Sectioning during Extractions

Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania are experts at extracting teeth safely and with minimal inconvenience to the patient. When it is necessary for a tooth to be removed, our doctors want the patient to be fully informed about their procedure so they’ll understand the importance of sticking to their post-op care instructions. Some extractions are more complicated than others, and in those cases, we may section teeth prior to removing them.

Sectioning is the process of breaking a tooth apart and extracting the separate pieces. After the patient has been numbed and sedated, we’ll cut a flap in the gum tissue around the impacted tooth. We will then use a drill to cut the tooth apart while keeping the surgery site continuously bathed in water to prevent heat damage and remove debris. The separate sections can be lifted out with forceps and flat spoons called elevators, and the surgical site can be sutured shut.

Although the process of sectioning may sound intimidating, it actually allows us to work through a much smaller incision in the gum than we would otherwise. Cutting the tooth apart also allows us to remove it with much less force, particularly if the roots curl in different directions. If you are nervous, we can discuss different sedation options. With the wisdom teeth removed, a patient will be at much less risk for gum infections and overcrowding.

Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operates in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies are unplanned and incredibly stressful! Maybe you were playing basketball with your friends, you tripped over a rug, or even got hit in the face. You’re suddenly in a situation you haven’t at all prepared for. This isn’t the case for patients of Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania. We’ve put together this simple guide of dental emergencies and what to do while you wait. Learn more by contacting our offices in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights, PA.

 

You need to contact our offices right away when an accident occurs. This is the only way to guarantee that our surgeons can see you. If for some reason there isn’t any availability, consider going to your local emergency room. Otherwise, follow this advice:

 

-Disconnected crowns: find the crown and try to place it back on. You’ll need to keep it in place until the appointment. Try using over-the-counter denture cream.

-Missing filling: see if you can locate the filling. Your dentist may need this. Otherwise, protect the uncovered tooth with sugarless gum.

-Unrelenting toothache: many toothaches are caused by objects irritating the teeth. Thoroughly clean the area surrounding the hurt tooth. See if any food or debris comes loose. If pain is still felt afterward, call our office.

-Chipped or broken tooth: it’s important to save as much of the natural tooth as possible. Gather the fragments, washing your mouth out to grab other pieces. You’ll need to apply an icepack to keep the swelling down. Remember to switch the icepack out every 15 minutes or so.

-Dislocated tooth: if your tooth is partially knocked out, but not all the way, avoid touching it at all cost. You want to keep as much of the roots and tissues alive as possible. You must keep the swelling down. Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication to help.

-Knocked-out tooth: find the tooth and clean it. See if it will fit back into place. If not, place the tooth in cold milk or salt-water. This keeps the tissue alive. Your oral surgeon will do the best they can to reattach it.

 

Contact  Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennslyvania right away during a dental emergency. We will see you as soon as we possibly can. Our offices are located in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights, PA. To schedule an appointment, visit our website at https://www.oralsurgerypa.com/

Diabetes and Implant Placement

This National Diabetes Awareness Month, we at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania want to raise awareness of the unique challenges people with diabetes face regarding their oral health. People with diabetes are at elevated risk for tooth loss, so dentists have long been studying the question of what kinds of prosthetic teeth are effective for them.

Research indicates that people with controlled diabetes can generally receive implants successfully, but there are a few areas that require extra precaution. One is that people with diabetes take longer to recover from surgical incisions, which are necessary for the placement of implants. This means that people with diabetes may expect a longer osseointegration period before their new dental crowns are placed. The other concern is that, because people with diabetes have higher rates of gum inflammation, their implants are at greater risk of failing prematurely.

Fortunately, a recent systemic review found that people with controlled diabetes hardly experience greater rates of implant failures than non-diabetic people. The key is that their oral health needs to be more closely monitored for signs of gingivitis, so that they can receive necessary cleanings quickly. If a patient has great trouble controlling their diabetes, dentures may be more appropriate. We offer dental implants at our offices, and will give each patient the individual care they need for lasting oral health.

 Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

Lip Swelling following Extractions

Tooth extractions are a routine procedure at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania. We’ll make treatment as minimally invasive as possible, allowing you to recover quickly and comfortably. However, to avoid swelling, we will need our patients to try to avoid biting their lips after they’ve been numbed.

