San Diego Periodontist Explains How to Prevent Gum Disease

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older lady with toothbrushGum disease is a common dental health problem that affects approximately 70% of adults under the age of 60. Usually, gum disease can be controlled with advanced periodontal treatment to prevent extensive dental damage. However, in its most severe form (periodontitis), gum disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss, and studies suggest it can significantly increase the risk of certain systemic health issues like heart disease. To protect your oral and overall wellbeing, your San Diego periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, explains how to prevent gum disease, or treat it early enough to avoid irreversible damage.

The Power of Good Dental Hygiene

The importance of daily dental hygiene can never be stressed enough. Over 600 different kinds of bacteria inhabit a healthy oral cavity, and form sticky dental plaque to protect themselves from the mouth’s natural defenses (like saliva). (more…)

San Diego Dentist: Bone Graft Procedures for Dental Implants

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jaw bone with dental implantDental implants provide the most security as far as tooth replacements go. Implants won’t come loose or fall out during mealtimes, they color-match teeth, and implants don’t require special care. This is because implants function as natural teeth and help maintain your jaw healthy and strong.

Unfortunately, though, not every patient qualifies for implants due to insufficient bone mass. Dental implants only prove successful if the patient has enough bone tissue to support the implant, which serves as a surrogate tooth root. However, with a bone graft procedure, the patient may have the opportunity to receive the implant they desire.

In today’s blog post, Dr. Ann Kania, your San Diego dentist explains the bone graft procedure and how it aids in the placement of dental implants.

What is a Bone Graft?

A bone grafting procedure is one that helps replace missing bone in an area of the body. This replacement bone could stem from the patient, bovine, synthetic glass material, or even a cadaver. Doctors prefer to use the patient’s own bone material, if possible, otherwise an alternative material is utilized.

Bone grafting is used for a number of medical procedures, including: orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, or even otolaryngology (head and neck) surgery. Yet, bone grafting also aides in oral surgery when a patient with insufficient bone mass wishes to receive a dental implant.

The bone graft allows the area with insufficient bone mass to regenerate and provide a steadier base for the implant.

How the Procedure is Completed

Bone grafting in the mouth is a relatively simple procedure. First, your San Diego dentist places you under local anesthesia to make you feel more comfortable. Once you’re numb, the doctor creates a minor incision in the gum line where the bone graft is needed. After the bone is exposed, the dentist places the bone graft and covers it with a protective membrane. This membrane could come from the patient, bovine, or synthetically made material.

When the dentist has finished placing both the bone graft and the protective membrane, the opened gum tissue is sutured and is left to heal. If the bone graft proves successful, the patient should have the opportunity to receive their dental implant.

San Diego Dentist Offers Dental Implant Surgery

For more information about bone grafts or dental implants, talk to Dr. Kania. She can discuss the benefits of dental implants and answer any questions you may have. To schedule an appointment with our San Diego dental practice, call us at (760) 642 – 0711. Also, visit our website for services, patient forms, and to read more about our team. We forward to treating new and existing patients from Leucadia, Olivenhain, Cardiff by the Sea, and the neighboring areas.

San Diego Periodontist Explains Dental Implant Maintenance

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senior couple brushing their teethPatients who’ve lost one or more teeth and have opted to replace them with dental implants often rejoice at the stability and improved function they provide. As prosthetic teeth roots, dental implants mimic the natural function and form of healthy teeth and the roots that support them. They’re continued success, however, depends on diligent care, including an adequate home hygiene routine and regular professional maintenance. Your San Diego periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, explains proper dental implant maintenance immediately following the surgery, as well as in the long run.

Immediately After Implant Surgery

Dental implant placement involves surgically inserting one or more titanium implants into the jawbone. Like all surgery, some swelling and discomfort is expected immediately after the procedure. You may also experience bruising and minor bleeding at the implant site. Pain medications and antibiotics will help relieve discomfort and reduce the risk of infection, but if swelling and pain worsen during the days following surgery, then contact Dr. Kania immediately. Your jawbone and gums should heal within 3-6 months, after which your custom-designed dental crown, bridge, or denture will be attached to the implants through abutments. Avoid eating hard foods during the healing period, which can irritate the soft tissue and possibly force the implant out of its proper position before the jawbone can fully fuse to it.   (more…)

San Diego Dentist Explains Dental Implant Placement

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dental implants

In our last blog, we discussed the benefits of smile restoration with dental implants. Across the country, more and more people are choosing implants to restore smiles suffering from tooth loss. Many of our patients have asked questions about the implant process: How are dental implants placed? How long does the process take? In today’s blog, your San Diego dentist, Dr. Ann Kania, explains more about the process of placing innovative dental implants.

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Encinitas Periodontist Outlines the Advantages of Dental Implants

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confident smiling older womanSince their first clinical use in the 1950s, dental implants have revolutionized the concept of dental prostheses by finally providing a viable replacement for your lost teeth’s roots. Crafted from biocompatible titanium, dental implants are designed to facilitate osseointegration—the process of your jawbone fusing to the implant’s surface—to create a lifelike restoration that functions very much like a natural tooth root. Today, your Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, outlines the benefits of supporting your dental prosthetic on one or more dental implants.  

