Category: San Diego Dentist Association

You don’t have to dread going to the dentist when you can choose a compassionate, experienced dental office as your VA dentist in the San Diego area. Each San Diego Dentist Association member has a deep commitment to serving veterans.

To support your overall health, maintaining excellent oral health is crucial, and the Veterans Administration understands that. Obtaining and maintaining dental and oral health can help you have an incredible smile that you and your family can be proud of and have the excellent function you need to eat and speak well.

If you’re looking for an appointment at a dental practice instead of the Mission Valley dental clinic, an SDDA dentist is waiting to serve you. Our VA-approved dentists offer excellence in dental services to veterans in the Mission Valley and San Diego area as well as in Chula Vista and across Southern California.

Our dentists provide cosmetically pleasing, non-toxic, biocompatible treatment in a dental office environment, not in a large clinic with a massive waiting room and an uncaring staff. From the moment you arrive, you’ll be treated with dignity and respected by caring professionals.

How It Works

Our commitment is the same as the VA San Diego Healthcare System: improving your health. The Dental Service of the VA San Diego Healthcare System allows you to see qualified private VA dentists at no extra cost to you in many cases. When you choose an SDDA dentist, you pay the same rate as for an in-house VA dentist but may find a more pleasing experience.

Trust our dentists for comprehensive dentistry of all types and for having a location convenient to you and your needs. We use modern methods and biocompatible materials for all VA and non-VA patients. There is no difference in quality of treatment no matter who’s paying.

You can confidently turn to a San Diego Dentist Association member for:

• Dental anxiety management with painless treatments including no shots and no drills in many cases
• Digital diagnosis with modern regular and panoramic x-rays plus diagnostic lasers
• Biocompatible fillings, crowns, bridges, onlays and more with mercury-free, non-metallic composite materials
• Oral conscious sedation
• Pain-Free checkups, exams and cleanings
• Emergency extractions
• Gum disease treatments
• Sealants and other preventive dentistry
• Oral surgery including wisdom tooth extraction and crown lengthening
• And much more.

Our dentists want to give back to the community by serving you well. Reach out for a consultation with an SDDA dentist now, and get your oral and dental health back on track for the very best life possible.

Contact the VA Dental Center at (858) 552-7525 to request authorization for service from the dentist you choose, then make an appointment. You’re just two simple steps away from the treatment you need in a pleasant, friendly, gentle environment.

There is a connection between Lyme disease and dentistry, and San Diego Dentist Association members understand it. These dental experts are aware that a wide range of symptoms is diagnosed as Chronic Lyme Disease, rightly and wrongly. This umbrella term covers a lot of ground and includes many infections that attack the body as it fights Lyme infection.

The Lyme organism, Borrelia burgdorferi, attacks the body and generates an imbalance in the body’s natural ecosystem, making it easier for other health issues to flare up and for other bacteria and viruses to infect you and cause symptoms. Along with the Lyme organism, those with Lyme disease are commonly attacked by babesiosis, bartonella, ehrliciosis, and other bacteria that can be transmitted by ticks and sometimes other insects or animals.

The result of these multiple infections is a long list of symptoms that may not appear to be related, including disorders of the cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, musculoskeletal, neurological, and other body systems. As the body tries to fight off these infections, the immune system can respond in unpredictable ways.

Your immune response can understandably create havoc in your body, and this response escalates as a condition continues, eventually impacting all kinds of tissues of your body. Such a chronic immune response may go undiagnosed because doctors can’t put a finger on the primary cause. As your immune system concentrates on resolving the primary problem, other health problems can happen while your immune system is too strained to fight them off. Meanwhile, the doctor or dentist may get distracted by the Lyme disease diagnosis and allow other treatable conditions to go undiagnosed and therefore untreated. These other conditions can even include diabetes and heavy metal toxicity.

Replacement Of Toxic Mercury Fillings

One key to symptom improvement in those with a diagnosis of Chronic Lyme Disease is eliminating the possibility of heavy metal toxicity through mercury filling replacement. SDDA dentists support those with Lyme infection and chronic symptoms by working to identify other important contributing factors to the problems our patients face. Working with you and your doctor, we can help you formulate ways to get over your symptoms and get on with your life.

Our dentists take a holistic, biocompatible approach to dentistry that takes into account our patients’ whole bodies, not just their mouths. Each treatment offered by SDDA dentists is non-toxic, chemical-free, and doesn’t work against the body and its healing efforts.

