Today I saw 2 new patients. 25-30 men. Both teachers with loads of tooth decay. Beware superfit folk sugar=decay
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
300 mile 7 hour round trip to see your dentist
Would you travel a 300 mile, 7 hour round trip to see your dentist?
This lady did. She wrote a short testimonial whilst filling in a customer satisfaction survey. In addition to ticking "Very staisfied" in all boxes , she said " Been here 22 years with the practice. I live in mid Wales and travel to Newbury for this fabulous Service". So that is a 7 hour round trip. I guess we are doing something right.... 8-).
This lady did. She wrote a short testimonial whilst filling in a customer satisfaction survey. In addition to ticking "Very staisfied" in all boxes , she said " Been here 22 years with the practice. I live in mid Wales and travel to Newbury for this fabulous Service". So that is a 7 hour round trip. I guess we are doing something right.... 8-).
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Friday, January 07, 2011
The Wand: Dental Pain Barrier Broken for One Patient
Today I saw a patient for the second time. The first time was 3 months ago. He is a thirty-something chap who hasn't seen a dentist for some years. A French national. Two of his top back teeth are so far gone that they cannot be saved.
He came today to start some simple filling work on front teeth as above but he has had problems. One of the broken- down, top back teeth, due for removal, had been troubling him and another front tooth, due for a small filling had lost a much bigger filling with lots of tooth decay underneath and it needed more urgent treatment.
Well I removed the pieces of the broken tooth and dealt with the large filling in the front tooth. At the end he said; "That is the first time I've been to the dentist and had no pain. You were very professional. If I had known you before, I would have come before my teeth got so bad."
What a shame for this nice chap. Anyway is is on the road to dental recovery now.
.
We used The Wand® to anaesthetise (numb) the two teeth. It is a revoultion and I was one of the UK's first dentists to use it. We have had it for 6 years now and NEVER USE SYRINGES for injections. The Wand® is so much more gentle. A similar but differently designed gadget, that does the same thing, is beng marketed to dentists and patients as Single Tooth Anaesthesia. Remember at Newbury Smilemakers, we have been using this daily for 6 years, so we are way ahead of the game!
This means that often, but not always, a lower back tooth can be put to sleep without numbing the side of the tongue, the lip and the chin which is the normal way this has been done in the past
If you want to know more or know someone who would benefit, call us in Newbury on 01635 47757 and speak to Chris for friendly, professional and knowledgable advice or e-mail chris@newburysmilemakers.com
He came today to start some simple filling work on front teeth as above but he has had problems. One of the broken- down, top back teeth, due for removal, had been troubling him and another front tooth, due for a small filling had lost a much bigger filling with lots of tooth decay underneath and it needed more urgent treatment.
Well I removed the pieces of the broken tooth and dealt with the large filling in the front tooth. At the end he said; "That is the first time I've been to the dentist and had no pain. You were very professional. If I had known you before, I would have come before my teeth got so bad."
What a shame for this nice chap. Anyway is is on the road to dental recovery now.
.
We used The Wand® to anaesthetise (numb) the two teeth. It is a revoultion and I was one of the UK's first dentists to use it. We have had it for 6 years now and NEVER USE SYRINGES for injections. The Wand® is so much more gentle. A similar but differently designed gadget, that does the same thing, is beng marketed to dentists and patients as Single Tooth Anaesthesia. Remember at Newbury Smilemakers, we have been using this daily for 6 years, so we are way ahead of the game!
This means that often, but not always, a lower back tooth can be put to sleep without numbing the side of the tongue, the lip and the chin which is the normal way this has been done in the past
If you want to know more or know someone who would benefit, call us in Newbury on 01635 47757 and speak to Chris for friendly, professional and knowledgable advice or e-mail chris@newburysmilemakers.com
.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Worth Fighting Through the Snow from Norway
Today I received this wonderful testimonial from a patient who I have only seen once before to discuss her options. She is an ex-pat, living in Norway, who found our details through our website.
Despite the heavy snow, she made her way here the day after her arrival in the UK on Friday last.
We completed her treatment using Twighlight Sleep Sedation on Saturday afternoon, December 18th during heavy snow here inNewbury. Here is her testimonial received this morning 21st December. I'll add her name once I receive her permission.
