Tag: Dental

How Do I Care for My Dental Implants?


Getting dental implants is the first step, but implant aftercare is just as important. To avoid unnecessary discomfort, pain, and complications, you must take special care of your new smile.

The text below will explore dental implant aftercare, including the day of your surgery and the weeks that follow.

Begin Aftercare Immediately

As soon as the surgery ends, your dental implant aftercare begins. Start by resting on the way home. Have someone drive you home because the effects of anesthesia will not have worn off.

Most implant recovery symptoms are not a big concern. Just adhere to your dental implant post-surgery instructions right away and continue for the next several days.

Control Bleeding

Pink or red saliva or bleeding at the implant site may continue up to three days after receiving your implants. Bite down on gauze for an hour is the best way to control it. Repeat every six to 10 hours as necessary.

If your bleeding is excessive, bite down on a black tea bag, as the tannic acid will constrict the blood vessels and promote blood clotting.

Also, remain calm if possible. Sit upright and refrain from any activity. Don’t lift heavy objects or bend over. Spitting forcefully, smoking, or sucking on a straw will encourage excess bleeding.

Manage Pain

Don’t take many over-the-counter pain medications. These have blood thinners that can interfere with the osseointegration process. The best OTC to take is Tylenol.

Take it before the anesthesia wears off to get ahead of the pain. Follow instructions concerning the packaging. We’ll give you insight into what products and dosages you might take. Don’t take anything more than every six hours.

After four days, you should feel more like normal. You may experience some stiffness in the throat and have difficulty swallowing. If symptoms persist, give us a call.

Minimize Bruising and Swelling

Bruising and swelling on the gums and appearing on your face will happen on the day of surgery. You may also experience bruising around the eyes and nose. These discolorations peak after two or three days, then disappear on their own.

Ice packs help. Apply them for 15 to 20 minutes, take a break, and repeat this process for 48 hours after your procedure. You can also avoid salt, sleep with your head upright, and drink plenty of water.

Get Plenty of Rest

Sleep helps the healing process. So, it makes sense to get plenty of rest, especially during the first few days. This will allow your body to relax and let a big part of the healing process take place.

Learn More

If you would like more information about dental implant after-surgery care, contact us at Hill Country Oral Surgery.

Call our Austin oral surgery office at 512-327-7233 to request a consultation today to learn more.

 

Does Drinking More Water Protect Your Teeth?


Dental health is essential to us all because it not only affects the quality of our smile but, in many ways, it influences our quality of life. Besides the ability to offer a brilliant smile, a healthy mouth allows us to eat correctly, breathe without obstruction, speak with expression, and get into close encounters with fresh breath.

If you follow our blog posts, you understand there are many steps to protect your teeth, like brushing, flossing, and regular checkups. Below, you will learn why drinking water can be added to that list.

Strengthens Teeth

Drinking water, including water enhanced with fluoride, is recommended to strengthen teeth. Fluoride is a component proved scientifically to make teeth healthy and reduce cavities. It supports tooth structure and promotes remineralization. Consuming water with fluoride is an easy way to care for your dental health.

Cleans Your Mouth

Drinking water, along with consistent brushing and flossing, will keep your teeth clean. It rinses off acid and residue left by some foods as well as sugars and bacteria. If these harmful residues are left on the tooth surface and between the teeth, cavities will fill with bacteria. Another benefit of drinking water instead of colas, teas, and coffee is that it doesn’t stain your teeth.

Reduces Dry Mouth

The problem of dry mouth is caused by a lack of saliva, which prevents tooth decay. A dry mouth is also uncomfortable and an indication of dehydration. Drinking sufficient amounts of water daily resolves dry mouth and supports saliva production, hence few cavities.

Reduces Bad Breath

If you experience halitosis regularly, you understand the embarrassment that comes with it. Poor dental health, built-up bacteria, dry mouth, and dirty teeth all play a role in bad breath. It’s no wonder the mouthwash and products designed to eliminate mouth odor are a billion-dollar industry. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day cleans your mouth and rinses away odor-causing bacteria.

Hydrates Your Gums

Dental health is not only about your teeth. It includes your gums. When your gums are in poor health, it could lead to gingivitis and tooth loss. Drinking water promotes saliva production essential for healthy gums. Proper hydration with water consumption will keep your gums hydrated and plump to protect the root of your teeth.

Conclusion

Drinking water is critical for several health benefits, and your dental health is no exception. If you don’t drink at least 60 ounces daily, start making steps to work your way up to eight glasses a day. Keep filtered cold water in your refrigerator and make it your go-to drink instead of Pepsi, tea, or Coke. These steps will increase your water intake and improve your dental health in no time.

If you have any questions on how drinking plenty of water can improve your dental health, we are here to help.

Call our Austin oral surgery office at 512-327-7233 to request a consultation.

Is Bone Grafting Necessary After Tooth Extraction?

Is Bone Grafting Necessary After Tooth Extraction?

Whether the cause of your problems was trauma or tooth decay, tooth extraction is sometimes the best solution for preserving a patient’s oral health. However, removing teeth can impact a person’s wellbeing in other ways. Bone grafting is an excellent solution to help protect dentition and prepare an individual’s smile for future restorative care. Here’s why.

