All-on-4 | Teeth-In-A-Day

All-on-4 refers to a dental implant procedure that replaces your lower and/or upper teeth sets. Contrary to popular belief, they are natural-looking despite their synthetic qualities. In traditional dentures, your dental surgeon will insert screw fixtures in your gums.

Each screw will replace an old and weak tooth with a prosthetic one. Hence, traditional dentures will require individual tooth replacement with several screw fixtures, and the procedure may last longer. Conversely, all-on-4 offers the best alternative to traditional dentures.

With four titanium screw fixtures into your jawbone, they can replace the entire old denture with fresh prosthetic/false teeth and hold the natural look longer. Thereby, All-on-4 is also a permanent dental implant option to retain brighter smiles with nearly natural aesthetics.

Benefits of All-on-4 Dental Implants

Lower risk of Gum Recession 

All-on-4 is a simple procedure that takes no more than 4 post fixtures attached to your jawbone. The replacements and the fixture itself are secure and less frequent in procedure than traditional dentures. As they are fastened and secure, they lower the risk of gum recession disorders.

All-on-4 Prevents Bone Loss

Once the teeth start to loosen, it is common to experience some sort of jawbone degradation and, often, bone loss. However, the All-on-4 dental implant procedure can prevent the risk of bone loss due to missing teeth. As the implants directly affix to the jawbone, they exert pressure similar to natural teeth roots.

Thus, they are integral in holding the jawbone from degrading. Moreover, the all-on-4 retain bone mass and provide bone strength.

Improve Dental Hygiene

Did you know that nearly half of the adult population suffers from gum disease symptoms, and nearly a quarter of the adult population struggles with untended tooth decays? Well, with all-on-4 dental implants, it is relatively easy to resume general oral hygiene care.

While it may sound like that all-on-4 requires special cleaning, it allows brushing, oral rinses, and flossing. Dental checkups on recommended schedules can identify potential problems. In fact, all-on-4 does not include costly adhesives that cause a mess during traditional dentures and require frequent checkups. 

Greater Confidence with a Brighter Smile

Replacing missing and old teeth with brighter, whiter prosthetic teeth can help you enhance the beauty of your smile. With the natural look of dental implants, they are rarely noticeable as prosthetics.

The mere thought of having permanent and natural-looking teeth boosts the patients’ confidence. They are able to enjoy their favorite meals and drinks without the fear of losing or harming their dental implants and fixtures. 

Drawbacks and Consideration before All-on-4

All-on-4 is suitable for patients of all ages but has a limitation in one aspect. It is the availability of bone mass and strength to hold the strong metal implants and fixtures. While it may be an essential opportunity to restore your beautiful shining smile, there are certain considerations to look at.

Your dental surgeon should consult with you and assess your dental condition and oral health to qualify you as eligible for all-on-4. Here’s what you should know before having an all-on-4 dental surgery.

• You can’t experience how the teeth may feel pre-procedure
• Bone mass and strength is vital for an all-on-4 dental implant
• Molar areas are not eligible for all-on-4, and hence your main biting area may remain intact

Conclusion

Do you want to restore your smile with the all-on-4 dental implant surgery? At Oral & Facial Surgery Institute, Dr. Davis MD can cater to all your oral health needs. Visit our website for more info, or give us a call at (435) 220-2324 to schedule a meeting today. 

Reference Links:

https://bit.ly/3wLRsku

https://bit.ly/35HsneK

https://bit.ly/3hcLp23

https://bit.ly/3vNfgD9

Proper Disposal of Prescription Medication

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Do you have a cabinet full of unused, unwanted, and/or expired medicines and prescription drugs? Well, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the disposal of prescription medicines also demands the use of appropriate methods.

As the common conception goes that your medicine is for you and as it is beneficial to you, it may even be harmful to someone else. Therefore, the best prescription medicine disposal methods can ensure your and others’ safety. So, let’s learn the proper disposal of prescription medication. 

Proper Disposal Methods

Using the Household Trash

Nearly all medications reach our household trash whether they are neutral, harmful, or extremely harmful. Some of them might include creams, drops, pills, patches, etc. However, did you know that not all of the medication is supposed to reach the trash cans or bags?

Here is a step-by-step guideline on how to dispose of prescription medication using household trash to avoid any harmful consequences and get rid of unwanted drugs.

• Initially, grab the medication from their containers to mix them along with other household trash such as dirt or coffee grounds. You should know that this would result in the drugs becoming nearly inseparable and less appealing to someone going through the trash in search of drugs.
• A re-sealable storage zipper bag or perhaps an empty can may allow you to enclose the mixture without the risk of leakage or spills.
• Then, you can dump the new container (whatever you chose) in the garbage.

To maintain privacy and identity, consider ripping off the prescription labels and personal info from the containers or medicine itself.

