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Recovery After Dental Treatments

No one is a stranger to mouth pain, especially to those who do not keep up with regular brushing and flossing and exit the dentist’s office with sore, puffy gums after a routine cleaning. But while that pain goes away within the hour, some pain is longer lasting and may be present as a dull ache for days after an in-depth procedure. This can disrupt one’s day and make even the simplest of tasks that much harder to do. Here are a few tips and tricks to reduce your dental pain:

  • Acetaminophen/Ibuprofen: These are the most common type of pain relievers, often a go-to for headaches and general body pains, which includes tooth pain as well. You can get them over-the-counter (OTC) at most grocery stores in the pharmacy section. Always read and follow the label to be sure these products are right for you as those under a certain age and those with certain health conditions are not able to take them. Patients that have undergone a wisdom tooth extraction or something similar in which bleeding was involved are advised to stay away from Asprin as a relief as it is a blood thinner and complicates the healing process.
  • Ora-Jel: For something more targeted and topical, trust Ora-jel to get the job done. Available in a wide variety of application methods, Ora-jel contains benzocaine for fast-acting temporary relief of toothaches. Again, read and follow the label for proper application and to ensure that this product is suitable for your needs.
  • General Avoidance: This one may seem like common sense, but it deserves to be mentioned. Avoid chewing on the side of your mouth where your procedure was performed to reduce the risk of pain. Steering clear of hot drinks such as coffee and tea, and laying off the ice cream for the first little while after your dental treatment is beneficial as well. Stick to room temperature, softer foods such a soft cheeses, yogurt, and jello, and you shouldn’t experience any discomfort.
  • Saltwater Rinse: After 24 hours has passed following your dental procedure, you may start saltwater rinses. Mixing 1 tablespoon with a glass of water (about 8oz), swish the water gently around your mouth and then deposit it in the sink. Be sure not to swallow the mixture. Rinses are recommended to be done 2-3 times a day, especially after eating.
  • Bed Rest: Especially after an extensive procedure like a root canal, implant, or tooth extraction, limiting your activities for the first few days is recommended. Strenuous activity may cause increased bleeding, swelling, and general discomfort. Because your caloric intake has been decreased from the lack of solid foods, muscle weakness and light-headed feelings may occur when rising from a laying down or sitting position. Take it easy and let your body recover.

 

This is list is certainly not exhaustive. There are many other home remedies out there, but your dentist should provide you with a post-procedure care guide to take home before you leave the office. If your pain persists and is accompanied by uncontrollable bleeding and extensive swelling, please contact your dental professional as soon as possible.

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Gum Contouring: Changing the shape of gum

Living in a society that is heavily focused on the idea of being ‘perfect’ and looking like the celebrities in magazines, it is hard not to feel self-conscious when it comes to our body image, and in some cases, our smile. It is one of the things that most people notice right away, and while braces, implants, and veneers can solve some problems, it is sometimes our gums that are the ones in need of modification.

That is where gum contouring comes in, also known as tissue sculpting or gum reshaping. Gum contouring is, in most cases, an elective cosmetic procedure focused on improving the client’s smile by modifying uneven gum lines in the form of lengthening or shortening. As it is considered a cosmetic procedure, insurance will not cover the costs unless it is deemed medically necessary by your dentist. Depending how much work is needed to be done, costs will vary so a consultation with your dentist is recommended to get an exact number.

Before we get into that though, it is important to know what causes our gum lines to become uneven. Prescription drugs, certain health problems, and even our genetics can all play a role in the case of gums that sit far too low on the teeth, making them appear smaller than what they are. Most often, these are the cases that are deemed cosmetic.

Shortened gums–gums that sit high up on the teeth–are more often than not caused by a condition called gum recession, which requires immediate attention to avoid tooth decay and even tooth loss. Gum recession can also be a symptom of periodontal disease, a serious condition where the gums and bone supporting the tooth begin to deteriorate. If you suspect that you may be at risk for developing periodontal disease, please make sure to book a consultation with your dental professional as soon as possible.