One treatment that helps many patients with vague or undefined symptoms is toxic mercury filling replacement. These old silver fillings shed metals every day, but they can be replaced with modern composite material for beautiful fillings and other restorations that match natural teeth color and last as well as metal fillings. Getting rid of toxic metals could help reduce your symptoms.

Let Us Help You Achieve Better Health

Each of the treatments offered by SDDA dentists is customized to the individual, and the dentists never take actions that harm patients or cause unnecessary pain or discomfort. After speaking with you and taking a medical history, these dentists can help you make smart decisions to support – not work against – your overall health.

This approach is centered on nourishing and respecting the patient while taking actions that ensure your body’s immune system can fight as well as possible for itself to restore the natural order built into your body. This non-toxic approach benefits a range of other health problems as well by reducing or eliminating symptoms and supporting the body’s natural processes for optimal life.

Everyone deserves a healthy, symptom-free life. Working with SDDA dental professionals as well as informed medical professionals and taking the right actions yourself, you can experience fewer symptoms from Chronic Lyme Disease and the conditions related to it for your best life ever.

Because of All-On-Four, the latest in fixed dentures, you can get all the benefits of implant-supported dentures with no downsides. It’s the right choice for permanent dentures with a low cost, little time in the chair and reduced healing time too. This option is available now from San Diego Dentist Association members.

A Big Step Up From Removable Dentures

Old-fashioned removable dentures are held in place by any remaining teeth or the gum ridge, if it’s stable enough to support them. For decades, this was the only choice, and it worked fine for many people. You could remove the dentures whenever you wanted, but getting them to fit in stably and stay put comfortably all day was a problem for some people. Permanent dentures don’t need to be removed, so they can be adjusted to fit better, making them superior to removable dentures.

In the past, there were problems with permanent dentures, however. These included the relatively high cost and the lengthy recovery time necessary for the dental implants that were placed in your mouth to support them.

You see, permanent dentures require implants – which are titanium posts that go into the jaw to replace one or more missing teeth. In the past, it took months for these implants to heal and fully integrate with nearby bone for total stability. The healed implant could then support one tooth or several. But costs were high and the treatment was lengthy. You might even have needed to get bone grafting to have enough bone, and that added even more to the healing time.

Now, times have changed for the better.

All-On-Four Fixed Dentures Without A Downside

Permanent dentures are better than removable ones because they’re more stable so you can wear them confidently and without problems or embarrassment. Removable bottom dentures can be especially problematic and often unstable when there are no remaining teeth or implants to which to attach them.

For some, unsupported dentures simply don’t stay in at all, making them impossible to use. This is usually because the ridge of the gums has degenerated so much. In these cases, implant-supported dentures may be the only choice for full arch teeth restoration.

But fixed dentures have been avoided by many who could benefit because of the high cost and the number of long office visits that were necessary in the past for bone grafting, implant setting and monitoring of healing. With the All-On-Four procedure, however, a total arch of dentures can be mounted on four small implanted posts that are placed during a single brief office visit.

Because the implants needed for All-On-Four are small, healing time is greatly reduced when compared to traditional implants. And no grafting is necessary to build up bone because the back implants are long and tilted, allowing them to go into the strong bone at the back of the jaw.

The simplicity means lower cost and something else amazing: You can leave the dental office with teeth the same day.

Reach Out For More On All-on-Four Fixed Dentures

All-On-Four fixed dentures are available to a wide range of people, but, of course, some people are not good candidates. If you’re missing all teeth on the top, bottom or both (or need the rest of the teeth on either or both arches extracted), you can get permanent dentures, experience less healing time and pay less than for traditional implants when you choose All-On-Four.

SDDA dentists are experts on implant-supported dentures, modern dental implants and other methods of teeth restoration. Contact one of these experienced dentists now to learn more details on the many benefits of All-On-Four fixed dentures and other procedures that may be right for you.

You have more options for teeth restoration than ever before. If All-On-Four isn’t right for you, there are bridges, mini-implants and other choices you can consider. For every dental and oral health concern, there’s a solution available from a San Diego dentist you can trust.

In short, we have a solution to your problem of missing teeth, just give us a call at (619) 745-6870.

