Author
Han Seo-woo
Staff editor
Chooses the headlines and smooths out the sentences. Looks for the spots that need more explaining, and for the question that got left out. Hopes a piece reads easily even if you know nothing about dentistry.
Articles written 46
If the Resin Filling a Small Front Tooth Comes Off, Do I Need to Switch to a Laminate?
Just because the resin filling a small front tooth has come off doesn't mean you need to switch to a laminate veneer right away. This explains why the right choice, between redoing the resin or switching to a veneer, depends on the condition of the remaining tooth and your goals for reshaping it.
4 min read
Plasma-Activated Water Switches Between Killing Bacteria and Regrowing Vessels by Voltage in Peri-Implantitis
A research team at Nanjing Medical University in China created plasma-activated water by adjusting voltage between 33 and 46 kV, and confirmed in the lab that on implant surfaces, high voltage sharply reduces periodontitis-causing bacteria while low voltage promotes blood vessel regeneration. A single device may be able to switch between biofilm removal and vascular regeneration, the two core tasks in peri-implantitis treatment, though the evidence is still limited to cells and bacteria.
3 min read
Adding Ozone Gas to Periodontitis Scaling Shrank Pockets Further, but Bleeding Stayed the Same
In a split-mouth clinical trial comparing both sides of the mouth in 39 periodontitis patients, adding ozone gas to scaling produced greater improvement in pocket depth and attachment level, along with a sharp drop in anaerobic periodontal bacteria. However, there was no difference in bleeding or plaque, and the conclusions of accumulated meta-analyses remain mixed, so it is still too early to adopt ozone therapy as standard treatment.
4 min read
Do Molars Always Need a Crown After a Root Canal?
Whether a molar needs a crown after root canal treatment depends on the remaining tooth walls and the state of cusp support. This article explains the criteria for when cusp protection is needed and the conditions that distinguish onlays, crowns, and endocrowns.
6 min read
Can Fluoride Toothpaste Be Used for a Child Who Swallows Toothpaste?
Fluoride toothpaste can still be used for a child who swallows it. The prerequisites are using an age-appropriate small amount and having a caregiver guide brushing, and dental fluorosis does not occur from swallowing it just once.
3 min read
Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw: Laser-Assisted Surgery Brought Fewer Complications and Better Recovery
A randomized controlled trial added an Er:YAG laser to surgery for medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, a side effect of drugs such as osteoporosis medications, and found large differences in complications and recovery. Here is what the laser does differently and how much evidence has accumulated so far.
3 min read
SprintRay Launches Chairside-Printed 'Definitive' Crown Material
SprintRay has launched Midas Restore, a glass-ceramic-filled resin, in the United States that lets dentists finish crowns and inlays directly on a chairside 3D printer instead of sending impressions to a dental lab. In South Korea, same-day milled crowns remain the standard.
3 min read
My Cavity Has Stopped Progressing - Is It Okay to Watch It Instead of Treating It?
Arrested caries, a cavity that has genuinely stopped progressing, does exist. This explains why, when an activity assessment confirms the lesion is arrested and it is in a spot reachable by brushing, dentists sometimes choose to monitor rather than treat, along with the criteria behind that judgment.
3 min read
Laughing Gas Is a Greenhouse Gas Too: Hospitals Start by Cutting Anesthesia Gases
Hospitals in the US and Europe are cutting back on the anesthetic desflurane and on nitrous oxide, the laughing gas also used in dentistry, citing their greenhouse gas emissions. With nitrous oxide use surging at South Korean pediatric dental clinics, we look at what this shift means.
3 min read
What Should I Do If an Old Laminate Veneer Cracks or the Gum Line Recedes?
Explains why, when an old laminate veneer chips or gum recession exposes its margin, the choice between a localized repair and a full replacement depends on checking the remaining tooth structure and the condition of the margin and periodontium.
4 min read
Why does a root canal tooth hurt when touched or chewed on?
Pain when touching or chewing on a tooth during root canal treatment comes from lingering inflammation in the periodontal ligament around the root. This explains how that pain typically eases as treatment progresses and the signs that point to a sudden flare-up.
5 min read
UK Government Investigates Dental Prices, But the Real Crisis Is the NHS
The UK government has launched an investigation into rising private dental fees. But critics say the real crisis lies in the collapse of NHS dental care. This piece examines the price data, the flaws in the current system, and how far South Korea's health insurance covers dental care by comparison.
3 min read
New Review Finds E-Cigarettes May Also Cause Oral and Lung Cancer
A research team at the University of New South Wales in Australia pooled clinical observations, animal studies and cell-level research into a review concluding that e-cigarettes are likely to cause lung cancer and oral cancer. Epidemiological data also show that people who use both cigarettes and e-cigarettes face four times the risk of lung cancer. Since April this year, South Korea has begun regulating synthetic-nicotine liquid e-cigarettes the same way as ordinary cigarettes.
3 min read
Dental Caries (Tooth Decay)
Dental caries (tooth decay) is a disease in which acids produced by bacteria in dental plaque dissolve the minerals in teeth. This article explains the boundary between early white spot lesions and cavities that require treatment, and why proximal decay is found using X-rays.
3 min read
KKR Buys a Stake in Henry Schein, the World's Top Dental Supply Distributor
Private equity firm KKR has acquired a 12% stake in Henry Schein, the world's largest dental and medical supply distributor. The investment came amid pressure from an activist fund to replace management, and brought three new members onto the board. We look at why private equity is moving into the distribution network that carries dental materials to clinics, and how it connects to Korea's dental industry.
2 min read
Alveolar Ridge Preservation: Bone Width Held Steady Even Without a Collagen Membrane
A clinical trial examined whether adding a collagen barrier membrane actually improves alveolar ridge preservation, the technique of filling an extraction socket with bone graft material. Bone width and new bone formation showed no difference with or without the membrane.
4 min read
Patients on GLP-1 Diabetes Drugs Had Less Implant Bone Loss Than Those on Insulin or Metformin
Evidence suggests that GLP-1 receptor agonists, used to treat diabetes, may also reduce bone loss around dental implants. The effect was clear in cell and animal studies, but human evidence comes from just one retrospective study, so further confirmation is needed.
3 min read
China's Hillhouse Buys 17% Stake in Modern Dental Group, Maker of Crowns and Dentures
Chinese alternative asset manager Hillhouse Investment has acquired a 17% stake in Modern Dental Group, a Hong Kong company that manufactures crowns, dentures, and clear aligners on contract, for roughly 160 billion won. Here's a look at Hillhouse's dental industry investment portfolio and its ties to Korea.
2 min read
Sharp Pain Only When Biting From One Direction: Could It Be a Cracked Tooth?
A brief, sharp pain that appears only when biting from one particular direction can point to a cracked tooth, but the symptom alone isn't enough to confirm it. This explains the range of tests, including bite testing and transillumination, and how treatment differs depending on the crack's location and depth.
5 min read
Why Does Fully Curing Resin with Light Matter?
Resin only hardens when it absorbs light, so its thickness and how well light reaches it determine its final strength. This explains why the cause of a front-tooth resin filling coming loose shouldn't be assumed to be insufficient curing without an in-person dental check.
4 min read