Risks Associated with Oral Cancer

Oral cancer can affect any of the working parts of the mouth or oral cavity. This includes the lips, the tissue that lines lips and cheeks, teeth, the tongue, gums, and the roof of the mouth. Oral cancer may also reside in the throat, tonsils, and base of the tongue. It’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms and considers oral cancer screening to detect problems early when they are easiest to treat. At Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we can examine these areas and treat concerns accordingly.

If you smoke, drink excessive amounts of alcohol or have a poor diet, changing these habits can decrease the chances of developing oral cancer. Also, if you’ve had oral cancer before, you may be more likely to develop it again, so keeping up with regular dental visits is important. If you notice mouth ulcers that do not heal, pain when swallowing, a sensation that something is stuck in the throat, or pain in the neck or ears that isn’t going away, schedule a consultation with one of our doctors to treat the problem.

If you have questions or concerns about oral surgery or oral cancer, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide, visit www.oralsurgerypa.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia, call 215-463-4141.

Why are Teeth Extracted

When a patient needs a tooth pulled, there’s nobody better in the Philly area than the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania. But why do teeth need to be extracted, anyway? There are a number of possible reasons and we want our patients undergoing extractions to understand why it is in their interest.

Sometimes, teeth are severely infected. In these cases, they would usually undergo a root canal and we provide apicoectomies, or root tip replacements, when an initial root canal fails. However, even this may not be enough for the most stubborn infections, and some patients have a compromised immune system which prevents them from fighting off an infection in time to prevent it from entering the bloodstream. It may also happen that the gums are infected and are unable to keep the teeth stable. These cases require the assistance of a periodontist, or gum disease specialist, but they may not be able to stabilize the teeth. A tooth that has suffered a cracked root would also need to be removed since that injury does not heal.

Sometimes teeth are also removed due to overcrowding. This is often the fate of wisdom teeth. If canines or lateral incisors are impacted, they would usually be exposed so an orthodontic bracket can be glued to them and they can be guided into position, but this may not be practical if there are other alignment issues.

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA or call 215-463-4141.

 

Zimmer Biomet Dental Implants

At Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we utilize Zimmer Biomet Dental Implants to restore a smile that is missing teeth. Biomet Dental Implants can help improve a patient’s quality of life by minimizing oral bone loss, preserving natural facial appearance, reducing the potential to compromise adjacent healthy teeth, and restore self-esteem and confidence. If you desire to replace your missing teeth, talk to us about Zimmer Biomet Dental Implants.

Biomet Dental Implants caters to a patient’s ever-changing needs. The dental implant process involves several steps that take place over a time period that ranges from four to nine months. After a careful evaluation, one of our doctors will determine if you are a good candidate for dental implants. Once you reach a final decision, he or she will guide you through the placement process. With proper oral care and maintenance, dental implants will last for ten years or longer.

If you have questions or concerns regarding dental implants, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.oralsurgerypa.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia, call 215-463-4141. 

National Arthritis Month

May is National Arthritis Month, and at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Philadelphia, we want our patients to understand how arthritis can impact their dental health. People with arthritis have higher frequencies of periodontal disease, and if it’s not brought under control, they may wind up losing teeth and needing replacements.

The phrase “arthritis” refers to several different diseases which cause joint inflammation. Of the two most common types, osteoarthritis is caused by wear-and-tear over time but rheumatoid arthritis is the result of the body attacking its own cells. Studies have found that rheumatoid arthritis is more highly correlated with tooth loss. The reasons for this are not entirely clear. Any disease which interferes with patients’ ability to grasp a toothbrush is going to be correlated with gum disease, but rheumatoid arthritis seems to have common genetic factors with severe periodontal disease and there are similarities between the cellular structures of the gums and joints.

Fortunately, there is also evidence that oral care can reduce periodontal disease, even in people with rheumatoid arthritis. People who have difficulty grasping ordinary toothbrushes may try an electric alternative. If Sjögren’s Syndrome is interfering with their saliva production, they might want to try artificial throat moisteners.

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA or call 215-463-4141.

 

Soft-Tissue Biopsies

Biopsies are an important tool for diagnosing lesions and malignancies in patients. At Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, a biopsy will be necessary to identify oral cancer. If you have an increased risk of oral cancer in your family history, as well as a history of mouth sores or dental abscesses, discuss an oral biopsy with our doctors to lessen your risk.  

When an oral biopsy is required, one of our doctors will remove the symptomatic soft-tissue and run it through a series of tests. Anesthesia will be administered beforehand, for the patient’s most optimal comfort. Once the tissue is sent to the laboratory, a pathologist will look for signs of cancer cells. If the results test positive for malignancies, we will discuss the next few phases of treatment.

If you have questions or concerns regarding oral surgery or appointment scheduling, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.oralsurgerypa.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia, call 215-463-4141. 

Lip Biopsies

It is sometimes necessary when diagnosing a patient to take a biopsy, or tissue sample. At the offices of the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we take biopsies of the tongue, mouth, and lip. There are various diseases which could affect these body parts which patients need to be aware of, and this week we’re looking at lip biopsies.

Two of the most common diseases lip biopsies are tested for are oral cancer and Sjögren’s syndrome. Lip cancer is a type of oral cancer and can be recognized by the persistent ulcers, lumps, and discoloration it causes. Fortunately, lip cancer has much higher survival rates than other types of oral cancer due to the ease of detecting it and applying treatment. Diagnosing it requires a sample of the suspicious tissue to be cut away. Sjögren’s syndrome is an inflammatory immune disorder which causes dry mouth and dry eyes. In order to test for it, a biopsy needs to be taken of the salivary glands. There are several of these on the inside of the lower lip which can be plucked easily after the patient has been numbed (and hundreds more throughout the mouth). Once a few glands have been removed, the lip may be sutured. It is recommended that patients do not take anti-inflammatory medicine in the weeks prior to getting a biopsy and that they stick to soft, non-sticky foods until they have healed.

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA or call 215-463-4141.

 

Missing Incisors

At the offices of the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we provide people with replacements for missing teeth. When most people hear this, they probably think of teeth that have been lost to injury or infection, but prosthetic teeth are also of great value to people whose teeth never developed at all. In about 2% of the population, the upper lateral incisors, which are the flat teeth on the sides of the two front teeth, fail to erupt.

Fixing this problem requires collaboration between the oral surgeon and an orthodontist, particularly when the incisors exist but never descended through the gum line. In these cases, it may be necessary for the oral surgeon to cut into the gum tissue and expose the teeth and attach brackets. The incisors may then be guided into place with wires  by the orthodontist.  But when the teeth are absent altogether, they have to be substituted. If an orthodontist is able to make enough space, the incisors can be replaced with several different kinds of prosthetics depending on the patient’s needs. These could be anything from fixed single implants or bridges to removable partial dentures. If the patient decides to go that route, it is very important for them to wear their retainer, or else their teeth may shift into a position that won’t work with the denture or bridge.

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA or call 215-463-4141.