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One of the Largest Dental Implant Practices in the U.S. Run By Montefiore Medical Center in the Bron

NEW YORK CITY,NY (May 17, 2004) – The Department of Dentistry at Montefiore Medical Center today announced it is now operating one of the largest dental implant practices in the United States. “We are providing residents of this region with over 1,500 dental implant procedures annually,” said Richard Kraut, DDS, chairman, Department of Dentistry at Montefiore. “Clearly, dental implants are one of the finest treatment options we have to offer in the field of dentistry,” Dr. Kraut said.

According to Dr. Kraut, the Montefiore Department of Dentistry is one of only a few that enhances dental implantation and oral surgery using state-of-the-art digital radiography. “This allows x-rays to be projected on computer screens, doing away with x-ray films and allows for more immediate viewing of clearer images,” Dr. Kraut said. “CT scanning is also used to define the mouth area to a more precise level.”

Montefiore’s dental implant service is also considered a tertiary care center. “Patients who run into trouble at other places are sent to us,” said Dr. Kraut. The Department of Dentistry is backed up by the complete support and expertise of Montefiore Medical Center, an academic teaching hospital and the largest healthcare provider in the Bronx.

“Dental implants improve a patient’s quality of life, allowing them to eat more freely,” said Dr. Kraut. “We had one heart transplant patient who, while getting a new lease on life with a heart transplant, could not eat because she had no teeth.” “We were able to complete implants for the patient,” Dr. Kraut said, “and she was able to eat just like any other person and make a full and healthy recovery.”

“We practice in a fishbowl here at Montefiore because we are an academic medical center,” Dr. Kraut said. “Here, people look over our shoulder all the time, and quality counts.” There are two types of dental implants, those that sit on top of the jawbone but under the gums, and those that fit into the jawbone similar to the root of a natural tooth. The made-from-titanium implant is screwed into the jawbone and then a replacement tooth is screwed into that.

“Dental implants provide the closest thing to the look, feel and function of natural teeth and adhesives are not needed,” said Dr. Kraut. “Implants eliminate irritated and painful gums and help stop the progressive bone loss and shrinking of the jawbone by mimicking the roots of natural teeth. They are a wonderful advance in treating our patients with the very latest in medical and technological advances.”

Montefiore Medical Center, The University Hospital and Academic Medical Center for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, is an internationally recognized leader in patient care, education, research and community services. Located in the Bronx, Montefiore provides treatment programs for patients with all major illnesses and has distinguished centers of excellence in heart care, cancer care, children’s health, women’s health and surgery .