take a few weeks, but I have not had an exposure or had a veneered tooth need endodontics post treatment for over three years. Retention issues must be considered of course, but the advantages are huge and patients appreciate that we are trying to be as ethical as possible.

I believe the outcome of cases like those shown has huge implications for cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics. I consider it is now incorrect to tell patients that the alternative orthodontic options will take one to two years in some cases. The good news is that the Inman Aligner is actually very easy and simple to use once case selection and movement potential is fully understood. I feel that this appliance is the missing link between orthodontics and cosmetic dentistry. Dr Tim Bradstock-Smith (Accredited BACD Member) of the London Smile Clinic, arguably the most successful cosmetic dental practice in the UK, was one of the first dentists I showed how to use the Aligner and since then has helped to develop techniques to incorporate the Aligner into a multi-disciplinary approach to cosmetic dentistry.

‘At the London Smile Clinic our patients approach us requesting smile makeovers and speed of treatment is often a big issue. It was rare that a patient would accept a referral for orthodontic prealignment prior to smile makeovers with veneers. Inevitably this meant we would routinely have no option but to offer treatments that would require elective endodontics and heavily prepared teeth. This is a route that some patients would choose to go down. But many patients confronted with the option of long term orthodontics or heavily prepared teeth with root treatments would choose to avoid treatment altogether.

Another issue we encountered was that many patients were just seeking cosmetic treatment for upper arches but did not wish or could not afford to treat minor crowding of lower teeth leaving some disparity between upper and lower arches.

When Tif introduced me to the Inman Aligner I could see the potential instantly. We have now been using it for over a year and it has changed the way we approach many cases.

Orthodontic prealigment gives much improved aesthetics of the finished result. For example, palatally placed laterals in a crowding case often result in very poor emergence profiles if restored without prealignment.

Prealignment also allows us to approach almost all cases much more conservatively. We still carry out a few elective endodontics but the vast majority of patients prefer to pre-align their teeth with the Inman Aligner in a matter of weeks before further cosmetic treatment.

We are also now able to offer a quick and affordable option for alignment of lower teeth. The result is that aesthetics and function of even single arch cosmetic cases are completed more comprehensively. The Inman aligner has not been hard to learn and introduce into the practice. Yet the benefits are huge. I believe the Inman Aligner is the greatest single innovation in cosmetic dentistry since the porcelain veneer. Speed of treatment has made Inman a much more attractive prospect to patients and case acceptance rates have increased accordingly. At last we can offer comprehensive cosmetic treatments that are conservative and hence more ethical.

This ‘real-world’ conservative philosophy is at the core of how we approach cosmetic dentistry at the London Smile Clinic today, and we believe it has moved the goalposts in what should be considered ‘best practice’ in cosmetic dentistry. It was with this in mind that we set up Straight-Talk seminars with Dr Tif Qureshi to offer Hands-On courses on Inman Aligners and other areas of cosmetic dentistry with an innovative approach that is fully integrated with this new philosophy.’

Dr Tif Qureshi is runs a Hands-on Certification course for the Inman Aligner with expert hands-on assistance from Dr Tim Bradstock Smith and Dr James Russell with Straight-talks Seminars. www.straight-talks.com

To visit Dr Tif Qureshi’s dental practice see www.dentalelegance.co.uk

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Dr Avijit Banerjee confirmed as a speaker at 2010 British Dental Conference and Exhibition

The BDA is proud to announce that the respected clinical expert Dr Avijit Banerjee has been confirmed to join the prestigious panel of speakers appearing at the 2010 British Dental Conference and Exhibition, to be held on the 20 – 22 May 2010 at the Liverpool Arena and Convention Centre (ACC).

Dr Banerjee, Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at King’s College London (KCL) Dental Institute at Guy’s Hospital will be delivering a presentation entitled Revolutions in caries management – minimal invasive dentistry in practice.

The presentation will be detailing:

• The methods for monitoring patients with a high risk of developing caries,
• Understanding the pathology of caries,
• How to bond to caries – affected dentine and the therapeutic effects.

Dr Banerjee has carried out extensive clinical research into cariology, caries removal techniques, microbiology and microscopic imaging of dental caries and, as winner of the 2009 Kings College London Teacher of the Year Award, is well placed to offer outstanding clinical expertise to delegates.

His passion for translating scientific research into clinical practice will ensure that his guidance will feature the latest clinical findings, delivered in a manner relevant to today’s GDPs.

For more information on the conference and exhibition, register on www.bda.org/conference or call 0870 166 6625.

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British Dental Conference and Exhibition 2010

The British Dental Association’s annual conference and exhibition (20 – 22 May 2010 at the ACC, Liverpool) is a vital diary date for all dental professionals who are looking for inspiration for their practices.

Prefer to say:

The BDA’s British Dental Conference and Exhibition (20 – 22 May 2010 at the ACC, Liverpool) is a vital diary date for all dental professionals who are looking for inspiration for their practices.

