Your Garden Grove Dentist Answers: “How Bad is it If my Wisdom Teeth Come In?”

Wisdom teeth are called “wisdom” teeth because they come into our lives (and our jaws) around a time in life when our minds are suddenly swirling with new ideas about ourselves and the world around us. So it only makes sense for the teeth to (somewhat jokingly) commemorate this opinionated and questioning time of adolescence.

With that in mind, one of the frequent questions that patients in our Garden Grove dental practice ask about wisdom teeth is a rather good question. That question is: “Is it bad if my wisdom teeth do come in?”

And really – the answer depends.

It’s not always necessary to get your wisdom teeth removed under a few different conditions. If they are correctly positioned in your mouth, don’t cause pain, and don’t conflict with other teeth – then they shouldn’t pose a problem. On the other hand, if they are “impacted” or can possibly contribute to crowding with other teeth – there’s a good chance your dentist will recommend removing them.

So, what does it mean when a wisdom tooth is impacted?

An impacted wisdom tooth is a wisdom tooth that hasn’t fully erupted into your mouth. Many times, this can happen because of a blockage being caused by other teeth. The most likely reason wisdom teeth become impacted is due to a discrepancy between the available space in the jaw and the space required by your teeth. Typically, impacted wisdom teeth are categorized by noting the direction they’re impacted in, how deep they are compared to the actual “Cutting” or biting surface of other teeth, and what percentage of the crown actually shows through the bone or gum tissue.

What are the symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth?

It’s only bad to not get your wisdom teeth removed if you need to get your wisdom teeth removed – which is to say: if they’re going to cause problems.

Even impacted wisdom teeth don’t always cause symptoms. But if they encroach on another tooth or become infected – you might start to notice the following:

Swelling in and around the jaw
Trouble opening your mouth
Red and swollen gums
Pain around the jaw
Bad breath
A bade taste in your mouth

Do you live near Anaheim or Garden Grove? If you have questions about your wisdom teeth, our dentists can help. Contact us today to learn more about why you do (or don’t) need your wisdom teeth removed.

Do I Really Need My Wisdom Teeth Removed?

flossing-dental-bridge-dental-crown-orange-county

While the wisdom teeth are (reportedly) called that because they “erupt” at a later stage in life, when the patient is (allegedly) much wiser than when other teeth erupted.

But with all of this talk about “wisdom” many patients wonder if the wisdom teeth need to be removed at all. For most dentists, including our dentists in Garden Grove – the advice is almost always “Yes”.

More often than not, dentists tend to agree that wisdom teeth should come out in order to prevent a number of other potential problems further down the road.

The biggest concern is typically the 2nd molars (the teeth before the wisdom teeth). It’s possible for there to be an increase in bone loss on the back side of your second molars. On top of this, it’s very common to get food stuck between the second molar and the adjacent wisdom tooth. This can easily lead to a cavity on either the wisdom tooth, the 2nd molar, or both — which is never good.

The wisdom teeth are also simply hard to reach. In almost every mouth, the molars are frequently the teeth that receive the most lackluster care simply because they’re tougher to reach. Your wisdom teeth are even harder to reach. So it isn’t unreasonable to expect a problem later in life.

Finally, and most importantly – the issue of “impacted” molars. Many times, patients learned of impacted molars many years ago but don’t get them removed. Unfortunately, while everyone is different, a common way for wisdom teeth to cause problems is when they become tipped forward and impacted. This forces them to contact with the back of the second molar in front of it, which can easily cause cavities on the innocent 2nd molar. The worst part is, if this requires both teeth to be removed, it can lead to poor support for the remaining unopposed teeth.

Ultimately, the smartest option is to minimize the number of problems that can happen in the future. Unfortunately, with wisdom teeth – chances are high that there could be an issue. For most dentists – the easiest option is to eliminate the chance, since the teeth aren’t needed for any practical purpose.

How a Root Canal Doctor Can Save Your Life

When you think about your teeth, there’s a good chance that you don’t think about their preservation as a matter of “life or death”. Unfortunately, this isn’t an exaggeration.

