Impacted Canine Teeth: Can You Help My Child?

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We often find that patients are uncertain about what’s happening with their child’s impacted canine tooth, what this issue really means, how to address it, and why it’s so essential to fix the problem. Rest easy. We understand that discovering your child’s teeth require treatment for proper development can feel a little overwhelming. The good news is that it’s actually a common concern that we can address to ensure a beautiful, healthy smile. Let’s review some details.

What’s A Canine Tooth?

What is your child’s impacted canine tooth? It’s one of four pointed teeth that rest on the side of lateral incisors. Some know these as “vampire teeth.” Unfortunately, it may not erupt through the gum tissue during development, which can negatively affect one’s bite and, subsequently, smile alignment and appearance, speaking, and chewing success.

What To Do?

You need to address your child’s impacted canine tooth (or teeth) to promote a healthy smile that, once treated, can easily remain healthy for the remainder of your child’s life. We can either work with an orthodontist to create a space for the tooth or we may need to rely on a surgical treatment known as “exposure” that will reveal the tooth. We may then use a treatment similar to braces (known as bracketing) to shift the tooth into the position in which is belongs.

How To Begin

We invite you to contact us to schedule a visit. Whether you have already determined that your child’s canine teeth are not erupting, if you are uncertain, or if you are an adult whose canines never erupted, please schedule a visit with us. We will get you started on a path toward excellent oral health.

ABOUT YOUR SANTA ROSA, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

Implants: 2 Reasons Your Friend Had A Bad Experience

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It’s extremely common to start asking around about other people’s experiences when you’re about to make a big one of your own. Getting a thumbs up and the “go ahead” from people you admire and trust is often a serious motivating factor. Unfortunately, this is also an easy way for your confidence in a treatment like dental implants to go from peaking to plummeting. When it comes to implants, we encourage you to remember that their success rests significantly on following our suggestions for after care treatment. With that in mind, we also invite you to consider a couple reasons your friend’s experience wasn’t what you’d hoped to hear.

Reason #1: She Didn’t Keep It Clean

It’s entirely possible that the reason your friend’s dental implant experience went south was because she didn’t keep the area clean. Patients can fall victim to the inaccurate belief that because the implant and restoration are artificial, they don’t require care. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The living tissue within which they have been placed require care (the same goes for nearby tissue) to prevent problems like inflamed gums and implant failure.

Reason #2: He Messed With The Wound Site

We will certainly provide you with specific pre- and post-op instructions to ensure that your dental implant placement, recovery, and success are easy and without any hiccups. One very important instruction includes leaving the site alone after placement (which means you shouldn’t touch it, you shouldn’t rinse for the initial day, and you should avoid spitting to allow for proper healing. Remember, if you have any questions please call us.

ABOUT YOUR SANTA ROSA, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

Dental Implants Quiz: What If Something’s Wrong?

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Do you already have dental implants? If so, in most cases, you can expect a wonderful experience. In fact, you may have already heard that implants have the capacity to last and last, so you enjoy them for the rest of the years of your life. However, there are a few factors (such as poor dental hygiene and others) that can lead to some discomfort or problems with these prosthetic devices. Before you jump to any conclusions, do you know what you should do if you think something might be wrong?

Quiz Questions: True or False?

  1. True or False: If something is wrong with your dental implants, the best thing to do is to get on the Internet or call someone you trust to try to figure out whether it’s severe.
  2. True or False: If your tooth replacement area hurts or you think something is wrong with your implant, chances are good that there’s a serious underlying issue.
  3. True or False: Since the rate of implant success is quite low, it’s very possible that if you don’t feel perfect after placement, the implant has failed.

Quiz Answers

  1. False. The best thing to do when something feels “off” is to call us immediately. Whether it’s a minor complaint or feels like an emergency situation, contact us, so we my find a good time for you to come in to see our team for an examination.
  2. False. It’s entirely possible that pain and other symptoms point to a serious underlying concern or even that you have just irritated the site in some way. Before you make assumptions, please relax and simply contact us.
  3. False. In general, the success rate of implants is extremely high! Approximately 98 percent, as a matter of fact. Hold off on feeling overly concerned until we see you and can diagnose the problem.

ABOUT YOUR ROHNERT PARK, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

Quiz: IV Sedation

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When you require oral surgery and we speak with you about your anesthesia options, you might be surprised to learn that there’s not just one choice. Did you know, for instance, that choosing IV sedation means you are selecting the option that will provide you with the greatest sense of calm? If this sounds like the sedation decision you would like to select for yourself, you may wish to clarify a few details first. A good place to begin is with our quiz, which can offer some of the answers you’ve been seeking. For anything else, please let us know during your upcoming visit.

Quiz Questions: True or False?

