(209) 952-8804
Our Blog
Archive:
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
Tags
- celebrity smiles (60)
- mouthguards (5)
- oral health (14)
- dental hygiene (1)
- common symptoms (1)
- tooth decay (6)
- orthodontic treatment (13)
- tooth extraction (1)
- fillings (1)
- cosmetic dentistry (12)
- pediatric dentistry (6)
- oral cancer (3)
- porcelain veneers (4)
- crown (1)
- Invisalign (5)
- fluoride (2)
- Dental Implants (23)
- bad breath (2)
- Dentist (1)
- Sedation Dentistry (8)
- Oral Sedation (1)
- Inhalation Sedation (1)
- bridge (2)
- bleeding gums (1)
- gum disease (10)
- jaw pain (2)
- dental implant (2)
- Implant Dentures (1)
- root canal (2)
- oral hygiene (12)
- teething (2)
- Dental Sedation (1)
- TADs (2)
- braces (9)
- abscessed tooth (1)
- tooth grinding (1)
- chipped teeth (1)
- dentures (10)
- age one dental visit (1)
- crowns (4)
- tmj disorders (2)
- tmd (1)
- tmj (1)
- tooth wear (1)
- wisdom teeth (4)
- athletic mouthguards (1)
- periodontal disease (3)
- retainers (2)
- mouth sores (2)
- orthodontics (4)
- root canal treatment (3)
- apicoectomy (1)
- restorative dentistry (7)
- laser dentistry (1)
- teeth whitening (1)
- tooth erosion (1)
- veneers (1)
- dental anxiety (2)
- teeth grinding (3)
- pediatric care (1)
- loose teeth (1)
- thumb sucking (2)
- bonding (1)
- mouthguard (1)
- missing teeth (1)
- headgear (1)
- dental exam (1)
- tooth pain (3)
- chipped tooth (2)
- diabetes (2)
- hiv (1)
- bone grafting (1)
- x-ray (1)
- dental injury (5)
- toothache (1)
- artificial sweeteners (1)
- dental specialists (1)
- gum recession (2)
- retainer (2)
- Implant Supported Dentures (1)
- extraction (1)
- pulp capping (1)
- dry mouth (1)
- sleep apnea (1)
- snoring (1)
- smile makeover (2)
- dental injuries (1)
- smoking (1)
Categories:
Some moviegoers have been known to crunch popcorn, bite their fingers or grab their neighbor’s hands during the intense scenes of a thriller. But for one fan, the on-screen action in the new superhero film Black Panther led to a different reaction.
Sophia Robb, an 18-year-old Californian, had to make an emergency visit to the orthodontic office because she snapped the steel wire on her retainer while watching a battle scene featuring her Hollywood crush, Michael B. Jordan. Her jaw-clenching mishap went viral and even prompted an unexpected reply from the actor himself!
Meanwhile, Sophia got her retainer fixed pronto—which was exactly the right thing to do. The retention phase is a very important part of orthodontic treatment: If you don’t wear a retainer, the beautiful new smile you’re enjoying could become crooked again. That’s because if the teeth are not held in their new positions, they will naturally begin to drift back into their former locations—and you may have to start treatment all over again…
While it’s much more common to lose a removable retainer than to damage one, it is possible for even sturdy retainers to wear out or break. This includes traditional plastic-and-wire types (also called Hawley retainers), clear plastic retainers that are molded to fit your teeth (sometimes called Essix retainers), and bonded retainers: the kind that consists of a wire that’s permanently attached to the back side of your teeth. So whichever kind you use, do what Sophia did if you feel that anything is amiss—have it looked at right away!
When Black Panther co-star Michael B. Jordan heard about the retainer mishap, he sent a message to the teen: “Since I feel partly responsible for breaking your retainers let me know if I can replace them.” His young fan was grateful for the offer—but even more thrilled to have a celebrity twitter follower.
If you have questions about orthodontic retainers, please contact our office or schedule a consultation. You can read more in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “The Importance of Orthodontic Retainers” and “Bonded Retainers.”
Most dental procedures today only require local anesthesia to numb just the affected area. It's a safer approach than general anesthesia: the unconscious state created by putting someone "to sleep" can lead to some unpleasant complications.
But patient comfort involves more than preventing physical pain during a procedure. There's also the emotional factor—many people experience nervousness, anxiety or fear during dental visits. It's especially problematic for an estimated 15% of the population whose dental visit anxiety is so great they often try to avoid dental care altogether.
One option is to use general anesthesia for patients with acute anxiety rather than local anesthesia. This removes them consciously from their anxiety, but they must then be monitored closely for complications.
But there's a safer way to relax patients with high anxiety called intravenous or IV sedation. The method delivers a sedative medication directly into a patient's bloodstream through a small needle or catheter inserted into a vein. The sedative places the patient in a relaxed "semi-awake" state, taking the edge off their anxiety while still enabling them to respond to verbal commands.
Coupled with local anesthesia, they won't experience any pain and very little if any discomfort. And many of the sedatives used also have an amnesiac effect so that the patient won't remember the procedures being performed.
IV sedation does require monitoring of vital signs, but the patient won't need help maintaining their breathing or heart function. And although the medication can be adjusted to reduce any lingering after-effects, a patient will still need someone to accompany them to and from their visit.
For lesser anxiety or nervousness, dentists sometimes prescribe an oral sedative to take just before a visit. This can help take the edge off your nerves and help you relax. With either method, though, sedation can help you overcome fear and anxiety and have a more pleasant treatment experience.