While the average dental patient shouldn’t worry about death as an alternative to diligent dental care – it’s important to understand how important comprehensive dental care is.

Consider one patient for example, we’ll call him John.

For months, John experienced dental pain that was consistent and intense. It kept him up at night, prevented him from eating the foods he loved, and impacted his every day. What was happening was relatively simple. John had a tooth infection that was slowly spreading deeper and deeper. That is, until he found a root canal doctor to take care of the problem. Here’s what happened: John received a root canal that completely cleared the infection out of his tooth and prevented it from spreading further. Here’s what could have happened: John could have continued to ignore and attempt to “live with” the pain – which would have caused immeasurable swelling and a growing infection. Eventually, the infection could have spread to the muscles in John’s jaw, face, and neck – causing all sorts of damage ranging from more pain to constriction of the jaw and difficulty breathing.

This is what happens when you allow a dental infection to, “run away”. Just like an infection elsewhere in your body – a dental infection can spread, fester, and grow.

The point of this isn’t to frighten or scare you, but simply to demonstrate what can happen if we view our teeth as a bodypart that isn’t connected to the body as a whole. The fact is that everyone is vulnerable to infection because bacteria doesn’t discriminate. While serious infections stemming from your teeth are rare, they are hardly unheard of. If left untreated, there’s only one way for infection to go – deeper. Every year, patients who grow to “live with” a dental infection routinely experience infection that eats into their neck, jaw, face, and skeletal structure. Little do they know, these infections can be life threatening.

While most people are diligent about getting treatment for a cut that’s turned green and full of pus, the invisible nature of a dental infection often inspires patients to do otherwise.

As one family dentist in Orange County, take it from us – don’t let a dental infection go untreated too long.

Are you experiencing severe dental pain? Taking care of it sooner rather than later not only gets you relief faster, but it eliminates the need for a more involved and expensive procedure.

Don’t Fear the Drill: Why Root Canal Treatment Should be No Sweat

There’s something wrong with the way people view root canal treatment around the world. Far too often, we look back on the past as “the good ole’ days”. Unfortunately, when it came to root canal treatment in the “good ole’ days” (which weren’t actually that long ago) dental patients didn’t have things quite as “good” as we have them today.

However, despite monumental advances in dental technology and the tools we have available to us, there aren’t too many other aspects of dentistry that are quite as misunderstood as root canal treatment. So let’s start at the root (ha!) of the problem: the drill.

Don’t Fear the Drill!

Of course, it’s no surprise that you probably want to avoid the dentist’s drill in the first place. However, the image you have in your mind of a dentist bearing down on you with an intimidatingly large drill that’s whirring away with menacing abandon couldn’t be further from the truth. Today’s dental drills are advanced pieces of machinery that are engineered to minimize pain while reducing the amount of time your dentist needs to spend actually “drilling”.

Anesthesia Makes the Difference

You still don’t feel comfortable with the drill. We get it. It might help if it wasn’t called a “Drill” but that’s not going to change anytime soon. However, on top of all the technology actually inside the drill to make it a better, less-invasive, and more comfortable dental tool, we have anesthesia. In addition to having a tool that’s more precise, incredible local anesthesia is the “two” of the “one-two” punch that knocked root canal treatment into the 21st century.

Read and repeat: Drilling a tooth that’s been anesthetized will not hurt.

Time and time again, we remind our patients that the root canal treatment (despite it’s painful reputation) will actually eliminate the pain you feel.

Do You need a Root Canal?

The first question you should ask yourself when you begin to wonder if you need a root canal or not is, “Am I in pain?” Chances are, if you aren’t in pain you probably don’t need a root canal, but there are a few other symptoms as well. Other symptoms include:

Serious dental pain when chewing or when you add pressure to the area
Sensitivity to hot or cold that lingers when you remove the stimuli
A pimple-like bump on your gum, near a painful tooth
Your tooth has become darkened
Your gums are tender or swollen near the location of dental pain

We can help!