Flushing Prescription Medicine

Some medications require specific methods of disposal such as flushing as they may be extremely harmful if left in garbage disposals or household trash. If you no longer need prescription medication or it’s expired, you can sink it in the toilet or washbasin.

But how do you know that flushing them through the toilet in the wastage water lines will not cause further harm to the environment or a living being? You can try to stick with the recommended list of drugs and medications that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows for flush disposal. Also, make sure you read the labels on the medication carefully.

The FDA of the United States is highly concerned about the flushing of specific medications as they affect the environment adversely. Despite there being no signs of noticeable damage to the environment through disposing of medications by flushing, FDA was keen to publish a paper in regard with the concern.

About Drugs Take-Back Programs

What you will like to know are the “drug take-back” programs that allow easy disposal and in some cases, the reuse of unwanted prescription drugs. In fact, the DEA of the United States sponsors several drug take-back communities nationwide including National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Moreover, communities exist nationwide that carry their own drug take-back programs. You can search for a said drug collector near you by contacting local law enforcement and drug officials. Be sure to look for a medicine drop-off box the next time you visit your pharmacy.

Conclusion

Are you or someone you know looking for the best oral and facial surgery and treatments? Well, the answer to your search lies with Dr. Shawn Davis at Oral & Facial Surgery Institute. He is a qualified professional and an experienced dental and facial practitioner.

Give us a call at (435) 740-8296 to schedule your first and hopefully your next appointments with Dr. Davis. Check out our official website to learn more. 

Reference Links:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-disposal-medicines/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know

https://portal.ct.gov/DCP/Prescription-Monitoring-Program/Proper-Disposal-of-Prescription-Drugs

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines

https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2018-10/Proper%20Disposal%20Flier%20%28October%202018%29.pdf

https://www.bemedwise.org/your-medicines-self-care/drug-storage-and-disposal/

https://www.hhs.gov/opioids/prevention/safely-dispose-drugs/index.html

https://consumer.georgia.gov/consumer-topics/disposal-prescription-drugs

When to visit an oral surgeon

It seems to happen to most people at one time or another, they get a toothache that sticks around for weeks. Eventually, you give up hoping that it’ll go away, and decide that the pain is bad enough that you need to do something about it. 

Maybe your jaw itself has just been sore for a while, and you’re wondering if there’s something wrong that may be a sign of something more serious. Maybe you just lost a tooth recently. 

Should you call your dentist? What about an oral surgeon? How do you know who to call, and when?

Dentist First

If you have any issues with teeth, gums, and even your jaws, you will need to go see a dentist, even if the pain is only in the general mouth area of the face. Even in an emergency, shoot for a dentist even if it’s not necessarily your dentist.

If you go to an urgent care center or even the ER, the best you are going to get is maybe some pain medication and being told to see a dentist. On top of this, a general medical environment like the ER will probably cost you 3 or 4 times what the procedure would cost with a dentist.

The point is, your dentist can handle most issues that you are going to be at risk of having. They will be able to diagnose and handle most oral problems. However, if they feel that you will be best served by an oral surgeon, they will be able to recommend one or get you a referral in some situations.

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Sometimes, your dentist will recommend you speak with a maxillofacial surgeon. They specialize in dentistry that affects the face and jaws, often to treat diseases or injuries of the areas around the mouth.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons have training and schooling beyond what is required to successfully practice dentistry. Many of the best oral and maxillofacial surgeons also obtain an MD along with the diploma needed to become oral surgeons. This includes putting in a minimum of 4 years of training in a surgical residency program, side by side with other medical students of varying specialties.

Common Areas Of Oral & Maxillofacial Sugery

Impacted Teeth

Very common with wisdom teeth, but known to happen elsewhere as well. This is where the teeth become crowded and painful.

Dental Implants

If you need to have dental implants created and installed, you will have a titanium implant put into your jaw bone, then a crown is attached. These are quite common.

Cancer Treatment

Not just cancers of the mouth, either. Oral surgeons can assist in the treatment of cancers of the head, neck, sinuses, throat, larynx, and even salivary glands.

Oral Surgeons In St. George, Utah

If you are looking for an oral surgeon in the St. George area, reach out to one of the leaders in facial surgery, the Oral & Facial Surgery Institute, or call at (435) 383-5392. 

The 4 Most Common Oral Surgeries

Dental issues are a common concern among different demographics. In fact, they are capable of interrupting your normal daily life to the extent that they restrict most of your day-to-day activities. Why is that? For starters, most oral concerns occur because they cause a great deal of pain. They can affect different parts of the mouth, such as a small part of the gum or the entire face (i.e., jaw) hurting.

