How to Find a Good Dental Surgeon
Often dental problems may not give you enough time to choose a dentist. Acute dental troubles mostly grip a person with such suddenness that at times one may have to leave a theatre in the middle of a film and enter the first available dentist's clinic.
In case one does have time at his hands to choose a dental surgeon, references abound in the local directories, published pages for services available in most areas and, of course, the internet. As a general rule one should exercise some caution in accepting what all is highlighted in such ads at their face value.
In fact, one would be well advised to observe extra care with ads that quite apparently seem flashy colourful and boastful. These are usually inserted by dental practitioners who are in the early stages of their career and need to attract more and more patients. Very often, in reality, they are found to not having enough experience.
Keeping in mind the above points, a planned approach as under can be evolved which should serve the purpose.
To shortlist the names and contact details: Well-known search engines on internet provide perhaps the best resource. For certain regions, however, these may not throw up enough references. In such an eventuality, local publications such as telephone/ business directories, classified ads in newspapers/magazines and handouts found stacked at department stores/chemists, would very often be of help.
Culling out useful information: The references found from any of the above sources should be carefully studied with emphasis on medical qualifications of the dental surgeon, his experience and time since when his clinic has been functional.
Avoiding the temptation being drawn towards extra-large, flashy inserts: Even if advertising themselves in case of dental surgeons has been accepted, simple ads with relevant information without unnecessary decorations demonstrate sincerity of approach.
No substitute to personal enquiries: The importance of comments from professional colleagues, friends and known neighbours should be taken as an important tip.
Exploratory visit: It is always worth to meet the surgeon after due appointment, who after the above efforts appears to satisfy the basic criteria and have an open discussion with him about the facilities available at his/her clinic and the cost of procedures for your specific dental problem. It is quite probable that the surgeon speaks about his memberships and any rating that he is accredited with. The certificates relating to the surgeon's special qualifications/excellence on display too will help.
Surgery To Take Out Wisdom Teeth – Post Operative Care
If you're planning to have surgery to take out wisdom teeth, there are a few important things you need to know about post-operative care in order to make your wisdom teeth removal as safe and pleasant as possible. Below, we've outlined the five most important things to keep in mind as you enter the recovery process after your surgery.
1. Rest : the importance of rest and relaxation cannot be over-emphasized. During even the most minor of surgeries, the body undergoes trauma that only rest can help it recover from. So don't return to school or work the next day -- take a few days to a week to return to your normal routine.
2. Proper pain medication : after your surgery to take out wisdom teeth, you will be given one or more types of pain medication. The most important thing to remember is to take the medication exactly as you are told by your doctor, and make sure to take it before your pain becomes bad, since it will take a while for it to become effective.
3. Ice and Anti-inflammatories: you will likely experience some inflammation of the tissues in your mouth after your surgery. It is important to ice the jaw area, and to take an anti-inflammatory, like ibuprofen, regularly or as directed by your doctor. Ice and anti-inflammatories will also help relieve pain.
4. Eat carefully: many people who have had surgery to take out wisdom teeth try to eat solid food too soon after their wisdom teeth removal. This can be dangerous, since solid food can knock out the protective blood clots that have formed over your wounds, possibly causing a nasty infection. So make sure to drink liquids and semi-solid, soft food for several days to a week after your surgery.
5. Beware what you put in your mouth : many people aren't aware that after their wisdom teeth extraction , they will have to avoid two major culprits of infection and poor healing : drinking straws and cigarettes. Both of these things involve pulling air somewhat forcefully into the mouth, and therefore are quite likely to knock out one of those important blood clots. So take a break from smoking and any other habit that involves putting things in your mouth.
Methods of Physical Therapy for Frozen Shoulder
Frozen shoulder is the condition of pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint accompanied by loss of motion. An inflammation in or around the shoulder may trigger the body's normal defensive response of stiffness. When the shoulder becomes stiff, it becomes too painful too move. Someone with frozen shoulder may not be able to reach above and over the head or touch the back.
While there is no definite cause of frozen shoulder, over 90 percent of patients experience full recovery. Doctors recommend physical therapy for frozen shoulder as the best treatment.
