Archive for the ‘ news ’ Category

April is National Facial Protection Month

https://www.aaoms.org/media/april-is-national-facial-protection-month/

Oral Surgeons Address the Opioid Crisis

Recently opioid abuse and addiction have been a hot story in the news. Dentists were made an early scape goat for prescribing problems with opioids. The truth is that Dentists were identified in questionnaires as being one of the earliest prescriptions for opioids that addicts were exposed to. This may be true. But Dentists write […]

DR. NED MURPHY SWORN IN AS WDA PRESIDENT

I could not be more proud to see my friend and colleague Ned Murphy D.D.S. sworn in as Wisconsin Dental Association president. (WDAJ Vol 93(1):8-9, Jan-Feb 2017). Ned has worked tirelessly in the local, state, and national dental associations to seek excellence in dentistry as practitioners in Wisconsin provide for our patients as well as […]

SAFETY SUCCESS OF MODERATE SEDATION VERSUS DEEP SEDATION/GENERAL ANESTHESIA

We have been practicing oral and maxillofacial surgery for over 25 years. I was specially trained in anesthesia with an additional anesthesia residency beyond the typical OMS. Even with basic training I feel that OMS’s to be the most comprehensively trained subspecialty in anesthesia, but all of the training that exists does not reduce the […]

THREE DIMENSIONAL PRINTING IN ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

I do not have a 3D printer in my office yet. Many of my dental colleagues are using CAD-CAM milling of crowns which is the opposite, but similar technology. We have used off-site manufacturers of 3D molds for various applications. Our guided surgery templates up to this point are largely made of acrylic, but not […]

BONE GRAFTING HELPS PREVENT BONE LOSS AFTER TOOTH EXTRACTION

A “critical summary” in the March 2016 Journal of the American Dental Association addressed the positive effects of grafting at the time of dental extraction. (JADA 2016:147:204-206). I have been doing this type of grafting for about 30 years and as the technology and materials have improved, the results continue to be even better. The […]

TREATMENT OPTIONS AFTER UNSUCCESSFUL INITIAL ROOT CANAL CARE

  I am not sure that this is such a big debate from a treatment standpoint. The question is; “what should we do when root canal treatment has failed”. (JADA 2016:147(3):214-220). The truth is that every case is unique and the person who did the root canal treatment in the first place probably has the […]

IS YOUR DOCTOR PLACING THE CORRECT IMPLANT?

There are literally hundreds of dental implant types, brands, sizes, and treatment protocols. Actually combined, there are probably thousands. Understanding these and deciding what is best for you in your specific case is the duty of your surgeon. In the dental community there is tremendous pressure for just about every practitioner to place dental implants. […]

SURGICAL EXPOSURE OF IMPACTED CANINES – TISSUE RESPONSE

Surgical exposure of palatally and facially impacted canine teeth as well as other impacted teeth is a common procedure for us. (J Oral Maxillofac Surg 73:2273-2281, 2015). The most typical is a palatally impacted canine tooth that is not descending normally. The typical procedure involves opening up the tissues, removing bone and tissue to expose […]

EFFECTIVENESS OF TOPICAL FLUORIDE

There is no question, having seen the effects of lack of fluoride in water supplies in certain areas here in the states and in our mission travels around the world, that fluoridation is a significant health care aid for the people we serve. Anyone who has practiced dentistry has seen the benefits first-hand. There are […]