Besides, did you know that almost two-thirds of the adult population in the United States made dental visits in early 2019? To dissect these numbers and find out the different procedures that were conducted, here are some of the most common oral surgeries that take place.

Common Oral Surgeries

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• Dental Implants

Dental implants involve the replacement of natural teeth (or tooth) with artificial and specifically crafted teeth (or tooth). It is a prolonged oral surgery that requires many breaks. Thus, you end up making frequent visits until completion. 

Your general dentist or orthodontist inserts a singular post (sometimes a full post) into the jawbone to act as plates for the replacement teeth (or tooth). Commonly, dental implants occur when visible teeth in the mouth are lost. Additionally, jaw bone structure and alignment benefit from dental implants. Consequently, after the dental implants (artificial teeth or tooth) affix onto the posts, you regain adequate chewing function.

• Wisdom Teeth

You must be familiar with the wisdom teeth (or tooth) removal process, right? Stats suggest that this is a common nuisance for adults, especially those in the age group 17-20. Wisdom teeth are the third molars or the additional molars at the back of your mouth.

They provide extensive chewing power upon growth. In rare cases, they may not emerge at all. For a fact, after their emergence and growth, it is possible for them to wear down your back teeth. Simply, wisdom teeth removal becomes important when additional molars start misaligning the jawbone and crowd against other teeth.

Conversely, this oral surgery is a relatively common procedure, and patients recover within the span of a few days.  

• Tooth Extraction

Normally, tooth extraction is among highly performed dental and oral surgeries. It generally involves the removal/ extraction of a certain tooth or teeth from your mouth. Essentially, your general dentist or orthodontist may use local anesthetics to sedate you during oral surgery.

Common causes for tooth extraction include deep decay, impacted tooth, chipped tooth, infections, gum diseases, jawbone deformity, etc. This oral surgery requires expertise and follow-ups with a cavity cleanse and sutures after tooth extraction.

• Oral Bone Grafting

When the bone in your jaw isn’t sufficient, you may require an oral bone graft. What is a bone graft? To put in simple words, it is the addition of bone material from one part of the body (where there is ample bone tissue) to another (where there is a lack of ample bone tissue or support, e.g., jaw).

Occasionally, synthetic bone comes in handy, while a majority of orthodontists stick to simple bone extraction and insertion from one part of the body to another. For one, if a dental implant requires a steady and robust jawbone structure to hold the post, this oral surgery is ideal. 

Conclusion

Are you wondering if your oral conditions will require such surgeries? Well, you shouldn’t wait to experience agonizing pain. Book your appointment today with the Oral & Facial Surgery Institute. Dr. Shawn B. Davis, DMD, is a compassionate, helpful, experienced, and highly skilled dental surgeon. Give us a call at (435) 220-2095 to set a schedule.

Reference Links:

1. https://www.bls.gov/oes/2018/may/oes291022.htm
2. https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/oral-surgery
3. https://www.healthgrades.com/right-care/oral-health/7-common-types-of-oral-surgery
4. https://www.dentalassociates.com/our-services/oral-surgery/oral-surgery-procedures
5. https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/gum-disease/gum-surgery-what-do-i-need-to-know

Preparing for a Tooth Extraction and Dealing with Anxiety

If you’re preparing to remove your wisdom tooth, chances are, you’re drowning in stress and anxiety. Despite being one of the most common dental procedures, even the calmest patients experience a certain amount of anxiety when getting ready for tooth extraction.

Today the advancement of tech tooth extractions is fast and mostly painless. Plus, there’s little to no aftercare necessary after the extraction. However, if you’re experiencing anxiety or stress because of a coming tooth extraction, it’s best to find an effective and practical way of coping with these tough feelings. Here’s how you can best prepare yourself for tooth extractions and reduce anxiety levels.

Confront Your Fear of Extraction

It’s completely normal to feel a certain amount of apprehension about visiting the dentist and getting a tooth extraction. From worrying about feeling pain to being afraid of empty space in your teeth, it’s likely you’re worried about a plethora of different things. Luckily, in the modern oral health world, it’s very rare for you to feel any pain during the extraction process.

Moreover, your dentist will ask you plenty of times how many sensations you feel after applying anesthetics. That way, they won’t start the process unless your mouth is numb. In case you’re experiencing discomfort or nausea, make a hand gesture to let your signal your doctor. Lastly, you may discuss reconstructive options once the area heals.

All in all, the best way to confront your fear of extraction is by preparing for it with information. Ask your doctor questions about the procedure to ensure you feel less out of control. With the help of this approach, you can easily lower your anxiety levels. Plus, finding out the rules and recommendations for aftercare is one more excellent way of reducing stress.

Use Relaxation Methods to Ease Anxiety

You can figure out your own way of dealing with anxiety to help ease yourself. You may try listening to music, meditating, writing in a journal, taking a walk, or taking a trustworthy family member or friend with you.

