No healthy teeth will form without this gene: if during tooth formation (odontogenesis) the so-called Jagged2 gene is inactivated, and hence the Notch signaling pathway interrupted, tooth crowns will be malformed and enamel will be lacking. This signaling pathway is involved in the formation of all tissues and organs.
Dental researchers have found the first long-term evidence that periodontal disease may increase the risk of cognitive dysfunction associated with Alzheimer’s disease in healthy individuals as well as in those who already are cognitively impaired. The study offers fresh evidence that gum inflammation may contribute to brain inflammation, neurodegeneration, and Alzheimer’s disease.
The spread of cancer cells in the tongue may be reduced if a gene that regulates cancer cell migration can be controlled, according to new research.
Detecting oral cancer in its earliest stages can save the lives of the nearly 40,500 people diagnosed annually. But early detection has been difficult. Researchers discovered a biomarker, called human beta defensin-3, which may serve as an early warning. The defensin is present in all oral cancers and associated with the early stages of oral cancer.
Scientists are reporting an advance toward the next big treatment revolution in dentistry — the era in which root canal therapy brings diseased teeth back to life, rather than leaving a “non-vital” or dead tooth in the mouth. Researchers now describe a first-of-its-kind, nano-sized dental film that shows early promise for achieving this long-sought goal.
Researchers in Spain have shown that a person’s dental patterns can be used as proof of their identity with the same degree of reliability as DNA testing, the method that forensic police use to reveal the identity of dead bodies. The researchers came to their conclusion after analyzing the dental patterns of more than 3,000 people.
People coping with body dysmorphic disorder seek out in particular plastic surgeons, orthodontists and aesthetic professionals to alleviate their suffering: “However, what they really need is psychological support and assistance,” says one expert.
A tooth-bleaching agent may improve the oral health of elderly and special-needs patients, say dentists.