During extractions, we often numb the inferior alveolar nerve. This nerve carries sensations from the teeth of the lower jaw, and numbing it also numbs the lower lip and chin. Children are especially likely to experimentally bite down on their numbed lips, although some people suffer biting injuries in their sleep. A bite will likely cause a large amount of swelling as well as an ulcer and white lesion. A red lesion, especially if accompanied by fever, could indicate infection.

Usually, swelling is not dangerous. A patient may be advised to take an over-the-counter painkiller, but draining and antibiotics will probably not be recommended unless there is reason to suspect infection. Complete healing may take a few weeks, but is unlikely to have other complications. When patients are released immediately after an extraction, they are advised to use cold packs for the first 24 hours to restrict swelling, and then switch to hot packs to make the swelling go down faster. Remembering to do this may also make a patient less inclined to bite their lip, or limit the damage if they do.

  Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

The Importance of Replacing Teeth

Suppose that you are missing one of your back teeth. Although this is not ideal, you may think that because the gap isn’t visible and you’re still able to chew and speak, there’s no pressing need for it to be replaced. Unfortunately, that would be incorrect. At Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, some of our patients require extensive reconstruction due to the loss of bone structure around missing teeth. To help you avoid this, we wanted to say a bit about why you should replace teeth as soon as possible.

Our teeth are held in place by ligaments. When a tooth is lost, the supporting ligaments and muscles will atrophy, and no longer pull on the jaw bone. This causes the jaw bone to recede, as well, and it’s common for the section of jaw bone that supported a missing tooth to lose 25% of its width in the first year after the tooth’s loss. With less jaw bone tissue, it’s common for the remaining teeth to shift place, making it harder to chew and putting more pressure on the temporomandibular joints that connect the jaw to the head. If a person compensates for missing molars by chewing with their front teeth, their incisors may be pushed outward, causing the face to shrink vertically.

We offer dental implants for missing molars, but if the patient has lost jaw bone tissue, they may require a bone graft before receiving an implant. Another option is an implant-supported denture, which will help stabilize the jaw bone and stimulate new tissue growth.

  Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

Leukoplakia

One of the services Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania provides is biopsies for leukoplakia. If you’ve been referred to us for an excision, you probably already have some idea of what that means. But if you’ve just noticed a white spot on the soft tissue of your mouth that won’t go away, we want you to understand why it’s important to get that examined and what your next steps might be.

Leukoplakia is the development of a thick white lesion on the gums, tongue, or inside of the cheek in response to prolonged irritation. It is not necessarily cancerous, but it might be, especially when the lesion is irregularly shaped and accompanied by red spots. Leukoplakia most often develops in response to the use of tobacco and alcohol products, but it can also result from poorly fitted dentures or bridges rubbing against soft tissues. Sometimes a dentist might send a patient to our oral surgery office to have the lesion removed and analysed. A lesion might also be caused by a viral infection in a person with a weakened immune system.

Leukoplakia lesions will usually disappear when the source of irritation is removed. That may require a patient to stop smoking or to cut back on alcohol. We can refit patients’ prosthetic devices and determine whether their other teeth are likely to cause irritation in the future. People with leukoplakia-related viruses are likely to be prescribed medication, but non-cancerous leukoplakia is unlikely to be painful.

 Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

Flossing Technique

Flossing is an essential part of oral hygiene. At Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, many of our patients are people who have had some of their teeth replaced and have conditions that put them at especially high risk for tooth decay. Since prosthetic teeth are also vulnerable to bacterial build-up, we want to ensure our patients know how to take care of themselves.

You’ll want to use a lengthy strand of floss and to wrap its ends around your middle fingers. This will allow you to move the floss with your pointer fingers and thumbs. Slide the floss next to each tooth and wrap it around the crown to gather up as much tartar as possible. Don’t push against your gums, but do slide the floss as deeply as it will go and use an up-and-down motion to clean thoroughly. Make sure you’re cleaning each side of each tooth, not just sliding the floss between them, and don’t forget the backs of your back teeth. As you go from tooth to tooth, unspool more floss so you aren’t just spreading food debris around. When you’ve flossed each side of each tooth, rinse your mouth.

Some people have trouble with dexterity and may benefit from using a flosser. People who have fixed bridges may also need to use a threader to loop floss under the bridge. Although there’s no solid evidence about whether it’s better to brush or floss first, people should be flossing at least once a day. Always speak with the dental hygenist at your dental office, if you have questions about how to care for your teeth.

 Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operates in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

Introduction to Alveoloplasties

We at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania provide extractions to people with all sorts of medical histories. Implant-supported dentures, fixed bridges, and single-crown implants can all help people regain their biting power and self-confidence. But in order to receive prosthetic teeth, some people will need to undergo a minor surgery called an alveoloplasty.

An alveoloplasty is the smoothing of the jawbone ridge. It is done when the ridge has protuberances or is otherwise shaped in a way that would make it difficult to slip a denture over. Sometimes, alveoloplasties are done when a tooth is extracted in anticipation of providing a patient with a denture later, but a person’s jawbones may naturally reshape somewhat if several years pass between extraction and replacement. Alveoloplasties are frequently done when multiple teeth are extracted at once in preparation for full-mouth restorations.

To perform an alveoloplasty, our surgeons may need to make an incision. The smoothing is done with a file, drill, or dental pliers while the patient is anesthetized, and the surgical site is kept well-irrigated. When it is over, the gums will be sutured shut. Incisions may not be necessary when the alveoloplasty is done in the same procedure as an extraction. Performing one makes complications less likely while the gums heal. A patient will usually be ready to receive dentures four to six weeks later.

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

Getting Implant Supports for Dentures

Do you have multiple teeth you need repaired or replaced? Are you concerned that standard dentures wouldn’t provide you with enough comfort and function? We at the Oral  Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania hear those concerns all the time. One of our solutions is the implant-supported denture. This device stabilizes a denture, while still allowing it to be removed for convenient cleaning.

If a patient is a good candidate for implants, they will be inserted into the patient’s jaw and allowed to integrate with the surrounding jaw bone over a period of a few weeks or months. But implants that support dentures don’t require the patient to have as much jaw bone tissue as single-crown implants, either because the implants are smaller or angled differently. This means a person is less likely to need a bone graft and the implants may integrate with the bone more quickly.

While the implants integrate, the patient may wear a temporary denture. Once the implants have stabilized, your dentist will attach abutments to them that will allow them to snap onto the patient’s custom-fitted denture. The patient will remove the denture each night and brush it, as well as their mouth, but during the day, the denture will not be at risk of slipping and will not need to suction onto their natural palate. Implant supports can be used with both full and partial dentures.

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

 

Oral Bacteria in Aging Populations

Oral hygiene is crucial for the preservation of teeth and the integration of implants. At The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we’ve seen a lot of people safely through the entire tooth replacement process. But as people age, their risk of oral health complications increases, which is why we wanted to provide some information about the connection between oral bacteria and overall health in the aging population.

Older Americans have higher rates of tooth decay than any population except young children. According to some estimates, 64% of them have periodontitis, which is the more advanced form of gum disease. People with periodontitis experience jaw bone deterioration, which makes their teeth likelier to come loose, migrate, or fall out. Their mouths also lose vertical dimension, causing bite problems. But oral bacteria will not necessarily remain confined to the mouth. They may enter the bloodstream through the dental pulp, an abscess in the gingival tissue, or through the lungs, and cause inflammation throughout the body. This would cause other prosthetics and replacement body parts, such as heart valves, to be at higher risk of premature failure. Oral bacteria that migrated to other parts of the body have also been implicated in rheumatism and Alzheimer's Disease.

It is certainly worthwhile for older people to maintain their regular brushing and flossing. They may want to consider electric toothbrushes and enlarged toothbrush grips. People with dry mouth may also want to use sugar-free gum to increase their saliva production and reduce their intake of sugary drinks, such as iced tea, sweetened coffee, and fruit juice. 

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

Frenectomies

Are you bothered by misalignment or sensitivity in your upper front teeth? Your dentist may have told you that you have a problem with your frenulum. If so, there’s an easy solution. At the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we provide frenectomies, working in concert with a patient’s regular dentist and orthodontist. This simple procedure allows people to more easily pursue other oral treatments and maintain their hygiene, leading to stronger, healthier teeth.

The labial frenulum is the strip of connective tissue that attaches the inside of the upper lip to the gum tissue of the upper jaw. There are a few ways in which an unusually shaped one can cause problems. One is that if it is too thick and low, it may force the front teeth apart. This would result in a diastema or “gap teeth,” which may cause a person to whistle while they speak and force other teeth in the upper jaw out of place. Another problem is that if the frenulum connects too tightly, it may pull the gum tissue upwards, causing it to recede from around the roots of the upper incisors. The frenum may also frequently get injured while the patient brushes their teeth.

