FAQs About This New and Miraculous Procedure

How can sinus surgery contribute to the replacement of missing back teeth with dental implants?
Dental implants must be anchored the in bone to be successful. Maxillary sinus surgery can help regenerate bone that has been lost and is critically needed to anchor dental implants.

What are the maxillary air sinuses?
Inside the upper jaw, or “maxilla,” are structures known as the maxillary air sinuses, one on either side of the upper jaw. Each sinus is an air-filled space lined by a membrane. Upper back teeth are normally encased in the bone of the maxilla, below the sinuses.

Why is it important to replace missing back teeth?
Replacing back teeth restores the ability to eat, chew, and talk properly. The back teeth also provide facial and cheek support.

Why use dental implants?
Dental implants are the state-of-the-art method for replacing missing teeth.

Why does bone loss occur?
Unless special precautions are taken to prevent it, when teeth are lost, the bone supporting them is also lost.

If there is insufficient bone to anchor dental implants, what are the alternatives?
If all the back teeth are lost and dental implants cannot be placed, removable upper dentures may be the only alternative.

How do you determine whether a sinus surgical procedure is necessary?
The size, shape, and remaining bone of the maxillary sinuses influence whether you can have dental implants with or without a sinus surgical procedure.

How does surgery grow bone?
A small window is created in the sinus wall above where implants need to be placed. The sinus membrane is lifted and the space thus created filled with bone grafting and biologically active bone generating materials. The window is then closed and simply heals.

How is the surgery done?
The surgical procedures are performed from inside the mouth in the area just above the missing back teeth. They are generally carried out under local anesthesia (small shots, just like for a filling), sometimes with the addition of sedation or anti-anxiety medication.

How do bone grafts work?
Bone grafts act as scaffolds that the body replaces with its own bone. The most well researched bone substitute grafting material is currently bovine (cow) bone. All grafting materials are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. They are specially treated to render them completely sterile, non-contagious, and free of rejection factors.

What can I expect after surgery?
Moderate swelling and discomfort after surgery generally lasts for a few days to a week, about the same as having an upper impacted wisdom tooth removed. Supportive treatment usually includes a course of antibiotics to prevent infection and prescription strength medication of the aspirin or ibuprofen type. A decongestant may also be prescribed, if necessary. Healing is generally uneventful.

Who performs this surgery?
Maxillary sinus augmentations are usually carried out by oral surgeons, periodontists, or appropriately trained general dentists. Proper assessment of your situation and diagnosis are critical pre-requisites to the right procedure.

If you are missing upper back teeth, contact us today to schedule an appointment and discuss maxillary sinus augmentation. You can also learn more about this procedure by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Sinus Surgery: Creating Bone for Dental Implants out of Thin Air.”

Gum or periodontal disease is a condition in which “biofilms” or dental bacterial plaque sticks to teeth around the gum line in the absence of good oral hygiene. If left untreated, it causes inflammation of the gums and surrounding tissues of the teeth that can result in “pocketing,” gum recession and bone loss that eventually leads to loose teeth, followed by no teeth! And for about 10 to 15% of those having gingivitis or stage 1 periodontal disease, it can get worse by progressing into chronic periodontal disease. However, the good news is that a conservative and simple treatment called root planing combined with good daily oral hygiene may return your gum tissues to health, and even eliminate the need for gum surgery.

Most of the time, root planing is performed with local anesthesia (numbing shots) in the areas requiring treatment. Anesthesia is an important part because you should always feel relaxed and comfortable during treatment. Because inflamed gum tissues may be quite sensitive, these numbing shots enable us to accomplish our goals and thoroughly remove the problematic material from your teeth's roots.

Root planing or deep cleaning is a routine dental procedure usually done in conjunction with scaling, the removal of the more superficial deposits on the tooth surfaces. Root planing involves physically planing (scraping) the root surfaces of the teeth to remove calculus, bacteria and toxins that are ingrained into their surfaces so that the attached gum tissues can heal. It is carried out with manual hand instruments, ultrasonic electronic instruments or a combination of both for your comfort and best results.

You can learn more about this procedure by reading, “Root Planing.” Or if you want to schedule an appointment to discuss your questions, contact us today.

