MD – Christopher C. Babcock

Role of an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMS) are highly specialized healthcare professionals whose role involves the diagnosis, treatment, and management of various conditions affecting the head, neck, face, jaw, and oral cavity. Their expertise includes surgical procedures ranging from complex reconstructive surgeries to routine dental extractions.

Before carrying out surgery OMS conduct assessments, including orthodontic evaluation and three-dimensional imaging to carefully guide the surgical process. After surgery, they offer follow-up care to monitor the healing progress and report the possible outcomes of patients.

These surgeons may apply various methods, such as computer guided surgery and intraoral scanning, for diagnostic and treatment plans related to oral conditions. In addition, they play an important role in collaboration with oncologists and other specialists, which form multidisciplinary teams to provide comprehensive cancer care when needed.

Orofacial surgeons often partner with speech therapists and pediatricians for the comprehensive treatment of patients who have been born with cleft palate and related conditions. This involves such tertiary procedures as may be needed to achieve the best functional and aesthetic outcome as the patient advances in their recovery.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons also strengthen the future of the dental profession by training the coming generations and pioneering research. They often carry out and lead research, such as studies on biomaterials, surgical procedures, and patient outcomes, to advance treatment effectiveness and quality of patient care.

Benefits of Dental Implants

A dental implant is a high-tech artificial replacement for the root of a tooth that is screwed into a jawbone to support a crown (fake tooth). Dental implants, placed using a surgical procedure with a local anesthetic, have numerous advantages.

In the absence of a tooth, the jaw bone in the space deteriorates over time due to a lack of stimulation. When an implant is not placed within a year after a tooth is lost, the bone area can lose up to 50 percent of its total volume. A dental implant often replaces both the root and tooth, thus restoring normal chewing capability, which aids in stimulation (muscles/nerves) to facilitate natural bone growth.

Dental implants are fitted into the jaw with a titanium post that replaces the natural tooth root. This allows for sufficient biting force similar to that produced by a natural tooth. Other tooth replacements don’t fully restore the bite force as they rest on the gums and are not strongly secured.

When a tooth is missing, the surrounding teeth tend to move toward the gap and interfere with the ability to bite or chew. Dental implants fill gaps between the teeth, thus securing the position of the surrounding teeth and preventing them from drifting.

Importance of Getting a Disability Insurance

Disability insurance offers a safety net in the form of a monthly benefit to policyholders who cannot work due to a disability. Typically, this benefit is calculated as a percentage of the policyholder’s regular income. The waiting period for disability insurance can vary, and coverage can extend from a few weeks to the duration of one’s working life, depending on the severity of the disability. There are numerous advantages to having disability insurance.

One of the primary benefits of disability insurance is its role in helping policyholders plan for unforeseen circumstances that can significantly impact their lives. Whether it’s a life-altering disability, a chronic illness, or even a global pandemic, disability insurance safeguards the financial health of both the policyholder and their family. This protection is crucial for achieving long-term financial security and peace of mind.

Furthermore, disability insurance offers superior protection than relying solely on savings, particularly for long-term disabilities. Savings can quickly diminish in the face of substantial medical bills associated with prolonged disabilities. Since disabilities can persist for years, having disability insurance ensures a steady monthly benefit throughout the disability, easing the financial burden on the policyholder.

Moreover, while workers’ compensation typically covers injuries sustained in the workplace, it may not provide coverage for work-related disabilities. Workers ‘ compensation may not cover conditions like cancer, stroke, or injuries sustained outside work. However, disability insurance offers comprehensive coverage, regardless of whether the disability is work-related, ensuring financial stability during challenging times.

Kentucky Dental Association Legislative Priorities for 2024

Committed to advancing the profession of dentistry and promoting oral health, the Kentucky Dental Association (KDA) hosts an annual meeting, provides members with a range of resources and benefits, and advocates for various legislative measures. In 2024, the KDA is working to address increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates, student debt, and insurance reform.

The KDA believes that the current Medicaid rate structure is unsuitable for residents and doesn’t provide sufficient access to care. Member dentists support earning less than usual to help community members in the greatest need of dental services. Moreover, the KDA Executive Board hopes to work with the state legislature and the Department of Medicaid Services to increase reimbursement rates.

