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Surgically Assisted Tooth Eruption– What to Know Before Your Oral Surgery

Tuesday, 31 December 2019 13:16
Impacted teeth sometimes need coaxing for them to erupt, and our Cleveland oral surgeons can help with a procedure called surgically assisted tooth eruption.

Let’s be real. For many of us, a lot goes into having perfectly straight teeth. Even before the braces can go on, lots of mouths require special attention in preparation for the journey that is orthodontics. Sometimes crowding must be mitigated with tooth extractions, and sometimes impacted teeth even require some coaxing before they will grow in. This is most common with the canines or eyeteeth, and sometimes requires a procedure called surgically assisted tooth eruption. This sounds pretty intense, but it’s really not as scary when you choose the right oral surgeon.

Impacted teeth sometimes need coaxing for them to erupt, and our Cleveland oral surgeons can help with a procedure called surgically assisted tooth eruption.

What is an impacted tooth?

An impacted tooth is one that has not erupted, or fails to fully pass through the gum tissue. This can be a result of many things like dense soft tissue, bone, cysts, or tooth malposition. If the tooth fails to emerge in the mouth, it is considered to be impacted.

What is Surgically Assisted Tooth Eruption?

With or without necessary spacing, some teeth, particularly the canines or eyeteeth, may be impacted so much so that they will not erupt without assistance from an oral surgeon. With combined efforts, Dr. McCord and the Cleveland TN Ocoee Oral Surgery staff can surgically assist in tooth eruption, exposure, and bonding for your individual treatment and oral care. And it’s not as scary as it may sound.

What is tooth exposure?

Tooth exposure is a simple surgical procedure where the gum is lifted from the impacted tooth to expose the covered tooth, assisting the tooth’s eruption. If a baby tooth is still present, it can easily be removed during the procedure. Exposing the tooth makes it eligible for an orthodontic bracket to be attached, which can then be used to slowly encourage the tooth as it comes down and moves into place.

How long does impacted canine surgery take?

This oral surgery procedure is fairly non-invasive and generally takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. After anesthesia is administered and/or the area is numbed, your Cleveland oral surgeon will remove a small piece of gum tissue to uncover the impacted tooth.

Impacted canines or eyeteeth can be gently pulled down with an orthodontic attachment after oral surgery.

What to expect after surgery:

After your impacted tooth is uncovered, it is normal to have some minor bleeding in the first 12 to 24 hours. You should also expect moderate pain and discomfort for 2 to 3 days after the procedure, which can be controlled with over-the-counter pain relievers. Infection, though uncommon, can develop in the days following surgery, and if you suspect that you’re experiencing symptoms of an infection, get in touch with us at Ocoee Oral so we can treat it. But all in all, just rest and let your body do the healing!

Schedule an Appointment

If you or your child has been advised by an orthodontist to have a tooth uncovered by surgically assisted tooth eruption, we’d love to take care of you. Our skilled staff can answer any questions about the procedure, and will do whatever it takes to ease your mind about it. Our incredible oral surgeons are up to the task, and are among the best in the Cleveland and Chattanooga areas. Get in touch today to set up an appointment. We look forward to serving you.

Promote Dental Health with Holiday Gifts and Stocking Stuffers

Friday, 06 December 2019 17:08
Ocoee Oral Surgery in Cleveland TN says stay on top of dental health with fun and festive gifts and stocking stuffers to promote a healthy mouth.

Ho Ho Hold on– Are you taking great care of your teeth this Christmas?

Promote dental health this Christmas with gifts and stocking stuffers like electric toothbrushes. Your friends at Ocoee Oral Surgery in Cleveland TN want to help with ideas that parallel with preventative care.

This holiday season, give the gift of a healthy mouth to your children and loved ones. Here at Ocoee Oral, we are huge advocates for oral hygiene (I mean, of course we are), and we want to share some ideas about how you can incorporate items that help promote dental health into your gift giving this year! Check out some of our suggestions below for ideal small Christmas presents or stocking stuffers with a purpose.

