Reap the Benefits of Dental Implants

Are missing teeth making you feel insecure? Do you wear dentures but find them uncomfortable? If you’ve answered yes to these questions, Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania would like to discuss the benefits of dental implants. Dental implants are ideal for someone missing one or many teeth and can last up to ten years with proper oral maintenance.

A primary benefit of dental implants is that they preserve bone and prevent further deterioration of the facial structure and can approve aesthetic appearance. Dental implants can take years off of a patient’s face and renew their self-esteem in the process. Unlike dentures, dental implants look and feel like natural teeth, and because they are placed into the jawbone, they will not slip or slide as dentures may do.  

If you have questions or concerns about oral surgery or tooth restoration options, 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.

Consequences of Tooth Loss

Nearly 40% of patients have confessed that they haven’t visited the dentist in their lifetime. People who lack adequate oral care habits will develop periodontal disease that will advance to its aggressive stage and diminish the bone, leading to tooth loss. Smokers are also likely to lose teeth over time as well as those who have a highly acidic diet. Fortunately, Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania have a variety of options to restore the function of your smile.

If missing teeth are not replaced, the patient may notice structural changes in the face. Loss of teeth will cause the face to sag and tend to make a person look older than they are. The way you look affects the way you feel and our doctors want our patients to feel comfortable and confident. If you are missing teeth, don’t suffer the consequences; talk to us about our options.  

If you have questions or concerns about oral surgery, 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.

Swollen Lips after Tooth Extractions

Tooth extractions are routine at the offices of the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, but they are most successful when patients feel they understand what to expect. The most common issue for patients to encounter following extraction is swelling.  Although there is little to fear in the long-term from this, patients can take steps to make themselves more comfortable.

It is often necessary to numb an entire jaw when extracting a tooth from it. This creates an unusual sensation which leads some people, especially children, to experimentally bite down on their numbed lips. Swelling is likelier if the extraction was complex, and it is also likelier when the patient irritates their soft tissues by biting on them. Biting repeatedly on swollen tissue creates a risk of breaking the fragile skin and incurring an infection.

If tissue does swell up within 24 hours of an extraction, patients may relieve it by pressing cold packs against the affected area. But it is important to not leave the cold pack on for longer than 15 minutes at a time, and to wait 15 minutes before reapplying it.  After the swelling peaks, warm compresses are will be effective. This treatment will probably only be necessary if swelling is still significant after two days, which is more often the case with complex extractions.

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

National Dental Hygiene Month

Good hygiene goes a long way toward preventing dental problems. For patients at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, it is even more essential to ensuring successful procedures and maintaining the health of implants. October is National Dental Hygiene Month, so we thought this would be a good time for a refresher on how to clean teeth effectively.

Babies’ teeth need to be brushed from the time the first one begins to erupt, and people with dentures need to brush just as thoroughly as people with natural teeth. If you are using a non-electric toothbrush, make sure it has soft bristles. There is specialized toothpaste available for dentures, but most peoples’ needs can be met with any of the toothpaste you see in the store. Brush twice a day for two minutes per session, and be sure to reach the parts of your teeth near the gum lines. You’ll have to switch from horizontal, round strokes to vertical strokes while brushing the inward-facing sides of your teeth.

Dentists recommend flossing with regular floss, flossers, or a Waterpik, but you should never pick your teeth with something that wasn’t made for them. When flossing, slide the floss all the way along the side of each tooth and scrape plaque of them by making a shoeshine motion. Don’t forget the backs of your back teeth. Mouthwash can help fight bad breath, but it isn’t very useful on its own. A better way to combat bacteria is by using a tongue scraper once a day.

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

CBCT Digital Imaging

Oral surgery of any kind can seem dreadful. It is usually an outpatient surgery performed in stages that include removing a damaged tooth, preparing the jawbone for surgery, and waiting for the jawbone to heal. If a patient requires a dental implant, when it comes to placement, one of our doctors of Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania makes a cut to open your gum and expose the bone. Holes are drilled into the bone where the dental implant metal post will be placed. With CBCT digital imaging software, this process causes less discomfort for the patient.

CBCT 3D imaging benefits include, but are not limited to, predictable implant planning, comprehensive 3D communication with the patient, optimal team communication, more precise wisdom teeth extraction, as well as immediate temporary restoration, and cost-efficient results. From dental scanning and planning to drill and implant placement, CBCT offers our Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania a comprehensive 3D system for accurate and efficient 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. 

Frenectomy

A frenectomy is a surgical procedure that removes or loosens the band of muscle tissue that is connected to the lip, cheek or floor of the mouth. Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania perform this procedure right in the office. A frenum that is too short or thick, will cause problems in speech patterns and tooth misalignment. In infants, a shortened frenum underneath the tongue will inhibit breastfeeding.

Before recommending a frenectomy, one of our doctors will consider several factors. One factor is whether the condition is likely to fix itself eventually without surgery. However, if a newborn baby is having difficulty feeding because of this condition, also known as “tongue tie,” then a frenectomy is needed. When the frenulum disrupts movement, growth, or development, corrective action is necessary to resolve the situation. If you or your child needs a frenectomy, the procedure is very successful and causes minimal discomfort.

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. 

Smoking And Oral Surgery

Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania are dedicated to encouraging patients to make the best decisions for their oral health.  We care for patient’s teeth and perform many procedures on patients with various grades of oral health.  Many patients are still smokers, and despite all the known health risks, it is a notoriously tough habit to break.  We have seen patients at every stage of quitting smoking when they need a dental procedure.  Even if you can’t quit just yet, it is important to abstain from smoking after a tooth extraction or procedure on the gums.

We want you to abstain from smoking after oral surgery as long as you can, but we recommend waiting at least five days for your safety.  The sucking action used to inhale a cigarette can dislodge a blood clot at the surgery site, which we would then call a dry socket.  A dry socket is a serious risk for infection and can cause intense pain.  Smoking also causes blood vessels to shrink, so they deliver less oxygen and fewer nutrients to the wound area and it slows the healing process.  We want you to quit cigarettes for good, but after oral surgery you must wait for your safety!

To learn more about oral health and all 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.