Physical therapy for frozen shoulder starts with reducing the pain and stiffness of the shoulder and increasing blood circulation through heat. One effective way of the heating method is taking a 10-minute hot shower or bath. Alternatively, the physical therapist may apply heat to your shoulder locally with the use of heating pads, wraps or towels. Hot water bottles and heat creams and ointments may also be used.
Shoulder massage is also a good way to start physical therapy for frozen shoulder as it increases the flow of blood and oxygen into the area. Once pain is reduced either through heating or through massage, the therapist proceeds with a series of physical therapy exercises.
In physical therapy for frozen shoulder, you will first perform weight and non-weight stretching exercises to improve the flexibility of your shoulder joint. The common exercises include arm swing with weights, arm raise, overhead stretch, stretching your arms across your body, and towel stretch.
It is important to note that during these stretching exercises, you should feel tension but you should not overstretch your shoulder to the point where you feel pain or severe discomfort. These exercises are done once or twice daily until the shoulder restores its normal range of movement.
Your doctor will advise you should you need to perform other exercises to tone and strengthen your shoulder muscles such as rotation exercises. Remember not to force movement in your shoulder. This does not mean you should not move it at all but instead to limit activities that may further injure your shoulder.
If physical therapy for frozen shoulder does not work for you, your doctor may recommend surgical treatment. The good news is physical therapy for frozen shoulder is usually enough for patients to get effective results that improve with time. If you have frozen shoulder, consult a physical therapist and get the treatment that you need.
Your Guide To Dental Specialties
Shakespeare once said that a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet. But that's hardly the case in dentistry that has a lot of specialties.
The long list of oral health care providers can be confusing to consumers who may not know whether to consult an orthodontist, periodontist or endodontist for their particular problem.
As a public service to my faithful readers, here are the different dental specialties. Knowing this will help you consult the right dentist to get the proper dental care and treatment you need.
First of all, don't be bothered whether your dentist is a DDS (doctor of dental surgery) or DMD (doctor of dental medicine). The two degrees are one and the same. Some schools award one degree while others give the other.
General dentists normally earn a DDS or DMD degree after years of study. To become a specialist, they must undergo additional post-graduate training.
One such specialist is the endodontist who is concerned with the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries of the dental pulp - the soft area within the center of the tooth. This specialist performs root canal treatments or other surgical root procedures. This treatment is done to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or infected.
An oral or maxillofacial radiologist is one who produces and interprets all kinds of X-ray images that are used to identify and manage different diseases in the mouth and face.
An oral pathologist, on the other hand, is one who studies diseases that alter or affect the oral structures (teeth, lips, cheeks or jaws) as well as parts of the face and neck. This is accomplished by studying the biopsy, tissue, or lesion that comes from other dental specialists.
If you need surgery of the face, mouth or jaw, you should consult an oral surgeon. This person performs many types of surgical procedures to treat accident victims with facial injuries, remove tumors and cysts of the jaws, and other reconstructive surgery including the placement of dental implants (artificial teeth that are attached to the jawbone).
"The types of surgeries an oral surgeon may perform include: simple tooth extractions, complex extractions involving removal of soft tissue or overlying bone or remaining roots, impacted teeth (especially wisdom teeth) removal, soft tissue biopsies, removal of tumors in the oral cavity, implant positioning, complex jaw realignment surgeries involving facial or bite discrepancies, fractured cheek or jaw bone repair and soft tissue (cleft palate or lip) repair," according to WebMD.Com.
If you have crooked teeth or a bad bite (malocclusion), see an orthodontist. This specialist straightens teeth by means of bands, wires, braces, and other fixed or removable corrective appliances or retainers.
A pedodontist or pediatric dentist is one who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of dental problems that affect children from age one to early adulthood. He or she looks after the child's developing teeth and is trained in child behavior and the special needs of children.
For dental problems that involve the gums and bones of the teeth, visit a periodontist. This person treats gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and periodontitis (gum and bone disease).
"A periodontist may perform the following procedures: simple and deep pocket cleanings, root planing, crown lengthening procedures, soft tissue and/or bone grafting, gingival or flap procedures, soft tissue recontouring or removal (gingivoplasty or gingivectomy), hard tissue recontouring (osteoplasty) and implant placement," said experts at WebMD.Com.
