Align ends annual case requirement; ethanol improves bond strength

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

Last week, Align Technology rescinded its controversial policy that dentists who want to be active Invisalign providers must start at least 10 Invisalign cases annually. The company had been bombarded with complaints from customers, plus persistent lobbying efforts by organized dentistry, since announcing the "proficiency requirement" last June.

Will Align's decision to reverse the policy put the issue to bed? Read more.

In clinical news, how confident are you in your ability to identify a potentially cancerous oral lesion? A new study contends that dental practitioners should not rely solely on clinical impressions when looking at questionable lesions and should send all biopsies to a lab for histologic analysis. Read more.

And in Restoratives Community news, researchers have been exploring the benefits of alcohol -- specifically ethanol -- when added to tooth preparations prior to the adhesive and have found the technique improves bond strength. But they're divided on whether to recommend the procedure clinically. Read more.

Meanwhile, with baseball season now in full swing, Dr. Don Deems can't help sharing some words of wisdom gleaned from his years on the ball field in this week's Coaches Corner.

And Dr. Marty Jablow answers a reader's query regarding Caesy versus Guru for patient education. Is one software package better than the other?