  1. True or False: IV sedation is a good choice for many people but not individuals who have a phobia of needles.
  2. True or False: The best way to find out if this type of sedation is a good choice for you is to talk with our team about sedation, what you want, and to ask questions about this choice.
  3. True or False: If you choose the IV form of anesthesia, you will need a ride home.

Quiz Answers

  1. True. IV sedation is intravenous sedation, which means you will receive medication directly into your bloodstream. We access your bloodstream by placing a very tiny needle into a vein (either in your arm or in the back of your hand).
  2. True. Attempting to figure out all of the facts on your own, whether by talking with friends or searching the internet, can turn up some false information. Ask our team whatever it is you wish to know, so you feel informed.
  3. True. Thanks to its deeply relaxing effects, this sedative will require you to secure a friend or loved one who can drive you back to your home after your visit.

ABOUT YOUR SANTA ROSA, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

Your Questions: Oral Sedation

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As you learn more about your anesthesia options, you will discover oral sedation as a possible choice. However, you might not know very much about what this term refers to or what you can expect. For many patients, this provides a wonderful way to experience a deeply relaxing visit and procedure. Allow us to offer you some insight into what’s on the horizon and whether this form of sedation might be a good fit! Let’s begin with some helpful questions (and answers).

Questions and Answers: Sedation

Question: What do you mean when you say “oral sedation?”

Answer: This refers to a form of anesthesia that you will take orally (or by mouth). It’s quite simple. After a discussion with you, we will select a medication that offers relaxing, anti-anxiety properties in pill form. Depending on your particular needs, you will take the pill before your visit either at home or in our practice.

Question: How will I figure out whether oral sedation is right for me or if I need something else?

Answer: This is best decided during a consultation with us to discuss different anesthesia possibilities. In many cases, we choose the oral form for patients who want deeper relaxation than that provided by nitrous oxide and often for those who wish to avoid the needle associated with IV sedation.

Question: What if I have had oral sedation before and, though I am not interested in IV sedation, I wish the sedative was a little bit stronger and long lasting?

Answer: Since we cannot customize oral sedation like laughing gas or IV sedation, for which we can increase or decrease the dosage throughout your visit, we can offer the following: Oral sedation and nitrous oxide for the best of both worlds.

ABOUT YOUR SANTA ROSA, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

Test Your Knowledge: Bone Grafting

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Have you been thinking about coming in for a visit to discuss bone grafting but you are not sure what to think? Perhaps you know that you need some assistance with treating your jaw tissue before you can move ahead with replacing your missing teeth with implants (but you are a little unsure about certain details). For now, we offer you a brief quiz that may provide some insightful information. We also strongly suggest you schedule a visit to come in to see us with your questions.

Your Quiz: Grafting Questions

  1. True or False: We often perform bone grafting and sinus lifts during the same procedure. As a result, if you are prepping for dental implants, your prep process might prove more convenient than you initially imagined.
  2. True or False: There are many types of grafting. As a result, we do not suggest one universal treatment to all of our patients. You will need to schedule a visit with us, so we can determine the best course of action for your smile.
  3. True or False: If you have been told that you may need grafting but you are not really sure where to begin in your dental implant journey, we are more than happy to see you for a consultation, so we may introduce you to the details.

Your Answers

  1. True. Fortunately, we generally perform both of these procedures at once. This means you will need to recover from preparatory treatment just once before you are on the road toward receiving implants instead of requiring multiple procedures.
  2. True. Everyone requires care tailored to his or her own personal needs, which are commonly very different from one patient to the next. We will examine you and figure out what will best improve your jaw for successful implant placement.
  3. True. We are always glad to schedule a consultation with you to introduce you to the possibility of implants and to discuss any treatment you might need before replacing your teeth becomes an option.

ABOUT YOUR ROHNERT PARK, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

Dental Implants: Good Ways To Get Motivated

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Do you find that there’s something keeping you from taking a step forward toward choosing dental implants to replace missing teeth? This is not something to be taken lightly, of course, so it’s understandable if you are not having a very successful time nudging yourself along in the process. However, garnering just a bit of motivation and getting your feet wet can help immensely. Once you become introduced to implant basics, it’s much easier to make some headway as you learn more and more (and come to your ultimate decision). For now, let’s help you out with that motivation factor.

Remember, There’s A Timeline

You may feel overwhelmed as you learn about the different steps required when receiving dental implants. Fortunately, this is not something that happens all at once. We encourage you to remember that choosing implants is a bit of an adventure that can take several months to a year. This means that you will have more than enough time to comfortably make your way through the process without feeling rushed or stressed.