Dear Chris and Richard,
Just a quick note to say thank you so much for the treatment this afternoon. After about 12 years of avoiding any form of dental treatment, it was well worth fighting through the snow from Norway for my appointment. Trust and confidence are vital components needed to get me through the door of a dental surgery, and you succeeded where many others have failed!
I can now enjoy Christmas free of the constant nagging guilt of knowing I am ignoring my dental health, so thank you both once again. The appointment may have lasted several hours, but it seemed more like ten minutes, and I am blissfully free of any real memories about the treatment itself, which will make the next visit so much easier.
Wishing you both a very God Jul og Godt Nytt År (as they say in our neck of the woods)
Kindest regards,
Sue Budd
So if you or someone you know wants to have an entirely different experience of dental care, why not make it a New Year's resolution? Pick up the phone and speak to Chris Charon on 01635 47757 to arrange a FREE consultation over coffee WITH NO DENTAL CHECK-UP to discuss your requirements.
Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and a Smiley New Year
Despite the heavy snow, she made her way here the day after her arrival in the UK on Friday last.
We completed her treatment using Twighlight Sleep Sedation on Saturday afternoon, December 18th during heavy snow here inNewbury. Here is her testimonial received this morning 21st December. I'll add her name once I receive her permission.
Dear Chris and Richard,
Just a quick note to say thank you so much for the treatment this afternoon. After about 12 years of avoiding any form of dental treatment, it was well worth fighting through the snow from Norway for my appointment. Trust and confidence are vital components needed to get me through the door of a dental surgery, and you succeeded where many others have failed!
I can now enjoy Christmas free of the constant nagging guilt of knowing I am ignoring my dental health, so thank you both once again. The appointment may have lasted several hours, but it seemed more like ten minutes, and I am blissfully free of any real memories about the treatment itself, which will make the next visit so much easier.
Wishing you both a very God Jul og Godt Nytt År (as they say in our neck of the woods)
Kindest regards,
Sue Budd
PS: added 22nd December
Feel free to use my testimonial. Once again, many thanks. I'm now facing another challenge: how to fight my way back through the snow to Norway - unfortunately via Heathrow ... fingers crossed!
So if you or someone you know wants to have an entirely different experience of dental care, why not make it a New Year's resolution? Pick up the phone and speak to Chris Charon on 01635 47757 to arrange a FREE consultation over coffee WITH NO DENTAL CHECK-UP to discuss your requirements.
Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and a Smiley New Year
Monday, December 20, 2010
Our Jan 2011 Newsletter
Our Newsletter, designed to kick off the New Year, is at the printer now and will be sent out, by post, to a selected group of patients initially, to test their reaction.
In then meantime for those on-line here is a sneak preview.
I'll take the opportunity to wish you a Happy Christmas and a peaceful and healthy New Year
Friday, December 03, 2010
Richard Charon at Newbury Smilemakers: Our Latest Testimonial
What a great way to finish a cold and frosty day. This afternoon I received an e-mail with this lovely testimonial, from one of my patients. Someone I have been looking after for over 20 years.
It is true we all work hard to earn a living but sometimes it is nice to be appreciated too.
“During my recent routine check-up at Richard Charon’s practice, as Richard was doing his meticulous inspection round, he paused to marvel at his own previous handy work, the bridgework reconstruction of my upper front teeth, which he did for me over 10 years ago.
…..and as he gave me the ‘ALL OK’, the occasion made me think of the impact that the bridge had made on the quality of my life. Remembering the bad old days of the partial dentures I used to have, with all the usual problems of food getting under the plate, and the denture’s annoying track record of breaking just before an important event or occasion, so as if to cause maximum possible embarrassment. The contrast with Richard’s reconstruction of my front teeth has been ‘10 years of trouble free normal life’ with teeth that feel and look as if they were my own natural teeth.”
“I first found Richard when he was in practice in Reading at my local and nearest surgery. But when he moved to his own clinic in Newbury, [in 1989] I had no hesitation in making the much longer journey so that I would continue to benefit from his skills and level of care which had made such a major impact on improving my dental health.
This experience made me wonder why do people just go to their nearest dentist irrespective of the range of services, skills or quality of care a dental practice may offer, yet most of us happily spend more time researching, travelling for miles and chasing for things a lot less important in life, like when we shop for new sofa!