Whether you have questions about getting affordable dentures or are simply looking for a great dentist near Garden Grove, we’re happy to help! Contact us today to get in touch and schedule an appointment or consultation.

From Bridges to Crowns: the Procedures of a Full Dental Reconstruction

If you haven’t read our post “An Intro to a Full Dental Reconstruction” you might want to star there before continuing. Don’t feel like going back? We’ll try to summarize what we’ve learned so far as quickly and simply as possible: It replaces all of your teeth, and can sometimes involve quite a bit.

But before we begin: a Short Word on the difference between a full dental reconstruction and a “Smile Makeover”

Sometimes, patients don’t quite understand the difference between a smile makeover and full mouth reconstruction. While the two can often involve many of the same procedures, the big difference here is necessity.

A smile makeover is something you elect to do for any reason. Whether it’s to improve a bothersome imperfection or boost your confidence, it doesn’t matter – you have a choice. On the other hand, a full reconstruction is something you need, to the point where not treating your teeth could lead to more serious health problems.

6 of the Most Common Procedures for a Full Dental Reconstruction

When you last dropped by, our first introduction to the full dental reconstruction wrapped up with the simple fact that a dental reconstruction can call into play a wide variety of dental procedure. Whether you’re researching a dental reconstruction or simply curious, read on to learn more about some of the most common procedures.

Crown lengthening: Crown lengthening is often used when there isn’t enough healthy tooth structure available to place a crown or dental bridge. During this treatment, your dentist will gradually work the surface of your teeth in order to present a surface suitable for the restoration.

Jaw Surgery: Also referred to as orthognathic surgery, the repositioning of the jaw is often employed in order to solve a variety of problems with your bite, including overbite, crossbite, underbite, and more.

Placement of Temporary Restorations: Many times, especially for patients receiving extensive dental restorations, y our dentist will place temporary restorations so that you can “get used” to the way your new teeth will fit and feel in your mouth.

Placement of Permanent Restorations: After you’ve taken your new chompers for a test ride, it’s time for the real deal. After wearing a temporary set of dental restorations, the next step is for the actual placement of custom made dental crowns, dental bridges, veneers, and inlays (you get the gist).

Placement of Implants: If you had an accident or are missing teeth for any reason, preparing your mouth for implants will undoubtedly be a major part of the restoration process. It is also used in order to provide a suitable anchor for bridge restorations.

Orthodontic treatment: Sometimes, you might not require intensive jaw surgery to handle a misalignment with your teeth. Oftentimes, solutions like braces are sufficient to help move teeth into a proper position.

The Warning Signs of Impacted Wisdom Teeth (and other questions answered!)

There’s a magical time in every adolescent’s journey from childhood to adulthood, one specific moment where they go from being a child to an adult. Maybe not in terms of maturity or experience, but physically. For many teenagers and young adults, the early talk, worry, and anxiety about wisdom teeth removal is often one of the first signs that childhood is long gone. Of course, that’s because removing your wisdom teeth is, in a way, the last time you really want your mouth to lose any teeth for the rest of your adult life.

Here at our family dentist office and oral surgeon in Garden Grove Ca, we have quite a bit of experience with wisdom teeth. For many of our patients, one of the first concerns is whether or not the wisdom teeth are “impacted”. This is often one of the first questions we get asked, and for many, that’s because it can have an impact on the length and (potentially) the discomfort of your recovery.

But are impacted wisdom teeth even something you have to worry about? Read on to find out.

the Early (and not so early) Warning Signs of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

It is painful or difficult to Chew

You’ve noticed swelling, irritation, or redness of the gums in the back of your mouth.

You’re starting to find it’s difficult or painful to open your mouth

You’ve started to notice your breath is bad

You have a bad taste in your mouth

You’re experiencing pain in the back of your mouth

What do Impacted Wisdom Teeth Look Like?

