Dental Implants: Where To Begin?

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When the time comes that you experience tooth loss and need a way to replace the teeth missing in your smile, you may find yourself drawn to the benefits of dental implants. However, feeling excited about a particular option does not mean you know where to begin. Fortunately, getting started is extremely simple. All you need to do is plan to spend time speaking with us about tooth replacement and we will take care of the rest. Consider a couple helpful suggestions.

Let’s Talk About Tooth Loss

First, you are going to begin by scheduling a dental implant consultation with us. This is an appointment during which we will speak with you about tooth loss, why it’s so important to replace your teeth, and how implants offer enhanced protection when compared with other prosthetics like bridges and dentures. You see, the only option for replacing your missing roots and supporting a visible prosthetic to replace your tooth’s crown is choosing implants. The only way to prevent jaw deterioration after tooth loss is – you guessed it – choosing implants. We will explain the specifics during your visit.

Let’s Talk Details

As for the details associated with beginning your new journey toward receiving dental implants, there’s a universal to-do list to take care of before moving forward. First, we will examine your smile. We will also gather digital imaging of your oral cavity to determine whether you have a full jawbone and if it can support implants. Once we are certain regarding your candidacy for treatment, we will create a treatment plan specific to your oral health needs and your daily life.

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).

When Is A Patient Ready For Implants?

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As you may have guessed, a lot of factors come into play when deciding whether a patient is ready for dental implants. Do you feel ready? Perhaps you are interested in this teeth replacement option but you have questions. Maybe you are not sure whether you are financially ready for the investment. Consider a few areas of concern that we focus on when guiding you toward – or away from – choosing implants.

Your Schedule

Does your schedule permit dental implants? If you are just learning about this option, you may not recognize that the full process is somewhat lengthy. The end results are worth the effort. However, if you have an extremely packed schedule or require immediate replacement of lost teeth, you may not be ready for implants. On the other hand, if you can work the appointments and recovery into your schedule, you may be ready.

Your Oral And General Health

First, you need a healthy, full jawbone if you want dental implants. If your jaw is not ready because of damage or deterioration, you may be able to prepare by agreeing to bone grafting. You will also discover that you must be ready for surgery. If you are physically unfit for surgical procedures, it may not be time at the moment to move ahead with implants.

Your Budget

Deciding whether you’re ready for the investment is something you will need to spend a bit of time figuring out. Are you going to pay out of pocket? Does your insurance offer any coverage? Have you set up a payment plan? You’re only ready once you are certain you can make dental implants work for you and your life.

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).

3 Reasons You’re Referred To An Oral Surgeon

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Are you curious about why you have been referred to our practice? What is it that pushes you out of the scope of general dentistry and into our exam chair? When it comes to seeking the help of an oral surgeon, a variety of issues or needs may lead you to our office. For instance, restorative dentistry may not be able to address your concern because you need a surgical procedure. Allow us to explain a few reasons you’re seeing our smiling faces.

#1: To Prepare For Prosthetics

When you plan on receiving a prosthetic to replace missing teeth, you may need some preparatory help first. For instance, are you missing all but one tooth on one of your arches? If so, the surgical removal of the remaining tooth will provide you with the necessary foundation for your full denture. Or, you may require bone shaping, bone grafting, or gum shaping to ensure your existing smile is ready for a prosthetic that fits beautifully and comfortably.

#2: To Receive Implant Placement

The placement of dental implants is best provided by an oral surgeon. With advanced experience and training in the placement of your implant posts, we ensure the process is precise. We may then work in collaboration with your general dentist to monitor the healing process until you are ready for your restoration.

#3: To Prepare For Orthodontic Treatment

Your orthodontist may refer you to an oral surgeon because in order to move forward with orthodontic care, you need certain teeth repositioned. Or, you may require the removal of permanent teeth to free up room in an overcrowded mouth before moving ahead with braces. 

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).

How To Respond To Facial Injuries

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We have highlighted the fact that April is National Facial Protection Month. As a result, you have hopefully made the necessary arrangements to ensure your face, mouth, and head are protected when participating in active events. However, you may ask yourself what might happen after an accident when you’re without your helmet or mouth guard? The good news is that we are prepared to provide you with essential suggestions, so you can plan a visit or receive the emergency dental care you need depending on the concern at hand.

Contact Your General Dentist

If you experience a sudden injury to your mouth, it’s typically a good idea to contact your general dentist immediately. Does your dentist offer emergency dental services? Become familiar with the services offered and program your dentist’s number into your phone. In case of dental accidents, you may need to quickly schedule an appointment.