Improved security

If you already wear a restorative dental appliance, such as a dental bridge or denture, then you may be familiar with conventional mechanisms of securing replacement teeth, such as hidden clasps and professional-strength dental adhesives. However, your healthy natural teeth owe much of their strength and durability to the sturdiness of their roots, which are embedded in your jawbone. Mimicking your teeth’s natural root-and-crown structure is the only way to emulate their strength, and can only be accomplished through the use of dental implants. (more…)

San Diego Periodontist Discusses Oral Cancer Facts & Detection

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checking mouth with tongue depressorAn important part of your routine dental checkup involves inspecting more than just your teeth and gums, but also your entire oral cavity for signs of trouble. Many of the most destructive systemic illnesses can exhibit early signs in the form of lesions, ulcers, and other oral abnormalities, including oral cancer. Though not as well-known or widely-discusses as other cancers, such as those of the breast and lung, oral cancer still affects a large portion of the U.S. population, and often possesses a less-than-stellar survival rate. Your San Diego periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, helps shed light on the dangers of oral cancer, and explains how to increase your chances of avoiding it with regular oral cancer screenings and periodic self-examinations.

What You Should Know

  • Oral cancer is a general term that encompasses cancers of the mouth, tongue, tonsils, and throat, along with other oral tissues. Of all cancers in the head and neck category, oral cancer is the most prevalent. (more…)

Encinitas Periodontist Answers: What is a Gum Graft?

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woman covering her smile shylyHow your gums look can significantly impact your smile’s appearance. For instance, a gummy smile (excessive, uneven periodontal tissue) can make your teeth appear crooked even though they’re perfectly straight. Your periodontal tissue’s health, however, affects much more than appearance, and if it can’t effectively perform its duties, then your entire oral health is at risk. Today, your Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, explains how a gum graft can provide afflicted gums with the support they require, and how you can help prevent damage or disease from compromising your periodontal tissue.

A Little Support for Your Gums

The soft, pink tissue that surrounds the bottom of your teeth actually serve to support and protect the roots of your teeth, which erupt from your jawbone. Unlike the crowns, or top portions, of your teeth, the roots aren’t protected by strong tooth enamel. Instead, your gums seal the roots from harmful bacteria and other irritants. Exposed roots are prone to decay and can be painful. Recessed gum indicates bone loss- which can lead to tooth loss! A gum graft is a surgical procedure that utilizes your own tissue, or tissue from another donor source, to restore this seal when it’s been compromised by gum recession or periodontal disease. (more…)

Dr. Ann Kania’s Good Oral Health Quiz

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little man with a quiz signHow important is knowledge to your good oral health? Knowing to brush and floss your teeth every day is more habit than knowledge, but if you don’t know what signs can indicate that your hygiene routine has failed, then you might risk extensive dental damage from severe disease. Knowing the true dangers of untreated oral diseases can motivate you to seek treatment promptly, and understanding your options for treatment can help you make the right decision to preserve your oral health, as well as treat your immediate concerns. To test your knowledge or oral health and oral diseases, your Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, offers this brief quiz concerning your smile’s wellbeing.

Oral Health and Oral Diseases

1.) Oral bacteria, which form dental plaque, are a main cause of dental diseases. Which bacterium is specifically linked to periodontal inflammation and disease?

a.) Porphyromonas gordonni                                      c.) Porphyromonas gingivalis

b.) Streptococcus gingivalis                                          d.) Streptococcus mutans (more…)

Encinitas Periodontist Answers: Are Dental Implants Right for You?

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pretty older woman thinkingThe short answer is often yes, dental implants are a great choice for restoring your smile after tooth loss. Nevertheless, like all dental treatments, and like any surgery, there are considerations that you must take into account before you are ready for dental implant placement. Your Encinitas periodontist, Dr. Ann Kania, helps you determine if dental implants are the right choice for you by asking a few questions that you should ask yourself concerning your tooth-loss situation.

How many teeth have you lost?

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing your appropriate replacement teeth is how many teeth you’ve lost and their exact position in your smile. However, regardless of how many teeth you’ve lost and where they were once located, one or more dental implants can offer your dental crown, partial, or full denture support that make your natural healthy teeth formidable—a foundation embedded within your jawbone. (more…)

Want Help to Quit Smoking? Your Encinitas Periodontist is Happy to Help

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quit smoking signAs part of our dedication to your oral and overall health, Dr. Ann Kania has spoken expansively about the effects of smoking and smokeless tobacco on all areas of your wellbeing. Your Encinitas periodontist is also proud to provide you with assistance in your quest to quit smoking; however, the care we offer doesn’t stop at smoking cessation. As you overcome your destructive smoking habit, Dr. Kania will also work closely with you to repair the oral and periodontal damage caused by smoking and tobacco use.

Smoking Cessation and More

Among the many dangers that smoking and chewing tobacco pose is the increased risk of dental disease and damage, as well as the inability of your oral tissues to heal due to molecular interference and an inhibited flow of oxygenated blood. When you quit smoking, your oral tissues have a greater chance of healing and recovering, and with advanced treatments, such as laser-assisted periodontal therapy and gum grafts, Dr. Kania can help restore damaged or lost gum tissue, which may not have been possible while you were smoking. (more…)