Regarding student debt, the KDA advocates for loan forgiveness programs and encourages legislators to boost state funding to higher-learning institutions. Dentists in Kentucky have an average of $350,000 in student loan debt upon graduating. Therefore, graduates are less likely to start their practice in rural and underserved areas. Student loan forgiveness could help address this issue.

The KDA supports legislation promoting transparency in dental care benefits for insurance reform. It supports direct payment to providers via dental benefit plans and limits how long dental insurers can request refunds for mistakes in paid claims.

The KDA’s other legislative priorities for 2024 include advancing workforce sustainability, tax reform, and improving access to telehealth services.

How Queen Bees Create and Sustain Colonies

One of the critical elements for the survival of a bee colony is the queen bee. Large and heavy, she flies only twice. One is to mate with drone bees from other colonies. During this flight, she collects around five million sperm and then returns to the hive. She stores the sperm and uses them to fertilize eggs. Over her lifetime, the queen bee lays many eggs. She arranges these in cells, which are situated inside a honeycomb.

At her peak, the queen bee can lay 3,000 eggs within a single day, with those that are fertilized potentially becoming worker or queen bees, and those left unfertilized becoming drones. Each egg, laid in just a few seconds, is about the size of a grain of rice. The queen bee starts in center and works in a circular fashion outward. This enables workers to feed larvae at the outer edges foods such as royal jelly, a protein-rich secretion from worker bee glands. Eggs hatch around three days after being laid.

While queen bees can live as long as seven years, peak productivity is limited to one to two years. Commercial beekeepers may replace queens as often as two times a year to maintain optimal productivity.

The queen does sometimes take one additional flight during her lifetime. This is when swarming. Accompanied by around half of the workers in the colony, she and her companions seek out a new setting to live and create a colony. In preparing for this event, workers develop a new queen, while preparing the existing queen to fly. Because she is generally too heavy to fly at that point, they must place the queen on a calorie-restricted diet.

ADA Takes Firm Stance Against Direct-to-Consumer Dentistry

In response to developments involving a direct-to-consumer (DTC) company specializing in teeth aligners, the nation’s largest dental organization, the American Dental Association (ADA), has reasserted its opposition to DTC dentistry. The ADA discourages providing dental treatments directly to consumers, expressing concerns over potential irreversible harm and risks to individuals treated as customers rather than patients.

By advocating against DTC dentistry, the ADA aims to safeguard individuals from the potential risks of teeth alignment without a comprehensive understanding of their oral conditions. The ADA warns that unmonitored teeth movement could lead to severe and permanent issues such as bone loss, bite problems, receding gums, and jaw pain.

Highlighting the fundamental responsibility of licensed dentists in overseeing patient care, the ADA reiterates that dentists are uniquely qualified to accept accountability for a patient’s treatment. The absence of a dentist’s involvement in such treatments eliminates a crucial quality control aspect, potentially compromising patient safety and overall oral health.

The ADA urges individuals considering DTC dental products or services to consult a licensed dentist. It notes that regular dental check-ups with qualified professionals are crucial for maintaining good oral health and overall wellness.

Common Misconceptions about Disability Insurance

Disability insurance is a financial tool that provides an income replacement to individuals unable to work due to a short-term or long-term disability. However, common misconceptions about disability insurance may lead to underestimating its importance.

Many people assume they don’t need disability insurance because they are healthy or young. However, accidents and illnesses are unpredictable, and disability insurance provides a safety net for unexpected circumstances. Additionally, starting a disability insurance policy at a younger age can help access lower premiums.

Employees with workers’ compensation may also believe they don’t need additional insurance, but workplace insurance only covers on-the-job injuries, while disability insurance provides protection for disabilities that occur both on and off the job.

Another common belief is that disability insurance is prohibitively expensive. However, premiums vary based on age, health, and coverage amount. Most individuals can research multiple options and find an affordable policy that meets their needs.

While having an emergency fund may help in unexpected situations, it may not be enough to cover the costs associated with a disability, which is where disability insurance comes into play.

Finally, relying on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) may prove ineffective in the event help is needed, since qualifying for it can be challenging. Even those who qualify may find that it doesn’t cover all their needs.

Understanding these misconceptions about disability insurance can help individuals make informed decisions about securing this coverage, which can provide significant support in the event of unexpected disabilities.