Finding out for sure is important. Because impacted wisdom teeth, when unaddressed, can be come infected, they’re a danger to the health of your entire mouth. And they can cause damage to your otherwise healthy teeth. That’s a risk you’d like to avoid. So let’s ask the question:

Do I Have Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

We hope not. There are 4 simple signs. Look for these – if you have one or more of them, you may have impacted wisdom teeth.

1. You Have Trouble Eating

If you’re having a hard time chewing food, or if cold drinks cause shooting pains, you may have impacted wisdom teeth. If even the foods you love cause too much pain for you to truly enjoy them, you should make an appointment with an oral surgeon. Tooth removal is a necessary pain that will take away your suffering long-term.

2. Your Mouth Feels Painful

If the back of your mouth is extremely tender or painful – if simply biting down a bit brings tears to your eyes – your wisdom tooth (or teeth) may be impacted. It may be hard to localize the pain if it hurts intensely, but you may notice that it lingers longest behind your last molar.

3. You Have Jaw Swelling

Does it hurt when you touch your jaw? Do you see swelling in your cheek or jaw when you’re in front of the mirror? Swelling is a significant sign that something’s amiss in your mouth. If the rest of your teeth feel fine, you’re probably experiencing an impacted wisdom tooth that needs removal.

4. Your Gums are Tender, Red, or Bleeding

Impacted wisdom teeth often lead to tender gums. It may be one of the first signs you experience. Pay attention if your gums hurt, look red, or even bleed. You may have an impacted wisdom tooth showing its presence.

What Should I Do if I Have Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

If the signs point to impacted wisdom teeth, make an appointment today. Pain isn’t fun – and the consequences of ignoring an impacted tooth only get worse the longer you wait.

Fortunately, you don’t have to suffer any longer. Our oral surgeons have decades of experience. And we’ve helped thousands of people like you in Chattanooga. After your impacted wisdom teeth are extracted and the site heals, you’ll feel much better.

You can live free from dental pain. Call us today to learn more or make an appointment.

The post Do I Have Impacted Wisdom Teeth? How to Know appeared first on Implants & Oral Surgery of Chattanooga.

Think about this: a good, well-cared-for implant can last a lifetime. And a failed implant can damage your jaw bone. That’s why it’s so important to choose the best dental implant expert in your area.

You’ll want to do thorough research when choosing an oral surgeon. Here are 5 questions to ask your dental implant expert.

1) Are You a Dental Implant Expert?

The right training leads to the best results. You don’t want an “implantologist.” That’s not an accredited specialty recognized by the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. Generally, only oral surgeons and periodontists are formally trained as dental implant experts.

2) What Is Your Training?

Ask specifically the names of the courses, dates, durations, and who sponsored them. Search these courses and see if they are legitimate programs endorsed or supported by professional associations.

3) How Many Dental Implants Have You Done?

Your dental implant expert’s answer to this question will be revealing. You’re looking for a skilled oral surgeon who has placed hundreds (or thousands) of implants. You want a surgeon who does these surgeries every day of the week. If they’ve placed few implants, question their qualifications.

4) What Specialists Do You Work With?

Most oral surgeons work with other specialists near them. Talking to them can give you a valuable outside perspective. If your implant expert is confident in his skills, he should be happy to put you in touch with his peers.

5) Do You Have Testimonials?

This is where you’ll learn about the intangibles. Training is essential, and skill is vital. But so are honesty, integrity, communication, and a professional “bedside manner.” Past patients can give you insight your oral surgeon’s whole practice.

6) How Knowledgeable Is Your Staff?

Chances are that if your doctor’s staff can’t readily answer your questions, you’re not working with the best dental implant expert. A staff that hears implant questions frequently will know the answers by heart.

7) May I have More Information?

A practice that focuses on dental implants will have all the brochures, handouts, and pamphlets on hand. If they have to dig for info, they don’t do implant surgeries often enough to gain your confidence.

Oral surgeons have taken the Hippocratic oath. We’re bound to faithfully provide our patients with the best care. And at Implants & Oral Surgery of Chattanooga, we take that promise seriously.

From the moment you step in our front door, you’ll experience confident care from the best dental implant experts in the area. Give us a call to discuss your new smile today.