Needless to say, I soon persuaded my wife to switch her dentist and she too is now delighted with the level of care and service she is getting at Richard’s Clinic with real visible improvements of her teeth.”
Many thanks Siamak for your kind words. I like the one about travelling for miles to find the right sofa. I'll have to remember that one.
So if you or someone you would like to benefit as this patient has, please don't hesitate to get in touch on 01635 47757 or to find out much more about us, relax and go to visit our website
It is true we all work hard to earn a living but sometimes it is nice to be appreciated too.
“During my recent routine check-up at Richard Charon’s practice, as Richard was doing his meticulous inspection round, he paused to marvel at his own previous handy work, the bridgework reconstruction of my upper front teeth, which he did for me over 10 years ago.
…..and as he gave me the ‘ALL OK’, the occasion made me think of the impact that the bridge had made on the quality of my life. Remembering the bad old days of the partial dentures I used to have, with all the usual problems of food getting under the plate, and the denture’s annoying track record of breaking just before an important event or occasion, so as if to cause maximum possible embarrassment. The contrast with Richard’s reconstruction of my front teeth has been ‘10 years of trouble free normal life’ with teeth that feel and look as if they were my own natural teeth.”
“I first found Richard when he was in practice in Reading at my local and nearest surgery. But when he moved to his own clinic in Newbury, [in 1989] I had no hesitation in making the much longer journey so that I would continue to benefit from his skills and level of care which had made such a major impact on improving my dental health.
This experience made me wonder why do people just go to their nearest dentist irrespective of the range of services, skills or quality of care a dental practice may offer, yet most of us happily spend more time researching, travelling for miles and chasing for things a lot less important in life, like when we shop for new sofa!
Needless to say, I soon persuaded my wife to switch her dentist and she too is now delighted with the level of care and service she is getting at Richard’s Clinic with real visible improvements of her teeth.”
Many thanks Siamak for your kind words. I like the one about travelling for miles to find the right sofa. I'll have to remember that one.
So if you or someone you would like to benefit as this patient has, please don't hesitate to get in touch on 01635 47757 or to find out much more about us, relax and go to visit our website
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The Fastest Tooth-Smiths in the West
Yesterday we were surely the fastest tooth-smiths in the West (Berks. that is) since Doc. Holliday
(He was a Wild West Dentist in case you had forgotten) and delivering the ultimate world-class service. Here is the story ...
We had arranged a lunchtime meeting with David Claridge, someone who I had worked with for many years as a dental technician and who now is a rep. for 3M
He had come, prepared with lunch for the team, to educate us all about 3M mini implants, designed to stabilise loose dentures. We were all gathered around the monitor in the patient lounge. I was crouched down with David just fixing the screen display and volume. The team were settling down with coffee and just starting to tuck into their M&S lunch, when a man appeared at the reception are door, panting, out of breathe, saying, “ Can anyone please help me, I‘m on a coach trip , my front tooth has just broken off and I only have 20 minutes before the coach leaves.”
David and I looked at each other and simultaneously said, “ You couldn’t make this up”.
Quick as a flash, the team sprang into action. One dentist and two dental nurses. Within moments the patient was sitting in my dental chair having a medical history taken. Fortunately he was well accustomed to dental treatment. Unfortunately he presented me with a porcelain dental crown, inside of which was the rest of his tooth, which had snapped off level with the gum.
On one side of the broken tooth was a natural tooth , on the other side of it was a porcelain bridge. A few seconds thought to work out what best to do to get him back on the road.
All the necessary materials were assembled by my two Dental nurses in moments as I snappily called out what was required. In about 10 minutes flat we, painlessly sealed off the broken tooth at gum level, taken digital images for the patient to take to his own dentist, constructed a tooth, by hand, from tooth-coloured filling resin and built this up, bonding it to the adjacent teeth. No time to take any "after" pictures, the patient was out of the chair the moment I said- "Done".
No injections, no pain. Just a temporary tooth and the patient was on his way, together with pictures and a full printed description of the treatment, to take to his own dentist, in time to catch the coach waiting outside and of course, having paid his fee. Phew…. Back to the presentation but that’s another story.
