What is Oral-Systemic Health?

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Hopefully, you understand that prevention is the best method to protecting your oral health. Most dental diseases are progressive, meaning they only grow worse once they develop until you actively stop them and treat the damage they’ve caused. However, not many people realize that preventing (or failing to prevent) the onset of dental disease can have a profound influence on your systemic well-being – a relationship often referred to as oral-systemic health.

Understanding Dental Diseases

The origins of tooth decay and gum disease lie in the buildup of dental plaque. As your parents and dentist may have told you since you were little, brushing and flossing your teeth is essential to your oral health, and controlling dental plaque accumulation is why. The sticky, colorless substance is comprised of hundreds of oral bacteria. When they’re allowed to gather in force, these germs undergo processes that prove detrimental to your smile when left unchecked.

For instance, certain germs lead to excessive inflammation of your gums (a condition known as gingivitis), and in time, this inflammation can damage your gums and lead to the onset of gum disease. Other germs release harmful toxins and acids that further irritate your teeth and gums, but the inflammatory element of gum disease is of special note when it comes to your oral-systemic health.

The Window to Your Body

When your oral tissues are compromised by disease (i.e., such as bleeding gums as result of gum disease), the germs in your mouth can access your bloodstream through the damaged tissue, possibly wreaking the same havoc in other areas of your body. The microbe Porphyromonas gingivalis, which has been singled out as the instigator that manipulates your body’s inflammatory response, has been the subject of much oral-systemic research. One study has even found that P. gingivalis infection accelerates atherosclerosis (a disease of the arteries) in certain mouse models, and experts believe the germ is a contributing component to inflammatory heart disease and failure.

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).

Strong Foundations for Dental Implant Placement

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It’s hard to say what the worst thing about tooth loss is. On one hand, the gaps in your teeth can be unsightly and diminish your confidence, while on the other hand untreated tooth loss can lead to the deterioration of your smile’s foundation. Luckily, dental implants can help stave off the destruction of your gum tissue and jawbone, as well as provide a sturdy base for the replacement teeth that cover the gaps in your smile.

However, there are a few requirements that must be met before you can be deemed eligible for a dental implant procedure, one of the most important of which is healthy gums and sufficient jawbone structure to support it.

The Science Behind Dental Implants

The roots of a healthy tooth are embedded in your jawbone. When you bite and chew, the stimulated roots let your body know that your jaw has teeth to support, and your body sends the nutrients necessary to support your bone and teeth. When one or more of these roots is lost, your body takes note of the reduced stimulation and adjusts the nutrient supply to your jaw accordingly.

The reduced nourishment can eventually lead to jawbone deterioration and the loss of more teeth. A dental implant, shaped to mimic a tooth’s root, is surgically inserted into your jawbone. Once healed, the implant can serve as an anchor to secure your dental prosthetic (i.e., crown or denture), as well as help prevent jawbone deterioration and save your remaining teeth.

Fortifying Your Gums and Jawbone

If your jawbone has deteriorated significantly already, or if gum disease has destroyed a significant amount of your gum tissue, then you may not be able to benefit from a dental implant procedure right away. The first step would then be fortifying the area in question so that it can support the implant. Treatment may include a custom periodontal treatment, as well as a jawbone graft to strengthen and fortify your smile’s foundation.

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).

Need an Extraction? Don’t Worry; It Can Help

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Worried that you may need an extraction? Many patients require extractions at one point or another. While they may sound scary, they’re actually relatively simple procedures that can help leave you feeling more comfortable and confident with your smile. So, whether you’re tired of dealing with dental pain and want to find out, for sure, if an extraction is necessary, or have already been told you need one, take a deep breath and rest assured, an extraction is nothing to be afraid of; in fact, it is often the very best way to restore your smile! (more…)

Are Implants On Your Holiday Wish List?

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Have you been reflecting on holiday seasons gone by, remembering the happy times and the smiles you love seeing on the faces of loved ones? Do you shudder when you think about upcoming holiday parties, wondering how you will enjoy yourself while trying to hide the open spaces in your own smile? Perhaps you are more concerned with your ever-increasing food restrictions due to problems with successful chewing. If you have decided that giving yourself the gift of dental implants is on the top of your wish list this year, we suggest you schedule a consultation with us, so you can look forward to 2016 with a smile on your face.