Why Do You Need Bone Grafting?

You wouldn’t know it from looking at your teeth, but every part of your smile plays a critical role in preserving your oral health. Below the surface, teeth roots provide valuable stimulation to the supporting jawbone, which in turn maintains your bite position and ability to chew, speak, and much more. 

When teeth are missing, the jaw loses this important stimulation. When combined with the inability to bite and chew, the jawbone can begin to degrade and shrink. This opens the door to a number of other potential health issues, which can require much more extensive treatment. Bone grafting, or the placement of donor tissue along the deteriorated area, can help reinforce the structural integrity of your smile while preparing your dentition for future treatments such as dental implants. 

Exploring Different Bone Grafting Techniques

Different oral health scenarios call for different bone grafting solutions. Thanks to innovations in modern oral surgery, patients have a number of advanced bone grafting options that can be tailored to meet their needs. Depending on where teeth are missing as well as each patient’s long-term treatment strategy, our Austin, TX oral surgeon may recommend one of the following popular grafting solutions:

Socket Graft

Typically recommended if the original tooth is still in place, socket grafts help limit potential jawbone deterioration by immediately adding graft material into the space left after a tooth is extracted. This helps maintain bone stimulation while also supporting bone fusion with the grafted tissue. 

Block Bone Graft

In some cases, patients have to wait before bone grafting can be completed. This disruption in stimulation can cause the surrounding bone tissue to deteriorate, ultimately requiring more grafting material in order to rebuild the jaw. Block bone grafts refer to procedures in which a small “block” of tissue is taken from the patient’s chin or lower jaw and placed in the deficient area. Over the recovery period, the surrounding bone tissue accepts the grafted tissue and fuses to it – creating a strong and healthy foundation for dental implants.

Sinus Lift Graft

Missing teeth from the upper jaw can have secondary consequences for an individual’s overall health. As the surrounding bone tissue gradually deteriorates, the bone separating the oral cavity from the nose becomes thinner. This can make implant placement more difficult without a sinus lift graft (sinus augmentation). During this procedure, an experienced oral surgeon will delicately lift the sinus membrane and place the bone grafting material between the sinus membrane and bone. Once the grafted material has fused to the upper jawbone, patients can proceed with further restorative care. 

Choosing the Right Materials

Modern oral surgery techniques have also brought along new types of grafting material. While each individual’s unique oral health conditions will dictate the appropriate bone grafting material, patients have many options to choose from:

Xenograft 

Xenograft tissue is bone tissue taken from an animal source, often bovine. This type of bone grafting material has a long and successful surgical history. Although xenografts have not been shown to directly stimulate bone production, surrounding bone tissue will still successfully adhere to the tissue.

Alloplast 

This form of synthetic material also is a popular option, particularly for patients who cannot provide their own bone grafts or are unable to tolerate xenografts. Readily accessible and commonly used in surgery, alloplast grafts have no risk of disease transmission, making them an excellent option for vulnerable patients. However, the synthetic material will not stimulate bone tissue development. 

Autograft 

Autografted tissue is tissue taken from one part of the patient’s body and grafted to another. Since it’s coming from the same patient, autografts have high tolerability – most patients are able to accept the grafted tissue easily, and the use of your own bone can help stimulate healthy bone development. However, this type of graft can require multiple procedures – first to harvest the tissue and then to place the graft. 

Allograft

Similar to autografts, allografts leverage human bone tissue to repair bone deterioration. However, in the case of allografts, donor tissue is coming from other individuals, not the patient. The best matches typically come from relatives of the patient to ensure the bone tissue accepts the graft. While allografts may not stimulate a patient’s cells to produce bone tissue, they can heal small defects on their own and readily fuse to the surrounding bone tissue.

Learn More at Hill Country Oral Surgery

At Hill Country Oral Surgery, our goal is to help our patients put their best smile forward. To learn more about the benefits of bone grafting post-teeth extraction or to explore your options for bone grafting, call Hill Country Oral Surgery at 512-327-7233. Our expert oral surgeons, Dr. Cavaretta and Dr. Rasmussen, are here to help you achieve optimal oral health! 

How to Choose Your Best Bone Graft Material

Beautiful dental restorations require a strong foundation. When placing dental implants, we need sufficient bone to support the implant through the strain of biting forces. If bone has degraded, bone grafting may be needed. Our oral surgeons are experienced in dental bone grafting using donor and patient-collected bone.

Learn about your options for bone graft material below. If you require this additional step before your dental implants, we’ll discuss options in detail before your procedure.

Why Are Bone Grafts Needed for Dental Implants?

Teeth apply pressure to the bones in the jaw each time you bite. This pressure and stimulation keep the bone healthy and strong. When a tooth is lost, the bone slowly begins to degrade. This is a very gradual process and can take months or years before the bone loss is pronounced. Bone can also be damaged during the extraction of a severely decayed tooth.

To place a dental implant, we need bone. Patients that have been without a tooth for an extended period often lack sufficient bone, both in quality and quantity. Bone grafts supply us with the quality bone needed for a successful implantation.