Schedule A Visit

If you want to find out whether dental implants are a good choice for you, if you have questions, if you think you may need other treatment (like bone grafting) in preparation, or if other thoughts are weighing heavily on your mind, contact us. We invite you to come to our practice for a consultation. Taking this first step is often quite a relief. You will meet our friendly team and walk away with lots of answers.

Check Out Patient Testimonials

You may wish to spend a bit of time scrolling through our dental implant testimonials page. Read real stories from our patients about their positive experiences in achieving complete smiles with implants.

ABOUT YOUR SANTA ROSA, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

Why Schedule A Visit “Early?”

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You may think to yourself that you would really like to learn more about dental implants. In fact, if all goes well, you plan on selecting them in the future when you are ready to replace missing teeth. Or, you might know that you need bone grafting or you have early signs of requiring the removal of your wisdom teeth. While it may seem best to wait until you are completely ready (if not nearing the need for urgent care), it’s actually a much better idea to get a head start on such oral health treatment. Allow us to give you a new perspective on this idea.

Why Plan?

You know there’s something you need to do for your oral health but you are not currently ready to move forward. Whether the issue is financial, personal, or otherwise, there are many factors that can affect one’s timeline, of course. However, when you choose to come in for an “early” visit, we can become familiar with your smile and your health history (and we can create a plan). As a result, we are completely prepared to move forward when the time comes. This means that you won’t deal with any last minute frustration if you suddenly decide you want dental implants but the introductory process takes more time than you imagined, for instance.

The Little Details

About those little details we were discussing: Budget, personal questions or concerns, your timeline … they are important. By coming in before you have a dire need for a treatment, we can sit down with you and comprehensively cover all bases. As a result, you can make a comfortable, confident decision about dental implants or other procedures. You can plan carefully and feel at ease, rather than stressing or scrambling to “make it work.” We are always happy to see you, so please give us a call!

ABOUT YOUR SANTA ROSA, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

Dental Implant Rumors Quiz

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What’s what when it comes to the truth about dental implants? Do you feel like the moment you expressed just a tiny bit of interest in implants, everyone around you suddenly become an expert on the topic? If so, unless you were speaking with our team about the details, your colleagues, best friend, and favorite aunt may have been filling your head with a lot of information that you cannot quite feel good about. To find out whether any of these rumors have made their way to your personal data bank of details, we encourage you to take a quiz to sort out the truth from the not-so-accurate.

Quiz: Implant Rumors

  1. True or False: Even though the restorations for dental implants are made of artificial tissue, they can still develop cavities like your natural teeth.
  2. True or False: You can only choose implants if you want to replace one tooth at a time, even if that means you’re replacing a full arch of missing teeth with individual replacements.
  3. True or False: An implant is one single unit that replaces your entire tooth.

Quiz Answers

  1. False. Natural tissue is vulnerable to acid and the bacteria in your mouth, which can lead to decay and erosion. Artificial tissue is not. As a result, though it’s important to continue caring for your smile, prosthetic devices will not develop cavities.
  2. False. One major benefit of dental implants is the fact that you can replace multiple teeth at once by choosing implant-supported prosthetics like a partial or full denture.
  3. False. It’s accurate that choosing implants will guide you toward complete tooth replacement (including restoring missing roots). However, the implant only replaces your roots. It’s the abutment (connector) and restoration (false tooth or teeth) along with the implant that complete the replacement.

ABOUT YOUR ROHNERT PARK, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).

3 Steps: Prevention For Dental Implants

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Do you hear quite frequently that preventive care is an extremely important aspect of protecting your dental implants? While the idea that you can inhibit problems from affecting your oral health sounds wonderful and relieving, it’s not too helpful if you’re not sure where to begin. Rest easy, becoming a pro at prevention is a simple and very rewarding journey. Just become familiar with the main steps and your complete smile will stay that way.

Step #1: Stay Recent With Cleanings And Checkups

It’s extremely important that you stay up-to-date with cleanings and checkups. As much as removing plaque and tartar (and monitoring your oral health) is important for your natural teeth, it is just as important for your dental implants. This form of preventive care (the professional services) will provide you with the smile care you cannot accomplish on your own and which is essential in avoiding all manner of disease.

Step #2: Do Your Hygiene Thing At Home (Without Faltering)

True, your professional care is very important but your smile doesn’t stand a chance without home care, too. Your commitment to cleaning all tissues in your mouth, including natural and artificial, is essential to good oral health. Your dental implants can easily remain in place for years and years to come, as long as you follow our suggestions for twice-a-day brushing and once-a-day flossing.

Step #3: Contact Us The Moment You’re Concerned

The final step in practicing optimal preventive care is trusting your intuition. If you feel like something requires attention, contact us. We can often treat a problem early and before damage occurs if you visit us the moment you notice you’re experiencing an oral health change.

ABOUT YOUR SANTA ROSA, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:

Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).