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.

 

After Dental Implants

After dental implants, it is important that you do not disturb the wound in any way. This includes rinsing, spitting, or touching the afflicted area. Interfering with the stitches heightens your risk for complications. The amount of recovery time may be increased and an infection could also occur.

Patients are likely to have bleeding occur during the first 24 hours after surgery. Control any excessive bleeding with a gauze pad on the wound for upwards of 30 minutes. If you are bleeding for longer, give us a call right away for instructions.

To control the pain when the anesthetic wears off, take general over-the-counter pain medication such as Tylenol or Aspirin. Your oral surgeon might prescribe a stronger medication as well.

Your diet will consist of softer foods for the first few days. Avoid hotter substances due to teeth sensitivity.

Remember to keep your physical activity to a minimum. Besides the pain, vigorous activity can loosen your stitches. Your restricted diet can also reduce your energy levels. It’s best to rest while you recover.

After the dental implant procedure, you’ll be instructed to come in 24-48 hours afterward. This is just a precautionary measure to confirm that everything is healing properly.

If you have any questions, please give us a call. To learn more about all the services we provide at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, visit www.oralsurgerypa.com for more information. Contact our offices in Philadelphia, Clifton Heights, or Folsom to learn more.

New Patient Information

For our new patients visiting Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania for the first time, we want you to know what you should expect. Your initial visit will consist of a diagnosis of your dental issue and the treatment options. For dental problems that require a quick fix, it might be possible to do the surgery during the same day. More often than not we will need you to come back another day to treat the issue.

 

During your visit please be advised that we will need a list of medications you are taking, completed insurance forms, and a photo ID. X-ray’s will be taken unless you have a copy of your recent x-rays.

 

It is important that you don’t eat or drink 8 hours prior to your scheduled surgery time. Patients under the age of 18 require supervision by a legal guardian.

 

If you have any questions, 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, Folsom, and Clifton Heights, call 215-463-4141.

Wisdom Teeth Removal

Your wisdom teeth are the final set of molars to emerge in the back of your mouth. When this happens, they will either come in naturally or crowd your gums due to a lack of space. If your wisdom teeth protrude from your gums, they need to be extracted at your local dental office.

 

At Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we can easily detect wisdom teeth in need of removal. This consists of a physical examination and routine x-rays. In most cases, wisdom teeth erupt at an angle that causes crowding for your teeth and possible damage to your jawbone or nerves. Partially impacted wisdom teeth, those which didn’t fully emerge from the gums, increase your chances for bacteria formation. This leads to a variety of dental issues, such as cavities and periodontal (gum) disease.

 

If your wisdom teeth are causing you pain or there are signs of an infection, please give us a call. The earlier we remove your wisdom teeth, the lesser the chance that your teeth will shift and create future problems.

 

If you have any questions, 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, Folsom, and Clifton Heights, call 215-463-4141.