Many patients often read about wisdom teeth online and attempt to self-diagnose. This is perfectly normal. However, it’s important to see your dentist before you draw any conclusions about your wisdom teeth and whether or not they’re impacted or not. That said, the image below shows a good example what a typical mesial impaction (and a fair amount of plaque and staining. Don’t forget to brush extra carefully to get those hard to reach places!).

Does Treatment and Recovery for Impacted Teeth Hurt More?

Generally, no. Patients will often hear that their wisdom teeth are impacted and take the news like a death sentence. Really, for most patients it’s nothing to worry about. The only difference between pulling an impact wisdom tooth and a non-impacted wisdom tooth is the length and “difficulty” of the procedure for your dentist. The simple fact that a wisdom tooth is a little harder to access than a non-impacted tooth means that there’s a slightly greater chance that your post-operative discomfort might be a little greater. But this is only due to the relative amount of activity your mouth and jaw had to go through to achieve the end goal of getting rid of your wisdom teeth.

Oral Surgeons in Garden Grove Agree: Do What’s Comfortable for You

“Should I Opt for local or general anesthesia when it comes to my wisdom teeth?”

When it comes to getting wisdom teeth removed, patients are often provided with the option of having either local anesthesia or general anesthesia. While these two might sound similar, they’re actually quite different. Our team of oral surgeons in Garden Grove walks every patient through their anesthetic options (and the associated pros and cons) it’s understandable that many patients either still have questions or have simply forgotten what their oral surgeons briefed them on. This is understandable! Any surgery can be stressful, and sometimes the small details (like the difference between local and general anesthetic) fall by the wayside.

There are a number of available options when it comes to anesthesia during surgery — particularly during wisdom tooth surgery. But when it comes to the solutions available, while some of the medications available are intended to control pain, sometimes simple relaxation or even complete sleep are necessary to create a comfortable experience for the patient during treatment.

When it comes to choosing the right anesthesia for you, your choice will ultimately rely on the actual procedure at hand, your allergy history, your health, and even the degree of your anxiety when it comes to the actual procedure.

Local Anesthesia vs General Anesthesia

When it comes to general anesthesia, most patients simply refer to it as “going under”. But it doesn’t have to sound so daunting. General anesthesia typically uses a combination of drugs (administered by an anesthesiologist) to produce a sleep-state where you are unconscious and feel no pain. Typically, general anesthesia comes in the form of either an intravenous drug, or one that you breath — typically known as “sleeping gas”. Regardless of the type of general anesthetic that’s used, the anesthesiologist (and usually a nurse) will monitor your vital signs, control your breathing, and ensure a safe procedure at all times. The opposite of general anesthesia is local anesthesia, which is used (as the name suggests) to prevent and suppress pain in a very specific area of your mouth. This is done by blocking the nerves that transmit pain, and is applied by your dentist to prevent pain for the duration of the procedure. However, sometimes it can last a little longer, which encourages some patients to remain away from work for the day of their surgery.

Patients choose general anesthesia for a number of reasons. For some, it’s a fear of needles (used to apply anesthetic) and the anxiety of having “work” done in your mouth. From blood and saliva to the sound of the drill and everything that comes with it, general anesthesia makes all of the typical discomforts of surgery melt away. Other times, when the procedure is relatively minor and your dentist is confident the procedure will be comfortable enough, local anesthesia is often all that’s needed — leaving only a gentle tingling or tugging feeling instead of pain.

Do you have questions about anesthesia for your next dental procedure? Our team of oral surgeons are here in Garden Grove and Fountain Valley to help. Contact us to learn more.

Ouch! Emergency Dental Care Steps!

Ouch!!! Your Guide to Emergency Dental Care

There are few things worse than tooth pain. It is an intense sensation that occurs when the nerves inside the “pulp” of the tooth are irritated or exposed to air. Every year, almost a million Americans are treated for emergency dental problems. This issues are often drastic and need to be taken care of as soon as possible. When this happens, it is important to find an emergency dentist that is qualified and well reviewed. You can often find dentist reviews online. These will help you get a feel for their reputation and fees.