Afterwards the team were all buzzed up. They said they felt like they had been in a scene from E.R.
Still I'd prefer not to spend every lunch-hour this way but sometimes, stuff just happens.
By the way If you know anyone with loose denture teeth that would like an elegant and simple solution please let them know we can help.
Please call and speak to Chris on 01635 47757
(He was a Wild West Dentist in case you had forgotten) and delivering the ultimate world-class service. Here is the story ...
We had arranged a lunchtime meeting with David Claridge, someone who I had worked with for many years as a dental technician and who now is a rep. for 3M
He had come, prepared with lunch for the team, to educate us all about 3M mini implants, designed to stabilise loose dentures. We were all gathered around the monitor in the patient lounge. I was crouched down with David just fixing the screen display and volume. The team were settling down with coffee and just starting to tuck into their M&S lunch, when a man appeared at the reception are door, panting, out of breathe, saying, “ Can anyone please help me, I‘m on a coach trip , my front tooth has just broken off and I only have 20 minutes before the coach leaves.”
David and I looked at each other and simultaneously said, “ You couldn’t make this up”.
Quick as a flash, the team sprang into action. One dentist and two dental nurses. Within moments the patient was sitting in my dental chair having a medical history taken. Fortunately he was well accustomed to dental treatment. Unfortunately he presented me with a porcelain dental crown, inside of which was the rest of his tooth, which had snapped off level with the gum.
On one side of the broken tooth was a natural tooth , on the other side of it was a porcelain bridge. A few seconds thought to work out what best to do to get him back on the road.
All the necessary materials were assembled by my two Dental nurses in moments as I snappily called out what was required. In about 10 minutes flat we, painlessly sealed off the broken tooth at gum level, taken digital images for the patient to take to his own dentist, constructed a tooth, by hand, from tooth-coloured filling resin and built this up, bonding it to the adjacent teeth. No time to take any "after" pictures, the patient was out of the chair the moment I said- "Done".
No injections, no pain. Just a temporary tooth and the patient was on his way, together with pictures and a full printed description of the treatment, to take to his own dentist, in time to catch the coach waiting outside and of course, having paid his fee. Phew…. Back to the presentation but that’s another story.
Afterwards the team were all buzzed up. They said they felt like they had been in a scene from E.R.
Still I'd prefer not to spend every lunch-hour this way but sometimes, stuff just happens.
By the way If you know anyone with loose denture teeth that would like an elegant and simple solution please let them know we can help.
Please call and speak to Chris on 01635 47757
Thursday, September 30, 2010
What a great day
 | |
| Design - Jennifer Charon - Graphic Designer |
What a great day we have had at Newbury Smilemakers today. We have seen several new people wishing to join our dental practice.
Some looking for a nicer smile with Invisalign. Some halfway though getting their new smiles with Invisalign including my wife, Chris.
One having jaw or facial pain looking for help if I can give it. We are trying her with a simple muscle relaxing NTI bite guard. Then we met some lovely new people wanting to join our practice who came to talk things over with us this evening. They found us through Twitter- It is amazing!
We also had a team appraisal meeting, which was very positive and will result in some small but very significant and helpful changes to the way we organize ourselves. I even had the team appraise me too!
Then we returned home to find the decorator has done an outstandingly professional job on our lounge, so he is now 1/3 the way through the house redecoration plan. He also tidied up beautifully after himself.
Oh did I mention, he is my son and is happy to accept work withing 30 miles of Newbury!
If you are interested, contact me and I'll pass on the details.
If you would like to meet us to talk about your dental care and you are within 50 miles of Newbury, please call us on 01635 47757.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Invitation to find out how you could get an even smile without using wire braces
You are invited to
A Presentation Evening with
Certified Invisalign Practitoner.
Why not call 01635 47757 to find out more
Bring a friend - bring several friends.
Can I lay on an evening for your group or business?
Straight Smiles without "Train Track" braces, Crowns or Veneers
on
DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED
Why not come and meet us for wine & nibbles and find out about
this revolutionary way to re-align smiles.
From Teens to 60 and any age in between.
Prepare to be amazed!
The patented Invisalign® system was introduced to my practice almost 3 years ago and the results are outstanding. Why not come along to find out more. Please bring a friend who may be interested too.