The public first got to know dental implants decades ago – when they were introduced as a technology that, quite frankly, didn’t always work very well. At that time, dental implants involved only single teeth and were an unreliable alternative to root canals and a mediocre choice to replace teeth that were missing. Now, times have really changed.

Today’s dental implant technology is much better – smaller and requiring less healing time. Procedures have a success rate approaching 100 percent. And a single implant can now support several teeth. This makes the astounding All-on-4 complete upper or lower arch restoration procedure possible – with just four implants per arch.

If you’re missing all teeth on the bottom, top or both arches – or need to get your remaining teeth extracted for better oral and overall health – All-on-4 total arch restoration from a San Diego Dentist Association member is an upgraded alternative to traditional removable dentures, individual implants and even other kinds of implant-supported dentures.

All-On-4 Arch Restoration Advantages

Reliable, safe and affordable implant-supported All-on-4 dentures are less invasive and easier and your system than traditional implants and require less healing time than some other types of restorations of full arches with implants. This method is unique because the back two implants are longer than usual and tilted so they go into a place in the bone that’s strong and thick. That means your dentist doesn’t have to do any bone grafting, and that means you don’t have the pain, potential complications and months of healing that come with grafting.

Here are some specific benefits of All-on-4 dentures as opposed to traditional dental implants and other ways of restoring a full arch of missing teeth:

Speed. The four specially designed implants supporting the top or bottom arch can be implanted at the same time so you can leave the dental office with teeth that day. You don’t have to come again and again for more surgery.

Savings. Because All-on-4 full arch restoration is easier, quicker and involves fewer dental office visits than traditional implants, you get great results while saving money. There’s a reduced chance of complications too.

Stability. Because the back implants are long, tilted and specially designed to anchor into a strong part of the jawbone, you can get excellent stability, especially if you have bone loss. You don’t have to worry with removable dentures, and there are no expensive, slow-to-heal bone grafts. Plus, your prosthetic fits snugly for amazing comfort and a natural feel.

Appearance. Your teeth will look better than ever when you select this method of full arch restoration with implants, but that’s not all. Because your jawbone won’t deteriorate as it does with dentures or missing teeth, you won’t lose facial structure and definition. That means your face will never have that caved-in look, and wrinkles around your mouth will be reduced.

Function. When you opt for All-on-4 restoration, you can eat normally – perhaps better than in years. Your eating habits will greatly improve over when you had missing teeth or bad dentures. You will eat comfortably and whatever you like without any pain or embarrassment from clicking dentures.

Permanence. The four implants and prosthesis involved with All-on-4 implant-supported fixed dentures from an SDDA dental clinic will last a lifetime in most cases – and you’ll never have to remove dentures again. With regular dental care just as with natural teeth, you should have no problems.

For Full Arch Restoration, Reach Out Now

If you have missing teeth or need multiple extractions on a single arch, there is now a dental implant choice that’s better than traditional implants and other brands of implant-supported dentures. All-on-4 implant-supported dentures from a San Diego Dentist Association member are a smart choice you may not have heard of until now.

We hope you will reach out to an SDDA dentist now to learn more about All-On-4. When you do, they can explain all the details of this smart, permanent cost-effective solution for full arch restoration.

Fear of going to the dentist – or dental phobia – is among the most common fears. There are many reasons for it, but it’s an irrational concern these days. Dentists are sensible, caring people who go into the profession to help people.

Dental phobia can arise from lack of knowledge, bad experiences in the past, something people have seen or heard or simply a primal, instinctual fear that builds inside us. People put off going to the dentist for months or even years even though they know they need the services that a dental office can provide.

In the worst-case scenarios, patients can develop oral and dental health problems that would not have otherwise happened if they had visited a dentist regularly throughout their lives. This can be both upsetting and expensive.

For patients who experience dental anxiety and need complicated treatment, oral conscious sedation is available from San Diego Dentist Association members and can make the process of getting help easier than you ever imagined.

Benefits Of Oral Conscious Sedation

With oral conscious sedation, you’re neither fully awake nor fully asleep, in most cases. A dentist might suggest this approach to you so you can experience these benefits:

Reduced anxiety and fear. Compassionate dentists see people every day who are trying to overcome dental anxiety. You don’t have to be embarrassed if you haven’t seen a dentist in years. You’re not alone, and oral conscious sedation is among the tools that can make it more appealing for you to get the treatment you need.