The Gift Of Tooth Replacement

It is important for patients to remember the significance of tooth replacement. All too often, we find that patients hesitate to discuss dental implants with us because they think of missing teeth as a solely cosmetic issue. To the contrary, missing even one tooth may result in serious negative side effects, such as the following:

  • Difficulty chewing
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Challenging dental hygiene
  • Misalignment that occurs when teeth shift toward the opening

How To Get Started

Once you have recognized the importance of replacing missing teeth and have decided that you want dental implants, schedule a consultation with us. You will come in to see us, so we can assist you in beginning the exciting journey of replacing your teeth with implants for a future with a full, beautiful smile. We will discuss your options, gather advanced images, create a plan for your tooth replacement, and schedule your implant placement.

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).

Winter Break: Tips For Teens

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Do you have teenagers rummaging through your refrigerator on a regular basis? If so, you are likely already prepared to deal with big appetites and wandering forks headed toward the desserts and goodies in your kitchen this holiday season. What you may not feel so certain about is keeping your teens’ oral health in its best condition over winter break. Fortunately, we have some helpful suggestions for you this winter, including everything from daily care to scheduling wisdom teeth removal.

Enact A Brush-Then-Rinse Routine

Are your teens still most excited about the sweeter side of the holidays? If so, there’s an easy routine change that you can enforce with teens (though it can be more difficult with younger children). This is a good tip for you, as well: After indulging in staining food, sugary food, or anything that does not resemble good-for-your-smile dairy or veggies, you should immediately rinse your mouth with water. Then, you should brush after approximately 30 minutes to keep your smile safe.

Speak With Your Teens

Ask your kids about how their smiles are feeling. If you receive complaints about toothaches when they bite down, particularly into hot or cold foods or something sugary, it might be time for a visit to your general dentist for restorative care. If you have not yet seen us to discuss wisdom teeth removal and your children are in their late teens, there’s no time like the present.

Schedule Wisdom Teeth Removal

Have we recently spoken with you about your child’s need for wisdom teeth extractions? Have your teen’s wisdom teeth grown in but they are proving difficult to care for? Contact us immediately, so we can do our best to schedule your child’s wisdom teeth removal over the winter break, while school is out.

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: Why Remove Your Wisdom Teeth?

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Do you assume you will need wisdom tooth removal because just about everyone you know has had these third molars removed? Even if this is the case, it can be a bit hard to muster up the motivation to schedule visits with us (unless you are experiencing discomfort). However, if you are familiar with wisdom teeth and associated potential problems, becoming proactive in protecting your oral health becomes much easier. By taking a helpful quiz, you can more quickly identify the reasons to have this final set of molars removed and how the procedure may offer significant protection to your health.

Wisdom Teeth Quiz: True or False?

  1. True or False: If your wisdom teeth have developed successfully but you find them too difficult to care for, serious consequences may arise.
  2. True or False: Ignoring an impacted wisdom tooth is fine as long as the tooth does not erupt.
  3. True or False: We only suggest wisdom tooth removal for individuals whose wisdom teeth have had time to fully develop or become impacted.

Quiz Answers

  1. True. If you cannot reach your teeth to thoroughly clean them, you may suffer from problems like tooth decay or infection, which will then require treatments like fillings, or root canal treatment. If your third molars are difficult to maintain, we suggest removing them.
  2. False. Your impacted tooth will require wisdom tooth removal for a reason: Impacted teeth may lead to significant damage, significant discomfort, and can even result in issues like gum disease that may have a widespread effect on your oral health and overall wellbeing.
  3. False. We suggest scheduling visits with us as early as possible, so we may monitor progress and growth and perform wisdom tooth removal before the teeth have time to result in damage.

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).

When It’s Too Late For Root Canal Treatment

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Are you extremely concerned about your smile because you recently suffered a tooth infection, which resulted in a dental extraction? The bad news is that sometimes root canal therapy simply cannot save an infected tooth. The good news is that the problematic tooth is now out of your smile, so it can no longer cause any discomfort or complications for your oral health. If you have been considering dental implants to fill the open space, we encourage you to schedule a visit to see us. The sooner we take a look at your smile, the sooner we can guide you toward the answers you seek for achieving a full, beautiful grin.

Losing Your Tooth To Infection

When the dental pulp – or soft tissue that houses nerves and blood vessels – in your tooth becomes infected, it must be removed. Otherwise, this infection will worsen and may eventually abscess and spread. While root canal treatment is the restorative dentistry treatment of choice to address this problem, sometimes it will not help. You may either experience failure due to complications or you may visit your general dentist only to discover your problem has become too severe. In either case, the end result typically includes the removal of your tooth and the need for a tooth replacement option, such as dental implants.