If you have any queries, feel free to get in touch.
Places are limited so please RSVP
or earlier to help our arrangements and
set a date to suit you
St.Mary's House
55-6 Cheap Street
Newbury
RG14 5DH
01635 47757
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Invisalign Testimonial: No gaps, No wire braces
Well now, the testimonials are coming in a rush, which is fantastic !
We received this Testimonial from Tom 3 days ago.
Not only was Tom delighted with his new smile but it has given a great boost to his self-confidence AND he was very complimentary about the experience he has had with us.
Tom's before and after pictures
and here is his testimonial
I must take this opportunity to praise the whole team at Newbury Smilemakers for their dedicated hard work in winning such praise from so many of our patients.
Thanks to Chris, Nicky, Rachel and Gosia. Tom's smile makeover was achieved using .......
Invisalign
If you'd like to know more we are happy to offer a free initial discussion. Please contact us on 01635 47757 and ask to speak to Chris.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Dental Tourism - a good idea? A salutory tale
The internet is full of offers of cheap dentistry. Is this always a good idea?
In fact it could be a disaster. I was recently asked to see the patient of a colleague referred to me by the dental technician we both use.
The patient's entire upper set of teeth had had to be removed, as they had come to the end of their life.
I did not see him before they were removed.
He did not wish to have a denture plate, which is not so unusual today. His choice was to have
all of his top teeth replaced with a removable bridge supported on dental implants.
He elected to travel to Spain for a cheap solution. He had 10 implants placed in his upper jaw bone (so far so good) and plastic replacement teeth, on a metal bar, fitted onto these implants. All of this was carried out in a very up-market clinic (he told me) 2 years ago.
Now one of the plastic teeth, near the front, had broken off and he wished to upgrade the plastic teeth for better quality porcelain ones. Fair enough.
He came to see me for what he thought would be an easy quick fix to his problem. "Just unscrew the
bridge and get your technician to make up a porcelain set. You can do it in a couple of days" he said.
I explained that I could not just unbolt the bridge and fit on a new one- like a pit-stop tyre change without checking the implants were sound first.
I could see that all was not well with the bridge. It was poorly constructed and finished and some of the implant work that I could see was suspect. An initial panoramic 2D x-ray revealed that at the very least 2 of the 10 implants at one end had failed and would need to be removed together with the three end teeth of the bridge.
Given his problem, my immediate advice was to return to Spain as the clinic/ dentist/Oral Surgeon were best placed to do this work for him as they were used to the implant system, which frankly I had never heard of.
His story was that no-one at the clinic spoke English except the head-honcho who could not be contacted as he was travelling the world lecturing.
That being the case I then suggested that he seek the opinion of an implantologist, as I am a general dental practitioner who utilises dental implants but it is not my full-time speciality.
I sent him a detailed written report of my findings and recommendations , in particular that he should have a detailed survey, using a 3D Cat (actually CBCT) Scan, of the entire upper jaw bone and implants, to check all of the implants. I have no interest in this company but their website shows more details about 3D dental CBCT Scans
Well after a delay of about a month, I have finally heard from him. He took my advice. Had the dental scan done and now finds that ALL of his implants have failed and they all need removing, together
(as I had suggested) with a number of his lower remaining teeth, which by the way had been left in a poor state, whilst the upper implant work had been carried out - a no-no in my book.
He now needs extensive reconstructive surgery with bone grafting from his hip bone. As an added complication, as a result of a heart condition, he is in the middle of a one year course of anti-blood clotting medication, so will not be able to have the surgery for at least 6 months.
The cost both emotionally, and in time, energy, effort, surgery as well as hard cash, are enormous.
He thought £2-3000 would give him an new upper set of porcelain teeth as another quick fix. I dare not guess the cost of the full remedial reconstruction but £20,000- £50,000 could easily be a ball park figure.
To use his words, this had been disastrous. I do feel desperately sorry for him as a person but with hind-sight it was a poor decision, based on what seemed like a good a idea. A quick, cheap fix.
The problem with dental tourism is that there is no relationship with the people carrying out the work. You are just another number on a conveyor belt. Moreover IF there are problems, it will mean repeated journeys back to whichever country was chosen to rectify the problem, sometimes just for short visits or paying again, often many times the original fee to rectify a problem here.