 When we determine that a frenectomy is necessary, we will work with the rest of a patient’s oral care team to plan when to perform it. In orthodontic cases, this might be after or near the end of treatment, when the gap has proven itself resistant to correction.  The patient will usually receive localized anesthesia during the procedure, and we will take care to minimize scarring, allowing them to achieve a comfortable, functional, and beautiful smile.

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD)

Your temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, connects your jawbone to your skull at your temporal bone. It’s necessary for talking, chewing, and swallowing. You need it just to open your mouth! If you experience pain or discomfort when doing any of those tasks, you may have a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). 

 

TMD is caused by stress, along with the clenching and grinding of the teeth and jaws (bruxism). Other possibilities are facial trauma or inflammatory conditions.

 

The common symptoms of TMD:

• Jaw becoming stuck in an open position


• Difficulty chewing and opening your mouth


• Ear pain, accompanied by headaches


• Popping or clicking noise when moving the jaw


• Teeth grinding

 

The biggest factor for TMD is teeth grinding. Many people do it without even realizing it! When you grind your teeth, your top and bottom rows scrape against each other. This wears down your enamel and exposes the dentin. Dentin is incredibly sensitive, causing discomfort and pain.

 

For short-term relief, apply hot/cold packs to the affected area. Do this in 15-minute intervals for the best results. You should also take over-the-counter pain medications. Sometimes, a nightguard is needed. This prevents your teeth from grinding against each other while you sleep. 

 

 

Senior Dental Care

At Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we believe that a healthy life is a happy life! Having a consistent dental routine keeps you this way. Proper oral health is increasingly important as you get older. Just like all your bones, your teeth weaken with age. Patients over the age of sixty are at risk for developing periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay, and extraction. Proper dental care and appointments for senior citizens is a necessity. Call our offices today in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights, PA, to schedule an appointment.

 

It’s common for older people to struggle with certain physical tasks. Even flossing and brushing become challenging. That’s why the dental professionals at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania recommend electric toothbrushes. These thoroughly clean your teeth and gums, while using minimal physical effort. It’s great for elderly patients. Electric toothbrushes are an affordable and healthy option. If you or an older loved one struggle to brush the back parts of the mouth, try elongating the toothbrush handle. Doing this makes it an effortless process. You can do this with materials found around the house. Anything flexible will work. Common items are foam, rubber, and even tongue depressors. Another helpful tip: consider switching to a soft-bristled toothbrush. These are gentler on your teeth and gums. You can also find toothbrushes specifically for senior citizens.

 

If you live with or take care of an elderly individual, help them with their oral health. Talk to a dental professional about assisting them with their dental routine. You also might need to remind them to brush and floss. Schedule and bring your loved ones to their dental appointments. This is important for elderly patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s. They might not know or remember to schedule an appointment. We know that dental care can be expensive. That’s why most communities provide dental services for older patients. Talk to your local social services or public health office.

 

Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania are located across the PA area. We have offices in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. To schedule an appointment with any of these offices, visit our website.

Denture Stomatitis

Do you notice red bumps developing on the roof of your mouth and at the corners of your lips? If so, that means you have an oral yeast infection. This hygiene problem is particularly likely to happen to people who wear dentures, which is why we at The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania want our patients to understand how to prevent it.

The candida species of fungus are always present in the mouth and are generally harmless. But they can grow out of control when an upper denture is not removed and cleaned regularly. If a denture doesn’t fit well, it may irritate the tissue of the upper palate. But more often, yeast simply grows as much as it can in a place where there’s no saliva to wash it away or subject it to antimicrobial enzymes. Yeast can also grow in the corners of the mouth if they are perpetually damp. An infection is referred to as “stomatitis,” and although it may cause redness, patients do not always feel it.

Although people are at greater risk for stomatitis if they have diabetes or use inhalers, better oral hygiene is usually all that’s necessary to prevent it. Patients should remove their dentures each night and clean them with soap or a non-abrasive denture paste. (Fluoridated toothpaste will scratch dentures' plastic.) Patients should also brush their gums and the roofs of their mouths and scrape their tongues.