Anyone who has seen fitness and life coach Jillian Michaels on The Biggest Loser and Losing It with Jillian knows she has the expertise and determination to help overweight people reach new levels of fitness and health. Using her own difficult life experiences, Jillian is able to help others look below the surface to the roots of their own unhealthy lifestyles. As a child, she suffered from night terrors, then her parents divorced when she was 12. She reacted to her anger and unhappiness by comforting herself with food. By age 17 she weighed 175 pounds — too much weight for her small 5'2" frame. To get Jillian involved in physical activity, her mother signed her up for a martial arts class. It was the right choice. Jillian loved the physical and spiritual aspects of martial arts practice, and this training pointed the way to what ultimately became her career.

It's no wonder Jillian is concerned about America's obesity problem — especially in children. To counter it, she and a business partner put together a Wii game, “Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum.” “If you turn exercise into a game, it's much easier to get kids to join in,” she says.

For adults, Jillian is concerned with unhealthy body images put forward by the fashion industry and media. She says, “Educating women on the importance of a healthy diet and exercise program is essential, but getting them to realize that women are supposed to have curves is equally important.” She is working on a new book, which is designed to help people live a healthy lifestyle, realize their true potential, and find happiness in just being themselves.

Since good health also includes good oral health, here's a sampling of what Jillian discussed about healthy habits in her interview with Dear Doctor magazine.

How can parents encourage their children to have healthy habits? Jillian says it starts with parents setting a good example. Parents can persuade children to get exercise by going outside to play with them. Gardening together and serving kids home-grown vegetables is a good way to encourage healthy eating.

What is her dental care routine? Jillian brushes her teeth two or three times a day with an electric toothbrush and she flosses daily. She never leaves home without toothpaste, an electric travel toothbrush, and floss as well as some sort of lip gloss. She sees her dentist, whom she calls “amazing,” at least twice a year for cleanings.

How does she guard against damage from martial arts? Jillian broke her two front teeth as a child and had them repaired with crowns. Now she wears a mouthguard when doing vigorous exercise.

What other cosmetic dental procedures has she had? She also had braces and has had her teeth whitened.

Jillian knows that it takes hard work and commitment to health and exercise, along with good oral health habits, to look and feel your best. You can learn more about Jillian by reading the entire interview in the article “Jillian Michaels: The Biggest Loser's health and wellness expert talks about her oral health, keeping fit and plans for the future.” Contact us today to discuss your questions about tooth whitening, crowns, or mouthguards or to schedule an appointment.

Ensuring that your children have good oral health is (or should be) the goal of every parent or caregiver. But how confident are you about this topic? The following true/false quiz will help you evaluate your expertise while learning more about keeping your child's teeth healthy.

Questions

1. All children older than 6 months should receive a fluoride supplement every day.
2. Parents should start cleaning their child's teeth as soon as the first tooth appears.
3. Parents should start brushing their child's teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride at age 3.
4. Children younger than 6 years should use enough toothpaste with fluoride to cover the toothbrush.
5. Parents should brush their child's teeth twice a day until the child can handle the toothbrush alone.
6. Young children should always use fluoride mouthrinses after brushing.

Answers

1. False. Check with your child's physician or dentist about your children's specific fluoride needs. If your drinking water does not have enough fluoride to help prevent cavities, parents of a child older than 6 months should discuss the need for a fluoride supplement with a physician or our office.
2. True. Start cleaning as soon as the first tooth appears by wiping the tooth every day with a clean, damp cloth. Once more teeth erupt, switch to a small, soft-bristled toothbrush.
3. False. Parents should start using toothpaste with fluoride to brush their children’s teeth at age 2. Only use toothpaste with fluoride earlier than age 2 if the child's doctor or our office recommends it.
4. False. Young children should use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is important for fighting cavities, but if children younger than 6 years swallow too much fluoride, their permanent teeth may develop white spots. Using no more than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste with fluoride can help prevent this from happening.
5. True. Because children usually do not have the skill to brush their teeth well until around age 4 or 5, parents should brush their young children's teeth thoroughly twice a day. You should continue doing this until the child can demonstrate a proper brushing technique.
6. False. Fluoride mouthrinses have a higher concentration of fluoride than toothpaste containing fluoride. Children younger than 6 years of age should not use fluoride mouthrinses unless your child's doctor or our office recommends it. Young children tend to swallow rather than spit it out, and swallowing too much fluoride before age 6 may cause the permanent teeth to have white spots.

Learn More

If you feel you missed too many of the above questions, read the Dear Doctor article, “Oral Hygiene Behavior.”