Q&A: Periodontal Problems And Implants

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Are you currently struggling with periodontal disease? Have you lost a tooth (or multiple teeth) as a result of this oral illness? If so, you may find yourself with a long list of questions about repairing your mouth once your gum disease is under control. Fortunately, we are ready to address your many inquiries about replacing teeth with dental implants if your tooth loss is associated with periodontal damage. Consider some common questions and answers to get started – for detailed, personalized care, schedule a consultation today.

Questions and Answers: Periodontal Disease and Implants

Question: If I lose a tooth as the result of periodontal disease, is a dental implant a suitable tooth replacement option for me?

Answer: Yes, replacing your tooth with an implant will restore both your roots and the part of your tooth that is visible above your gumline (once the implant is restored).

Question: How will I know if I qualify for dental implants? I have heard that periodontal disease can destroy jawbone tissue, which could render me unable to receive this tooth replacement option.

Answer: Once your periodontal disease is under control, we will need to examine your smile to determine the extent of the damage. It is true that we can only place an implant if your jawbone is healthy enough and full enough – we can verify these facts with an exam that includes digital X-rays.

Question: So, what happens if my periodontal disease has significantly damaged my jawbone? Will I just have to choose a different prosthetic?

Answer: We may be able to rescue your jawbone by rebuilding it with bone grafting. If successful, grafting will restore your jaw tissue as well as your candidacy for dental 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).

Your Dental Implant Consultation

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Have you been spending a surprising amount of time thinking about addressing your tooth loss? Does this have something to do with the fact that you like the idea of dental implants to replace missing teeth – but you’re short on some very important information? For answers to everything from candidacy, what to expect from implants, whether they’re your best choice, and more, we suggest you schedule a dental implant consultation with us. Allow us to give you a brief rundown regarding what to expect, so you can feel excited about planning a visit.

Expect Time To Ask Questions

The last thing we want is for you to leave a dental implant consultation with the knowledge that you qualify for implants without feeling that you’ve had your questions answered. We understand that making the decision to choose implants feels like quite a big commitment. We are glad to provide you with all of the details you need, so please remember to ask your questions during your consultation.

Expect A Thorough Examination

We will need to verify a couple essential factors to determine whether you’re a good candidate for dental implants now, whether we can help you become a good candidate, or if you need an alternative prosthetic option. We will visually inspect your smile and take digital X-rays to check your oral health and jawbone health. Our team will also need to ensure you are healthy enough to undergo oral surgery.

Expect To Receive A Care Plan

If you qualify and would like to move forward for implants, we will begin to draw up a care plan tailored to your needs during your dental implant consultation.

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).

Scheduling Your Child’s Wisdom Teeth Removal

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If you have recently been informed that your child requires wisdom teeth removal, you know that scheduling an appointment is extremely important. However, the urgency of that need does not necessarily make choosing a date and working around your (and your child’s) busy calendar any easier. Allow us to offer a very helpful suggestion: Schedule this oral surgery appointment for a day over winter break. Feeling some slight relief at this idea but you’re not sure how it helps? Consider some compelling reasons that will take the challenge out of this otherwise very beneficial decision to protect your son or daughter’s oral health.

Choose Winter Break

Have you been trying to figure out how you will possibly find time in your family’s busy schedule to plan wisdom teeth removal for your son or daughter? Are you fretting about ensuring your child will have adequate time to recover before returning to class? We often suggest choosing winter break. This will allow to you block out a satisfactory amount of time for treatment and recovery without stress. Do yourself a favor and speak with us soon, so you can carefully select the day and time that works best for you.

Keep The Holidays In Mind

Assume your child will need anywhere from a few days to a week for sufficient recovery time after wisdom teeth removal. The good news is that your child has both weekdays and weekends to rest and heal. However, if you schedule your son or daughter’s wisdom teeth removal surgery too close to holiday festivities, you could find yourself unintentionally sabotaging your child’s ability to indulge in favorite foods. Speak with us about recovery and scheduling times to ensure the chosen date works for your plans.

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).

Can I Wait On Dental Implants?

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We often find that patients prefer to spend their time carefully considering tooth replacement options, rather than rushing into making a final decision. Granted, making a fully informed choice is always wise. However, when it comes to addressing tooth loss (particularly significant tooth loss), urgency often becomes a factor. If you have been thinking about selecting dental implants to restore your smile, we suggest you learn more about how your planning can affect your success with this tooth replacement solution. Keep in mind – we encourage you to schedule a visit with us, so we may provide you with one-on-one care unique to your smile completion needs.