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

Bad Breath

Halitosis, or bad breath, can be a chronic condition. As providers of dentures, we at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania take seriously signs of poor oral hygiene and related issues. A dentist can be a crucial ally in a patient’s fight against bad breath and the infections that are usually behind it.

Bad breath is a symptom of lots of ailments, but the odor usually comes from bacterial growth. Bacteria may be hiding in the papillae of the tongue, in gum pockets, and on the undersides of dentures or between dental bridges and the gum line. Diabetes, which damages blood vessels, increases people’s risk of gum infection. Another issues is acid reflux, which erodes teeth while also introducing foul-smelling gas into the oral cavity.

Improved hygiene will go a long way toward combatting bad breath, which can be seen as a precursor to gingivitis. Patients might also want to try using mouthwash and tongue scrapers, sucking on sugar-free candy, and if they suffer from acid reflux, refraining from red meat, alcohol, and citrus juice before bed. Sometimes the problem could be as simple as chemicals from garlic entering the lungs via the bloodstream, but consulting with us can help pinpoint the problem and ensure that oral prosthetics are in good working order.

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

Bite Checks

Bite checks are an important part of any patient’s dental examination, but they’re particularly important for people with dentures or who are undergoing facial reconstructive surgery. We want to ensure that all the patients at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania are getting satisfactory use from their prosthetics, and to do that, we need to determine whether a patient’s jaws are aligned and functioning correctly.

During every dental examination, patients are asked to demonstrate how they bite down. We use panoramic digital x-rays to see how a patient’s teeth are fitting together, along with a visual examination. If a patient with dentures is developing a cross-bite or an overbite, we’ll need to adjust their prosthetics. (Patients should not attempt to reshape dentures on their own.) Ordinary drift in natural teeth’s position may also require us to adjust partial dentures, and we’ll monitor changes in the size of a patient’s jaw bones to ensure their teeth still have enough vertical dimension.

When doing a bite check, dentists are also looking for signs of temporomandibular joint disorder. Artificial teeth can get worn down by bruxism, and while we can restore them, it would be better for a patient to wear a night guard. An implant that has come loose has to be replaced, so it’s especially important to keep pressure off of it.

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

Surgeries for Cleft Palates

A cleft palate is a major health issue that takes significant expertise to correct. At Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, our doctors have the training and experience to see each patient through to a healthy smile. Correcting a cleft palate will require time and cooperation with orthodontists, so we want patients’ families to know what to expect.

A gap in the upper palate will result in misaligned teeth. Besides being an aesthetic issue, teeth that are misaligned are difficult to use and clean. An orthodontist will make corrections that will leave a gap where an implant can be inserted, but before a post can be placed, there needs to be enough bone to place it in. The bone tissue used for a maxillary graft could come from several sources; it could be from another part of the patient’s mouth or body, from a donor, or a synthetic material. Regardless, it will take a few months for the new bone tissue to fuse into the cleft.

An implant can be placed into integrated bone tissue, but other prosthetics may be preferable if the patient needs multiple teeth replaced. In some situations, a partial denture may be preferable even after a cleft has been filled in. Children will need multiple surgeries over the course of their mouth’s development, so our doctors are dedicated to each patient’s long-term care.

Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

Soft Tissue/Gum Grafts

It may seem redundant, but brushing and flossing every day is necessary for your oral health. Neglecting your dental routine leads to periodontal (gum) disease. The early stages, like Gingivitis, can be reversed. Advanced stages require aggressive treatments like Soft Tissue or Gum Grafts. Dr. Ramin Bahram and his staff at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania offer this procedure to our patients. Contact our offices in the Philadelphia, Folsom, and the Clifton Heights areas.

 

An unclean mouth attracts hordes of bacteria, leaving plaque on your teeth. Gingivitis occurs when these bacteria attack the soft tissues or gums. They become inflamed and painful. Eventually, the bacteria create large pockets. Dr. Bahram and his staff can clean these out, but they’ll still be visible. An abnormal amount of tooth structure will be showing. It’s not only aesthetically displeasing but dangerous too.

 

 

A soft tissue/gum graft is the perfect solution. It restores and heals the gums to their natural state of being. Dr. Bahram begins by applying a local anesthetic to the area. He’ll remove healthy gum tissue from other areas of the mouth, like the roof. It’s stretched out and stitched on the injured area. The results are a newly covered tooth. A successful graft encourages new tissue to grow. The end results are a fresh and healthy looking mouth.