Electric Toothbrush

Help your kids or family members revive a zeal for brushing with a fun, new electric toothbrush. Not only are these tools super effective helpers in your twice-daily plaque attack, but also, they’re fun! You can even find some with characters and designs that will appeal to your youngsters.

Dental Floss

Cheap, effective, and super important— dental floss is a great item to toss into a stocking! Counteract all the candy in that holiday sock with some dental health items that promote strong and beautiful teeth. Flossing is your friend! And it only takes a few seconds to work it into your routine.

Mouth Guard

Maybe you have a teeth grinder in your life? Well if so, consider a night guard as a stocking stuffer. You can really inflict a lot of long-term damage onto your teeth while you sleep, if you clench and grind. Try a simple, inexpensive boil and bite mouth guard, which can sometimes work wonders.

Toothbrush Timer

If you have little ones, you’ve probably had to say, “that wasn’t long enough!” after they brush their teeth for 0.5 seconds and try to call it a day. Kids are sometimes not keen on brushing in the first place, let alone for the recommended 2 minutes. Make it like a fun game with a cool timer! Just add it to the stocking stuffer list.

Ocoee Oral Surgery in Cleveland TN says stay on top of dental health with fun and festive gifts and stocking stuffers to promote a healthy mouth.

Tongue Scraper

Take oral hygiene to the next level with a tongue scraper! Brush and floss, use mouthwash— sure, but give a tongue scraper alongside a new toothbrush in that stocking for even fresher breath. The human tongue can play host to a slew of bacteria that can cause bad breath and oral health problems. Avoid that with a nicely brushed and scraped tongue.

No matter what the holiday season looks like for you and yours, your friends at Cleveland TN Ocoee Oral Surgery hope it’s a lovely time with friends and family. We hope you find opportunities to improve your own approach to dental care, and that maybe you stuff a stocking or two with some items that promote overall dental health.

Wisdom Teeth Removal– Schedule Surgery During Winter Break

Friday, 22 November 2019 16:24
Scheduling wisdom teeth removals and other oral surgeries during the winter break from school allows kids to recoup before heading back to class.

Winter break over the holidays is the perfect time to schedule your Cleveland TN wisdom teeth removal or other oral surgery, so school isn't missed!

With the holiday season approaching, school-aged kids have just a few things on their minds: sleeping in, tons of holiday gifts from essentially every obscure relative passing through town, and– you guessed it– a super long break from school. Though the last thing they’ll want to do is have oral surgery for Christmas, it really is an ideal time to schedule dental procedures. Though most wisdom teeth removal procedures are low-key enough not to majorly disrupt regular activities, some cases, such as scenarios involving impacted wisdom teeth, can require more recovery time, taking it easy at home, icing those swollen cheeks, and eating soft foods.

Three weeks out of school for the holiday break makes the perfect window for scheduling a wisdom tooth extraction procedure for your child, or really any other kind of dental surgery that may be necessary for you or yours. Maybe your child is being prepped for braces and has to say goodbye to some lingering baby teeth, or maybe even permanent teeth that are causing unhealthy crowding. Our team at Ocoee Oral Surgery in Cleveland TN can help you get these procedures scheduled conveniently, so your child won’t have to unnecessarily miss school.

To schedule an appointment with one of our oral surgeons, get in touch today. Whether you or your child needs a tooth extraction, wisdom teeth removal, TMJ treatment, dental implants, or other services, our Cleveland TN oral surgery center staff would love to take care of you.

Scheduling wisdom teeth removals and other oral surgeries during the winter break from school allows kids to recoup before heading back to class.

FAQs about Wisdom Teeth Extraction:

Q: Will I undergo anesthesia to have my wisdom teeth extracted?

A: Likely so. Depending on how the wisdom teeth are situated, you may have to just have a local anesthetic for your oral surgeon to pull your teeth. If they are impacted, partially impacted, or difficult to access, you’ll likely go under general anesthesia for the procedure.

Q: Is there pain after wisdom tooth surgery?

A: Most patients experience minimal pain after having wisdom teeth extracted. You’ll likely have swelling and mild discomfort for about 3 days or so. Your mouth may require a few weeks to fully heal.