Easier treatment. Whether you have sensitive teeth and gums or perhaps a particularly strong gag reflex, oral conscious sedation allows you to relax and maybe sleep through your dental treatment without stress. It’s easier on you and easier on the dentist when you can rest through the treatment and our team can focus on handling the dental procedures you need for a healthy mouth and teeth.

Greater relaxation before and after. People feel comfortable about going to the dentist when they visit an SDDA dentist for an oral conscious sedation appointment. You can stay quiet and calm during your appointment and not feel stress-related symptoms after the appointment either. Instead of a stressful day, you’ll have a break from your hectic life and will be so relaxed after the appointment that you may need to bring someone with you to drive you home.

Fewer dental appointments. Whether you need cavities filled, gum disease treatment or repairs to chipped or cracked teeth, several things can be accomplished at once during an oral conscious sedation dental appointment from one of our San Diego dentists. Extensive procedures that usually take several appointments can often be accomplished in a single visit while you’re sedated, reducing significantly your overall time in the chair.

Taking The Fear From Dental Treatment

You may think that the idea of conscious sedation for a dental procedure is a bit frightening, but it couldn’t be simpler or safer. When you get oral conscious sedation from your San Diego dentist, the dentist gives you a pill that contains a small amount of medicine that is known to cause people to sleep. But with this small dose, most people don’t fall asleep and instead are simply relaxed and destressed. You experience less awareness of stressors happening around you. This small amount of medicine is often less harmful than the large spike in natural body chemicals that results from fear.

Conscious sedation is also a painkiller, reducing the need for other painkillers. If you don’t want chemicals or other foreign things in your body, this method means fewer chemicals than most other approaches to anesthesia and pain management. Sedation relaxes muscles too, reducing another source of pain during medical, dental and other potentially traumatic experiences.

If you don’t experience stress or fear of going to the dentist, you may not need oral conscious sedation and will do better with other forms of anesthesia and pain management. On the other hand, if simply visiting a dental office causes you a high level of panic that generates nausea, fainting or panic attacks, your dental office can discuss with you by phone or email other options that may be better suited to your needs.

If you experience nervousness when visiting a dental office even though you understand that it’s necessary, please contact an SDDA dentist before visiting their office to see what option might be best for you. Everyone is different, of course, but oral conscious sedation is the right solution for many apprehensive and fearful patients.

The worst-case scenario is that you ignore your dental symptoms because you’re too anxious, fearful, or concerned about going to see a dentist to even make the first appointment. That could very easily lead to expanding oral health problems that will take longer to treat, mean many more dental office visits, and could cost you more money.

San Diego Dentist Association members deal with dental anxiety every day and offer conscious sedation as one alternative way to treat you that can reduce stress and anxiety. Find out if it’s right for you by reaching out today. No matter your situation, there’s a way to get the treatment you need and deserve.

To find out if oral conscious sedation is a good option for you, call (619) 745-6870 for a free consultation.

Wouldn’t it be great to wave a magic wand and have totally healthy, beautiful teeth? That’s not quite possible, but there is a wand that can make dentistry easier and less painful. Contact a San Diego Dentist Association member now for more information about the dental wand, a remarkable tool that makes your dentist’s office experience quicker, easier, and less of a hassle. You’ll recover in no time from your procedure when we use the dental wand.

Officially called, CompuDent, the Dental Wand is a special Single Tooth Anesthesia System. This computer-controlled dental injector allows for perfect accuracy for dental anesthesia. That means it’s possible to inject much smaller amounts of anesthesia with much greater accuracy than any human could manage. Perhaps even better, this minimal amount of numbing solution is injected very slowly – ensuring that there aren’t any sudden spikes or jerks in injections.

Benefits Of Single Tooth Anesthesia System

Even patients who are afraid of needles can be comfortable with computer-controlled single tooth anesthesia (STA) using the computer system. San Diego Dentist Association members use this remarkable tool for a range of dental treatments, including fillings, crowns, root canals, and even cleanings when necessary. The CompuDent system from Milestone Scientific doesn’t even have the look of a syringe. In fact, it looks more like a magic wand – and that’s just what it is for those with dental phobia.