Choosing Dental Implants With Urgency

After tooth loss, your jawbone tissue begins to deteriorate. This happens because your roots used to stimulate your jaw tissue, a process that signaled your body to provide your jawbone with nutrients. As a result, your jawbone remained strong because it had teeth to support. Without this stimulation, your jawbone essentially “thinks” it has no teeth to support and resorption gradually occurs. Dental implants restore the stimulation provided by your tooth roots, which thereby protects your jawbone from deteriorating.

How Long Do I Have To Plan My Smile?

After you lose your teeth, your bone tissue begins to break down. This bone deterioration after tooth loss may peak between six month to approximately 18 months after tooth loss – the experience and rate of bone loss is unique to each patient. It will continue throughout the rest of your life. You will need our assistance to determine the best plan for your smile.

Why You Should Schedule A Dental Implant Consultation

Making assumptions about your options and your oral health can cause you to miss out on wonderful opportunities for restoring your smile. For instance, many patients don’t realize we can help them prepare for dental implants with restorative oral surgery treatments like bone grafting, if necessary – this will help to improve bone volume and strength. Contact us for a visit, so we can answer questions and guide you toward 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).

Protecting Your Implants This Halloween

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Are you typically quite careful with your smile because you want it to look and feel wonderful for a long time? If you have implants, then your commitment to maintaining optimal oral health is certainly worth the effort. Unfortunately, you may find that when holidays like Halloween roll around, your exceptional dedication begins to wane. Don’t worry – you don’t have to throw all of your hard work out the window. We encourage you to consider some simple explanations and suggestions that will help you protect your dental implants this October 31st.

Bacteria Love Sugar, Too

We understand the desire to indulge, particularly during holidays like Halloween when you are surrounded by delicious goodies. Rather than banning yourself from a little enjoyment – or consuming candy with reckless abandon – we suggest you consider a solid middle-of-the-road approach. You see, when you eat sugar, the bacteria in your mouth feed on that sugar, too, which leaves your smile more vulnerable to tooth decay and gum disease.

Your Quick Fixes

The solution? Eat candy in single sittings, rather than throughout the day. After you eat it, rinse your mouth. Then, brush your smile 30 minutes later to protect your dental implants, teeth, and gum tissue. You should also make sure you’re drinking water, which rinses away bacteria and sugar particles from your mouth – on Halloween or otherwise, water is always the best beverage of choice for protecting your smile and dental implants. It’s a wonderful help when you’re on the go without access to a toothbrush.

Avoid The Sticky Candy

Your dental implant restorations, such as your dental crowns, are quite durable and resilient. However, the extremely sticky candies tend to coat your teeth with sugar – some may even damage or dislodge a restoration. Do yourself a favor and skip anything that seems like it could easily affix itself to your crown.

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).

Q&A: When Permanent Teeth Fail To Develop

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Did you know that some patients require dental prosthetics not because of tooth loss – but because a permanent tooth simply never developed? If you’re a patient dealing with this particular issue then you are already aware that this is a concern, which may result in a challenging dental experience. The good news? Whether you or your child is currently in need of a tooth, we offer dental implants to complete smiles with open spaces. Curious if implants will work for your particular needs? Schedule a consultation with us, so we may examine your smile and discuss your options. In the meantime, you can begin learning a bit more with a quick Q&A session.

Questions and Answers About Absent Teeth

Question: Why do permanent teeth sometimes fail to develop?

Answer: This is a problem called congenital absence or hypodontia, which occurs when permanent teeth – often incisors, premolars, and first molars – do not develop. The exact cause is still unknown, though it is thought that genetics play a role.

Question: What can I do about achieving a complete smile?

Answer: A wonderful option for achieving a tooth where one never developed is with the use of dental implants. An implant will replace your absent tooth roots. After recovery, the implant post will support a beautiful, custom-designed dental crown. Implants and crowns provide the prosthetic option that most closely replicates a full natural tooth.

Question: How do I know if I qualify (or if my child qualifies) for dental implants?

Answer: It is as simple as visiting us for a dental implant consultation. We will speak with you, look at your smile, and rely on the details provided to us by digital X-rays. Keep in mind that for the most part, the minimum age for implant placement is 18. If your child is too young, we will explore other options while your son or daughter’s oral structures finish developing.

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).

Wisdom Teeth Quiz: True Or False?

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How much do you know about evaluating your wisdom teeth? Do you know what comprises a healthy set of teeth that can remain in your smile – or what types of concerns cause us to suggest wisdom teeth removal? If not, we always recommend that you stop in to see us for a scheduled visit. We will examine your smile, discuss your unique needs, and further explain the details associated with your third molars. In the meantime, we invite you to make your way through a brief quiz that will highlight the information you do know and help fill in the areas where you could use an additional fact or two.