The conference features a wide selection of both clinical and motivational speakers who are guaranteed to inspire delegates with new ideas. The conference will feature speakers and topics that are relevant to the full dental team and will be full of information and techniques that can be implemented in practise.

The conference programme includes sessions on:

• Predictable occlusion and guidance in everyday practice
• Dental decontamination in England: complying with HTM 01-05
• The future of dentistry: one united profession?
• Maximising your business opportunities in the current financial climate
• How treatment co-ordinators can pave the way for a more successful practice

The programme features a number of motivational sessions targeted at young dentists, VDPs and DCPs, which promise to highlight the various career paths open to them within the industry. Many of the sessions count towards core CPD hours and across the three days of the conference it is possible to collect all the CPD needed for a year.

The exhibition will see all the industry’s most prominent suppliers and a number of new entries to the market it will also be a chance for delegates to explore hundreds of new products and technologies.

For more information on the conference and exhibition, register on www.bda.org/conference or call 0870 166 6625.

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BDA Shortlisted for Business Superbrands Award

The BDA is delighted to have been shortlisted as one of this year’s Business Superbrands.

An independent panel of experts from The Centre for Brand Analysis, along with 1,500 individual business professionals, examined thousands of applications, before selecting only 500 ‘Superbrands.’

In order to qualify as a Business Superbrand, an organisation has to have established the finest reputation in its field, and offer customers significant emotional and/or tangible advantages over its competitors.

The brand has to display that it represents quality products and services, can deliver a consistent and reliable customer service and be distinctly unique within its market.

As the professional association and trade union for dental professionals, around 23,000 members enjoy the wide range of support and advice offered by the BDA, on issues ranging from NHS regulations to practice management.

Being nominated as a Business Superbrand is testament to the determined efforts made by the BDA team to ensure that it continues to offer members advice, support and improve the nation’s oral health.

For more information on the services offered by the BDA, or for information on becoming a member, please visit the website www.bda.org

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Yesterday’s Quality, Today’s Technology

Is your lab working hard to bring you excellent customer care and quality cosmetic crown and bridgework solutions?

Does your lab offer you:

Quality

Perfect aesthetics for your patients, including marginal fit, occlusion, anatomical contouring and shade matching?

Personal Service

A solid relationship with tailor made solutions and options that fully suit the needs of your practice?

Guarantees

What guarantees will your lab offer you and your patients? Don’t settle for anything less than a guarantee for at least three years on everything it sells, no quibbles!

Delivery

Does your lab have a delivery guarantee so you can continue to schedule work and turn around cases quickly and efficiently? You shouldn’t have to wait weeks to receive quality, outstanding products.

Price

Does your lab have a clear and transparent pricing policy to offer you the most competitive prices in the industry? What extras will you be paying for?

AND 30% off your first order?

Biterite combines the standards and values of the traditional dental laboratory with the contemporary work ethics of today’s dentist. Why not talk to the team from Biterite and try the fresh approach to working with a dental Laboratory to see difference for yourself.

Call 0208 455 5321 or go to www.bite-rite.co.uk

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Biterite Dental Laboratory,
New Website, Same Great Service!

Biterite Dental Laboratory have a new look, easy to navigate website that offers users instant access to the great products at Biterite as well as the latest innovations from the smile design team.

Housed in their brand new state-of-the-art premises, the team from Biterite uses the latest technology combined with the finest craftsmanship to offer you:

• The standards and values of the traditional dental laboratory combined with the contemporary work ethics of today’s dentist
• Guarantees on all their work for 3 years
• All work turned round within 10 working days
• A consistent supply of crown and bridgework solutions of outstanding quality
• A bespoke service to suit the specific needs of your practice

Why not try the fresh approach to cosmetic crown and bridgework solutions? To demonstrate the quality of all work created by Biterite, your second piece of work will be done completely complimentary!

Visit the new website at www.bite-rite.co.uk or call the dedicated team on 0208 455 5321 to get your free Biterite information pack.

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Supporting The Entire Dental Team!

Smile-on in conjunction with the NHS West Midlands Workforce Deanery treated all practices in the West Midlands region to a free copy of DNSTART.

Designed as an interactive induction programme, DNSTART allows trainee dental nurses to work in the dental practice prior to taking up a place in an accredited institution.

Primarily for new dental nurses, DNSTART can also be used as a refresher course for the entire team and offers 10 hours of verifiable CPD.

DNSTART explores the role of the Dental Nurse within the following areas:

• Health And Safety
• Infection Control
• Medical Emergencies
• Radiographs
• Record Keeping
• Surgery Routine
• Working Within The Dental Team

The market leader and trusted name in healthcare education, Smile-on is proud to support all dental professionals by offering flexible education and accessible learning to help build fulfilling and successful dental careers

For more information on DNSTART call 020 7400 8989 or email info@smile-on.com

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