Archive for the ‘ Uncategorized ’ Category

THE SAUSAGE TECHNIQUE FOR BONE GRAFTING

I first saw Dr. Istvan Urban present on the “sausage grafting technique” several years ago at the Pikos Institute course in Orlando. The grafting technique uses PRGF and bone product in a tube shaped absorbable mesh material. This technique uses materials and methods that are familiar to us, but like many things in dentistry, he […]

THE USE OF TRANSALVEOLAR SUTURES

Just this morning we performed a surgery where we rebuilt the dental ridge and used Transalveolar Suturing to help preserve the attached gum tissue around our dental implant sites. I first saw this presented at the Pikos Institute bone grafting course a number of years ago and we have used it ever since. The idea […]

MAXILLOMANDIBULAR ADVANCEMENT FOR OBSTUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA SYNDROME

Here is a listing of articles regarding the successful use of orthognathic surgery – MMA (maxillomandibular advancement) to help in the treatment of OSA (obstructive sleep apnea). The expected success with these procedures can be evaluated with a cone beam scan and clinical examination. This is a big surgery and carries a number of risks […]

TREATING PATIENTS WITH CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES AND DEVELOPMENTAL DEFECTS

I have blogged on several occasions about the risks that go along with providing care for our general population who are living longer and living with greater medical problems. One area we do not speak of much is that of patients who have congenital problems such as congenital disabilities or congenital heart defects as examples. […]

CORELATION BETWEEN THE USE OF ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES AND THE INCIDENCE OF DRY SOCKET

An article in the October 2016 issue of the JADA addresses this question. It is commonplace for women of childbearing age (full range) to be on oral contraceptives (OC). It is anecdotal, but I do not feel that there is any difference in the rate of “dry socket” (DS) in women who are on or […]

DENTAL EMERGENCY SMART PHONE APP

There are privacy issues that one gives up when using electronic media and coIn the November 2016 ADA News there was an article about a dentist who has created a prototype app for cell phones to report dental emergencies. The idea is good, but it is unnecessary to have a specific app. If a patient […]

CLOSURE OF SINUS OPENINGS RESULTING FROM DENTAL EXTRACTIONS (Oral Antral Fistulas; Sinus Fistula; OA Fistula)

Upper back teeth often have roots that extend up into the sinuses. When these teeth need to be removed, healing with a persistent sinus opening can occur. there are a number of factors that can contribute to this and these include cigarette smoking, healing problems such as autoimmune disease, presence of sinus disease, periodontal issues, […]

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 […]

Let The Surgeon Place Your Implants

This blog entry sounds self serving, but my reason for writing this blog is that I saw another patient in the last several days with a dramatic healing problem with loss of jaw bone structure relating to previous implant treatment that was done poorly. We are seeing a trend toward “every dentist” placing dental implants. […]

Panoramic Scan Versus Cone Beam Scan

What Is The Standard of Care For X-Rays For Impacted Wisdom Teeth? The standard of care based on the most recent white papers by the ADA and AAOMS for pre-treatment x-rays for third molar teeth (“wisdom teeth”) is the panoramic scan. The truth is that technology continues to march forward and the Cone Beam Scan gives a far […]