Update on the iTero Evaluation

We have been working with the Cadent iTero for a month now. Since we began working with the device in early January, I have only taken one conventional vinylpolyether impression and that was on an unusual case. All other fixed prosthetic cases have been imaged and fabricated using the digital impression technology.

Results at this point have been outstanding. The cases we have sent out have had the occasional deep subgingival margin which has been created exactly. With those cases we've used a diode laser to better expose the margin.

Fit and accuracy have been better than with traditional means and seating appointments are less involved. We have used it with all ceramic and PFM restorations and have had equally good results with each.

One of the biggest advantages has been in workflow. The imaging is fast and easy which allows us to be more productive with a lower degree of stress.

We've also had tremendous feedback from patients who are impressed with both the technology and the fact that we've done away with the impression. I realized today I've only taken one impression in over a month and I haven't missed it a bit.

Reebok Set to Release Zig Tech in 30 Days

I've always been a sucker for a cool pair of athletic shoes. I love to run and because of that, my legs and knees take a beating so I'm always looking for ways to decrease the stress and strain.

Well... Reebok may be onto something here with the Zig Tech shoe line. The idea is basically a "lightning bolt" shape of a sole that is said to impart more energy to the legs than a standard shaped sole.

And never mind all the technology, they flat out just look cool. I think I'll have to be shopping for a pair as soon as they are available in March. Here's the press release:

CANTON, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–What would you do if you had more energy? Run faster? Train longer? On March 11^th, Reebok allows athletes to find out with the highly anticipated launch of ZigTech, the brand’s most technically advanced running and training shoe. ZigTech allows your key leg muscles to do less, so you can do more. Simply put, it’s like an energy drink for your feet.

Everything about Reebok’s ZigTech footwear is designed to conserve and return energy to the athlete for a soft and springy ride. The one-of-a-kind ZigTech bottom unit features an innovative, lightweight foam that is engineered into a dramatic, geometric, zig-zag shape. This unique zig-shaped sole absorbs the impact of heel strike and sends a wave of energy along the length of the shoe to help propel the athlete forward with each step.

“Traditional energy return is focused only on the vertical impact of the heel strike,” said Reebok’s Head of Advanced Innovation, Bill McInnis. “In contrast, ZigTech is designed to transfer energy horizontally along the zigs so the athlete gets that energy back in the forefoot.”

The lightweight, flexible bottom unit, minimalist upper, and whisper-quiet ground contact also contribute to making ZigTech a new standard in running and training footwear. In fact, by wearing Reebok’s ZigTech footwear, training longer just got easier. The technology causes up to 20% less wear and tear on key leg muscles, especially the shins and hamstrings.

“Shin splints are extremely common for pro athletes like me,” said NFL superstar Peyton Manning. “Wearing ZigTechs give players a bounce, an energy that lets us train longer with less strain on key leg muscles, like shins. This ultimately enables athletes to stay healthier during the season.”

Reebok’s ZigTech footwear collection is available for men and women in an array of bold, bright colors that will truly stand out in the gym. Edgy, trend setting athletes like football phenom Chad Ochocinco are big fans of the aggressive design. “I had my ZigTechs in the locker room and all my teammates were trying to check them out,” said Ochocinco. “ZigTechs stand apart from any training shoe out there. They are bold and confident, perfect for an athlete like me.”

Manning and Ochocinco are joined by last year’s Super Bowl MVP, Santonio Holmes, 2008 Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, World Series star pitcher Andy Pettitte, Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum, Stanley Cup winner Sidney Crosby, NHL All-Star Alexander Ovechkin, boxing great “Sugar” Shane Mosley, basketball icon Allen Iverson, home run king David Ortiz, soccer standouts Thierry Henry and Ryan Giggs, and hundreds more athletes who run and train in Reebok’s ZigTech footwear.

ZigTech debuts at major retailers including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Foot Locker, Finish Line and on Reebok.com on March 11, 2010 for a suggested price of $100. The launch will be supported by a major marketing campaign including TV, print and online advertising. To learn more, visit Reebok.com/zigtech.

A Germanium Laser may Boost Storage and Computer Speeds

God bless the brains at MIT. The number of tech wonders they've developed stuns the imagination. Now there are reports of a developed Germanium laser that might very well change computing as we know it.

It seems that as processors and bandwidth get faster and faster, the big slowdown in our systems is the bulky, heat generating, and power hungry copper that moves the electrons around in our electronics. This is looking like the next bottleneck that will have to be overcome to increase computing speeds.

Well, MIT may very well have solved the bottleneck with the development of this laser. It seems that the laser might actually be able to be fabricated directly onto chips when they are manufactured. Imagine a computer chip with its own built-in laser! This would allow things to move around the computer at the speed of light with very little added heat.

