Are Dental Implants Painful?

If you are receiving dental implants in the near future, our doctors at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania don’t want you to be frightened, we want you to be informed on what to expect. Pain is a common concern among individuals who are considering dental implants and we want you to know that while some discomfort is expected, it shouldn’t be your primary concern.

As with any major dental procedure, or surgery in general, some discomfort is to be expected during the recovery process since it is a surgery that typically involves removing teeth, cutting gums, drilling into the jawbone and inserting a titanium post. The procedure itself is not painful since it is performed with either general or local anesthesia to completely numb your mouth. If you’re anxious about the discomfort during the procedure and being aware of drilling noises and forces being applied to your mouth, please ask us about our sedation options.

If you have questions about dental implants or sedation options give us a call. For more information about the services we provide, contact us in one of our Philadelphia, PA area locations today. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, call 215-463-4141 or visit www.oralsurgerypa.com. 

Cleaning Your Dental Implant

When visiting the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we make sure that you receive the highest level of service and ensure that our dental work is of the highest quality. If you’ve recently received a dental implant, you’ll want to protect your investment. To ensure that you maintain great oral health, this level of quality that we provide needs to extend into your personal oral hygiene routine. Allow us to inform you how to take care of your dental implant.

To ensure the long life of a dental implant, some special techniques and efforts are required to keep the implant clean and free of dental plaque. Plaque may cause infection in the tissues around the implant and lead to its ultimate failure. No single device has been shown to remove plaque from all surfaces of the dental implant; however you should take care of them as you would your natural teeth. To achieve long-term success of your dental implant you should brush at least twice a day and floss between your teeth once daily.

If you have questions about how to maintain oral care for your dental implant, give us a call. For more information about the services we provide, contact us in one of our Philadelphia, PA area locations today. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, call 215-463-4141 or visit www.oralsurgerypa.com. 

What Causes Sensitive Teeth?

If you avoid eating cold foods or drinking hot beverages because your teeth are sensitive, it may be time to get a check up at your dentist. Some of the causes include tooth decay, a cracked tooth, worn tooth enamel, worn fillings and tooth roots that are exposed as a result of aggressive tooth brushing, gum recession and periodontal disease.

The inside of your tooth is primarily made up of a material called dentin, which contains microscopic tubules filled with tiny nerve endings. A hard outer layer of enamel protects the dentin within the crown portion of your tooth, and the dentin extending down to the root of your tooth is protected by a layer of cementum. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), dentin hypersensitivity or nerve irritation occurs whenever dentin loses its protective covering of enamel or cementum, exposing the nerve endings to hot, cold, acidic or sticky foods, causing you pain.

For more information about the services we provide, contact us in one of our Philadelphia, PA area locations today. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, call 215-463-4141 or visit www.oralsurgerypa.com. 

What Can I Eat after a Frenectomy?

A frenum is a fold of tissue in the mouth found between the upper two front teeth, under the tongue, and on the sides of the gums. When a frenum constricts the movement of your lips or tongue too much, our doctors at Oral Surgery Consults of Pennsylvania will perform what is called a Frenectomy. A frenectomy is an oral surgery procedure in which the frenum is cut.  Recovery time for a frenectomy is short – generally about 24 hours. During this time, you will be advised to follow a soft diet.

A soft diet consists of foods that are easy for you to chew and swallow. You can consume pureed, mashed, ground, chopped and moist foods. Starchy foods that are recommended include rice, pasta such as macaroni, rolls, muffins, soft bread and tortillas. Fruits and vegetables include applesauce, fruit or vegetable juice, avocado and ripe bananas. Dairy choices include cheese sauces, cottage cheese, milk, milkshakes, soft ice cream and plain yogurt.

For more information about the Frenectomy procedure and aftercare, contact us in one of our Philadelphia, PA area locations today. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consults of Pennsylvania, call 215-463-4141 or visit www.oralsurgerypa.com.  

When a Dental Implant Fails

Dental implants are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel, and function like natural teeth. In fact, they are one of the most reliable long-term methods of tooth replacement. However, as with any other surgical procedure, there are a variety of internal and external factors that cause complications or even total failure of treatment. When this happens, the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania are here to help.

Osseointegration describes the formation of a direct functional and structural connection between a person’s bone and an artificial implant. There are two primary reasons for “later” implant failure after the osseointegration process has been successful. These include over-stressing implants with too much biting force, or inflammatory disease of the gum tissues and/or bone around the implant. Prevention plays a tremendous role in avoiding implant failure. Once the implants are placed, it’s crucial to maintain a good oral hygiene routine. Make sure you have regular professional dental cleanings to help keep the tissues around your implants healthy.

If you are considering dental implants, contact us at one of our Philadelphia, PA area locations today to see if you are eligible. For more information about dental implants, visit www.oralsurgerypa.com. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consults of Pennsylvania, call 215-463-4141.

Diet and Dental Erosion

As much as we would love to see your smile here at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we do want you to keep your permanent teeth healthy. You know you should brush your teeth twice a day, and see your dentist regularly, but your diet also plays a role in the health of your teeth.

A diet that promotes good oral health is not just about the foods you eat or avoid – when and how you eat them is equally important. Dental erosion or the loss of tooth enamel and at times deeper parts of the tooth due to chemicals has numerous causes.  These causes range from dietary factors such as fruits, juices and candies with high concentrations of citric acid and carbonated beverages. Dental erosion can also be caused by reflux disease or gastritis to the prolonged oral retention of medications such as vitamin C or aspirin. To maintain a balanced diet and to reduce harm on your teeth, eat a variety of foods from each of the five major food groups and limit the number of snacks you eat.

For more information about oral surgery procedures, contact us in one of our Philadelphia, PA area locations today. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consults of Pennsylvania, call 215-463-4141 or visit www.oralsurgerypa.com.  

Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?

If wisdom teeth don’t really supply us with wisdom, then what purpose do they serve? Anthropologists believe wisdom teeth, or the third set of molars, were the evolutionary answer to our ancestor’s early diet of coarse, rough food – like leaves, roots, nuts and meats – which required more chewing power and resulted in excessive wear of teeth. Fast forward to today, and take a look at what we are eating and more importantly how we are preparing our food. We cut, dice, chop, boil, steam and bake everything we eat.

Chewing these tough, coarse, and rugged foods required a broader jaw, and strong molars – including the wisdom teeth. Having all three molars was vital, in order for our ancestors to be able to eat the foods necessary for survival. These days, however, all of the food preparation has made eating easy to accomplish, in fact experts believe that our jaw line has become less broad and smaller over the years due to how food is prepared and consumed.

Many times, however, wisdom teeth don’t have room to grow properly and can cause problems. When they do, the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania can provide you with the best care possible. For more information about wisdom teeth, contact us in one of our Philadelphia, PA area locations today. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consults of Pennsylvania, call 215-463-4141 or visit www.oralsurgerypa.com.