In this article, the erosion effect of a newly developed soft drink available in 3 different flavours is compared with the erosion effect of some common soft drinks. Several basic parameters of the soft drinks were determined: pH, titratable acidity, and the calcium as well as phosphate concentration. Three methods were used to assess in vitro the erosion depth of the soft drinks in enamel specimens. Erosion depth is defined as the mean height of lost enamel. The methods used were atomic absorption spectroscopy for calcium loss, a colorimetric ammonium molybdate method for phosphate loss and non-contact profilometry for enamel volume loss. The newly developed soft drink realized statistically significantly less erosion depth when compared with cola and apple juice and statistically non-significantly less erosion depth when compared with orange soda.

During the last decades, patients have acquired a wide range of legal rights. Judicial courts are administering these rights to actual situations leading to new obligations for health carers. In this article, the patients right of autonomy and the dentists care delivering obligations are examined. Sometimes these rights and obligations are clashing, requiring a decision which comes first. Disciplinary councils are expected to determine in actual situations primarily the dentists obligations or the patients rights mentioned in the complaint. Subsequently, they are asked to assess possible interferences with other obligations and patients rights. Finally, they have to indicate how rights and obligations have to be weighed up.

A nearly 7-year-old boy suffered from psychosocial problems because of aplasia of the left auricle. The auricle aplasia was a symptom of the VATER association. It was decided to conduct a purely problemoriented treatment in preparing an auricle prosthesis, firmly fixed using an adhesive.Wearing the auricle prosthesis, the boy improved very quickly and substantially in being more free and self-confident.

A 14-year old boy with cleidocranial dysplasia was referred because of an almost complete presence of the deciduous dentition. Diagnostics by means of a panoramic radiograph, lateral headfilm, CT scan and 3D computer images of the dentomaxillary complex showed 7 supernumerary permanent teeth: 13, 11, 21, 23, 28, 35 and 45.A combined orthodontic-surgical treatment was started. The supernumary teeth were removed surgically and the impacted teeth are exposed. The closed eruption technique was used to extrude these teeth orthodontically.

In recent years much progress has been made in the treatment of acute coronary syndromes, heart failure and cardiac rhythm disturbances. Polypharmacy including two antiplatelet drugs (aspirin and clopidogrel) is common in many patients after a percutaneous coronary intervention using a stent. Discontinuation of these drugs for invasive dental treatment may result in coronary rethrombosis. However, in many patients with coronary artery disease, a temporal pause in the use of aspirin appears safe and may decrease the risk of bleeding after a dental procedure. An increasing number of patients with heart failure and/or life threatening rhythm disturbances receive an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Such a device, equipped with a left ventricular lead, also stimulates the left ventricle in case of delayed electrical conduction (e.g. a left bundle branch block). This so called cardiac resynchronization therapy decreases morbidity and mortality in selected patients. ICDs are safe in the dental office even in case of discharge. In patients with prosthetic heart valves, endocarditis prophylaxis according to the current guidelines is recommended before invasive dental treatment. Dentists are advised to contact the Dutch Thrombosis Service to discuss the dose of oral anticoagulants and the required INR value. In case of urgent and/or extended dental procedures, admittence to a hospital must be considered to secure optimal therapy.