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By Applewood Dental
January 26, 2022
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: extraction  
AlthoughNotDangerousaDrySocketAfterSurgicalExtractionCanBePainful

Of the millions of teeth removed surgically each year, the vast majority of them have few if any complications. A small number of patients, however, do experience a particularly discomforting one known as dry socket.

This condition occurs when the blood clot that normally forms in a socket after an extraction fails to form or is lost. The clot helps protect the bone and nerves underneath the socket, so losing it exposes the area to temperature variations, food particles and fluids. As a result, some unpleasant symptoms can develop.

Usually manifesting around the third or fourth day after surgery, these symptoms include a bad odor or taste in the mouth and aching, throbbing pain. Fortunately, the symptoms, which usually fade in one to three days, don't pose a threat to your health. Nevertheless, you could be in for a rough time while it lasts.

So, if it happens, why you? To be honest, some people are simply more susceptible to developing dry socket, especially smokers or women who use certain contraceptives. You're also more likely to develop a dry socket if the tooth in question experienced higher than usual trauma because of difficulties in removing it. And, you could damage the forming clot if you vigorously chew or brush your teeth too soon after your procedure.

To avoid this, dentists usually recommend rinsing your teeth the first day after surgery rather than brushing the extracted area, and to chew gently, preferably on soft foods using the other side of the mouth. You might also avoid hot liquids and smoking for a few days.

If despite your best efforts you do develop a dry socket, give your dentist a call. Your dental provider can irrigate the socket and apply a medicated dressing that can speed up healing (you'll have to change every few days until symptoms abate). The dressing will provide pain relief to dramatically reduce your discomfort within just a few minutes, which you can supplement with ibuprofen or similar medication.

In time, the pain and other symptoms associated with a dry socket will subside. In the meantime, you and your dentist can take steps to make sure you're as comfortable as possible.

If you would like more information on dry socket, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dry Socket: A Painful but Not Dangerous Complication of Oral Surgery.”

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By Applewood Dental
January 21, 2022
Category: Oral Health
Tags: dental records  
WhyYourDentalRecordsShouldFollowYoutoYourNewDentist

Some things you hear at the dentist don't surprise you: You have more plaque buildup or (yuck!) you have a new cavity. On a more positive note, you might hear your teeth look fine. But what you might not expect to hear is that your dentist—your longtime dentist—is retiring.

Then again, it might be you telling your dentist you're moving to another city—or you just feel like it's time for a change. Whatever the reason, there could come a time when you must find a new dental care provider. And when you do, it's very important that your dental records go with you.

And, yes, your dentist does have such records on you. Just like medical physicians, they're obligated legally and professionally to maintain a formal record of all your visits and treatments (including all your x-ray films). They may also include notations on your other health conditions and medications that could impact your dental care.

Without those records, your new dentist essentially starts from scratch, depending on what you tell them and what they may ascertain from examining your mouth. It means new x-rays and new treatment plans that can take time to form. But with your old records in hand, dental care with your new dentist hardly misses a beat.

Technically, those records belong to your dentist. You are, however, legally entitled to view them and to obtain a copy, although you may have to reimburse the dentist for printing and mailing costs. Usually, though, you can simply request they be transmitted to your new dentist, which can often be done electronically.

But what if, for whatever reason, you're not comfortable asking for your records from your former dentist? In that case, you can ask your new dentist to request them. Even if you still have an outstanding balance with your former dentist's office, they can't refuse a transfer request.

HIPAA regulations require dental offices to retain adult patient records for at least six years. But don't wait that long! The sooner your dental records are in the hands of your new dentist, the less likely your dental care hits any speed bumps.

If you would like more information on the importance of your dental records, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Why Your Dental Records Should Follow You.”

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By Applewood Dental
January 16, 2022
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: dental implants  
DoYouHaveEnoughSupportingBoneforanImplant

Upgrades can be exciting—moving on to a larger house, the latest smartphone, or maybe a new car. And, the same can apply with tooth replacements: Maybe you're ready now to upgrade your existing restoration to a dental implant, the most advanced tooth replacement method now available.

But you might encounter a speed bump in your plans: whether or not you have enough bone available for an implant. Here's why your bone may not be adequate.

Like any other cellular tissue, bone has a life cycle: older cells die and newer cells form to take their place. This process stays on track because of the forces generated when we chew, which stimulates new growth.

But that stimulus disappears when a tooth goes missing. This slows the bone growth cycle to the point that bone volume can gradually dwindle. You could in fact lose up to a quarter of bone width in just the first year after losing a tooth.