Dental Implants After Infection

Are you looking to replace your missing tooth with a dental implant? If so, it is essential that you schedule a consultation with us, so we may examine your oral cavity. We may also need time to monitor the progress of your tissues if you are still healing (or if you are still under treatment for the infection). We can then discuss your options and create a tooth replacement care plan according to your particular oral health needs, so you can look forward to a complete smile.

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).

Important Tips For Protecting Implants

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While patients can become extremely excited about dental implants, they can also become just as hesitant. We understand that the idea of protecting these exceptional tooth replacement solutions may feel like a tall order. The good news is that your daily care will primarily remain the same. Brush and floss like you would for a fully natural smile and you will maintain good oral health. Regarding the additional details of keeping your implants safe and in one piece, we would like to share some simple yet effective tips. They will help you feel optimistic about your ability to enjoy successful implants for many years to come.

Tip #1: Prevent Peri-Implantitis

When bacteria have the chance to accumulate and irritate gum tissue surrounding a dental implant, it leads to a problem called peri-implantitis. This, of course, may lead to the failure of your implant. To avoid it, simply brush twice a day, floss at least once a day, and visit your dentist for twice annual preventive cleanings to ensure your tissues remain as free of plaque as possible.

Tip #2: Avoid The Too-Hard, Too-Crunchy Foods

Do you love nuts, hard pretzels, and anything super crunchy or difficult to crack? While these foods offer benefits like plaque removal, they can also lead to the demise of both natural teeth and prosthetic work. Avoiding these potentially damaging snacks is one option. Or, if you must indulge, break the foods down a bit first by cutting them into smaller, bite-size pieces, so you can avoid placing excess pressure on your crowns and implants.

Tip #3: Treat Your Bruxism

Do you suffer from bruxism, the habitual grinding or clenching of your teeth? If so, it is essential that you seek treatment to protect your dental implants and restorations. Consistent pressure can lead to damage both to natural and artificial structures.

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).

A Single Missing Tooth Can Cause Problems

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“But I’m just missing one tooth!” you may exclaim either to yourself or to our team in defense of avoiding tooth replacement. We understand that the process necessary for researching and replacing a tooth certainly requires some significant time and effort. However, it is very important to recognize that even a single missing tooth may result in serious complications that you would probably prefer to avoid. Allow us to explain why saying yes to tooth replacement solutions like dental implants – even to replace just one tooth – is extremely significant for your oral health.

One Tooth Lost May Cause Misalignment

Just missing a single tooth? Unfortunately, the open space offers more than enough room into which your remaining teeth may shift. As they migrate toward this area, they will no longer display the alignment they held when you still had your natural tooth. Fortunately, by replacing the tooth with a dental implant, you will ensure your teeth remain standing in their usual positions, so your alignment remains unchanged.

Your Bone Tissue Will Begin To Deteriorate

Your tooth is firmly anchored in your jawbone when it is in place. Once you lose your tooth, that area of your jawbone is no longer necessary (or so your body thinks). As a result, that portion of your bone will begin to deteriorate and become absorbed by your body. This can result in poor jaw health, will make it difficult to receive implants in the future, and may damage your appearance. Fortunately, an implant replaces your tooth’s roots (and supports a dental prosthetic above your gumline), preventing jawbone deterioration.

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: Dental Implant Advantages

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How much do you know about the advantages of dental implants? Have you become sidetracked as you learn all about candidacy, how much time the recovery process requires, and more? Perhaps the terminology has worked its way into the forefront of your research. Whatever the case, the benefits associated with this tooth replacement solution are what most patients rely on as they make their final decision to complete their smiles. Find out how much you have learned so far (or pick up a new detail or two) with a brief quiz.

Dental Implant Advantages: True-or-False Quiz

  1. True or False: Dental implants are known for their exceptional stability, which means you will not need to worry about comfortable eating or speaking.
  2. True or False: Dental implants require very little time when it comes to placement and recovery.
  3. True or False: Implants will preserve the alignment of your smile that you enjoyed before tooth loss.

Answer Key

  1. True. Because implants are anchored within your jaw tissue (with which they fuse), you will find that your replacement teeth run a close second to your natural teeth.
  2. False. While they require much more time than other prosthetics, such as bridges and dentures, they offer something no other solution does: They replace your tooth’s roots. Once healed, the implant supports a prosthetic to replace your visible tooth portion, as well.
  3. True. Dental implants will keep your remaining natural teeth from moving, which they often do after tooth loss – they tend to shift toward the open spot, which may lead to a misaligned smile. 

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).