Common Dental Emergencies

It is very common for people to crack their teeth on a piece of hard candy, or nut. This can cause severe dental trauma. These are often described in medical terms as: tooth fractures, extrusive/lateral luxation ( loosening of teeth), avulsion (total displacement of a tooth from its socket), or intrusion (displacement of a tooth vertically into bone). All of these problems require that you check with a dentist immediately.

When a patient suffers dental trauma, the dentist will generally take an x-ray to determine the amount of damage. Depending on the case, they may then reattach any pieces of broken teeth. Some injuries will require a dental implant or dental crown. Other procedures will involve a root canal or dental extraction.

If you ever find yourself in a dental emergency, here are some easy tips that could end up proving crucial to your future oral health.

If you have an adult tooth that has somehow been dislodged from your mouth, you must do your best to keep it moist! Here, time is of the utmost importance! If the tooth has fallen on the ground or is dirty, handle it gently and wash off with cool water. Avoid damaging the root. *NEVER USE SOAP!* If possible, place it back into the socket. Otherwise, make sure that you put the tooth into cool milk. This will keep it moist and make sure that none of the living cells die. Get to the dentist as soon as possible!
Sometimes an object will become lodged in your mouth. Try to gently remove it. Often times, floss will the best tool to help clear out any obstruction. Do not add any further damage to your gums or the roof of your mouth.
When a tooth gets cracked, rinse out your mouth with lukewarm water. If your face has begun to swell, put a cold compress onto the swollen area.
If you have a severe toothache, try and clean the painful area out. Do a visual inspection of the area and call your dentist. Make note of any discolorations or problem areas.</p>

When it comes to emergency dental care there are 3 P’s that you always need to remember. The first P, is Prevention. This involved wearing mouth guards during sporting events, keeping your teeth clean, and seeing your dentist for regular check ups and teeth cleanings. The second is Preservation. If a tooth gets dislodged or damage, you need to do everything to insure that you preserve the living cells and avoid any sort of further damage. The last is Promptness. If a dental emergency occurs, it is vital you see a dentist IMMEDIATELY! A few hours could be the difference between losing your tooth or not.

We live in an uncertain world, and emergencies can occur at any time. To keep your oral health in tip top shape, it is good to remember the three P’s and have the number of an emergency dentist located in orange county written down or on speed dial. That way, if something does happen, you will be prepared.

If you would like more information on how emergency dental care in California, you would like to make an appointment, contact Primary Dental Care in Garden Grove, California at 714-537-5700.

Cosmetic dentistry improves your oral health conditions

For a beautiful smile, it is very important to take care of your oral health in a regular manner. Whereas, cosmetic dentistry is an effective solution for improving one’s smile and treating oral health problems. Some of the common issues that people face in their oral health are teeth whitening, crowning and many more.

However, you can search for a reliable service provider who provides effective cosmetic dentistry to the people at affordable rates. Amongst all, “Primary Dental Care” is one of the profound and a credible clinic who caters cosmetic dentistry to the patients at budget friendly rates. We are dedicated in giving our services in Garden Grove, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Fountain Valley, Santa Ana and to many more. With the refinery and advanced technology, the oral surgeon Garden Grove uses the world class quality procedures and treatments to all patients of all ages.

Yet, the clinic has a membership from the leading partners such as ADA, cda, UCLA and many. The clinic renders a huge array of amenities to the people, which cover child care and prevention, crowns, bridges, root canals, veneers, dental cleaning, bonding, cosmetic fillings, oral cancer and many more. The oral surgeon Santa Ana has specialized in providing family, restorative and cosmetic dentistry such like dentures, dental implants and Invisalign and many. Get the best treatment for restoration of tooth structure and root canal treatment by the oral surgeon Anaheim renders to their clients. Simply get an appointment for yourself from our website. For more details please visit www.gardengrovedentalarts.com.

Garden Grove Dental Arts : Marianna Ibrahim DDS

714-537-5700

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