The post How to Choose the Best Dental Implant Expert appeared first on Implants & Oral Surgery of Chattanooga.

What is TMJ?

First things first. TMJ stands for “TemporoMandibular Joint.” It’s the joint that connects your lower jaw (mandible) to the bone at the side of your head (temporal bone). You can feel it by placing the tips of your fingers directly below your ear and opening and closing your jaw.

The temporomandibular joint is one of the more complicated joints in the human body. While trauma or stress can sometimes cause TMJ, many times doctors simply do not know what causes it. In any case, most problems with that joint are tagged as TMJ.

Do You Have TMJ?

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you may have TMJ.

• You have difficulty eating
• Are you unable to eat without experiencing pain? Do you have trouble swallowing? Do your teeth no longer touch when you bite, making it difficult to chew? Are you less able to tear food with your front teeth
• You grind your teeth at night or clench your teeth during the day
• Do you wake up with pain or soreness in your jaw? Do you notice tooth indentations on your tongue? 
• Your jaw function is impeded
• Does your jaw pop or click when you open your mouth? Does your jaw have limited movement? Are you able to open and close your mouth without discomfort? 
• You commonly have headaches
• Do you have unexplainable pain in your temples, at the back of head, or even in your neck and shoulders? 
• Do you have ringing in the ears or dizziness
• These symptoms are less common than many, but may be caused by TMJ. Take note if either of them is paired with one of the other symptoms listed above.                                                                                                                                     

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms on a regular basis, you may be suffering from TMJ. But there’s hope! You can schedule an checkup with Implants & Oral Surgery of Chattanooga for a professional diagnosis and treatment plan.

How is TMJ Treated?

Often, TMJ symptoms are mild or go away after time. Home remedies can help ease many of the symptoms. These readily-available remedies include gentle massage, ice packs, anti-inflammatory medication, and avoiding chewing gum and foods that are hard to chew. Since jaw grinding and stress often go hand in hand, stress relief in other areas of your life can help to relieve your TMJ symptoms.

Your doctor may also recommend a stabilization splint or bite guard. This is a device that can be worn at night to prevent grinding. They’re not advised in all cases, however, so you should ask your doctor first.

What If You Need Further Treatment?

Home remedies may not always work. Your TMJ symptoms may persist – or even get worse. And, if TMJ is present alongside other conditions such as fibromyalgia or arthritis, you should contact your oral surgeon for further help. In special cases, your doctor may recommend physical therapy, prescription medication, or even surgery.

Many people are able to self-manage TMJ. And sometimes symptoms go away on their own. But if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms and they aren’t going away – or are affecting your quality of life – you can find help. Call us today for a caring, professional consultation.

The post Do You Have TMJ? Here’s How to Find Out appeared first on Implants & Oral Surgery of Chattanooga.

How to Take Care of Your Dental Implants

They need to be kept clean and plaque-free. Brushing after every meal goes a long way. You need to use a gentle brush stroke, taking care to clean all sides of the implant.

Depending on your preference, you can use either a soft-bristle toothbrush or an electric brush. Stay away from abrasive toothpaste, since your implant isn’t made of the hard enamel your natural teeth boast.

After brushing, at least twice a day, use dental floss to clean around the implant abutments. In addition, you may choose to use a water pic to flush out even more plaque.

Helpful Dental Implant Cleaning Tools

• Antimicrobial mouth rinses
• Interdental brushes or tufted brushes
• Disclosing tablets that stain plaque for easier visibility

Your dental implants will serve you well for a long time – provided you take care of them daily. You should see your dentist every 3-6 months for a thorough cleaning.

To check on your implant health, it’s important that you get x-rays done every year. They’ll help you make sure the implants are still seated in solid, healthy bone.

What If I Don’t Take Care of My Dental Implants?

Without daily care, your implants will suffer problems. Some problems are treatable if caught soon enough. But peri-implantitis, or bone loss, is not reversible. If your implants aren’t kept clean, they’ll eventually have to be removed due to bone loss – and your jaw will be less structurally sound.

Properly caring for your dental implants sounds important, right? It is – and with the cleaning tools we have today, you can do it.

