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Tobacco cessation programs for both individuals and groups are now available at the NYU College of Nursing Faculty Practice located at the College of Dentistry. The programs are being offered under the supervision of a certified tobacco treatment specialist, Ms. Madeleine Lloyd, Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Director of the Nursing Faculty Practice. A six session, 12-week program for groups includes both prescription and over-the-counter nicotine replacement medications for eligible patients and carbon monoxide monitoring at a total cost of $99. Private tobacco cessation sessions are also available at a cost of $95 for the first visit, which includes a one-hour consultation with a nurse practitioner, carbon monoxide monitoring, and individualized treatment planning. Nicotine replacement therapy may be prescribed. Individual follow-up visits are $55 per visit. Most insurance plans accepted. For information on enrolling in either of these programs, call Ms. Lloyd at 212.998.9420.
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A new advanced surgical technique for treating sleep apnea could become the first reliable approach to relieving the condition’s symptoms, reducing complications, and eliminating side effects. The technique is the brainchild of Dr. Kenneth Fleisher, an Assistant Professor of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at NYU College of Dentistry. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when a portion of the upper airway becomes obstructed by the tongue, tonsils, soft palate and/or muscles along the throat, causing breathing during sleep to stop for 10 seconds or longer. Traditional surgical approaches prescribed for patients who cannot tolerate nighttime breathing masks do not always yield good, long–term results, largely because they do not address all areas of obstruction. Contemporary surgical techniques focus on enlarging the entire upper airway, including the throat, tongue, and palate. But if the tongue or jaw is moved too far forward, it can result in an unattractive appearance. Dr. Fleisher has developed a treatment protocol combining a more modest surgical approach with a tongue suspension, a process of creating additional space around the upper airway to compensate for the limited effects of the more modest jaw advancement. This approach has more predictable results and a significantly lower risk of complications, such as jaw fracture or damage to tooth roots, because Dr. Fleisher uses a CT scanner that eliminates the distortion commonly seen in panoramic X–rays and provides a more accurate depiction of bone levels in the jaw and mouth. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call Deborah Granger in the NYU College of Dentistry Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, at (212) 998-9329.
A close-up view of a scaffold. The material between the struts is calcium sulfate. The NYU College of Dentistry has begun testing a three-dimensional bone tissue scaffold printer that could substantially reduce bone regeneration time in the oral cavity and elsewhere in the body. Bone generated from the scaffolds could be used to shore up alveolar (jaw) bone to support dental implants, as well as to repair cleft palates, fill in missing pieces of skull, and repair other large and small defects. The printer, known as a robotic deposition, or Robocaster, converts three-dimensional information from CT scans, MRIs, or other indicators of missing or defective areas of bone, into custom 3-D printed tissue scaffolds with an unprecedented level of precision. Because the structural elements of the scaffolds are similar in size to ingrowing bone structure (~200µm), the bone is expected to grow faster and more accurately than bone generated from other random orientation types of tissue scaffolds. The scaffolds are made from composites of hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate that remodel with bone. Unlike metal plates used for bone replacement, the scaffolds disappear completely from the body once the bone has regenerated, and do not require surgical removal once the bone is in place. This is an advantage in applications such as cleft palate in children, where permanent scaffolds cannot be used because the bone must be able to change shape as the child grows. The study is being led by Dr. John Ricci, Associate Professor of Biomaterials & Biomimetics, and Ms. Elizabeth Clark, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biomaterials & Biomimetics, in collaboration with Dr. Jim Smay of Oklahoma State University. For more information about the study, contact Ms. Clark at 212.998.9938.
3-D CAT Scan image depicting TMD eorision and destruction prior to reconstruction. The NYU College of Dentistry is offering a new treatment called “jaw orthopedics,” which allows people suffering from TMD (temporomandibular disorder) to lead pain-free lives. TMD is an acute or chronic inflammation of the temporomandibular joint, which connects the lower jaw to the skull. The disorder can result in such significant chronic pain, impairment, stress and anxiety, that many people are no longer able to function. Until recently, treatment was limited to removal of the joint without reconstruction. But the past several years have seen a refinement not only of imaging technologies, but also of reconstruction materials that has made the kind of treatment that NYU offers the standard of care for adults. To create a joint prosthesis that fits perfectly, the NYU team uses the latest CT-scan imaging. A very accurate computer-designed, custom-made prosthesis is constructed from that imaging. In the past, the surgery to place the prosthesis would have required two or three procedures; today it is all done in one visit. The prosthesis has an estimated lifespan of between 20 and 30 years. Care is provided in tandem with a pain management specialist at the New York University Langone Medical Center and an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who subspecializes in pain management of the head and neck. For further information or to schedule a consultation, call Deborah Granger in the Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at NYU College of Dentistry, at (212) 998-9329.
The light at its tip is visible as the endoscope is inserted into the gland to located scar tissue obstructing a duct. A minimally-invasive procedure to diagnose and treat sialoadenitis, or salivary gland inflammation, is now available at the NYU College of Dentistry. The procedure offers an alternative to surgical removal of the salivary glands. The NYU College of Dentistry is the only institution in the New York area to offer it on a routine basis. Sialoadenitis is an agonizing disease, which can rob people of virtually all of their ability to salivate and to taste. Constituting about half of all major salivary gland diseases, sialoadenitis occurs when saliva cannot exit the ducts, causing pain and swelling that can be particularly acute when a person eats. Sialoadenitis can be caused by scar tissue formation, foreign bodies and salivary gland stones (sialolithiasis). In a procedure known as a sialoendoscopy, Dr. Michael Turner, an Assistant Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and one of only a few surgeons performing it in the United States, uses a specially designed endoscope to pinpoint the obstructed area in the ducts and then uses microinstruments to remove the obstructions. Patients can regain their normal ability to salivate and taste without the scarring and prolonged recovery that occurs when glands are removed. For further information or to schedule a consultation, contact Dr. Turner at (212) 998-9568.