When considering gum contouring, it is important to find a dental professional who has experience and will take the time to understand your needs and desired outcome, and will create a plan tailored specifically to you. Do not be afraid to ask questions and request before and after photos of previous patients. Your dentist should also go over the risks of the procedure, as every surgery has them. When in doubt, seek a second opinion and explore other options.

Once you have found a dentist that you are comfortable with, you can go ahead with the procedure.

So what all is involved with gum contouring?

There are several techniques that your dentist can use depending on your unique situation. Scalpels, lasers, and even radiosurgery are used to achieve the desired outcome. Your dentist will discuss with you beforehand which technique is the most effective for you and will often use a pen to outline and give an idea of where the gums will sit after the procedure is complete. Gum contouring can be done directly at the dentist’s office using local anaesthesia to freeze the area. Those with dental anxiety may opt for general anaesthesia where available, although individuals who experience allergic reactions to anaesthesia may have to seek other options.

Recovery can take several weeks so it is important to follow the post-procedure instructions carefully to avoid complications and to achieve the best results. Your doctor will have a detailed plan for you to follow before you leave the office, but as a general overview:

  • Take over-the-counter pain medication to minimize the pain you feel, but avoid Asprin as it also acts as a blood thinner and will cause bleeding. Tylonel and Advil are your safest options, but other medications may be prescribed if the pain you experience is severe.
  • Avoid flossing as this will irritate the healing gums. Your dentist will provide you with safe ways to brush your teeth and minimize discomfort.
  • Avoid spicy foods and anything hot. Stick with softer, cool foods for the first few days such as: jello, soft cheeses, ice cream, and yogurt, gradually moving up to more solid foods.
  • Everyone recovers at their own pace so take your time and listen to your body. If you experience excessive swelling or bleeding, contact your dentist as soon as possible.

Dr. Sam Saadat of Newbury Smiles is an experienced dental professional with 10+ years of experience in general and cosmetic dentistry. If you feel like gum contouring might be the right option for you, please contact him and his associates at 805-499-3691 or info@newburysmiles.com to set up your free consultation.

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Do I really need Root Canal Therapy?

If “do I need a Root Canal?” is a question you have been asking yourself these days, you should know a little bit more about what exactly Root Canal Therapy is, what are the causes, what are the symptoms, and how can you be sure if you need it. For the majority of tooth issues, you may guess you need a filing, which can be true. However, when the cavity reaches your nerve and your tooth becomes inflamed and/or infected, that’s when you need Root Canal Therapy. Root Canal Therapy is also called endodontic therapy in which your dentist uses a drill to remove the cavity and empty the root.

Let’s talk about a few of the symptoms. The primary symptom is the tooth pain which will have a different nature than the tooth pain you may have for a normal cavity. It usually feels intense and more painful when you bite something. You may also feel a very intense pain when your tooth touches something hot like your morning coffee, or something cold like an afternoon ice cream treat. If there is infection involved with it, you gums also may feel painful and appear red and swollen. Seeing these symptoms does not necessarily mean that you need root canal therapy, and the absence of any of these does not guarantee that you don’t need it.  The final diagnosis and decision will always be up to your dental professional.

There is no benefit of doing Root Canal Therapy for a cavity which can be treated and cured with a simple filling.


Contact your dentist sooner rather than later!

If your cavity is not severe enough to reach the nerve and need Root Canal Therapy, you will be able to have it fixed without the expensive procedure and save yourself hundred of dollars. However, if you wait too long, your condition will worsen and a simple filling will no longer be an option.

Even if you are sure that you need Root Canal Therapy, doing it as soon as possible will help prevent infection. Infections can cause complications and require some additional steps in the treatment including follow-ups and possibly medication depending the severity.