If you have any questions or need advice about cleaning your dental implants, give us a call. We’re happy to help!

The post How Should You Take Care of Your Dental Implants? appeared first on Implants & Oral Surgery of Chattanooga.

To help you understand oral surgery anesthesia types and uses, we’ve prepared an overview. Read on to see for yourself how we use this technology to your advantage.

1.Local Anesthetic

Local anesthetic allows you to remain conscious during the surgery. An anesthetic (such as lidocaine) is injected in and around the surgery area. Local anesthetic is used alongside all other forms of anesthesia during every oral surgery procedure.

Simple, minimally invasive procedures – such as most tooth extractions – can be done with local anesthetic alone. You may even choose to have us remove your wisdom teeth with local anesthetic. However, most patients opt to be sedated as well.

2. Nitrous Oxide Sedation with Local Anesthetic

Nitrous oxide can be used during simple oral surgery procedures, as well as more complex procedures like wisdom teeth removal and dental implant insertion.

Before and during surgery, you breathe a mix of nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas) and oxygen. The gas allows you to stay conscious and relaxed. Nitrous oxide acts as a sedative and analgesic, calming you and controlling pain.

[Click Here to Learn More About Nitrous Oxide Sedation]

3. Office Based Intravenous Anesthesia with Local Anesthetic

I.V. anesthesia brings sedation and eliminates pain during all types of oral surgery. If you’re anxious or especially nervous, you may request I.V. anesthesia for simple procedures. Most people undergoing dental implant placement or wisdom teeth removal select intravenous anesthesia.

In order to offer general anesthesia during in-office procedures, your oral surgeon has:

• Received hospital-based anesthesia training for a minimum of 3 months
• Undertaken an in-office assessment by an examiner from the state dental board
• Performed an oral surgery using general anesthesia with examiner’s oversight
• Had all monitoring and emergency equipment tested
• Had doctor and assisting surgical staff tested on anesthesia-related emergencies

After your doctor’s successful training and evaluation, the state dental board has licensed them to administer general anesthesia.

During a procedure for which I.V. anesthesia is used, you remain asleep and unaware of the surgery. Common I.V. anesthetics are Fentanyl (opiate), Versed (benzodiazepine), Ketamine, and Diprivan. Oxygen is supplied through a nasal breathing apparatus and your vital signs are monitored carefully.

[Click Here to Learn More About I.V. Anesthesia]

4. Hospital Based General Anesthesia

Inpatient general anesthesia is offered for those who need extensive work done. Face and jaw reconstruction, as well as TMJ surgery, fall under this category.

Inpatient anesthesia, administered by an anesthesiologist, may also be best if you have heart or lung disease or another medical condition that calls for hospital admission.

———-

Our purpose is to keep you comfortable and safe. Oral surgery anesthesia helps us do both. If you have questions or concerns about what type of anesthesia is best for you, please feel free to give our caring staff a call, or talk with your doctor during your next appointment.

The post 4 Kinds of Oral Surgery Anesthesia: Overview appeared first on Implants & Oral Surgery of Chattanooga.

1) Dental Implants Are Strong

Dental implants are usually made of titanium. It’s a strong, sturdy metal that interacts well with your body. Once the implant is placed, your bone fuses with it, creating a solid foundation for replacement teeth.

Implants have the stability and strength they need to function just like regular teeth. They’re stronger and more natural than any other type of tooth replacement. And they feel just like you never lost the tooth.

2) Dental Implants Protect Your Jaw

When you lose a tooth, your bone responds. If left unfilled, the gap will start to drift closed, with the teeth on either side moving out of their natural places. Your bite changes, and the way you chew and smile has to be adjusted. You may even be self-conscious of your new smile.

But it’s more serious than that. Without a tooth in your jaw, the supporting bone lacks the stimulation it needs. It starts to dissolve, becoming reabsorbed into your body. This can weaken your jaw – and is serious if you’ve lost more than one tooth in a row.

Dental implants are the only tooth replacement that stimulates your jawbone like a real tooth would. And that’s the most important way to halt bone loss.

3) Dental Implants Have a High Success Rate

Let’s be clear. Getting implants is surgery. You’re getting a prosthesis inserted in your mouth. As such, there are a percentage of implants that just don’t take. Infection can cause your body to reject the implant.