Contact Us

Have you damaged a dental implant? Perhaps you have already seen your general dentist and you are in need of oral surgery. Whatever the case, we are always happy to take your calls. Please contact us and let us know what has happened, so we may provide you with instructions regarding the best course of action (and so we may see you as soon as possible to protect your oral health).

Call 911 Or Visit Your Nearest ER

It’s important to make the distinction between the need for emergency dental care and a medical emergency. Even if the problem you’re experiencing includes your face, if you think your life is in danger, contact 911 or visit an ER. This is considered a medical emergency, not something strictly limited to your oral health.

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).

Make Sure You’re Flossing Thoroughly

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We can go on and on all day, explaining to you why flossing is so important. Extolling the many advantages of plaque protection and how it will help you avoid dental implant failure. However, if you’re not sure you’re flossing thoroughly, you’re not going to reap the benefits of this simple yet extremely effective portion of your preventive care. Let’s make sure you’re not missing a beat, so your smile stays healthy.

Choose Your Floss Appropriately

For natural teeth, we will suggest you choose a dental floss that you enjoy, based on the width of the floss or tape, the flavor, and the consistency. For dental implant flossing, we may recommend you rely on “super floss” that includes a threader on one end, a spongy segment, and traditional floss on the other end. This floss will provide you with the ability to thoroughly clean around your crown and the abutment.

Floss Everything

Remember that it’s important to floss your entire smile, including between all of your teeth, behind back teeth, and around dental implants. While you may assume implants do not require flossing because they are not composed of organic materials, this is irrelevant. They are surrounded by organic material (sometimes other teeth and always your gum tissue), which means prevent plaque buildup is essential in avoiding inflammation as well as implant failure.

Don’t Forget The Super Floss

We will provide you with instructions regarding the best way to floss around your dental implants. Fortunately, this is very simple. You will generally thread the super floss between your implant and neighboring tooth, floss between the teeth, and tuck the spongy segment beneath the crown to polish the abutment for a clean prosthetic.

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).

National Facial Protection Month

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As we make our way into April, we prepare to make full use of the beautiful Spring weather that we love. While this is a wonderful time to become active – particularly if you experienced cabin fever during of any of winter’s occasional bleak days – it’s also an important time for caution. Did you know that April is National Facial Protection Month? With greater activity comes an increased chance of significant oral health injuries. Allow us to make a couple helpful suggestions, so you can enjoy your fun time without concern.

Doing Something – Anything – Active?

Believe it or not, just about any activity that includes working out, whether it’s on your own or in a team scenario, can lead to oral health injuries. For instance, unexpected impact from a baseball can end in damage to your facial structure (including a dislodged tooth). Working out on your own without a spotter can result in accidents, as well. While it’s good to feel positive about your activities, a bit of foresight is always worthwhile. We suggest wearing an athletic mouth guard, which offers exceptional protection for your mouth.

Are Your Feet On The Ground?

Are you a fan of bike riding? Perhaps roller blading is more your speed. Whatever the case, if your activity of choice places your oral health and entire head at a high risk of impact, now is a wonderful time to protect your oral, facial, and general wellbeing by choosing to wear a helmet. In addition to saving your smile, a helmet can save your life. Have questions? Let us know during your next appointment.

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).

Want Implants? Treat Bruxism First.

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Are you interested in dental implants? If so, we can agree with you that choosing implants to complete your smile offers a host of exceptional benefits (many of which you cannot receive from other replacement selections, such as traditional dentures). However, as with any dental work, if you are struggling with bruxism, it is typically essential that you seek bruxism treatment before moving forward with implant placement. Allow us to explain why addressing your teeth grinding and/or clenching is so important.

What Is Bruxism?

You may know on a general level that bruxism is a functional disorder characterized by involuntary teeth clenching or teeth grinding. We say “involuntary” because this is not a habit that you are consciously performing. Instead, it’s something out of your control. The side effects of the disorder (when left untreated) can include damage to your teeth like fractures, breaks, and even the loss of your teeth. You may find that the surfaces of your teeth become eroded, leading to difficulty eating and sensitivity. In regard to dental implant placement, bruxism poses a threat. During recovery, the last thing you want is excessive pressure and force because these concerns may lead to failure.

What Can I Do?