Typically, dentists understand how patients feel during and after the extraction and will be compassionate throughout the process.

Follow Aftercare Instructions

Following the aftercare instructions closely can help speed up the healing process. Your dentist will tell you the best way to take care of your tooth and the area around it to avoid aches.

From taking painkillers to resting properly and rinsing your mouth, your dentist will tell you various different ways you can properly take care of the extraction area.

The Takeaway

Everyone has their own unique ways of coping with anxiety and figuring out yours can make dealing with tooth extraction stress a whole lot easier. From listening to soft music to writing in a journal, there’s an array of ways you can reduce your anxiety and stress levels. Our expert oral surgeons here at Oral and Facial Surgery Institute provide gentle treatments while prioritizing your mental health over oral treatment.

Sources

https://www.carefreedental.com/resources/13-dental-health/171-taking-the-fear-out-of-routine-tooth-extractions

https://dentalimplantsurgery.com/overcoming-extreme-anxiety-about-wisdom-tooth-removal/#:~:text=Use%20Relaxation%20to%20Ease%20Your,or%20simply%20taking%20a%20walk.

https://www.richmondfamilydentistry.com/blog/tips-to-overcome-your-fear-of-a-tooth-extraction-richmond/

If you ask a child, they will tell you wisdom teeth make you smarter. While we wish this were true, the real reason why we have wisdom teeth is much different. Although times have changed, and the way we live has evolved, many years ago, wisdom teeth were essential for eating and survival for our ancestors. They were an essential piece for being able to eat, given that much of the food consumed was raw or very tough.

Today, wisdom teeth don’t serve their original functions anymore. With the advances in cooking and utensils, the need for the back set of molars, or wisdom teeth, have become obsolete.

Wisdom Teeth and Modern Times

Wisdom teeth are not needed for survival today, which might be the reason why not everyone has them. Genetics are the determining factors of those who get wisdom teeth. While males are more likely to get them than females, they can be painful regardless. Most wisdom teeth, or your last set of molars, will erupt in your late teens to early adulthood.

When these molars finally erupt, it can be painful. Some might never erupt, and these can become impacted. Over time, our build has changed. Our ancestors would have had wider mouths, with a bit of a larger jaw, allowing for more room for the wisdom teeth. While many of our appearances remain the same, there have been some changes over time.

Dealing with Wisdom Teeth Today

Wisdom teeth can cause pain, but they can also cause teeth to move and not leave enough room in your mouth for your regular teeth. If you are experiencing pain from wisdom teeth, you need to visit your dentist and discuss having these removed.

Contact our office today, and we can help determine the best course of action for all your dental needs. From wisdom teeth to preventive care, we have all your dental needs covered!

There is a good chance that you have not considered pain associated with TMJ or the temporomandibular joint. However, once it begins to cause any discomfort, you won’t be able to think about anything else. TMJ can originate through many different causes, such as arthritis.

One of the ways to combat TMJ pain is through some simple exercises. We have compiled 5 jaw exercises for overcoming TMJ pain for you to use at home. We do, however, encourage you to reach out and talk to a doctor, so that they can determine the best steps for you to take, and recommend the best course moving forward.

5 Exercises for TMJ Pain

1. Relaxed jaw – This is done by placing your tongue right behind your top front teeth. Keep your jaw closed so that all your teeth are touching. Slowly, with your tongue still touching the back of your teeth, let your jaw go slack. This will draw your jaw downwards in a relaxed position.
2. Tuck the chin – Square your shoulders while keeping your head and neck straight. You are going to drop your head in order to create a double chin effect. Hold this position for three to five seconds. Repeat ten times daily.
3. Tongue Exercise – Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth, and then open and close your mouth. Do not rush through these motions. This one can be done a couple of times a day – ideally, morning and evening.
4. Moving your jaw side to side – Using a firm object, such as a popsicle stick, place the object between your teeth, and then move your jaw side to side. You are going to want to do this movement for a few minutes. It will be a little painful at first, but it will become easier. As you move forward, you can increase the width of the object, such as two popsicle sticks, and continue practicing this motion.
5. Moving your jaw forward and backward – Such as the movement above, you are going to use a firm object between your teeth, and then move your jaw forward and backward for a few minutes each day. As the exercise becomes easier to do, increase the width of the object between your teeth.

Moving Forward with TMJ Pain

With the 5 exercises for overcoming TMJ pain above, you have a good start on decreasing the pain. However, there are other options that a doctor could go through with you to ensure that the pain lessens.

At the Oral and Facial Surgery Institute, we hate to see you suffer! We want to help you continue presenting your best face each day. Our office is ready and willing to answer any questions that you have! Contact us now and make an appointment with our fabulous Dr. Davis.