Fortunately, over 95% of implants are successful – and can last a lifetime with proper care. Yes, there are some risks. But you risk more by doing nothing.

—–

Dental implants are safe, strong, and effective. They’re proven to be the best long-term tooth replacement solution. If you’ve recently experienced tooth loss, the time to act is now.

Call an expert oral surgeon and make the appointment that leads to good health – and increased quality of life.

The post 3 Simple Reasons Why You Can Trust Dental Implant Safety appeared first on Implants & Oral Surgery of Chattanooga.

So how do you know when you need to have your wisdom teeth taken out?

To Prevent Pain

Most often, they need to be removed when they’re impacted. They’re stuck in some way, and can’t come in like the rest of your teeth. Sometimes, they’re sideways. For whatever reason, whether it’s physical, genetic, or otherwise, wisdom teeth commonly suffer from impaction.

You’re better off when your impacted wisdom teeth are discovered early. However, most people don’t notice there’s a problem until the pain starts. Once it does, your best – and quickest – way to relieve the pain is wisdom teeth removal.

To Divert Disease

An impacted wisdom tooth makes the teeth next to it more vulnerable. It’s hard to keep the area clean. And that can lead to gingival inflammation.

Even worse, periodontal pockets (spaces between gum and root, kind of like a turtleneck sweater with a stretched-out neck) can form around the roots of the neighboring tooth. When that happens, your once-healthy tooth is in danger.

Sounds like a good reason for wisdom teeth removal.

To Curtail Cavities

It’s easy to get cavities on impacted wisdom teeth and neighboring molars, since it’s harder to brush them. You’ll end up with plaque accumulation and, eventually, cavities that need to be filled. Removing your wisdom teeth lets you clean your healthy molars more easily.

To Inhibit Infection

There’s a big word here: pericoronitis. That’s the name for an infection around the crown of an impacted molar – underneath the surface of your gums. Ouch.

If unchecked, pericoronitis can lead to fever and/or jaw muscle spasms (trismus). And, even if the infection subsides, you’re still vulnerable to re-infection because the cause hasn’t been removed.

That’s the best reason for wisdom teeth removal that we can think of.

After all, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The post The 4 Most Common Reasons for Wisdom Teeth Removal appeared first on Implants & Oral Surgery of Chattanooga.

I.V. sedation will help relieve your anxiety about your surgery. You might not always be “asleep” – but you’ll definitely be comfortable and calm. You’ll remain relaxed, drifting in and out of a “twilight sleep.”

If you decide to undergo intravenous sedation, your anesthesia is administered and monitored by your fully trained and qualified oral surgeon. In this way, you avoid the huge expense of having your surgery in a hospital or surgical facility.

How is Intravenous Sedation Administered?

A small needle will be inserted into an arm or hand vein. An intravenous tube will drip the anesthetic to the needle, helping you relax in comfort.

Sometimes a vein isn’t able to support the needle throughout the procedure. In that case, the medication will be injected and the needle will be removed. Either way, you’ll reach the same proper level of twilight sedation.

If you have a medical condition, or a specific medication that prohibits full sedation, your oral surgeon may decide to lightly sedate you and you might not sleep.

The purpose of intravenous sedation is to use minimal medication while the surgery is being done. Because of that, it’s quite safe, more so than oral sedation. During I.V. sedation, you receive a constant “drip” of medication through the tube. An antidote is ready and waiting to be used any time, if it’s necessary to counter the anesthetic’s effects.

Intravenous Sedation Relieves Fear

Dental phobia is real, can be suffocating, and affects many people.

If you have a fear of dental procedures, take heart. Your oral surgeon has taken an oath to treat you – not just your condition. Our staff won’t just treat you with caring concern. We can offer intravenous sedation that can help take you through your experience free from fear.

While you “sleep,“ your oral surgeon will neatly perform your procedure. When you wake, you’ll have the results you want and need – and no memory of the surgery.

Thanks to intravenous sedation, you can rest easy.

The post Oral Surgery Anesthesia: What is Intravenous Sedation? appeared first on Implants & Oral Surgery of Chattanooga.