Dental Info

 At the moment there are a number of types of crowns that dentists can choose. These include : Full cast gold, porcelain fused to gold, porcelain fused to precious metal, porcelain fused to non precious, feldspathic porcelain, empress porcelain, lithium disilicate, and zirconium crowns. In addition, some of these (lithium disilicate and zirconium) can be veneered with porcelain. Milled composite resin crowns are still another option. The truth of the matter is that currently there is no one best crown. Each has some inherent advantages and disadvantages and all can provide extremely satisfactory restoration when properly executed by a competent clinician who is familiar with how to execute them. When I speak with my students at NYU dental school, I often am asked this question and I usually point out that what type of crown a dentist chooses is less important than how well he or she executes the procedures involves with ensuring that the crown is done correctly.  In dentis...

  Now that new more aggressive Covid strains are becoming more prevalent, wearing properly fitted masks is becoming even more important. I have been using N95 masks since last June and they seem to be keeping me safe, but I have developed a "nervous" tick involving repeatedly squeezing the mask around my nose to help ensure that it is well sealed around my nose. After talking with others, it seems that I am not the only one with this tic. One of my colleagues has been using "mask tape" to help with his seal, so I went on Amazon and ordered three packages of double sided mask tape. It's basically double sided scotch tape that is cut so that it can be applied to the cushiony material that contacts a wearers nose and it helps create a better seal. Yesterday I tried it. The instructions are to apply the tape to the inside of the mask and then put the mask on, but I couldn't get the tape to stick well to my mask, so instead I applied the tape onto the bridge ...

 I just came back from CityMD after having a two Covid tests (one rapid AG and one a regular PCR test). The results of the rapid test were emailed to me within 30 minutes.... I was negative, just like I have been when I have been periodically tested since reopening last June. For most of this time I have been going to work on an express bus and coming home on the NYC Subway. The subway is the scariest part of my day because some of the other riders are not wearing their masks properly or not wearing one at all.  I have been double masking since July, using an N95 mask as my first mask and covering it with a surgical type three mask over it. I haven't been wearing a new N95 every day, because of their scarcity and my strategy has worked so far.  I received my second Moderna Vaccine over a week ago and am feeling relatively relaxed about Covid, but I will still continue to wear my double masks when treating patients and when commuting to and from work. In fact this wee...

  A number of frontline healthcare workers are reticent about getting vaccinated to prevent a Covid 19 infection. They are full of excuses..."It's not proven to be safe"...."I don't like putting things in my body that I don't know enough about"..."They rushed out the vaccines"...etc. Frankly all of these reasons really mist the point. Healthcare workers are responsible for closely caring for vulnerable populations.  We saw what happened in nursing homes and I suspect that many of the nursing home infections were spread by infected staff. Patients released from hospitals two weeks after having tested positive are unlikely to have been Covid spreaders. As of now millions of people have received their vaccine and few have died. The few documented fatalities likely involved people who succumbed from other preexisting health problems. It's pretty clear that the risk to an individual and to the public from vaccinations is minuscule when comp...

Yesterday, while reviewing the business checking account, there was  an unaccounted deposit. I then noticed that our PPP loan funding had been electronically deposited in our commercial checking account. (ETC) This was  great news, since as the Corona Virus numbers have worsened in December and January, the numbers of patients booking appointments have lessened to the point where the office  currently less than 50% busy. While some of my colleagues claim to be seeing around 80% of their normal appointments, it is hard to believe, since the general public has been staying home and minimizing their time outside of their homes.  For the moment, most dentists are treading water" . While  not loosing money, their practices may not be generating enough to cover all of their personal expenses.  These PPP funds will definitely help. In addition, most are  loathe to furlough staff or significantly decrease their hours, since they are not only like family, ...