First, before you visit us for dental implant placement, we will become familiar with your medical history, your dental history, and we will examine your teeth and supportive tissues. If we find that you are dealing with bruxism, we will suggest you seek bruxism treatment before implants. This is usually something you will establish with your general dentist, with whom we will work closely throughout your journey toward a complete smile. By wearing a mouth guard at night (known as an oral appliance), you can prevent the trauma caused by bruxism. Rest assured, we will create a comprehensive plan for your 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).

Jaw Damage Quiz

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Are you feeling upset because you discovered you have suffered jaw damage? The bad news is that this can postpone your ability to receive dental implants because they require good jaw health. The great news is that we offer bone grafting to improve the health and density of your jawbone, so it may offer sufficient support to an implant (or implants). Find out how much you know regarding jaw tissue deterioration, so you feel positive about making the improvements you need.

Quiz: True or False?

  1. True or False: One reason patients suffer from jaw tissue loss and the need for bone grafting is periodontal disease, which results in a multitude of problems.
  2. True or False: The very thing you are trying to treat – tooth loss – is often the culprit behind the deterioration of your jawbone.
  3. True or False: Choosing grafting to address your jaw tissue loss is a good option but its success rate is quite low.

Quiz Answers

  1. True. Periodontal disease is often misunderstood by patients. What begins as curable gingivitis can progress into a destructive disease that results in tooth loss and jawbone deterioration.
  2. True. When you lose a tooth, your body “assumes” your jawbone is no longer necessary to support teeth. As a result, jaw tissue begins to be resorbed. Fortunately, we can restore your jaw tissue and prepare for implants with bone grafting.
  3. False. This treatment enjoys a very high success rate, so you can look forward to improving your jaw health and receiving implants as planned.

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).

Plaque Protection: Why It’s Important

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You may wonder when you’re scheduling a visit with us, your oral and maxillofacial surgeons, why you should spend any time worrying about plaque. After all, we offer advanced treatments like dental implants, extractions, and even bone grafting. Isn’t plaque the most basic concern of general dentistry? Does a cavity really have much to do with problems requiring oral surgery? As a matter of fact, you will be surprised that protecting your oral health in nearly all scenarios includes preventing the negative effects and accumulation of plaque. Allow us to explain.

Periodontal Disease Causes Tooth Loss

Periodontal problems begin as the result of plaque buildup. The bacteria in plaque irritate your gums, which become inflamed and infected. Gum disease that goes without treatment may lead to gum recession, jaw damage, and tooth loss. Need jawbone grafting or implant placement? Plaque can lead to this need.

Implant Success Relies On Daily Care

Want your implant to last without complication? Brush, floss, and schedule preventive visits. This will protect your overall oral health through plaque removal, while ensuring the gum tissue surrounding your implant remains healthy. Otherwise, peri-implantitis (similar to gum disease) may occur and threaten your tooth replacement.

Extractions May Stem From Plaque Problems

Let’s say you need your tooth removed because root canal therapy could not salvage your significantly infected tooth. Did you know that neglecting to fill a cavity (which is caused in part by plaque) could lead to an infection that threatens your oral health? What begins as a seemingly innocent decision to avoid a tooth brushing session can eventually lead to the need for an extraction.

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).

Oral Cancer Awareness Month

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As April approaches, you may have your schedule full of a variety of events and tasks to check off. We encourage you to think ahead by scheduling time to visit our practice to learn a bit more about oral cancer, what it is, and all about the screenings that help prevent it. By becoming familiar with this oral disease, you can say goodbye to fear and hello to empowerment. Allow us to provide you with some additional details, so you may begin becoming familiar with how to keep your oral health safe.

Why Oral Cancer Screenings Are Important

Before cancer officially forms, changes occur in the lining of your mouth – changes we can identify long before symptoms become obvious to you. As a result, we have the technology necessary to diagnose and treat oral cancer before it progresses. Unfortunately, when dealing with cancer, the further it advances, the more difficult it becomes to treat.

About Screenings

Oral cancer screenings are quick, comfortable, and efficient. In general, a screening includes the use of a scope that illuminates changes in your mouth’s lining that we cannot recognize with our eyes alone. It’s really that simple.

Why So Much Focus On This Health Issue?

Oral cancer is something many patients prefer to avoid speaking about because, like any form of cancer, it is scary. Unfortunately, this disease claims lives on a daily basis. As a result, the more awareness we can raise, the earlier abnormalities will be detected because patients will feel confident about prevention, rather than worried. Please feel free to ask your questions during your next visit, so we can shed more light on this important topic.

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).