There's no word on a timetable for deployment, but it's little discoveries like this that can often mean big changes and advancement on down the road.

The Chevy Volt is Coming... and You can Order One This Year

As most of you regular readers know, this fall I went green when I purchased a Chevy Tahoe Hybrid. While I'm still loving it every time I get behind the wheel (not to mention every time I can pass a fuel pump) this post isn't about me. It's about the next big thing in green driving.

The Chevy Volt has been shown at car shows and has been talked about for a few years now, but it seems that you'll finally be able to get your hands on one this calendar year. GM dealers should begin taking orders in September with a target delivery date of November.

The biggest/coolest thing about the Volt? Well there's tons of technology, but the big thing is 230 mpg. No, that's not a typo. See your Chevy dealer this fall.

Center for Esthetic Excellence Announces CE Course Schedule

The Center for Esthetic Excellence (CEE) in Chicago, Illinois has one of the most highly regarded faculties of any continuing dental education programs in the world. The CEE programs combine a lecture and “hands-on” class format and each course is limited to fifteen participants which is conducive to a more intimate learning experience. Learn skills that will take your career to the next level while practicing in-office techniques in a fully equipped ultra-modern facility. For more information or to see the 2010 schedule and course descriptions, please call 1-800-837-2321 or visit www.cosmedent.com.

OraPharma, Inc.’s ARESTIN® Honored for the Sixth Consecutive Year with Coveted 2009 Townie Choice Award

Warminster, PA (February 4, 2010) − OraPharma, Inc., a specialty oral health company dedicated to bringing scientific and technological products to the dental community, recently announced that its ARESTIN® (minocycline hydrochloride) Microspheres, 1 mg continues to be regarded as the standard of care for locally administered antibiotics (LAA) used as a part of comprehensive periodontal disease treatment by dentists and hygienists alike.
For the sixth year in a row, ARESTIN® was overwhelmingly named the LAA of choice in the 2009 Townie Choice Awards from Dentaltown, and is featured in the December 2009 issue. ARESTIN® is indicated as an adjunct treatment to scaling and root planing (SRP) procedures for reduction of pocket depth in patients with adult periodontitis.
The Townie Choice Awards were created to provide dental professionals with a peer-driven source of information when making difficult purchase decisions. What’s more, the Townie Choice Award is the only honor in dentistry that is bestowed directly from the clinicians who treat patients every day.
“Each product chosen by our readers plays an important part in their everyday professional success based on positive patient outcomes,” remarked Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, editorial director, Dentaltown. “The Townie Choice Awards are very influential and provide an accurate profile of our Dentaltown community product loyalties.”
“We’re pleased and honored that ARESTIN® is consistently selected by dental professionals as an essential part of their standard of care when treating periodontal disease,” said OraPharma’s Product Director, ARESTIN®, Ben Sandefur. “We are dedicated to continuing this trend in 2010 with ongoing efforts to increase awareness of periodontal disease and the need for comprehensive periodontal disease treatment.”

For a complete list of all winning Townie Choice products, please pick up the December 2009 issue of Dentaltown, or log onto www.dentaltown.com.

About OraPharma, Inc.
OraPharma, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes therapeutics for the treatment of periodontal disease at various phases of progression. ARESTIN® (minocycline hydrochloride) Microspheres, 1 mg (www.myarestin.com) is indicated as an adjunct to scaling and root planing procedures for reduction of pocket depth in patients with adult periodontitis. OSSIX™ PLUS™ (resorbable collagen membrane) is used in guided bone regeneration (GBR) and guided tissue regeneration (GTR) procedures. For more information about OraPharma and its products, visit www.orapharma.com.

About ARESTIN®
ARESTIN® (minocycline hydrochloride) Microspheres, 1 mg is indicated as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) procedures for reduction of pocket depth in patients with adult periodontitis. ARESTIN® may be used as part of a periodontal maintenance program which includes good oral hygiene and scaling and root planing.

ARESTIN® contains minocycline, a tetracycline derivative, and therefore should not be used in children and in pregnant or nursing women. The use of drugs of the tetracycline class during tooth development may cause permanent discoloration of the teeth.

The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were headache (9.0%), infection (7.6%), flu syndrome (5.0%), and pain (4.3%). These occurred at a similar rate to SRP and SRP + placebo.

ARESTIN® and OSSIX™ PLUS™ are trademarks of OraPharma, Inc.

Down But Not Out... At Least Not Completely

Sorry for the lack of posts yesterday and today. I've been sick as a dog with some type of bug and researching for the blog has taken a backseat to Advil and lots of fluids. Posts will resume tomorrow.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled sneezing and laryngitis...