Sunday, November 27, 2016
I can fix that!
Orthodontists have many skills which are useful to straighten
teeth. These skills can also be used
outside the office.
Recently my bottom refrigerator shelf split from using it to
support heavy pots. It seemed ridiculous
to replace the refrigerator when the motor still worked. After staring at the broken shelf for months
I said to myself, “I can fix that.”
Using the method which my grandfather, Dr. Joseph Okun, used to repair dentures,
and which my father, Dr. Stanley Okun, adapted to repair retainers, I set out
to repair my refrigerator shelf. I
drilled holes on both sides of the crack, and sewed .012 ligature-wire across
the crack. On the top side of the shelf
I flowed Triad Gel over the “stitches” to create a smooth surface, and light
cured the gel. Then I used cold cure
acrylic on the underside of the shelf, to add strength to the repair. I restored the support leg with .045 retainer
wire and cold cure acrylic, the same way that I used to transfer copings when I
still did general dentistry. Now my refrigerator shelf is as good as new!
How handy is your orthodontist?
Monday, November 21, 2016
The Danger of Undiagnosed Sleep Apnea, and Dental Treatment for Sleep Apnea
Once again, undiagnosed sleep
apnea is in the news, as the cause of the September 29, 2016 Hoboken Commuter
train crash. It was also the cause of a
New York City commuter train crash in 2013 and of freight train crashes in 2011
in Iowa, and in 2013 in Missouri. According to a CBSnews.com report on 11/21/16),
“Metro-North started testing for
sleep apnea after the 2013 crash. Metro-North’s screening program has found
sleep apnea in 51 of its 438 engineers and trainees, spokesman Aaron Donovan
said. They are undergoing treatment, he said. Now Federal regulators are
urging railroads across the country to test train operators for obstructive
sleep apnea.”
“Sleep
apnea is especially troubling for the transportation industry because sufferers
are repeatedly awakened and robbed of rest as their airway closes and their
breathing stops, leading to dangerous daytime drowsiness. Studies have long
concluded that people with the disorder have diminished performance in multiple areas during the daytime.
“You end up with an
engineer who is so fatigued they’re dosing off, they’re falling asleep in these
micro bursts and they often have no memory of it, and they’re operating a
locomotive at the time, so they’re putting hundreds of people in danger,” (Sarah)Feinberg
(of the Federal Railroad Administration) said.
“Airplane pilots
with sleep apnea aren’t allowed to fly unless they’ve been successfully
treated. Regulators are also pushing for bus and truck drivers to get tested.”
Treatment
for sleep apnea may include:
Sleep
hygiene measures such as: going to sleep the same time every night and getting
up at the same time every morning in order to train your body when it should be
sleeping, sleeping in a dark room, using the bedroom only for sleeping, and
avoiding blue light from televisions, tablets and smart phones before bedtime.
Sleeping
with a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) mask over the mouth and
nose. The air which blows into the mouth
and nose keeps the airway open so that it doesn’t collapse when the airway
muscles collapse during sleep.
Sleeping
with a dental appliance which positions the lower jaw forward, so that the jaw
position holds the airway open despite the collapse of the airway muscles
during sleep.
In
extreme cases there are surgeries which either cut away soft tissue or
reposition bones to change the anatomy of the face and jaws, so that the airway
is not obstructed during sleep.
All
of these treatment options have side effects, but the consequences of leaving
sleep apnea untreated are far more severe.
If you, or someone you know, is interested in treating their sleep apnea
with a dental appliance, schedule a consultation appointment with Dr. Judith
Okun to discuss your options and questions.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Yes, "It is your fault."
Yesterday I heard Zara Larson, a singer who was on TV
singing "it ain't my fault", a song about how it isn’t her fault if she falls for a man and can’t control
her actions. Every day we hear from
politicians that the status quo is not their fault; it was caused by their
predecessor. (Unless it was favorable, then they claim it for themselves.) We
seem to live in a society of people who don’t make an effort to take responsibility
(or make an effort to not take responsibility.)
Orthodontic treatment requires responsibility and effort by both the doctor and
the patient. The orthodontist sets up the system, and the patient “drives”
it. I explain it to patients as if it is
a car. You can spend a lot of money on a
car, but if you don’t put gas into it, it won’t drive; You can spend a lot of
money for braces, and if you don’t put in your effort (wear elastics, eat in ways that won’t break
your braces, and keep regular
appointments) your treatment will not progress. It’s like saying that it is a two hour trip
from here to Philadelphia, but you never turn on the car. Two hours later you won’t be in
Philadelphia. Your case may take two
years to complete if you follow directions, but you won’t have a complete
result in two years if you don’t put in your effort. The patient has to take responsibility and
put in the effort to get that satisfactory result! Yes, “it is your fault” if
you don’t. All of us are much happier when the result is amazing, so please
take responsibility, and help make your smile spectacular.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Dr. Okun supports "Officer Phil"
Dr. Okun is proud to be one of the sponsors of the Officer Phil safety programs through the Rye Brook Police Department and the Bruno M. Ponterio Ridge Street School. This educational program not only enables students in grades 1 through 4 to interact in a comfortable environment with their local police department, but it also provides them with an activity book to take home and share with their parents, to teach age-appropriate safety measures at home. There is a different activity book for each grade. Dr. Okun has been a supporter of this program since its inception three years ago.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)