Incidentally this is not the first such case I have seen. The previous one I referred to a Professor in London as the poor woman's life had been ruined by inappropriate dental implant surgery in Eastern Europe. He could not suggest a solution other than starting all over again, as with the case I have outlined above
People undertaking dental implant work must ensure full continuity of care. Please check this link to the General Dental Council where you can download a detailed account and check list of issues to consider before going abroad for the cheap option. Caveat Emptor (Let the buyer beware!)
In fact it could be a disaster. I was recently asked to see the patient of a colleague referred to me by the dental technician we both use.
The patient's entire upper set of teeth had had to be removed, as they had come to the end of their life.
I did not see him before they were removed.
He did not wish to have a denture plate, which is not so unusual today. His choice was to have
all of his top teeth replaced with a removable bridge supported on dental implants.
He elected to travel to Spain for a cheap solution. He had 10 implants placed in his upper jaw bone (so far so good) and plastic replacement teeth, on a metal bar, fitted onto these implants. All of this was carried out in a very up-market clinic (he told me) 2 years ago.
Now one of the plastic teeth, near the front, had broken off and he wished to upgrade the plastic teeth for better quality porcelain ones. Fair enough.
He came to see me for what he thought would be an easy quick fix to his problem. "Just unscrew the
bridge and get your technician to make up a porcelain set. You can do it in a couple of days" he said.
I explained that I could not just unbolt the bridge and fit on a new one- like a pit-stop tyre change without checking the implants were sound first.
I could see that all was not well with the bridge. It was poorly constructed and finished and some of the implant work that I could see was suspect. An initial panoramic 2D x-ray revealed that at the very least 2 of the 10 implants at one end had failed and would need to be removed together with the three end teeth of the bridge.
Given his problem, my immediate advice was to return to Spain as the clinic/ dentist/Oral Surgeon were best placed to do this work for him as they were used to the implant system, which frankly I had never heard of.
His story was that no-one at the clinic spoke English except the head-honcho who could not be contacted as he was travelling the world lecturing.
That being the case I then suggested that he seek the opinion of an implantologist, as I am a general dental practitioner who utilises dental implants but it is not my full-time speciality.
I sent him a detailed written report of my findings and recommendations , in particular that he should have a detailed survey, using a 3D Cat (actually CBCT) Scan, of the entire upper jaw bone and implants, to check all of the implants. I have no interest in this company but their website shows more details about 3D dental CBCT Scans
Well after a delay of about a month, I have finally heard from him. He took my advice. Had the dental scan done and now finds that ALL of his implants have failed and they all need removing, together
(as I had suggested) with a number of his lower remaining teeth, which by the way had been left in a poor state, whilst the upper implant work had been carried out - a no-no in my book.
He now needs extensive reconstructive surgery with bone grafting from his hip bone. As an added complication, as a result of a heart condition, he is in the middle of a one year course of anti-blood clotting medication, so will not be able to have the surgery for at least 6 months.
The cost both emotionally, and in time, energy, effort, surgery as well as hard cash, are enormous.
He thought £2-3000 would give him an new upper set of porcelain teeth as another quick fix. I dare not guess the cost of the full remedial reconstruction but £20,000- £50,000 could easily be a ball park figure.
To use his words, this had been disastrous. I do feel desperately sorry for him as a person but with hind-sight it was a poor decision, based on what seemed like a good a idea. A quick, cheap fix.
The problem with dental tourism is that there is no relationship with the people carrying out the work. You are just another number on a conveyor belt. Moreover IF there are problems, it will mean repeated journeys back to whichever country was chosen to rectify the problem, sometimes just for short visits or paying again, often many times the original fee to rectify a problem here.
Incidentally this is not the first such case I have seen. The previous one I referred to a Professor in London as the poor woman's life had been ruined by inappropriate dental implant surgery in Eastern Europe. He could not suggest a solution other than starting all over again, as with the case I have outlined above
People undertaking dental implant work must ensure full continuity of care. Please check this link to the General Dental Council where you can download a detailed account and check list of issues to consider before going abroad for the cheap option. Caveat Emptor (Let the buyer beware!)
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