At Newbury Smiles, we do a detailed diagnosis, take X-Rays, and make you sure if you need Root Canal Therapy. Since root canals are a difficult process and require your dentist to drill the tooth all the way to the bone, it is always recommended to have this treatment done by an experienced dentist who knows all the ins and outs of Root Canal Therapy. Dr. Sam Saadat at Newbury Smiles is experienced in Root Canal Therapy, and if you have a feeling that you may need this treatment, a consultation is strongly recommended.

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Things to know before dental braces

Teeth alignment is one of the most popular dental treatments. People all over the world regardless to their age and gender like to have aligned teeth. Aligned teeth help you bite healthier, look better, and have cleaner mouth and gums. There are several treatments for teeth alignment such as braces, invisalign, veneers, etc. In this article we will challenge braces and all you should know about it before stepping forward to have braces on your teeth.

First of all, tell your dentist everything. Let your dentist know if you have bleeding gums, loose teeth, any issue when biting, or if any of your teeth touches or damages your gums, other teeth or your lips.

Do you really need straight and aligned teeth?

Depending on how do your teeth look, you should come up with this decision either you want it or not. Braces will bring you lots of advantages and fixes many issues your mouth or teethe may have. Your orthodontist will surely go through a really deep inspection of your mouth and teeth to find all issues which should be fixed after braces. In the other hand, braces has a process and during this process you must be very patient, take care of the braces, clean them in the correct way, avoid having some kinds of food which affect them like popcorn, chewing gums and any kind of acidic food. Brushing your teeth is not as easy as how it is now. In some people braces may cut gums for several times during the process. Usually once a few months, the wires of your dental braces must be tightened and it’s not only as time consuming as a dental treatment, it’s also sometimes painful. People who had braces say getting them off is a challenge and you feel they damage your teeth when your orthodontist is scraping off the glue.
If your dentist is an experienced dentist in orthodontics and does a good consultancy with you before and after installing your braces, you will surely have a very easy and convenient braces process.

Your dentist has a perfect knowledge of orthodontics

Dentists normally focus on the tooth but the ones who have a perfect knowledge of orthodontics focus on the jaw and the movement of teeth. So working with a dentist who is orthodency expert will help you have a healthier brace treatment and bite.

Consult your dentist

Talk about everything with your dentist. Braces treatment is a long process and needs you to meet your dentist very frequently later. So before starting this dental practice, consult with your dentist and make sure this dentist is the one you would like to continue with.

Your bite after doing the braces must be healthy

Make sure your dentist knows how to have your bite fixed after you get braces. The rows of teeth should meet in its proper way with no gap and they must not grind so much.

Changing your dentist or orthodontist is costly

It’s strongly advised to do a great research about the dentist you are going to do the braces with, since changing the dentist in the middle of the process can be very costly and time-consuming and the results of the quality can never be guaranteed. You may move to a new home and change your address and would like to change your orthodontist or dentist too. It’s surely worth to still keep with the same dentist until the end of the process.

After doing braces

Brush your teeth frequently, especially if you have used acidic or sugary drinks. Meet your dentist frequently and let them know about the status of your braces or any kind of unexpected change if there is any.

Dr. Sam Saadat is experienced in different kinds of braces as well as alternative ways such as invisalign if braces is not your choice.

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Fluoride; Is it good or bad?

Fluoride, as a chemical which is commonly added to toothpaste, has a unique ability to prevent tooth decay. That’s why fluoride has been widely added to water supplies to improve dental health. But does this really help? In this article we will go through the positive and negative effects of fluoride.

 

Fluoride helps prevents dental cavities

Cavities are caused by bacteria living in mouth. They produce some kinds of acids which damage the outer layer of teeth. Fluoride kills the bacteria which is the major source of these cavities.

Using too much of fluoride may cause fluorosis which can be dental fluorosis or skeletal fluorosis. In dental fluorosis the appearance of tooth may change, while in skeletal fluorosis is a bone disease.