Here are some specific benefits of STA using the CompuDent dental wand:

• Patient anxiety is reduced because there’s no need for a traditional shot and nothing that even looks like a syringe.
• Injections are less painful and totally comfortable because the rate and flow of the anesthesia is controlled by a computer, not by a human hand.
• Since this system anesthetizes only a single tooth instead of the whole jaw, there’s less numbness after the procedure is finished and therefore less risk of lip and cheek biting – so you can return to normal eating and activities quicker.
• Numbness takes effect almost immediately, so there’s no need to wait in the chair while it takes effect. That means less time for anxiety to build and reduced total treatment time.

You may not realize that the pain you sometimes associate with injections isn’t always from the jab itself but from the fluid inside the needle being quickly injected into the body. Your body experiences pain because it’s reacting to the foreign substance by warning you that something is happening. A shot can often activate your body’s fight or flight response, tensing your whole body and increasing pain.

Dentists, nurses, and others who routinely perform injections get good at them, but no one is perfect. It’s nearly impossible for a human to inject as slowly and consistently as the CompuDent wand, even with experience and the steadiest hand in the world. With a computerized STA system, the dentist can keep their attention on prepping for the procedure while the wand does a slow, steady injection that you may not feel at all.

Cast Aside Your Dental Anxiety

The dental wand from Milestone Scientific could be just the tool to help you cast aside your dental anxiety, and you’ll probably love what it can do for you from the very first time we try it on you. Let’s face it: No one likes the idea of having a syringe in their mouth. That’s why CompuDent uses a space-age-styled pen of sorts rather than a traditional syringe.

SDDA dentists want you to be comfortable so you can get the treatment you need. That’s why they trust this instrument. Researchers have looked into patient reaction to the CompuDent pen and have found that it usually doesn’t increase patient anxiety, but having a needle in the treatment room often does generate anxiety, as you can imagine.

Dental professionals fall in love with the pen-style STA process because it leaves their brainpower for other details and takes the stress out of perfecting their injection techniques. They also love what it does for patients – perhaps like you – who were difficult to treat with old-fashioned syringes. With precise flow rate and injection speed, the painless wand is the only anesthesia technique used in many dental offices now. For the dentist, the device is light, easy to handle, and sturdy for years of use. For the patient, it’s comfortable, unintimidating, and quick.

When skilled dentistry means today’s technology, the results can seem like magic. That’s why those who haven’t visited a dentist in years will find many changes. Today’s dentists are well-trained, gentle, and compassionate professionals. And today’s dental tools are designed with both the dentist and the patient in mind – to make the treatment process go smoothly for everyone. Dental treatment and a great, functional smile are now fully accessible to everyone.

Reach out now to a San Diego Dentist Association member for quality treatment with modern technology, including the amazing magic wand, otherwise known as the CompuDent Single Tooth Anesthesia System.

 To make an appointment and experience this painless new method of dental treatment, call (619) 745-6870.

If you don’t like the idea of dentures or have had problems with them, All-On-4 implant-supported dentures are a smart, beautiful and affordable choice that solve many of the problems of traditional removable dentures. You can experience a rapid improvement in your appearance – often in a single office visit with follow-ups to ensure healing – when you choose this type of fixed dentures.

With the unique All-On-4 system, a whole arch of teeth can be supported on just four modern dental implants – smaller and different from other implants so they’re more affordable and heal quicker. If you’ve had teeth extracted in the past and want a better alternative to regular dentures or need extractions plus quick and complete restoration, this proven technique could be right for you.

San Diego Dentist Association members are happy to discuss the All-On-4 fixed denture procedure and its benefits with you. All you have to do is make an appointment. In the meantime, here’s some useful information that may help you with making an informed decision about moving up from non-anchored removable plates to today’s implant-supported fixed dentures – or having All-on-4 restoration as your first choice for beauty, comfort and function following extractions.

These are essentially three reasons you might want to consider an implant-supported denture:

All-on-4 offers quick improvement in your quality of life.

Everyone who has no teeth on one or both arches or is planning extractions needs to know about All-on-4 fixed dentures. After just one session at the dental office, you can leave with teeth. The result is remarkable in most cases and provides amazing function for chewing and eating, unmatched beauty, clear speech and a boost to your self-esteem right away. Even better, there are fewer problems with All-On-4 than with larger and more expensive dental implant solutions, better function than with regular dentures and no need for multiple surgeries as might be necessary with other full-arch restorations.

All-on-4 comes at a lower cost than other solutions.

