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Oral Surgery
The word “surgery” often brings to mind a stay in the hospital, general anesthesia, and perhaps a lengthy recovery period. However, the experience of having oral surgery is usually very different from that. Oral surgery is often performed in a dental office setting, under local anesthesia, with minimal recovery time. Oral Surgery can range from routine procedures such as tooth extractions and implant placement to more complex jaw realignment surgeries and emergency care for facial trauma.
Oral Surgery Procedures
Oral surgery procedures may be performed to relieve pain, treat an infection or trauma, restore function or improve a person's appearance....
Facial Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery
When you were a youngster, did you ever get a black eye, chip a tooth or bruise your cheek? If so, you may have experienced a case (let's hope, a mild one!) of facial trauma. In many situations, however, facial trauma can be severe. Among its major causes are auto accidents, sports injuries, work-related mishaps, falls, and acts of violence. When serious facial injury occurs, it's important that you receive immediate and comprehensive care. That's why oral and maxillofacial surgeons are on call at most emergency and trauma centers.
Facial trauma in general involves injuries to the soft- or hard-tissue...
Headaches and Migraines: The Dental Connection
People don't generally think of a dentist as the healthcare professional to see for recurring headaches or migraines; yet dentists can play a role in diagnosing and even treating your condition. That's because quite often, recurring pain that is felt in the area of the temples on the sides of the head is actually caused by unconscious habits of clenching and/or grinding the teeth. These habits, which often manifest during sleep, put tremendous pressure on the muscles that work your jaw joint, also called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
The fan-shaped temporalis muscles located over your temples on either side of...
Oral Diagnosis and Biopsies
When you come into the dental office for an examination, you might assume that the focus is on your teeth. That's often correct — but don't forget that there are a number of other parts of the oral and facial anatomy that are examined as well. These include areas around and inside the mouth (such as the lips, gums, hard and soft palate, and the tongue) as well as outside the mouth (the skin, muscles and glands in the neck, and the temporomandibular joint). In fact, when it comes to detecting certain oral or systemic (whole-body) diseases, a thorough dental...
Sinus Surgery for Dental Implants
If you want to replace a missing or failing tooth with a state-of-the-art dental implant (watch dental implant video), your dentist will first need to make sure that you have sufficient bone in your jaw to anchor the implant. This is true no matter what type of tooth is being replaced. However, if it is an upper back tooth and there is not enough bone under the gum where the implant needs to go, the base of the implant could end up poking through an air space (located to the side of the nose) called a sinus cavity. Since you...
Covid-19 Dental-Related Complications
The pandemic has had a monumental impact on a variety of aspects of life, and dental health is not an exception. Unfortunately, many people have reported symptoms associated with COVID-19 that have impacted their oral health. There are a variety of reasons why this can happen, but the most common reasons are due to the avoidance of seeking routine dental care during lockdown, as well as side-effects from prolonged mask wearing and pandemic-related stress.
What is Mask Mouth?
When wearing a mask has a negative impact on oral health, this is called mask mouth. Mask mouth develops due to a...
Orthodontics and Surgery
Most of the time, individuals with misaligned teeth or other bite problems can be successfully treated with the many types of orthodontic appliances now available. Jaw development in a growing child can even be guided to improve tooth alignment when appropriate treatment is received before puberty. But sometimes, orthodontics alone isn't enough to correct problems with the teeth or jaws. That's when a surgical approach may be needed.
Corrective jaw surgery (also called orthognathic surgery) may be recommended for orthodontic problems that are skeletal in nature — meaning the misalignment of the bite is caused not by the position of...
Early Orthodontic Treatment
You probably know that it's never too late to begin orthodontic treatment — but when it comes to your youngster's teeth, did you know that earlier may be better than later? According to the American Association of Orthodontists, kids should have an initial orthodontic screening at age 7. What makes early evaluation — and potentially, early treatment — so important?
There are several ways that kids can benefit from an orthodontic evaluation at an early age. But it's important to recognize that early evaluation isn't necessarily followed by early treatment; in most cases, if orthodontic work is needed, your child's...
Elastics (Rubber Bands) in Orthodontic Treatment
Orthodontic elastics, also referred to as rubber bands, are small stretchy loops of latex that help move teeth into proper alignment during orthodontic treatment. Their purpose is to create additional force for tooth movement in any of the three dimensions — up or down, back and forth, side to side — that is more difficult using braces alone.
Elastics attach to tiny hooks on traditional braces or buttons created for this purpose on clear aligners (Invisalign®). The bands may stretch from upper jaw to lower jaw, or be connected to teeth in the same jaw. These connection points are carefully...
Foods to Avoid With Braces
With braces, you're on your way to a beautiful smile. While you are on this exciting journey, please be aware that eating certain types of food can damage the wires or brackets — and make your daily oral hygiene routine more challenging. Not to worry, your orthodontic treatment will all be worth it in the end! But in the meantime you'll want to pay special attention to what you eat. Let's start with the foods you should avoid.
What You Should NOT Eat With Braces:
Popcorn
Popcorn hulls can get stuck under braces, where they are very difficult to remove....
Frequently Asked Questions about Orthodontics
What do orthodontists do?
Orthodontists are dental specialists who diagnose and treat problems with the position, alignment or spacing of the teeth, and related irregularities in the face and the jaw. A number of special treatments, including braces and other oral appliances, are used to correct these problems.
Why should I (or my loved ones) get orthodontic treatment?
There are two good reasons: aesthetics and function. Having an attractive smile not only changes the way people see you — it enhances your own self-image as well. Orthodontic treatment also allows your teeth to function better and makes it easier to...
Functional Orthodontic Appliances
Most of the time, orthodontic treatment involves moving the teeth into better positions with braces or clear aligners. While these are the most familiar appliances used in orthodontic treatment, we may also recommend devices called “functional appliances” to help correct more serious bite problems. Functional appliances are designed to harness natural forces (such as those produced by muscular activity and jaw growth) to bring the bite into better alignment. Examples of functional appliances include the Activator, Bionator, Twin Block and Herbst® appliances.
Some of these devices are fixed in the mouth (like braces), and can't be taken out at home;...
Life With Braces
If you've just started wearing braces, congratulations! You are on your way to having a beautiful, straight smile that you'll be proud to show off to the world. In the meantime, living with your orthodontic appliances may take a little getting used to — particularly during the first week. But after that, it really does get better! Here are some tips for adjusting to life with braces.
Managing Discomfort
When your braces first go on, you may experience two different types of discomfort: an overall soreness (this may also occur after routine tightening of orthodontic wires) and some irritation from...
Common Lumps and Bumps in the Mouth
A traumatic fibroma (“traumatic” – injury; “fibro” – fibrous tissue; “oma” – tumor or overgrowth) can form where a person has bit the inside of their cheek. It's not as bad as the name may sound and is actually quite common. Cheeks, lips and tongues occasionally get in the way of the teeth and get chomped on. Most people know only too well what that feels like. Usually, these small wounds heal quickly, fully and uneventfully. But when the normal healing process is interfered with, as when the area is bitten and injured again, an excess of fibrous tissue can...
Orthodontic Headgear
Sometimes, braces alone aren't enough to move teeth into a better position, or to correct trouble with the bite or remedy problems in the growth of the jaws. In those situations, special appliances may be recommended. Orthodontic headgear is the general name for an appliance, worn partly outside the mouth, which creates just enough force to move the teeth properly and guide the growth of the face and jaws.
There are several different types of orthodontic headgear, each designed to work best in a specific situation. A treatment program will be designed to address your individual needs, and select the...