True-or-False Quiz: Wisdom Teeth

  1. True or False: If your wisdom teeth never erupt then you can assume you simply don’t have any and don’t need to worry about wisdom teeth removal.
  2. True or False: The only reason to schedule wisdom teeth removal is if your third molars are threatening your alignment. If they grow in successfully, it’s best to keep them.
  3. True or False: While wisdom teeth may cause some discomfort, particularly if they are impacted or developing on an angle, they will not cause any serious long-term problems.

Quiz Answer Key

  1. False. In some cases, a patient simply never develops wisdom teeth. However, when third molars fail to make an appearance it is often the result of impaction. An impacted tooth is one that does not erupt, which may lead to serious oral health consequences if neglected.
  2. False. In addition to protecting your alignment with wisdom teeth removal, we also suggest it to prevent problems associated with impacted wisdom teeth, which may lead to infection. Or, if your teeth erupt successfully but become too difficult to keep clean (promoting tooth decay and gum disease) we may suggest removal.
  3. False. Neglected wisdom teeth may result in serious discomfort, the accumulation of bacteria, periodontal problems, the spread of infection, and tooth 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).

Does My Child Need Wisdom Teeth Removal?

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Wouldn’t it be nice if you received an announcement in the mail, letting you know that your child’s wisdom teeth were on their way? If only life were so easy. However, the good news is that we are here to help with all things third molars when it comes to protecting your child’s smile. Perhaps you are not quite sure when or how to begin monitoring your son or daughter’s smile for this final set of teeth. Or, maybe your child is experiencing symptoms. Whatever the case, we can assist you in determining whether wisdom teeth removal is right for your child (and when to follow through with surgery).

If Your Child’s Smile Feels Fine

Just because your child’s smile feels okay does not mean you should wait. In fact, monitoring your son or daughter’s smile before and during the wisdom teeth development process allows us to determine whether wisdom teeth removal is necessary quite early. We can accomplish this feat with the use of digital X-rays. If the teeth appear to be problematic, which might mean they are growing in on an angle or fail to erupt – we can remove them without consequence. Growth of third molars typically begins during late teen years or early 20s, so we can begin seeking them out during your child’s teenage years.

If Your Child Is Experiencing Symptoms

Perhaps your child suddenly complains of discomfort behind existing molars or gum problems. Or, your child’s wisdom teeth may have grown in successfully but are proving extremely difficult to keep clean. Whatever the problem, we will examine your child’s smile and provide you with a care plan for wisdom teeth removal, so we may restore your son or daughter’s 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).

Q&A: Curious About Implants?  

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We usually find that the more a patient learns about implants, the more they want to know about treatment. The good news is that we are happy to answer just about any inquiry that pops into your mind. The more you know about this extremely effective tooth replacement solution, the easier it will be for you to recognize the value in its benefits. It is important that you remember we make time during visits and consultations to address your concerns or clear up confusion. However, for now, we would like to immediately address some frequent questions about dental implants with answers that may help you feel more certain as you make plans to restore your smile.

Q&A: Dental Implants

Question: What makes dental implants the most stable tooth replacement option?

Answer: An implant and its restoration make up the only treatment that restores your entire tooth. Other prosthetics, such as traditional bridges and dentures, restore the portion of your tooth that rests above your gumline – but they do not replace your roots. An implant (and prosthetic tooth) restore your roots and the visible part of your tooth. Since this tooth replacement receives anchored support from your jawbone, it offers exceptional stability.

Question: What makes an implant restoration look so natural?

Answer: We typically restore a dental implant with a dental crown composed of a lifelike material, such as porcelain or zirconia. These materials display properties similar to natural teeth. They are composed of multiple layers of translucent material, for example, similar to your tooth’s construction. They also reflect light in a similar fashion. Finally, we match the color of the restoration to surrounding teeth.

Question: Are dental implants a new fad or is this something that has grown a solid reputation over time?

Answer: No, implants are not a trend. In fact, they have provided patients with a stable tooth replacement solution for more than 20 years.

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).

Learn About The Spear Study Club

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Did you know that dentists participate in continuing education? Are you aware that we are consistently keeping up with advances in dental technology and finding ways to better serve and communicate with our patients? As for our particular team, we have been participating in a dental study club for several years, promoting additional education for ourselves as well as area dentists. Learn more to find out how our knowledge and dedication affect you.

What Is The Spear Study Club?

It is a prestigious dental study club, where dentists meet in a supportive environment. Experienced, highly skilled teams from area practices gather to work with one another – and to learn together – to promote a community that offers exceptional dental care to its patients.

The Spear Club In Sonoma County

Since bringing the Study Club to Sonoma County five years ago, we have been meeting once a month. Our goal as a community is to learn more about interdisciplinary treatment of patients, ensuring our standards remain sky-high.

What Does This Mean For Patients?

We hold our ability to communicate clearly and effectively with patients as a top priority. This means that, though we have completed our required education as dentists, we are always learning more to ensure we provide you with the highest level of dental care.

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).