MMS Endodontics' online newsletter for February and March 2018
UNIONTOWN, PA 625 Cherry Tree Lane Uniontown, PA 15401 (724) 438-0600 CUMBERLAND, MD 1415 River Ave. Suite B Cumberland, MD (240) 362-7107 MORGANTOWN, WV 9000 Coombs Farm Dr. Suite. 304 Morgantown, WV 26508 (304) 594-1670
www.mmsendo.com info@mmsendo.com
February/March 2018
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THE MMS TEAM GROWS WELCOME DR. SEAN HORAN
Here at MMS Endodontics, we’re all about providing the best in patient care. To help achieve that, it’s our goal to bring together the best team— a team that reflects our values as care providers. That’s why we’re excited to announce the latest addition to the MMS team: Dr. Sean Horan. We’ll let him take it from here and let him tell you a little about himself. Welcome to the team!
–The MMS Team
By the time you read this, I will have been on the team for only a few weeks. I recently completed my endodontic training. After practicing as a dentist for two years, I discovered I had a passion for endodontics. So, I made the decision to further my education and really focus on the endodontic specialty. As much as I love working in dentistry as a general dentist, the call of endodontics was just too great. While I was working as a dentist, I routinely found the endodontic cases the most fascinating. There was something about those cases that captured my imagination. A lot of it came down to the challenge associated with it, but there was more to it. Not only do you have to have a deeper understanding of the anatomy of teeth, the jaw, and the surrounding tissue, you have to have an understanding of how they all work together. When a tooth becomes damaged, for instance, it can inflame the surrounding tissue. This can lead to infection, severe pain, and damage the overall health of a person. There is also a lot to be said about being able to provide patients with a unique service, that being the relief of pain and the preservation of teeth. While general dentistry has a big focus on prevention, in endodontics, it’s very reactionary.
than a traditional dental office, which includes the pace and the scope of the work as well.
All these things were a draw for me. I’m excited for the weeks and months ahead. The team here at MMS has been great! The docs have brought together an amazing team and developed an equally amazing set of core values — core values which I very much admire and identify with. A little more about me. I’m from the Wheeling area, about an hour north, and my wife is from Morgantown. I absolutely love the area and I’m glad I found a position with a great office that allowed me to stick around. My wife and I also love spending time outdoors, especially with our dog. In my spare time, I like to play soccer or golf. As long as I’m staying active, I’m happy! Of course, if I’m not playing, then I like to attend West Virginia Mountaineers games. Going forward, I’m thrilled to get my endodontic career underway. I’m happy to be part of such a great team and part of a great community. Here’s to that next great adventure.
We go to work after an injury or infection. We may have to investigate the source of the pain. These aspects make the work environment different
Dr. Sean Horan
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WV (304) 594-1670 | MD (240) 362-7107 | PA (724) 438-0600
MAKE YOUR MEETINGS MATTER Tips to Get the Most out of Your Time
Ask yourself, “What are the biggest time wasters in my office?” If your workplace is like most, it’s a safe guess that social media and meetings are on your list. Maybe there’s a way you can eliminate social media from your office or, at least, curtail its use. However, meetings are an essential part of effective workplace communication. The question, then, isn’t how to get rid of meetings, but rather how to make them more efficient. With that in mind, here are a few tips for getting the most out of your meetings. Have a Game Plan If you don’t have a reason for a meeting, don’t have a meeting. Weekly meetings can be a great way to catch your staff up on the latest news and issues at the office, but there’s no need to make them the same length of time every week.
meeting simply because they don’t want to go. If, however, their time could be more wisely spent, you shouldn’t force them to attend. Prioritize who needs to be at the meeting and whose time could be better used elsewhere. StartWith Big Ideas A meeting should be a forum for hashing out concerns and tackling big-picture concepts. If you’re listing off a slew of granular changes, those aren’t the ingredients for a productive meeting. Information like that can be disseminated in other forms. As you discuss a larger concern, details relating to it will arise during your discussion. Ask yourself if the meeting has a larger topic that merits discussion.
Engage Your Participants
You should never feel like you need to fill a certain number of minutes. Instead, get to the heart of what you’re talking about, allow the staff to ask questions, and then get back to work. Allow Exceptions There’s no surer way to make an attendee anxious than pulling them away from an important task. Nobody should skip out on a
A meeting should be just that. If you’re not expecting collaboration, don’t call it a meeting. Tell your staff you’re giving a presentation and they’ll come ready to take notes. But if you want to actually have a meeting, every participant should come ready and willing to engage with the ideas on the table.
PRE-OP
A 42-year-old female came in with a history of root canal therapy performed on tooth #28 a couple years prior. The patient reported persistent pain while chewing. Pre-op PA revealed a widened PDL at the apex of #28. Treatment involved removal of existing fiber post and location of a missed lingual canal. The one-year recall shows a healed apical area and resolution of symptoms. MMS Case Study
POST-OP
1-YEAR 1-MONTH
HAVE A LAUGH
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www.mmsendo.com | info@mmsendo.com
IDENTIFYING TOOTH PAIN 4 Levels of Pain and What to Do
Brief sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages after dental treatment. Occasionally, dental work will irritate or inflame pulp inside the tooth, leading to sensitivity. It generally only lasts a short time, but if the sensitivity remains or worsens after two to four weeks, a dentist or endodontist may need to examine the affected area. Sharp pain when chewing or biting down. This sensation is often a result of tooth decay, a fracture in the tooth, or a loose filling. The pain may also be the result of injury to the pulp. This kind of pain needs to be addressed by a dentist and possibly an endodontist, who may need to perform a root canal if the injury is significant. Severe pain, pressure, sensitivity, and swelling around the gums. This is a common symptom of an abscessed tooth. The abscess may have led to an infection of the surrounding tissue and bone. This requires treatment as soon as possible. An endodontist can determine the best next steps and a treatment plan to relieve pain and save the tooth or teeth.
