Mouthpiece: autumn2006

home: Mouthpiece: Autumn 2006
Mouthpiece

The newsletter of Ashwater Dental Practice

Autumn 2006

Lager, Aga, Saga, Ga-Ga

With an ageing population everyone is trying to find a cure for memory loss - we don't recommend this! We know fizzy drinks, as well as having the potential downside of tooth erosion and decay perhaps have an up-side. Recent research suggests that carbonated drinks might be able to cure memory loss. Dr Leigh Riby, a psychology lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University, has discovered that drinking the equivalent of a can of the stuff can improve memory retention by a fifth. Others report that two cans of fizzy drinks can combat dementia in older people. Quite how accurate it is will undoubtedly require long term tests to ensure it is evidence-based, rather than merely anecdotal. Now we will remember where we left our false teeth having drunk so much pop!

Robotic Dental Drill

A robotic dentist's drill is to be tested on humans in Europe and the United States, and could represent the first step towards more automated dental procedures, reports New Scientist magazine.

The drill, developed by tactile Technologies, based in Israel, is designed to take the complexity out of dental implant work. It could make operations cheaper, quicker and less painful for patients, its developers claim.

Firstly, a frame is clamped onto a patient's jaw and very thin needles penetrate the gum to determine the location of the bone. This data is wirelessly transmitted to a PC, which combines it with CT scan data to configure a set of drill guides. The guides are then attached to the frame, then the dentist presses a button to start the drilling in the precise location required. He adds that this could be just the first step towards more automated dentistry. 'In the future maybe something will actually drill for the dentist too', At Ashwater we still use humans!

Smiles Influence Success - Is your smile helping you?

The study showed that volunteers rated people with visible tooth decay or crowded teeth to be less clever, less popular and less well-adjusted. People with whitened teeth were rated as more attractive sand successful. Professor tim Newton of King's College London who led the study, digitally amended smiles to show caries and asked volunteers to grade the images in terms of intelligence and attractiveness. How do you rate your smile?

Trying to go paperless!

A year ago we installed a new computer system for all our clinical notes and reception area - many of you will have seen it. with less clutter around the practice we also have more detailed radiographs we can see the radiographs in a few seconds on the screen (less radiation for the patient) We are hoping all this investment is going to make it an improved and more efficient service for you our customer

Hello

Lucy and Lorraine have both joined Ashwater as Dental Nurses.