Westchester Oral Surgery January 2019

2975 Westchester Avenue, Suite G02, Purchase, NY 10577

• www.oralsurgeryofwestchester.com

How Do We Face Life’s Challenges? CHAPTER ONE

At the end of my second year at Columbia Dental School, I started an elective externship at Mount Sinai Hospital with the Oral Surgery team. It was an operating room day, and the residents were going to fix a man’s broken jaw. After scrubbing in, which I had never done before, I entered the operating room. The roomwas foreign and a little intimidating, but “Carolina on My Mind” by James Taylor was playing. There was something about seeing an amazing surgery performed coupled with the music that got me hooked. I knew then that this was what I wanted to do. SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHAPTERS IN MY LIFE INVOLVE “

Thankfully, it all turned out well in the end. Today, both my girls are happy and healthy. My wife and I have welcomed two more children into our lives since then. Juggling my responsibilities of being a father of four and running two practices can be challenging, but it’s a challenge I’m happy to have. My family means the world to me, and after a long day at work, there’s nothing I love more than coming home to spend time with them. This isn’t to say I regret those long days at work. I love running a practice with my partner, Dr. Graffeo. After being an associate for a few years, learning surgery and the business side of dentistry, I felt it was time to start a practice. When I met Michael, I knew I’d found a partner to help make that dream a reality. It was an overwhelming mix of excitement and nerves as we set out on our own. There were obstacles we didn’t see coming, but we didn’t give up. When Michael and I started our second practice, the learning curve was not quite as steep. We knew the ropes by then, and things were certainly much smoother. That being said, adding a second practice requires a tremendous work and time commitment. Definitely worth it though. Life is an ongoing journey, and each new chapter brings changes that can help us grow, as long as we are willing to face those changes head-on. No matter what the new year brings, what chapters start and end, it’s important to put our heart and soul into what we do and always strive to learn and improve. Nothing in life worth having ever comes easy. It’s only through strength and persistence that we can make each chapter in life worthwhile. –Dr. Harrison Linsky Westchester Office • 914-251-0313

The new year is a time of beginnings, and I’ve been reflecting a lot on the many new chapters I’ve experienced in life. There are times when you don’t realize you’re at the start of something huge until much later. When I first walked into

BECOMING A DAD AND STARTING MY OWN PRACTICE.

the operating room at Mount Sinai, I didn’t realize it would be the start of my career as an Oral Surgeon. But most of the time, when you are starting a new chapter in life, you can feel it. Something shifts, and there’s no going back. You can only march forward and rise to the challenges as they come. Some of the biggest chapters in my life involve becoming a dad and starting my own practice. The first few days of parenthood were trying, to say the least. No number of parenting books or courses could have prepared me for what my wife and I had to deal with right out of the gate. My firstborn children are identical twin girls, a challenge in and of itself, but they were also born prematurely. At first everything was great, but a few days later, one of my girls became sick. She ended up spending seven weeks in the neonatal ICU while our other daughter came home. It was a rough couple of months as we worried about our little girl and split our time between our new babies.

Technology That Continues to Advance Dentistry

Lasers Laser technology is quickly becoming one of the more popular trends in dentistry. Laser instruments can perform a variety of treatments, including removing tumors, filling cavities, and eliminating bacteria, all without causing the patient any discomfort. many industries function, and they have the potential to change the dental field forever. Inlay, veneer, crown, and tooth replacement materials are currently being researched and developed to take advantage of this emerging technology. Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is used in the dental field to reduce the amount of time and energy Early humans likely only flossed to dislodge food from between their teeth. Flossing wouldn’t been seen as a necessary part of dental care until the early 1800s. Dr. Levi Spear Parmly, a dentist from NewOrleans, is credited with introducing modern dental floss. In his 1819 book, “A Practical Guide to the Management of Teeth,” Dr. Parmly recommended brushing twice a day and flossing once every day. Dental floss had yet to be invented, and Dr. Parmly encouraged his patients to clean between their teeth with waxed silken thread, a type of tailoring thread that was readily available. Manufacturers wouldn’t begin selling silk thread to be used as dental floss until 1882 when the Codman and Shurtleff Company began to mass produce unwaxed silk floss. In 1898, Johnson & Johnson patented dental floss and began to produce different waxed and unwaxed flosses. Silk would remain the most common type of 3D Printing 3D printers are revolutionizing the way

As technology advances each year, dental care becomes more efficient. These new methods of dentistry provide more comfortable treatments for patients and increased organization for doctors. Here are a few of the latest technological advances to hit the dental care industry. Emotional Dentistry Some people would rather do anything than go to the dentist. However, emotional dentistry is trying to change that by allowing people to feel more confident about dental treatment through Digital Smile Design. How it works is that dentists generate a virtual mockup of what the patient’s smile will look like after treatment. Seeing these images provokes an emotional response in patients that increases their self-confidence and motivates them to stick with their dental care plans. Why is it so difficult to convince patients to floss their teeth regularly? Most patients are pretty consistent when it comes to brushing twice a day, but ask them to floss just once and they dig their heels in. Don’t take it personally if your patients won’t take your flossing advice. Looking back at the history of dental floss, there’s a good chance that dentists have been having this struggle for a long time. At numerous prehistoric sites, archeologists have found small, sharpened sticks they believe early humans used for interdental cleaning. A number of ancient skeletons have been found with grooves worn in between their teeth, suggesting our ancient ancestors were using floss and toothpicks fairly regularly. Since waxed nylon wouldn’t come along for another fewmillennia, most anthropologists believe horsehair was used as the first dental floss.

dentists put into organizing data. Dentistry requires a lot of data collection, including the number of patients a dentist interacts with, patient reviews, appointment scheduling, and patient treatment. This data can be overwhelming for dentists to sort through by themselves. With the help of AI software that organizes data for them, dentists’ workloads are greatly reduced, processes become more efficient, and patient-dentist relationships grow stronger as a result. There are many areas in dentistry that will continue to improve as our technological knowledge advances. Oral health treatment has improved dramatically over the years, and the evolution of modern dentistry promises a brighter future for smiles everywhere.