Tooth pain comes in a variety of forms. Sometimes it’s a dull ache that goes away after an hour or two. Other times, it’s an intense pain that refuses to go away. It can be difficult to determine whether the pain is serious or if it can be alleviated using over-the-counter pain medication. Here is a quick look at four levels of tooth pain and steps patients can take to find relief.
Brief sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages. For most people, this isn’t serious, and immediate treatment isn’t necessary. A common cause of the sensitivity is tooth decay, gum recession, or a loose filling. Solutions include using tooth-
sensitive toothpaste, an extra-soft toothbrush, and careful brushing habits (such as brushing with
an up-and-down motion). If sensitivity continues or worsens, treatment may be required.
DISCOVERING TRUE ‘GRIT’
If you’ve ever been told you won’t succeed because you lack talent, bring a copy of “Grit” to your next meeting.
“Effort counts twice” could be the battle cry of grit. Gritty people are willing to put in the extra effort to achieve their goals, and that’s what helps them reach their goals if they don’t have innate talent. While this provides a strong case that those born with grit will succeed, grit doesn’t factor luck and opportunity into the equation, something that Duckworth is transparent about in her book. She says those who aren’t born with grit can develop it in four simple steps.
While teaching high school math, author Angela Duckworth noticed some of her highest-achieving students weren’t the ones with the highest IQs, while some of her “smartest” students weren’t doing all that well in class. “Why?” she wondered. She followed her curiosity to Penn State’s psychology program. There, she studied several demographics, including cadets at West Point, young teachers, and sales representatives. After numerous psychological studies, Duckworth discovered that “grit”was the common denominator in successful people. Duckworth defines grit as “passion and perseverance for very long-term goals.” People who display grit don’t start a project and abandon it a month later. They devote themselves to an overarching goal that drives everything they do. She explained that someone who practices grit goes through life like a marathon, not a sprint.
First, identify an interest that can blossom into a passion. Second, practice that passion, a lot. Third, develop the belief that your passion has purpose. While it’s not an overnight transformation, these guidelines can at least give us hope, which is the fourth step: Hold on to hope that you can succeed. Our biggest takeaway from“Grit”? Look at failures as milestones on the journey to success. Getting gritty means failing and learning from it. Any of us can get gritty if we’re willing to put in a little elbow grease.
Perhaps most instructive is Duckworth’s equation (she was a math teacher, after all):
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Talent x effort = skill. Skill x effort = achievement.
WV (304) 594-1670 | MD (240) 362-7107 | PA (724) 438-0600
9000 Coombs Farm Dr. Ste. 304 Morgantown, WV 26508
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
WV (304) 594-1670 MD (240) 362-7107 PA (724) 438-0600
www.mmsendo.com | info@mmsendo.com
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Meet the Newest Member of the Team!
Do Your Meetings Matter?
MMS Case Study
Tooth Pain and What to Do About It
Effort Counts Twice
3 Holistic Remedies Hiding in Your Kitchen
NEED A LITTLE SPICE IN YOUR LIFE?
Want to calm nagging pain? This spice has been used to treat joint pain and arthritis. It can even be used to remedy bad breath. Nutmeg is most potent when it’s freshly grated, so it’s recommended you purchase whole nutmeg seed, found in most specialty food stores. You can incorporate nutmeg into your diet by taking it as a supplement in capsule form or simply sprinkling it into your next chai tea. Your achy joints will thank you. Ginger This root is an essential natural anti-inflammatory. It can help ease an upset stomach and finally tame your nausea. You can safely eat it raw, candied, as a supplement, in tea, or in baked goods. Ginger is most effective when it’s ingested raw or in capsule form. If you have morning sickness, raw ginger might do the trick. Just ask the people of ancient China. Like many spices, ginger’s use as
a supplement goes back centuries. Southeast Asian countries used it to ease their own common ailments. Call it tried and true. Peppermint You can use peppermint as an essential oil, steep the leaves for tea, or take a supplement capsule. Each form comes with its own benefits. As an essential oil, peppermint is great for treating colds. It’s a mild decongestant, and it helps with coughs and stuffed-up noses. It also soothes sore throats and headaches. Rub one or two drops under your nose, on your temples, or over your sinuses and feel the relief wash over you! Even further, a study published by The BMJ found that when administered as a capsule, peppermint helped reduce the symptoms of IBS in a majority of patients.
Spices and herbs add much more than flavor and aroma to your favorite beverages and treats. They also offer many health benefits. When properly utilized, these spice rack staples can ease a variety of symptoms. Ready to find your new holistic health kick? Read on. Nutmeg This spice, known for its earthy, nutty flavor, has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
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www.mmsendo.com | info@mmsendo.com
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