Placement of All-on-4 implants is quicker and less complex than other implant-supported restoration techniques and requires fewer implants, fewer surgeries and reduced overall chair time. Because the back implants are placed at an angle to reach thick, healthy bone at the back of the jaw, you can avoid having a bone graft that requires a lot of time in surgery and a lengthy healing process. And because of the simplicity, this modern kind of permanent denture costs much less than other fixed dental prostheses.

All-on-4 offers stability, even if you have significant bone loss.

Those longer, tilted back implants are the key to excellent stability even if you have degeneration of the jawbone from gum disease or years without teeth. The back two implants are anchored to the strong anterior bone of the back of your jaw for stability – which means your teeth are always snug, properly functioning and feel like natural teeth. X-rays and other tests will determine whether you’re a good candidate and exactly how implants are placed.

Additional Benefits Of All-on-4 Fixed Dentures

When you select All-on-4 full-arch restoration, you benefit in these and other ways:

Same-day results. You can eat and smile with stable, beautiful teeth that fit well from the start. And you only need one session in the dental chair plus some follow-up checks. You can have dramatic improvement over your previous situation in hardly any time at all.

Better appearance. Your new fixed denture will look better than you’re expecting because you may have never seen this type of restoration before. Just as nice, your jawbone won’t degenerate over time as it may with regular dentures, preventing facial structure deterioration that some call “that denture look.” No caving in of your face means fewer wrinkles around your mouth because of bone loss, so you can look better and perhaps younger.

No restrictions on eating. When you choose All-On-4, you’re choosing no restrictions on the kinds of foods you can eat. In fact, your eating habits will almost certainly improve over time since you’ll have the most reliable teeth you’ve had in years. Plus, you can enjoy food without clicking or loosening – or the embarrassment these issues can cause you.

A lifelong beautiful smile. This type of implant-supported denture allows you single-day results that last the rest of your life. The final fixed denture doesn’t need to be removed and is supported permanently on its four healthy, stable implants. Your dentist can remove it for cleaning when necessary and to make repairs or replace the denture if needed.

Fewer health issues. You’ll have a healthier mouth when you don’t have the problems that come along with missing or failing teeth. That means you will experience reduced likelihood of periodontal disease, reduced infection rates caused by teeth and gum bacteria and reduced disease from inflammation. That can mean better overall health and less chance of developing diseases linked to gum disease bacteria, including heart attack, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and more.

Easy care. Just brush your new teeth like natural teeth and visit your SDDA dentist for regular cleanings. Home and dental office cleanings are both a cinch.

And these things all add up to improved quality of life.

Is All-on-4 Right For You?

You could have beautiful, functional and pain-free new teeth that look as good as or perhaps better than your natural teeth ever did – in about 2.5 hours per arch in the dental chair. You’ll leave with temporary teeth that you can use for 6 to 8 months (perhaps made from your old dentures) and then you can get permanent teeth once implants are healed. Those could last the rest of your life.

Bottom line: There’s no downside to All-on-4 treatment from an SDDA dentist. Get the look and function you deserve by reaching out now.

To find out if All On Four Dentures are right for you, call (619) 745-6870.

San Diego Dentist Association members dedicate their careers to helping alleviate dental problems so you can look and feel your best with a fully functional mouth and teeth. They understand that your San Diego dental emergency is a true emergency and needs immediate treatment. Reach out to an SDDA member when you’re looking for an emergency dentist, and you’ll find friendly people ready to help you.

Before reaching out, however, you may want to read these emergency dental FAQs:

What do I do if I think I have a dental emergency?

Remaining calm is the most important thing you can do for your health and peace of mind. You can’t think clearly if you panic and may make bad decisions, doing more damage. If the problem seems bad enough that you need to see a dentist right away, reach out to a San Diego emergency dentist for an urgent appointment. Otherwise, consider scheduling a visit for a later time. If there is extreme pain, facial trauma or bleeding, you may want to visit an emergency room.

Is a bad toothache I’ve had for a while an emergency?

It may be. A lingering toothache may be a sign that something much bigger is happening. There is no reason to panic or seek emergency treatment in most cases, but if your toothache continues for more than 3 days, you need to visit a dentist. While it may not be serious and probably won’t need emergency treatment, toothaches usually don’t get better on their own and must be treated for them to go away. If you’re ever in doubt about what to do, call an SDDA dentist for advice about whether you should get immediate treatment or schedule an appointment.

Does my chipped tooth that doesn’t hurt need treatment?