If you would like more information on IV sedation, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “IV Sedation in Dentistry.”
How dental implants from your dentists in Stockton, CA, can restore your smile
If you are missing teeth and need to rebuild your smile, then you need to learn about dental implants. With the ability to replicate the look .png)
and feel of natural teeth, implants are often considered today's ideal tooth replacement option. Here at Brookside Dental Care in Stockton, CA, our dentists, Drs. Alexander Pritsky, Ravneet Nijjar, and Emil Tanaseoffer use dental implants to restore patient smiles—read on to learn if this treatment is right for you!
The benefits of dental implants
Dental implants are a popular option to replace either a single missing tooth or multiple missing teeth, as well as to provide a supportive denture framework. They are popular for a number of good reasons, including how they are:
- Naturally beautiful, because the dental implant crown material reflects light, making it look just like natural tooth enamel
- Long-lasting, because dental implants never decay. Furthermore, the dental implant crown material resists staining, so your dental implants will stay beautiful for years
- Completely stable, because dental implants are firmly embedded in bone, ensuring that they never move around
- Convenient, because you brush and floss dental implants right along with your natural teeth
Additionally, dental implants boast a success rate of over 95% according to the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. They are so successful because dental implants are made of titanium, a uniquely biocompatible material that your bone naturally fuses with.
Dental implant procedure
Your treatment begins with a simple in-office procedure, during which the implant placed in your jaw. Afterward, there is a healing period where the jawbone fills in and fuses around the implant, locking it in place. Once the area has healed, a beautiful crown is placed on top of the implant, and your new smile is complete!
Interested? Give us a call!
If you need to rebuild your smile, choose the option that is closest to your natural teeth. Choose dental implants! To find out more about the benefits of dental implants and what treatment can do for you, call the dentists at Brookside Dental Care in Stockton, CA. Dial (209) 952-8804 today to schedule a consultation.
Because it requires jaw movement, eating can be difficult and painful if you have a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). During flareups you may switch to foods that are easier to eat but may be less nutritious than those you're giving up.
But there are ways to keep healthier foods in your diet while minimizing TMD discomfort. In many cases, it's a matter of preparing your food differently. Here are a variety of food groups known for their nutritional value and what you can do to prepare them for easier eating with TMD.
Fruits and Vegetables. You should peel any fruits or vegetables with hard or chewy skin like apples, peaches or cucumbers. Try chopping or pureeing fruits and vegetables you can eat raw to reduce their size and make them easier to chew. Vegetables like carrots, potatoes, broccoli or cauliflower can be cooked, then chopped or mashed.
Legumes and nuts. Pod-based vegetables like beans or peas provide a number of nutritional elements, as do nuts with their healthy fats. Your motto with these foods should be "Not too large and not too hard." Be sure then to cook, mash or puree legumes that are larger than a pea. With nuts, try nut butters for a softer serving than eating them out of the shell.
Protein and Dairy. Any meats like poultry or beef should be cut into bite-sized pieces; you can also moisten them with broths, gravies or sauces for easier chewing, or braise or stew them in liquid to tenderize them. You can also consume most milk, yogurt or cheese products you can tolerate. If you can't, try alternatives like meal replacement or whey protein beverages.
Grains. Prepare grains by cooking them until they're softened. Hot cereals like oatmeal offer a lot of nutrition and they're relatively easy to eat. Toast your bread and cut the slice into smaller pieces to minimize jaw movement.
One last tip: take your time while eating. A slower rate not only helps you enjoy your food more, it reduces the amount of work your jaws perform while eating. Less jaw work can help further ease the discomfort of TMD.
If you would like more information on how to relieve TMD pain and dysfunction, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “What to Eat When TMJ Pain Flares Up.”
Your child's permanent teeth come in gradually, starting just as they begin losing their primary ("baby") teeth and not ending until late adolescence or early adulthood. That's when the third molars or "wisdom teeth" close out the process.
Because of their late arrival, wisdom teeth have a high potential for dental problems. With a greater chance of crowding or obstruction by other teeth, wisdom teeth often get stuck fully or partially below the gums and bone (impaction) or erupt out of position. In one study, 7 in 10 people between the ages of 20 and 30 will have at least one impacted wisdom tooth at some time in their lives.
It's not surprising then that wisdom teeth are among the most extracted teeth, to the tune of about 10 million per year. Besides those already diseased or causing bite problems, many are removed preemptively in an attempt to avoid future problems.
But wisdom teeth usually require surgical extraction by an oral surgeon, which is much more involved than a simple extraction by a general dentist. Given the potential consequences of surgical extraction, is it really necessary to remove a wisdom tooth not creating immediate problems?
That's not an easy question to answer because it's often difficult to predict a wisdom tooth's developmental track. Early on it can be disease-free and not causing any problems to other teeth. But as some researchers have found, one in three wisdom teeth at this stage will later develop disease or create other issues.
For many dentists, the best approach is to consider extraction on a case by case basis. Those displaying definite signs of problems are prime for removal. But where there are no signs of disease or other issues, the more prudent action may be to keep a watchful eye on their development and decide on extraction at some later date.
More than likely, your dentist will continue to have an ongoing discussion with you about the state of your child's wisdom teeth. While extraction is always an option, wisdom teeth that aren't yet a problem to dental health may be best left alone.
If you would like more information on treating wisdom teeth issues, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.
This website includes materials that are protected by copyright, or other proprietary rights. Transmission or reproduction of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use, as defined in the copyright laws, requires the written permission of the copyright owners.