 
 

Harmful Effects of Fluoride

Fluoride causes bone fracture. Under specific conditions, fluoride may weaken the bones and increases the risk of bone fracture.

Fluoride may cause a kind of cancer called Osteosarcoma. In young individuals and especially males, this kind of cancer is common and it effects the large bones in the body.

Fluoride may affect developing human brain, specifically the emotional side of the brain.

Overall, fluoride can be safe if it’s used in the right way and not excessively. As spoken, it has some side effects which using alternative nutrients may be very much recommended.

Neem, coconut oil, ozonated olive oil, oregano oil and myrrh are good alternatives for fluoride.

Consulting your dentist is always recommended. Dr. Sam Saadat, in a free consultation session, can help you examine your body’s behavior to fluoride.

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10 Things You Must Know About Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry is concerned with the look of teeth and the improvement of a person’s smile. In this field, the focus is on the art of dentistry, not just the science. On the surface, creating white teeth, or even entire new teeth in general, might not appear to be that complicated. Yet cosmetic dentistry requires a good eye, a comprehensive understanding of dental anatomy, and a proficiency of dental products.

So when your dentist suggests a bleaching treatment or you wish to finally align that canine tooth that has been bothering you, for the most parts, you will go through such procedure for one simple factor- to enhance our smile.

While fixing missing, damaged or uneven teeth and restoring your smile can be amazing there are a couple of things you must consider for your cosmetic dental services. Some of them are as listed below.

1. Look for the best location

Possibilities are, you’re going to have to visit the dental expert a couple of times before the real treatment takes place. For more advanced cosmetic services like implants or braces, you will need a couple of check outs to pin down your treatment plan and do some prep work before your smile restoration starts. For sure, you wouldn’t want to travel far places every other week for consultations, the procedure and follow up visits. Looking for a dentist in your area- near your home or work is a more convenient solution.

2. Ask about the expense of treatments

The price of cosmetic dentistry can vary from one to place to another or depending on the dentist you choose. Although there might be a small difference in the prices, it’s important to know the price of the treatment you are about to avail. Doing so will help you know if you have enough budget and make necessary financial adjustments if possible.

3. Check out payment options

Package pricing and payment plans can vary by office, location, and insurance strategy. Be sure to get the biggest value. Feel free to research and not lock yourself down to one office. Not only are costs different, but payment alternatives may vary as well. Dental work can be expensive, so oftentimes, you will have the alternative to pay your costs on a monthly basis. But before you dispense the cash, make sure you have dental insurance to reduce the blow. to finance your oral work.

4. Know what’s being put in your mouth

Would you like tooth-colored restoration or veneers in your mouth? With all the expensive innovation in dental industry try out, there are a range of items that clients can select from for their procedures. Often times, depending on the product being used, the cost can differ and the last physical outcome of the procedure will as well. For example, if you’re getting a filling on a back molar, you may wish to save the cash and choose cast gold, instead of the white porcelain you would likely use on a visible front tooth. In any case, it is necessary to understand the materials the dental expert prepares to put in your mouth, just because the wear and care of every substance is different.

5. The Spaces In Between Teeth

When it comes to cosmetic dentistry, achieving the desired result is very important. In this case, you need to make sure that when you smile, your teeth and visible and do not have a gap or any dark shadows in between of your teeth and cheeks.

6. Synchronization with the Form of Your Face

When smiling, the middle line of the front teeth should be linked with the middle line of your face. While the edges of the upper front teeth need to follow the curve of your lower lip.

7. Harmony with Other Teeth

Your teeth also need to agree with one another which mean they need to be proportional in size. At the same time, if your teeth have undergone previous treatment, the restored teeth should match or blend with your natural teeth in color, shape, texture, and size.

8. Choose the optimized one, not the cheapest and not the most expensive.

When it comes to cosmetic dentistry and if you want to achieve the best results, investing on it really pays off. If you want the best quality, then you should be willing to shell out more cash. This is a lot better than opting for a cheap treatment but end up spending more for not achieving the desire result.