Even if your chipped tooth isn’t causing you pain, it’s always best to have it checked out. Without pain, it probably isn’t an emergency, but it does need to be checked for internal damage that you can’t see. If there is damage that goes deep into the tooth, it could let in bacteria that may cause even more damage and eventually pain. A good dentist can also offer cosmetic solutions for making that chipped tooth look like it did before – or better.

If the chip has just happened, rinse your mouth with slightly warm water and then apply a cold compress as close to the area as possible to reduce swelling. Applying this compress to your face can dramatically reduce pain from the chip and whatever trauma caused it. If you have the piece that is chipped off, keep it in a wet towel and take it to the dental office when you go.

Is a broken or cracked tooth an emergency?

You may need immediate treatment for a broken or cracked tooth because of the pain. Only a dental professional can determine how bad the situation is and whether the tooth can be saved. As soon as the break or crack happens, rinse your mouth with warm water to remove any fragments and apply a cold compress to your face to reduce swelling. Keep any part of the tooth that you find in a wet towel to take to the dental office when you have your appointment or emergency treatment.

What should I do if a tooth is loose or falling out?

As always, don’t panic, which could lead to bad decisions and worsen the situation. In this case, you need to contact a dentist for emergency treatment. If the tooth has come all the way out, make sure it is clean and attempt to put it back into the socket gently if that is possible, holding it only by the crown (the top of the tooth) and using a clean washcloth or gauze to hold it to prevent getting any germs into your gums. If it needs to be cleaned, gently rinse it in cold running water, but do not scrub it or remove any of the tissue that might still be attached. These actions will keep it viable and healthy until you get to the dental office.

If it’s not possible to put the tooth back in the socket, you need to keep it moist and at body temperature. Perhaps the best way to do this is to put it under your tongue or between your gums and cheek, being careful not to swallow it. This seems strange advice, but it works very well.

A San Diego Emergency Dentist Is Waiting

There are many cases when you may need to get emergency dental treatment in San Diego that are not covered here. If you feel it is a dental emergency, contact one of the San Diego Dentist Association members for information on urgent treatment. Not all damaged teeth can be saved, but these dentists will do their best and give you the best chance of saving a damaged or painful tooth.

For every dental situation, there’s something that can be done. The smart choice is to contact an SDDA dentist for an appointment or emergency treatment. There are no better Southern California dentists, and you can be sure you’re in good hands when you trust one of these professionals.

If you need an emergency dentist we are here to help, call (610) 745-6870.

When you have significant bone loss in your jaw and need a dental implant or bridge, a bone graft may be required. While bone grafting is a significant surgical procedure, there’s no need to worry when you turn to a San Diego Dentist Association member. The complexity of a bone graft is determined by how much bone is present and how much height, width, and depth are necessary to perform restoration work.

You can lose jawbone mass and need a bone graft when you have experienced these situations:

• Gum disease that has not been quickly treated. Periodontal infections can erode and eat away jawbone, making teeth unstable and perhaps causing tooth loss. This loss of bone must be corrected before the tooth can be replaced with a dental implant or bridge.
• A tooth extraction several years ago. Over the three years or so following an extraction, the amount of bone in that area can dwindle by 40 to 60 percent. If you later want a restoration, the bone defect must be corrected.
• Other infection or injury. The jawbone can recede because of a broken jaw, a blow to the jaw that doesn’t cause a break, a facial or jaw infection and many other causes. How this is restored depends on the nature of the injury.

Why Bone Grafting Is Necessary

Bone graft treatment is complex in most cases, but the process is usually successful and is better than living with missing or diseased teeth, jawbone deformities and other issues that can be corrected.

The two primary reasons for jawbone grafting are jaw stabilization and preservation. A jaw stabilization procedure must be done before implant surgery in some cases so that the implant has a solid bone to adhere to. In these cases, grafting gives a weak part of the jaw the stability it needs to hold the metal post of the implant.

For preservation purposes, a bone graft can limit how much bone loss takes place and help you keep what you already have. It can also help preserve jawbone loss when done at the same time as or soon after tooth extraction.

What’s Involved In Bone Grafting?

Bone grafting begins with a dental exam. If there is gum disease present in the area where grafting is needed or there is decay or other tooth problems, these issues must be resolved before grafting can happen. Panoramic x-rays will be taken by your dental team to help the dentist get a clear view of where you stand. In limited cases, a CT scan may be required for a better look. From these test results, your dentist may decide to explore the area by numbing it and probing to assess how much bone you will need to have grafted.