 

Following your post-operative instructions is the only way to guarantee a successful recovery. The healing process takes upward of two weeks. Avoid eating harder foods during this time. Do not engage in any form of vigorous exercise. Don’t brush or floss near the treatment site. If you’re worried or experience signs of an infection, contact Dr. Bahram or your physician immediately. Antibiotics may be prescribed.

 

Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania have four office locations in the PA area. Contact each office in the Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights areas. Dr. Ramin Bahram and his staff are available by appointment. Visit our website to learn more.

Dry Mouth

There’s an endlessly long list of reasons why it’s important to get a six-month dental examination. One of them is to get treatment for Dry Mouth, also known as Xerostomia. It’s a lack of saliva in the mouth. The dryness makes it difficult to talk, eat, and drink. Talking to Dr. Ramin Bahram and his staff at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania can get you on the path to treatment. We have four available locations in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Contact us to learn more.

 

Patients with untreated dry mouth experience a lower quality of life. Besides the discomfort of the condition, it can lead to heightened dental problems. The lowered amounts of saliva attract bacteria. It functions like a natural cleansing solution for your mouth. Without it, patients report increased amounts of plaque.

 

Dr. Bahram may ask a few questions to help determine the cause of your dryness. There is a dense amount of medications that can cause dryness. This includes types that treat pain, blood pressure, and even allergies. An autoimmune disorder can also be the case. Sjögren's syndrome is a systematic disease that targets the salivary glands. A side effect of chemotherapy and many cancer treatments results in dryness. Lastly, smoking commonly produces dry mouth.

 

Your recommended treatment varies depending on the root of the problem. This can include eliminating certain foods and drinks from your diet. Sugar is known to dry out the mouth. Cut back on coffee, soft drinks, tea, and alcohol. Talk to your doctor about any medications you take frequently and whether they can be at fault. Try increasing the amount of water you intake too. This should moisten your mouth. There are also products designed specifically for treating dry mouth. Most grocery stores sell different varieties of dry mouth gel. There are also products like toothpaste and mouthwashes that target your symptoms.

 

Dr. Ramin Bahram and his staff are available by appointment at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania. Our offices are in four separate locations in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights, PA. Visit our website to learn more or call today.

What To Do When A Dental Implant Fails

Dental implants are a common surgical procedure where a trained dental professional inserts artificial roots into the jaws. These are then used to replace missing teeth or correct damaged dental devices. It can take a few months to a year to heal from the procedure. But what happens if you don’t recover, forcing the implant to fail? Dr. Ramin Bahram and his staff at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania can help. He and his team are available at four different locations in Folsom, Philadelphia, and Clifton Heights, PA.

 

It’s important to keep in touch with Dr. Bahram’s team during the healing process. If you notice any unusual symptoms, contact us immediately. This includes the implant feeling loose, pain, swelling or infection, and bleeding. There are factors that can put you at risk. If you are a smoker, it’s best to stop smoking entirely throughout the healing process. Certain conditions like gum disease and bruxism can cause damage to the implant. Osteoporosis diminishes your bone strength, making it difficult for the implant to anchor. Make sure to discuss any daily medications with our staff to ensure there aren’t any negative interactions.

 

Short-term implant failure is simple to treat. Dr. Bahram will remove the damaged implant. But what happens if an implant fails in the long run? If the implant has already healed and been restored, treatment is much more advanced. Common long-term failure is caused by Peri-implantitis. This is a serious and chronic infection in the bone and gums. Treatment varies by patient and severity. Frequent dental examinations are a must, with laser therapy and surgery needed to restore the bone. Antibiotics are used as a supplement to other treatments. Other long-term problems are easier to fix. These usually involve prosthetic issues like fractures or damage.

 

Talk to Dr. Bahram about preventing any complications. Any changes to your health can affect the success of your implant. Keeping up a strict oral hygiene routine is critical. Remember to brush twice a day for at least two minutes. Floss daily as well. Antibacterial mouthwash can reduce the risk of infection by eliminating bacteria.

 

Dr. Ramin Bahram and his staff are available at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania. We can be reached at four separate locations in Clifton Heights, Folsom, and Philadelphia, PA. To learn more, call or visit our website.