And, you'll need adequate bone to provide your implants with sufficient strength and stability, as well as the best possible appearance alongside your other teeth. If you don't have enough bone, we must either enhance its current volume or opt for a different restoration.

Fortunately, we may be able to do the former through bone augmentation or grafting. With this method, we place a graft of bone tissue in the area we wish to regenerate. The graft becomes a scaffold upon which new bone cells build upon. It's possible for grafting to produce up to 5 mm in additional width and 3 mm in height to supporting bone.

We can also use this method to prevent bone loss by placing a graft immediately following a tooth extraction. Some studies show the graft can help preserve bone up to 10 years, giving patients time to consider or prepare for a dental implant.

 There are circumstances, though, where bone loss has been too extensive to make up enough ground to place an implant. If so, there are other effective and life-like restorations to replace missing teeth. But there's still a good chance augmentation can restore the bone you need for a new smile with dental implants.

If you would like more information on dental implant restorations, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Implants After Previous Tooth Loss.”

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By Applewood Dental
January 11, 2022
Category: Oral Health
Tags: tooth decay  
AddressTheseRiskFactorstoPreventToothDecay

Put teeth in contact with acid from oral bacteria and you've created the conditions for tooth decay. Also known as caries, tooth decay is the most common human disease on the planet, responsible for destroying countless teeth.

We fortunately have effective treatments for arresting decay and minimizing its damage. But it's a far better strategy to prevent it in the first place—a strategy well within your reach if you and your dentist can reduce your individual risk factors for the disease.

Of these risk factors, there's one in particular we can't control—the genes we inherit from our parents. Researchers estimate up to 50 possible genes can influence whether or not a person develops cavities. Fortunately, though, most think the overall genetic influence has minimal impact on a person's oral health.

And although there's not much about your genetic makeup regarding cavity development that you can change, there are other factors you can definitely do something about. Here are 3 of the most important that deserve your attention if you want to prevent tooth decay.

Dental plaque. The main trigger for tooth decay and other dental diseases is a thin film of food particles on tooth surfaces called dental plaque, the main food source for the bacteria that cause disease. You can reduce this risk by removing plaque daily with brushing and flossing, along with a professional cleaning every six months.

Saliva. This essential bodily fluid helps prevent tooth decay by neutralizing acid. Problems can arise, though, if you have insufficient saliva. If you suffer from "dry mouth," you can improve saliva flow by talking to your dentist or doctor about changing medications, drinking more water or using saliva enhancement products.

Diet. Bacteria feed mainly on sugar and other refined carbohydrates. So, the more sweets, pastries and processed foods you eat, the more bacterial growth you can expect to occur. By changing your diet to more whole foods like fresh vegetables, protein and dairy, you may be able to reduce bacterial growth and your risk for decay.

Tooth decay always happens for a reason. By addressing these and other controllable risk factors, you may be able to stop decay from forming.

If you would like more information on preventing and treating tooth decay, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “What Everyone Should Know About Tooth Decay.”

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By Applewood Dental
January 06, 2022
Category: Dental Procedures
ImplantsStreamlineDentalWorkUpgradesforGradualToothLoss

One day, you lose one… followed by another…and then another. And then, after years of dental disease, you finally lose all your remaining teeth.

But between the first tooth lost and the last, years or even decades could pass. Individuals in the past caught in this downward spiral often decided the cost of continually upgrading their restorations with each lost tooth was simply too much. Instead, they opted at some point to have their remaining teeth extracted, even relatively healthy ones, to make way for full dentures.

That's still an option you might one day want to consider. Today, though, you have another alternative: With the help of dental implants, you can easily update your restorations with gradual tooth loss and keep more of your natural teeth longer. And keeping them longer is often the best scenario for maintaining optimum oral health.

Most people are familiar with dental implants as single replacements for individual teeth. It's a straightforward application. A dentist imbeds a titanium metal post into the jawbone at the missing tooth site, to which they later attach a life-like crown.  Over time, the titanium post attracts new bone growth, resulting in enhanced durability for the implant, while also helping to reduce the bone loss that typically occurs after losing teeth.

But implants can also be used to support more traditional restorations like bridges or partial dentures. When used in that manner you only need a small number to support a restoration for multiple teeth, a much more affordable method than an individual implant for each tooth. And with planning and forethought, earlier installed implants could be incorporated into the next phase of restoration.

This helps make the process of updating restorations more manageable and affordable, while also prolonging the life of your remaining teeth. And should the time come when you lose all your teeth, implants can support a full fixed bridge or a removable denture. Including dental implants in your ongoing treatment strategy can pay dividends toward maintaining your best oral health.

If you would like more information on the many applications for dental implants, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Replacing All Teeth But Not All at Once.”

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