Finally, if you have missing teeth and need dentures, consult a prosthodontist. This specialist repairs natural teeth or will give you a new set of artificial teeth. Another dental practitioner who does this is the implantologist who specializes in dental implants.
"The prosthodontist uses artificial teeth (dentures), gold crowns (caps), or ceramic crowns to replace the missing or extracted teeth. The prosthodontist is also very involved in the replacement of teeth using dental implants. In addition, specially trained prosthodontists work with patients with head and neck deformities, replacing missing parts of the face and jaws with artificial substitutes," said WebMD.Com.
So there you have it - the different dental specialties and what they can do for you. See the right dentist for expert help and treatment. That way, you get the smile you deserve.
Popular Snoring Remedies
For reducing snoring there are a number of simple suggestions or home remedies. Let's take a look at some of the options or popular snoring remedies, in addition to the ubiquitous tennis ball cure.
One simple remedy is to elevate your head with pillows or raise the head of your bed several inches. This reduces the chances of the throat muscle completely blocking your air passages when they relax in sleep. Sleep on your side, not on your back, which causes your tongue and soft palate to fall back, narrowing the airway.
Other lifestyle changes include exercising more, losing weight and abstaining from alcohol and smoking. You especially should not drink alcohol before going to sleep because alcohol relaxes your throat muscles, thereby blocking your air passages even more. In addition, smoking restricts your air passages and leads to snoring. Finally, you should avoid tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and antihistamines.
In addition to such so-called home cures, there are over-the-counter snoring remedies available, including anti-snoring pills, throat sprays, and nasal strips.
Anti-snoring pills contain natural plant enzymes and herbs that are said to prevent throat and nose tissue from swelling, resulting in a more open and smoother airflow that helps reduce snoring. Some popular brands are: Dr. Harris' Original Snore Formula, Sinus Buster, SnorEase, Snore Rx and Ysnore.
Throat sprays coat the soft tissues of the throat allowing the air to move more freely and lessening the noisy vibration. Some well known brands are Ayr Snore Relieving Throat Spray, D-Snore, Good Night Stop Snore, Helps Stop Snoring, and Silence.
Nasal strips are drug-free, non-prescription devices that work mechanically to keep your nose open and make breathing easier. The most popular national brand is "Breathe Right." In addition, several drug stores and groceries market their own versions of nasal strips.
Dental Implant Failure
Dental implant failures are very rare. Dental implant surgery has a success rate of 95%. Failure in surgery is due to improper selection of patients. Implants fail for numerous reasons. They could be biological or microbiological factors, biomechanical factors, biomaterial factors, or due to implant surface treatments. Complications involved in the dental implant procedure are nerve damage, infection, the body's rejection of the implant and the implant itself breaking.
The most widespread cause of dental implant failure is poor oral hygiene. The build-up of dental plaque and debris around teeth and implants results in an increased concentration of bacteria. Good oral hygiene can greatly reduce infection.
Improper selection of patient is another reason for dental implant failure. Patients with sufficient quality or quantity of bone to support the implant fixture only are to be selected for the implant surgery. Otherwise, implants are doomed to be utter failures. Medical history and systematic health of the patient should be clearly checked by the dentist before surgery.
Another possible reason for implant failure is inferior surgical technique. Implant failure may result from insufficient irrigation of the surgical site or from using low torque and excessive drill speed during placement. Failure results from extreme temperature elevation in bone during placement, leading to necrosis of the supporting bone around the implant. Inadequate implant restorations may also contribute to implant failure. Poorly restored implants may have overhangs or be over-contoured, which may lead to plaque buildup and ultimate failure. Another research has shown that smoking can lead to higher rates of dental implant failure.
Smoking is exceptionally harmful to all oral tissues, especially when implants are present. It affects the healing of bone and soft tissue, by reducing the nutrients and minerals in the tissues and by reducing blood supply. To help keep the supporting bone and gum tissues healthy and capable of resisting infection, the implant patient should not smoke.
Categories
Partner Links
Archives
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009