ORTHO TRIBUNE The World’s Orthodontic Newspaper · U.S. Edition February 2010 supplement www.ortho-tribune.com Motivate your staff Tips for keeping your team happy, productive Meet our winner And the practice makeover goes to ... uPage New on the market Products solve space, comfort issues uPage 3 uPage 12 15 FDI, FOLA, DTI launch campaign for Haitian dentists By Javier M. de Bison, DT Latin America Polishing up your orthodontic finish Simple, three-step system improves clinical efficiency By S. Jay Bowman, DMD, MSD PANAMA CITY, Panama — The president of the Haitian Dental Association, Dr. Samuel Prophet, has told Dental Tribune Latin America that he and several colleagues are fine after the devastating earthquake in his country. “So far, we have reports of only two missing dentists,” Prophet wrote in an e-mail a couple weeks after the quake. The earthquake not only devastated Haiti’s meager health resources, but also most dental practices. In a country where there were only 500 dentists for 9 million people before Jan. 12, the extent of the devastation has affected everyone. The president of the Latin American Dental Federation (FOLA), Dr. Adolfo Rodríguez, launched a campaign immediately after the quake to help both the general population and dental professionals in Haiti. Rodríguez, who’s also the g OT page 4 T he Axis Orthodontic Adhesive Removal Set* (featuring a series of three polishing devices) was designed to both effectively and efficiently remove adhesives and cements after the completion of orthodontic treatment and to produce a smooth final enamel finish. This set consists of the following components: 1) H375R-016 (7675) Red Carbide, a gross adhesive removal bur; 2) H246L-012UF White Finishing Carbide, a 30-fluted finishing bur; and 3) P0153-031 Polisher, a green polishing point. All are conveniently maintained in an aluminum bur block that can be sterilized. These three devices can be used with either low- or high-speed friction-grip dental handpieces (including electric handpieces). Using a high-speed handpiece to remove adhesives is more comfortable for patients due to reduced vibration compared to that from a slow speed. Lower vibration also produces a smoother surface finish.1 Clinical efficiency is improved Fig. 1: After orthodontic appliances have been removed, a (red) carbide bur (H375R-106-7675), installed in a high-speed dental handpiece, is used to dislodge gross, residual resin. with this simple, three-step system as a single contra-angle handpiece can be employed for the entire removal/finishing process. After orthodontic appliances have been removed, the 7675 Carbide (Red) is used in a contra-angle dental handpiece to dislodge gross residual resin tags from the enamel (Fig. 1). This round-end, tapered 12-blade bur is ideal for removing both orthodontic bonding adhesives and also cements that remain on the teeth after de-bracketing and de-banding. Eliades et al.2 concluded that, “carbide burs are ideal cutting tools for g OT page 6 Facing the facts Differences between dental CBCT and medical CT scans By Dr. Bruce Howerton B efore a practitioner performs surgery, he or she should be equipped with up-to-date knowledge regarding the possible conditions located under soft tissue within the oral cavity. Three-dimensional data generated by cone-beam computed tomog- raphy (CBCT) technology offers a “surgical view” or slices of the entire field of view from the front, side and under the patient. Cone-beam scans assist with determining bone structure, tooth orientation, nerve canals and pathology; in some cases it may preclude the necessity for a surgical procedure. In past months, media sources have published articles regarding high exposure of radiation from medical CT scans. g OT page 7 Dental Tribune America 213 West 35th Street Suite #801 New York, NY 10001 PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit # 306 Mechanicsburg, PA