200 Years of (Not) Flossing FROM HORSEHAIR TO NYLON

floss untilWorldWar II when the cost of silk skyrocketed. Around this time, a doctor named Charles Bass suggested replacing silk with

nylon. This is dental floss as most modern patients would recognize it. For his contributions to dentistry, today Dr. Bass is often referred to as the “father of preventive dentistry.” Flossing became more common after the war and by the 1970s, flossing was considered part of a person’s daily health routine in America and Canada. That said, according to the American Dental Association, only around 12 percent of Americans are flossing daily. It begs the question: If early humans were willing to floss with horsehair, how can we convince patients to use the free floss they get after each visit?

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How Dentists Can Combat Opioid Abuse

A Harsh Reality

Every day, over 115 people in the United States die from an opioid overdose. Of these deaths, 40 percent involve a prescription opioid. This epidemic is a national crisis that is only just starting to get the attention it demands. For a while, most research into combating the opioid epidemic focused on patients who have been prescribed opioids to treat chronic pain. But recent studies have shown dental professionals also need to be aware of their role in this crisis. A review published in the December 2018 edition of The Journal of the American Dental Association examined the opioid prescription habits of dental professionals between 2000 and 2017. Researchers used a modified Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses approach to identify relevant literature from five different databases. The review determined that “dental practice does not always align with proposed guidelines for opioid prescribing.” This is a huge problem because dental professionals are the ones who most frequently prescribe opioids to youths between the ages of 10 and 19.

have on a patient’s likelihood of becoming addicted. A study published in the JAMA Internal Medicine last year found 6 percent of patients between age 16 and 25 who received initial opioid prescription from their dentist were diagnosed with opioid abuse within the year. For comparison, in that same time frame, only 0.4 percent of a similar group who were not prescribed dental opioids were later diagnosed with opioid abuse. It is impossible to predict who will develop an opioid addiction, so it is crucial that health care professionals be cautious from the start. Last March, the American Dental Association announced a new policy on opioid mandates which included the support of “statutory limits on opioid dosage and duration of no more than seven days for the treatment of acute pain.” If a young patient needs to undergo some major treatment or surgery, like wisdom teeth removal, it is important for dental professionals to be aware of the high risk their patient faces. By educating patients and their guardians on these risks and prescribing opioids responsibly, dental professionals can help stop opioid abuse before it starts.

There is mounting evidence that demonstrates the impact a first-time opioid prescription can

Have a Laugh

Citrus and Avocado Salad

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 425 F.

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1 blood, cara cara, or navel orange, sliced 1/8-inch thick and deseeded 1 Meyer or regular lemon, sliced 1/8-inch thick and deseeded

2. In a rimmed baking sheet, toss citrus slices with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast citrus until lightly charred and caramelized, about 10–15 minutes. Let cool. 3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine onion and lemon juice. Season with salt and let sit for 5 minutes. 4. Add citrus, arugula, and mint to onion mixture. Drizzle with remaining oil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss thoroughly. 5. Add avocado, combing very gently to not crush avocado.

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4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 bunch arugula

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves 1 avocado, cut into wedges Salt and pepper, to taste

Inspired by Bon Appétit

Westchester Office • 914-251-0313

2975 Westchester Avenue Suite G02 Purchase, NY 10577

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

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INSIDE This Issue

PG 1

Remembering the Beginnings

PG 2

Technology That Continues to Advance Dentistry

Have You Been Flossing?

PG 3

Opioid Abuse in Dental Patients

Citrus and Avocado Salad

PG 4

Put MLK Jr.’s Message of Love Into Practice

In many of his speeches and sermons, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about love. He wasn’t talking about the romantic kind, though. King often used the term “agape,” an Ancient Greek word used to refer to the unconditional love of God for man, to talk about universal love for all people, regardless of race, religion, or circumstance. We commemorate King on Jan. 21. It’s a celebration and a National Day of Service, so take the opportunity to honor King’s message of universal love. Here are three ways to put agape into practice. 1. Pay a visit to a historical site. Immerse yourself in King’s message this month by visiting the places where these historic events occurred. Our nation is full of opportunities to become better acquainted with the birth of the civil rights movement, from the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia, to Selma, Alabama, where protest marches were held in 1965. After all, if we don’t know our past, we are doomed to repeat it. 2. Educate yourself and others about the struggles people have faced. Learning about the experiences of others cultivates empathy. When you interact with someone across cultural or subcultural boundaries, it helps to reduce prejudice. Promote positive interactions in your community by hosting a film night or book club focused on the civil rights movement.

You can feature a movie like “Selma” or “13th.” For a book club, select an autobiography or biography that puts yourself in someone else’s shoes, like Maya Angelou’s “I KnowWhy the Caged Bird Sings,” or Rebecca Skloot’s “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” 3. Share the message of nonviolence and give back to your community. At the center of King’s message was the principle of nonviolence. Consider how you can advocate for

nonviolence in your community. You could donate your time or money to a local shelter for victims of abuse, or volunteer your home to foster abandoned pets. If you’re part of a PTA or another school organization, encourage students to put an end to bullying. The Mix It Up program has anti-bullying lessons and activities that support King’s message.

Take some time to reflect on Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision this month and take part in the universal message of love. Don’t we all want more of that?

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