Q: How do you prepare for wisdom teeth removal and oral surgeries?

A: Plan to take some time off work or school to recuperate. You’ll want to stock up on soft foods like applesauce, soup, and yogurt, have ice packs at hand, and pencil in some Netflix and Chill time while you heal.

Q: What is dry socket?

A: Dry socket, or alveolar osteitis, is a painful condition that occurs sometimes after permanent teeth are extracted when a blood clot at the extraction site fails to develop properly, or becomes dislodged before the wound has healed.

Q: How do you avoid dry socket?

A: Avoid painful dry socket by properly caring for your mouth after wisdom teeth surgery. Stay away from straws, smoking, and be sure to keep your mouth extremely clean, flushing out the sockets with salt water, as directed by your oral surgeon.

Q: Why do wisdom teeth need to be removed?

A: Wisdom teeth need to be removed because they are superfluous, and can cause a host of problems in the mouth. They are often impacted, cause crowding, are incorrectly positioned in the mouth, and are too inaccessible to properly care for them.

Q: What problems can arise when you neglect to have your wisdom teeth removed?

A: If wisdom teeth are not removed, a patient can suffer from damage to surrounding teeth, inflammation and gum tissue problems, cavities, alignment issues, jaw damage, and even sinus problems.

Q: Where should I have my wisdom teeth removed?

A: Definitely by one of the expert oral surgeons at Ocoee Oral Surgery in Cleveland TN.

Living With TMJ Symptoms – Effects & Treatment Options for Pain Relief

Tuesday, 05 November 2019 14:49
Our Cleveland TN practice can help with treatment for TMJ symptoms like jaw pain, popping and clicking jaw, and other symptoms.

Our Cleveland TN practice can help with treatment for TMJ symptoms like jaw pain, popping and clicking jaw, and other symptoms.

Living with TMJ can be incredibly painful and disruptive to overall quality of life, but if you suffer from the effects of this temporomandibular disorder (TMD), there are measures you can take to minimize the discomfort that comes along with it. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts as a hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull on both sides. TMJ disorders can cause pain in the jaw joint itself, as well as the surrounding muscles that control jaw movement.

What causes TMJ?

The exact cause of one’s TMJ disorder can be difficult to pinpoint, and can often be attributed to a combination of factors ranging from genetic makeup to jaw injury or arthritis. Some folks who struggle with bruxism (teeth grinding) and clenching can experience jaw pain as a result of those behaviors, which can be linked to a TMJ disorder. Sometimes TMJ can be triggered or worsened by excessive stress. But regardless of the cause, the symptoms of this condition are unpleasant to say the least.

Sometimes bruxism, grinding and clenching the teeth, can lead to TMJ and jaw pain. Our staff at Ocoee Oral Surgery in Cleveland TN can help!

TMJ Symptoms

If you think you may be suffering from TMJ pain, there are certain symptoms to look out for that will help you better make a determination. If you’re experiencing any of the below symptoms, you may want to talk with one of our providers at Cleveland TN Ocoee Oral Surgery about treatment options, and how to best manage your condition.

  • Pain and tenderness in the jaw area
  • Pain in one or both of the temporomandibular joints
  • Aching facial pain, and pain in or around the ear or ears
  • Locking of the jaw
  • Jaw popping or making clicking sounds
  • Difficulty or pain while chewing

TMJ Treatment Options

Oftentimes, the effects of TMJ disorders are pretty responsive to home remedies such as ice packs on the joints, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, massage, and stress management. Avoiding things like gum chewing, and being aware of harmful behaviors like jaw clenching can also help minimize TMJ pain and symptoms. But when home treatment doesn’t make much of a difference, there are other treatments you can seek out through your dentist or oral surgeon. Treatment options will look different for each individual patient, but may include things like dental splints, Botox injections, physical therapy, and medications, and sometimes in cases that are more severe, surgery is the best option.

If you are struggling with pain from TMJ, don’t suffer in silence. Reach out to us at Ocoee, because we would love to help you find some relief. We’re here to answer any questions you may have, and help you figure out a treatment plan that works best for you.