According to the reports, the tooth had the vital bone and periodontal ligaments needed for attachment, and so the team then transplanted it into another mouse’s lower jawbone.

Six weeks later, all the right blood and nerve connections had been made, allowing the bioengineered tooth to function as though it had grown naturally.

‘The bioengineered teeth were fully functional… there was no trouble biting and eating food after transplantation,” explained Dr Masamitsu Oshima, co-author of the study.

This opens up the possibility of new teeth being regenerated in the area where teeth are missing or need to be replaced.

Hopefully at some point in the near future, once a tooth has been extracted it can be regenerated for replacement. This would be a major improvement in dental care.

Can you imagine life without missing teeth?

For more on this fascinating development see:  Mouse Gets Lab-grown Tooth Transplant and Tooth Regeneration: A Reality of Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering

Scientists have isolated a single gene that regulates tooth growth.Mice without that gene were found grow extra teeth, much like how sharks develop several rows of teeth.

Those mice also had cleft palates, so this research might lead to ways to prevent that in humans.

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Most patients agree that the drill is one of the most dreaded parts of any dental visit. New technology could help ease dental anxiety by eliminating the need for a drill in the first place.

Optics underlie the cutting-edge technology. Based on Raman spectroscopy, the device would allow practitioners to spot bacteria on teeth, as bacteria scatter light rays in a different way from healthy teeth

Seeing “trouble spots” on patients’ teeth would help dentists treat problems before they become so serious as to require drilling. (Remember what they say about prevention being the best medicine?)

A preliminary study (at London’s King College) has shown significant promise, and the results were presented at Microscience 2008. Though human trials have not yet begun, the doctors behind the project hope to have the technology ready for use by dental practices within five years.

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A recent survey of British dentists indicates children may be damaging their teeth by over-brushing.

Fully 79% of dentists reported seeing more acid erosion on kids’ teeth. The survey also found that just over half of fiver-year-olds suffer from acid erosion. (Conducted by toothpaste manufacturer Sensodyne, the data included British dentists and parents.)

So what’s to blame? Soft drinks and fruit juice are major culprits. Acidic foods and sauces only make the problem worse. And tooth-brushing often compounds the issue.

Though it’s no surprise to dentists, most kids and parents don’t know that over-brushing damages teeth. Since acidic food and drink soften tooth enamel, the worst time to brush is directly after eating or drinking something acidic.

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Unlike traditional tattoos, tooth tattoos can be removed in two minutes. The personalized design is baked into the crown’s enamel, and can even be placed on the tooth’s inside surface for a particularly private tattoo. Designs range from patriotic to floral to tribal and beyond.

Visit www.toothtattoo.com for more information…

It turns out that the Tooth Fairy we all know and love is not an international celebrity. Around the world, baby teeth are honored with various customs, and our Tooth Fairy is but one of the many options.

The children’s book Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions from Around the World describes some of this folklore. Here are a few highlights:

• The tooth is tossed onto the roof in Greece, and in Korea and Taiwan as well.
• In Spain and Latin America, a mouse known as Ratoncito Perez will take the tooth from under the pillow and replace it with sweets or other treats.The same is true in France, where the mouse is known as La Petite Souris.
• In many places, the child or parents will bury the tooth. Filipino children get to make a wish as the tooth is planted.
• In Brazil, teeth are tossed into the garden. However, legend has it that the birds will only take the clean teeth away.
• Others wrap the tooth, sometimes in bread.
• The Tooth Fairy leaving cold hard cash appears to be an American tradition.

It’s interesting to note that many of these customs involve mice, rats, or other rodents. Though the author does not explore the reasons for this, it is most likely because rodents are known for having strong teeth.

Learn more by buying the book

In this survey, we asked dentists what percentage of their patients who initially request tooth whitening go on to have additional cosmetic dental procedures. Two out of three dentists reported a conversion rate of less than 40%.

• “Tooth whitening and cosmetic dentistry go hand in hand. 95% of my highest earning cases are cosmetic.” (Scotland dentist)
• “Hype, for the average patient.” (Pennsylvania dentist who does not offer tooth whitening)
• “It is the direction dentistry is going, so you either embrace the change or get left behind.” (Texas dentist)
• “Whitening is not popular in blue collar neighborhoods.” (Illinois dental student)
• “Maybe it’s just in my area, but there sure aren’t as many patients beating down my door for cosmetic treatments like LVI and other gurus would have you believe. The kids’ karate lessons, the cruise, and the new SUV are all way more important.” (Illinois dentist)
• “Whitening opens the door to more to more cosmetic dentistry.” (New Jersey dentist)
• “Tooth whitening is only temporary, and it has limitations. This has to be stressed to the patient.” (New Jersey dentist)

Read the complete tooth bleaching and cosmetic dentistry survey results

In this survey, we asked dentists which presidential candidate has the best teeth. And the winner was clear: Mitt Romney received just over 50% of the vote!

It’s worth noting that Romney also did well in our recent political survey of dentists. Though the two surveys asked very different questions, answers to both surveys were markedly similar.

Gender played a clear role in a dentist’s analysis of candidates’ smiles. Male dentist were overwhelmingly in favor of Mitt Romney (61%), but female dentists did not agree. Women dentist preferred Hillary Clinton’s smile (39%) and Barack Obama’s (26%) over Romney’ (22%).

Geographic location was also correlated dentists’ opinions. Rural dentists are almost twice as likely as urban dentists to choose Mitt Romney’s smile. On the other hand, urban dentists were more than twice as likely to prefer Hillary Clinton’s.

• “Barack Obama has beautiful smile. He is just blessed with good genetics. His teeth appear to be aligned in an almost ideal Angles Class I occlusion. From a dental esthetic standpoint, the other presidential candidates don’t have a chance.” (Illinois dentist)
• “I like Barack Obama’s teeth; they appear natural. Romney’s look nice, too. I’m guessing they are laminates or crowns.” (Tennessee dentist)
• “Even Mitt Romney’s smile line fits his face. Plus, he doesn’t try to smile too big.” (Virginia dentist)
• “Hillary Clinton has the best overall smile, well-proportioned with her facial features.” (Wisconsin dentist)
• “I would have to say Barack Obama. Yes, it’s sad, but true: the worst possible choice for President has the best smile!” (Arkansas dentist)

Read the complete candidates’ teeth survey results…

The New Face of Consumer Electronics

Researchers in Japan are working on a revolutionary new way for people to control their iPods and other consumer electronics, The user simply clenches his or her teeth briefly, an action detected by the light sensors of the computerized headgear. Although initially designed for commuters on crowded trains seeking hands-free control of their iPods, future applications could include cell phones, PowerPoint presentations, and even wheelchair operation.

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