Bone structure is essential to facial structure. Grafting restores jawline contours for a full and healthy-looking lower face.

Do I Need a Bone Graft?

Bone grafts aren’t always needed for dental implants. The longer a tooth has been missing, the more likely a graft is needed. Patients with recent tooth loss often don’t require this procedure. We never recommend bone grafting if it isn’t necessary for functional or aesthetic results.

Where Do We Get Bone for Bone Grafting?

The bone we use for grafting comes from either a donor source or is harvested from the patient.

  • Donor Bone- Using bone from a donor eliminates the need for a second surgical site. We use donor bone from human or bovine (cow) sources. This bone is processed and sterilized before implantation and is obtained from a tissue bank.
  • Patient-Harvested Bone- Another source for bone is the patient. We often extract this bone from the lower jaw, either from the chin or behind the third molar area. This bone is obtained with minimal risk and without cosmetic deformity.

Which Bone Graft Type Is Best for Me?

The best bone graft material depends on many factors. We need an examination and consultation to determine your best treatment approach.

  • Tissue bank bone, either bovine or human, simplifies the grafting process. We can immediately start the graft, without having to harvest the tissue first. It speeds recovery since only one surgical site is created.
  • Patient-harvested bone is used most often in implant sites that require significant reconstruction.

We have an in-house 3D CT machine. This allows us to create detailed imaging of your existing bone anatomy. This information is used to determine if bone grafting is needed, and which graft materials are most appropriate.

Call Hill Country Oral Surgery to learn more about your options for dental implants and bone grafting in Austin, TX. Our phone number is 512-327-7233.

 

What to Do During an Oral Health Emergency

Do I need to see a dentist now? Can I wait until morning? The stress of an oral health emergency is often worsened by a lack of information about the best course of treatment. Treating most common dental emergencies starts with a trip to the dentist or oral surgeon. Call Hill Country Oral Surgery in Austin, TX at 512-327-7233. Our oral and maxillofacial surgeons are trained and experienced in treating oral health emergencies and traumas.

Common Oral Emergencies and What to Do About Them

Oral health emergencies can occur at any time, day or night. Some are caused by trauma or injury. Others arise from complications from existing dental work or oral health conditions. Infection, pain, or damaged teeth are all signs of a potential dental emergency.

Treatment options and urgency vary, depending on the type of emergency. If you’re not sure, get in touch and we’ll help you determine if urgent treatment is needed or if you can safely wait for a few days or hours.

  • Soft Tissue Injuries- Soft tissue injuries include cuts and lacerations to the face and mouth. These are repaired by suturing. Our trained oral surgeons carefully suture soft tissue injuries to minimize the cosmetic impact of the injury. We also carefully examine the area to ensure that facial nerves, salivary glands/ducts, and other essential structures are not damaged.
  • Facial Fractures- Bone injuries to the face and jaw are treated similarly to bone injuries elsewhere on the body. The area is typically stabilized, allowing the bone to heal. We use different methods to accomplish stabilization including jaw immobilization, surgical plates, screws, etc. We always strive to maintain appearance as much as possible and minimize incisions and scars.
  • Knocked Out Teeth- A dislodged or avulsed (knocked out) tooth is a serious dental emergency. Prompt care is essential for the best treatment results. The sooner the tooth is reimplanted, the more likely it is to survive. If the tooth is knocked out, do not attempt the clean or rinse the tooth. Pick it up from the crown, not the root, place it in salt water or milk, and contact us immediately. If the tooth can’t be saved, dental implants can restore appearance and function to the area.
  • Chipped or Broken Teeth- See your dentist as soon as possible. We have many options for treating chipped or broken teeth. The best treatment depends on the type and extent of the damage.
  • Toothache- See your dentist as soon as possible. Treatment for a toothache is dependent on causes of the ache. In extreme cases, an extraction may be needed.
  • Lost or Damaged Dental Work- Lost or damaged fillings, bridges, and orthodontic braces require prompt dental treatment.
  • Infection- Oral infections can progress quickly and may cause damage to the teeth and soft tissues. In some cases, oral infections can spread to other parts of the body, creating a serious medical emergency. Contact your dentist as soon as possible.

We try to see emergency patients same-day whenever possible. Call us and we’ll get you in as soon as we can.

Preventing Oral Emergencies

A little prevention can dramatically reduce the frequency and severity of many oral injuries. Protect your beautiful smile!

  • See Your Dentist Regularly- Dental cleanings and exams can prevent tooth decay and infection. Ask your dentist about recommended frequencies for these important preventative visits.
  • Address Dental Problems- As dental problems occur, treat them. Infections and decay can spread, creating serious emergencies later.
  • Protect Your Mouth- Sports injuries are a common cause of oral health emergencies. Use appropriate oral protections, like mouth guards, when participating in activities where injury to the face may occur.

When an oral health emergency strikes, call Hill Country Oral Surgery in Austin, TX. Our skilled oral surgeons focus on providing exemplary patient care, during both regular and emergency visits. Our goal is a healthy mouth and a beautiful smile for every patient.