There are essentially three types of bone graft, and your dentist must decide which is the right treatment in your case. These types are:

Autogenous Bone Graft. The most common in otherwise healthy people involves bone taken from somewhere else in your body, most often the lower back of the chin or jaw. Your body is unlikely to reject its own bone, so these procedures are usually successful.

Allograft Bone Graft. This type of graft uses synthetic bone or cadaver bone and is the best choice when there isn’t enough healthy bone available elsewhere in a patient’s body.

Xenograft Bone Graft. This grafting procedure uses bone from a cow or other animal and is used if neither of the two methods above is possible in a specific case.

Please understand that a bone graft is not simple, but your SDDA dentist can help you through it. It can take months from beginning to end. Steps involved include locating and acquiring the bone, placing it, and fusing it to existing bone.

When it’s time for the surgery, the dentist will use a local anesthetic to numb the area and make an incision to prepare the new bone site. Once the bone is placed, your dentist will probably place a membrane over it to help with healing and reduce the chance of infection. You may be required to have an overnight hospital stay. After the procedure, you will need to follow careful after-care instructions and probably take antibiotics and pain medication.

To consult with a dentist about bone grafts and other dental restoration solutions, reach out to a top SDDA dentist now. Your oral and dental issues have solutions, and these experienced professionals can help you find the solutions that are right for you.

If you have questions or would like a free consultation regarding a bone graft procedure, call us at (619) 745-6870.

The area around a new dental implant can require significant attention and care for as long as a month or perhaps even longer. After dental implant surgery, you must take the right actions to prevent bleeding, infection, and other complications and help ensure that the bone, tissue, and implant learn to live together. Neglect is not an option.

Most important is to avoid disturbing the implant area for the first 3 days following the procedure. That means no rinsing, spitting, or touching the area to avoid irritating or contaminating the wound.

Here are some additional instructions for proper post-implant care:

Hygiene. Above all else, the surgical site must be clean so that the dental implant can heal. You will need to start brushing your teeth when your SDDA dentist says it’s OK, being careful to avoid any stitches or sutures you may have. And you must avoid the implant itself.

Bleeding. Blood in your saliva during the first 24 hours following oral surgery is common. If you have any more bleeding than a slight tinge of pink, bite on gauze pads for a short time to lessen bleeding, maintaining pressure until bleeding stops.

Pain. As soon as the anesthetic wears off, there will be a bit of pain, but it should not be overwhelming. Over-the-counter pain relief medicine or the prescription the dentist gave you should take care of it.

Antibiotics. Provided by your dentist to prevent infection, antibiotics should be taken as prescribed, and all should be used up even if you don’t have any symptoms.

Rinsing. You should rinse your mouth very gently with warm salt water up to 5 times per day, making sure to rinse away all particles after each time you eat

Diet. You should be able to eat a mostly normal diet a few days after your procedure, but soft foods are the best idea in the first few days following dental implant surgery. Only chew if it doesn’t hurt. For overall health, you must stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and other liquids.

Swelling. Not a sign of a problem but rather a sign of healing, swelling is normal but can be lessened by keeping your head elevated as often as possible. Keeping activity to a minimum will also help, and you can try ice packs applied to the face during the first few days. After that, moist heat is the best idea.

Prosthetics and mouthguards. You cannot use dentures, partials, retainers or mouthguards for up to 10 days following the surgery. If this presents a problem, you should discuss this with your dentist before surgery to see what options are available to you.

Smoking. Smoking reduces blood flow and increases the chance of infection, compromising the ability of the implant area to heal. Smoking must be avoided for at least 2 weeks after any kind of oral surgery.

More On Dental Implant Recovery

Everyone is different, of course, but healing patterns are often similar. The most important thing for a full recovery and a successful dental implant is to focus on oral hygiene, making sure to keep the implant area clean so it can integrate properly. A properly placed and healed dental implant can last a lifetime.

The overall healing time can vary significantly and you will need to visit a dentist for follow-up appointments during healing. Although there can be pain and some inconvenience during healing, you will find that it’s worth it.

If you have questions about dental implants or anything else related to dental or oral hygiene, reach out to a San Diego Dentist Association member now.

If you need assistance after dental implant surgery, call us at (619) 745-6870.