9. Do it with the dentist you know well.

Nothing beats the quality of service of the person you trust. When the dentist knows that you trust him, he will definitely provide the best kind of treatment for you. This means achieving the best outcome. Thus, to spare yourself from the worry of not getting the right result, go for someone you trust.

10. Do it with a dentist who is expert in that sort of cosmetic dentistry

You may find so many dentists around that will promise you the best results. Perhaps some of them are indeed qualified, but going for someone who is an expert- with long years of experience and proven results will be a game changer. You can’t afford to risk yourself and waste your time and money on someone who cannot provide you with the best possible treatment and service.
Cosmetic dentistry definitely sounds exciting and if you are considering on having one, be sure to consider the above listed things.

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Cost of Cosmetic Dentistry in California

The average cost of cosmetic dentistry varies based on the material which is gonna be used and the doctor who is taking care of you. Cosmetic dentistry is a complex process which may result many unforeseen issues if it’s done by some dentist not enough experienced or some dentist who is using low quality materials to save money.

This never means the promotions, discounts and inexpensive prices are definitely causing bad results, and eventually not all expensive treatments are good treatments. The major factors are materials and experience of the dentist who is taking care of you.

How to check if the dental materials are good enough?

Consulting with your doctor about the details of the treatment you are entering into is strongly advised. In most of the cases the information you provide in consultation will help the dentist know positive and negative effects of the materials on your body.
Consulting with your dentist, you will be able to know the names of the materials which are going to be used and it gives you some information to look up and find out if they are enough qualified or not.
Additionally once you know the prospective qualified dental material, your dentist is committed to use the same.

How to check if the dentist is experienced enough?

The best way to check is to look for reviews, testimonials and comments posted by real people from their real profiles on social media and Google. Most of the dentists have accounts in Yelp, Facebook and Google which all have the feature of receiving comments and reviews from real profiles. You cosmetic dentistry need is most probably someone’s experience.

There is no average price for cosmetic dentistry but after choosing the level of service, you won’t receive an overpriced treatment if do a detailed research, checking other dentists in same level and giving the same level of quality.

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Is invisalign really a better choice than braces?

Which one is removable? Invisalign or Braces?

You may have seen people who have used braces for a period of time and after removing them, they still have some marks left from braces on each tooth. In many cases these marks can be removed, but it definitely costs and may have some other effects on that particular tooth.

Does Invisalign have a better appearance than braces?

Some people call Invisalign invisible braces. Cause they function as how brace does but you don’t see them. Braces are typically large, metal and shines like silver. It’s definitely something too far from your actual tooth appearance. If you want your braces have a specific color, it will be more expensive. Invisalign is invisible, clear and has no color, which is not noticable most of the times you see an Invisalign user speaking.

Do braces cost less than Invisalign?

Yes! The cost of braces starts from almost $2,000, while Invisalign has an average of $4,000 cost. Saying that, Newbury Smiles has $1,000 OFF which makes invisalign a good choice to invest on.

Does Invisalign also need a frequent follow up during treatment?

Invisalign also needs you meet your dentist to change the aligner trays and check the process. Every few weeks, your dentist will follow up and provide you updated info about current condition and gives you your new trays. Considering the treatment time, the number of visits in comparison to braces treatment is smaller and less frequent.

How long do I have to have Invisalign?

Usually the average time is 6 months to 1 year and half. It may vary based on the patient’s teeth aligning conditions and needs. The good thing about invisaligns, comparing to braces is you don’t need to have then 24 hours a day. Consulting your dentist you may be possible to remove that for a period of time during the day, if you need them removed.

How should I maintain my invisalign?

It’s definitely easier to brush your teeth when you have invisalign than when you have braces. You won’t need special types of brushe for your teeth. You only need to go through Invisalign cleaning system or just wash your trays.

Comparison of Invisalign and Braces

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