Computed Tomography

At the office of the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, our ability to provide patients with implants and maxillofacial surgery is thanks in large part to our computed tomography (CT) machine. This kind of x-ray allows us to observe bone tissue inside the patient’s body in fine detail and to create a 3-dimensional digital image to use with our software.

Older x-rays required a patient to hold film inside their mouth while a series of photographs were taken. That is not the case with a CT scanner. After the patient has removed jewelry and other metal objects from their person, they will clamp a bite adjuster with their front teeth and rest their chin on a ledge. The machine’s panels will then rotate around their head, taking an image from every possible angle. The scan process usually only takes twenty seconds, at most.

The CT scan can be done with very little preparation on the patient’s part and minimizes the amount of radiation they are exposed to. The information we gain from CT allows us to ensure patients are retaining jaw bone tissue following placement of implants, monitor the attempted eruption of teeth, and detect whether a bone graft or sinus ridge augmentation is necessary.

Drs. Ramin Braham and Brad Richman operate the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania at 2546 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19145. To schedule an appointment, call 215-463-4141 or visit OralSurgeryPA.com and fill out a contact sheet.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth is a common condition which complicates people’s oral health. To protect our patients at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we want them to be aware of how this common medication side-effect can hurt them and what they need to do about it.

The drugs which cause dry mouth include those used as part of chemotherapy, as well as medications used for mood disorders, high blood pressure, and pain. Therefore, dry mouth is most commonly seen in the elderly. Of course, smoking is also a major contributor. (Older people, especially women, are also at risk of developing an auto-immune disorder called Sjögren’s syndrome which causes dry mouth and eyes.) When the mouth isn’t producing enough saliva, patients have difficulty chewing and swallowing, which harms their nutrition. Food particles also tend to remain stuck, contributing to plaque build-up, and patients are less able to fight off bacterial infections which cause sores. A dry mouth also makes it difficult to get restful sleep.

If possible, patients may want to change medications. If this is not worth the tradeoff, there are products that can act as artificial saliva and additional medications which can make the mouth produce more moisture. Patients should also drink plenty of water and stop using caffeinated and sugary beverages which dry out the mouth faster.

Drs. Ramin Braham and Brad Richman operate the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania at 2546 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19145. To schedule an appointment, call 215-463-4141 or visit OralSurgeryPA.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Whey There's No Test for HPV Oral Cancers

The rise of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers and the Center for Disease Control’s recent declaration that boys should get vaccinated, as well as girls, has made the public aware of another potential risk to their health. The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania are ready to help people undergoing treatments for oral pathogens. However, there is not yet any effective way of testing specifically for HPV mouth and throat cancers.

HPV is very common, and usually harmless. While it is possible to test for HPV in a person’s mouth, only 1 percent of HPV infections become cancerous, while 80 percent of American adults are expected to have HPV at some point. Furthermore, the oropharynx is too far back to be easily observed with the tools used to detect cancers of the mouth, which are much more common, and the tissues of the throat are so creviced that scraping a small portion of them would be unlikely to catch cancerous cells even if they are present.

The best way of detecting oropharynx cancers is with visual and tactile examinations. These won’t find anything until after cancer has progressed, but they do often catch cancer in time to treat it effectively. They also may not identify HPV particularly as the cause, but doctors and patients are learning what to look out for.

 Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania performs oral biopsies.. To schedule an appointment, call 215-463-4141 or visit OralSurgeryPA.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

What is Peri-Implantitis?

We at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania are proud of the implant work we do. Endosteal implants have a 95% success rate, and have improved millions of peoples’ lives. Sometimes, however, even the best kind of procedure can be done badly or be compromised later. Peri-implantitis is the inflammation of gum tissue around an implant, and is the most common reason for implant failure.

Peri-implantitis sometimes occurs soon after an artificial crown is placed because the dental cement leaked or wasn’t placed properly and settled on the gum tissue. Often, however, it is the result periodontal disease, which may have also destroyed the original tooth. Early on, either problem can be fixed through rigorous oral hygiene, including brushing, flossing, and mouthwash. However, if periodontal disease is allowed to set in, surgery may be required.

Implants depend on successful fusion with the jaw bone. (“Endosteal” refers to the outermost layer of a bone.) If the location of the fusion is damaged, the implant may fall out or need to be removed. Patients can avoid implant failure if they maintain all the hygienic practices which are used to avoid normal periodontal disease, but sometimes this is difficult for patients with compromised dexterity, such as those with Parkinson’s disease. If the gum around your implant is inflamed, seek help; don’t wait for it to go away on its own. To schedule an appointment, call 215-463-4141 or visit OralSurgeryPA.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

HPV and Oral Cancers

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania conduct procedures meant to do everything from relieving patients’ pain to saving their lives. While the rate of new cancer diagnoses in the United States has fallen in recent years, the rate of new oral cancer cases has remained the same, or, by some estimates, risen. Researchers believe this is because the human papilloma virus (HPV) has overtaken nicotine products as the main causative factor, and the public must learn a whole new way of thinking about oral cancers.

There are hundreds of strains of HPV, most of which are harmless and the body is able to fight off without experiencing any symptoms. There are at least nine, however, which cause cancer, and one which causes cancer in the oropharyngeal area. This is the soft palate and back of the throat, which patients usually don’t or can’t check on themselves, and oral cancers with HPV DNA are often painless until they reach an advanced stage.

Besides sneaking up on people, HPV-related oral cancers tend to strike people who are much younger than most nicotine-related oral cancer patients. The most vulnerable group is men between thirty and fifty. HPV-related oral cancers are easier than others to treat if they are caught early, but many people do not know they are at risk. There is no test for oral HPV itself; we strongly urge people who are sexually active to get screened for oral cancers regularly.

Drs. Ramin Braham and Brad Richman operate the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania at 2546 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19145. To schedule an appointment, call 215-463-4141 or visit OralSurgeryPA.com and fill out a contact sheet.