Dentaltown July 2021 - 45

Got any tips?
When working with the AEGD residents,
the biggest mistake I see is them
getting stuck and doing the same thing
without any progression. They're hesitant to
go surgical. If elevating against the adjacent
tooth wasn't working in the beginning, it's
not going to work 20 minutes later-if
anything, the situation is worse now that
the patient has been open forever and is
experiencing jaw pain.
Another tip during those times of
frustration when that last root tip is just
not coming out is to take a break and step
away for a few minutes. You would be
surprised how many times I've done this,
and a fresh set of eyes is just what I needed
to get a new perspective and to pop that
sucker out.
Share one of your favorite
cases with us.
Although our dental office has served
and made a positive impact on many
patients, a case that I speak of with joy
is my patient of many years, Juan Tellez
(photos below). Juan's case stands out to
me because I was able to help him achieve
his oral health goals despite his financial
and literacy barriers.
It also reminds me of the impact that a
community health dental clinic can have,
bridging the gap for dental care for the
underserved and collaborating with other
dental professionals in achieving good oral
health one patient at a time.
Juan, then 34, was seen as an emergency
because of dental pain in 2014. He had no
underlying medical conditions but his oral
health condition was severe, and he had chronic
periodontitis with an overall poor to hopeless
prognosis for all of his dentition. The dentist
before me had recommended full-mouth
extractions and complete dentures. Juan was
adamant about saving his teeth and declined
the dentist's treatment plan recommendations.
Once I became his dental provider, our
dental care team was able to stabilize his
gum disease and complete his restorative
needs, and he ultimately followed up on
my recommendations of seeing the local
periodontist, Dr. John Iasella. Because of
Juan's excellent oral health compliance, in
2017, we were able to pursue a more feasible
treatment plan that involved multiple implants
instead of a removable prosthesis. His smile
reflects my values as a public health dental
professional and the rewarding patient-dentist
relationship in working together to achieve
a common goal.
Top Products
Vitallium Clasp Adjuster.
My " boomerang. " I have a ton of
patients with partials and they need
their clasps tightened/adjusted
occasionally. I am not the best at
bending wires and struggle using
the three prongs. The boomerang
is way more user-friendly when
adjusting clasps.
Luxator 3S 3mm Straight. This
is in every OS cassette.
Garrison Composi-Tight 3D
XR Sectional Matrix System.
I almost never have issues with
getting proximal contacts with my
Class II resin restorations when I use
this system.
Zyris Isovac and Henry
Schein Isolite. Isolation is key to
predictable resin restorations.
SOL Portable Diode Soft
Tissue Laser. I love using this
for crown preps with deep margins
and angry tissue, as well as for mild
gingivectomies after orthodontic
treatment. It can even be used for
simple frenectomies.
dentaltown.com \\ JULY 2021 45
http://www.dentaltown.com
Dentaltown July 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown July 2021
