OST Blog

It’s no secret that New Year’s Eve is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the world. Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter and our team love it too. It’s a fresh start, another year of surviving the crazy world we live in, a time to refocus on the things we want for ourselves, a celebration with those we love … the list goes on.

Dozens of countries welcome the New Year with over-the-top parties and celebrations. Because it’s a public holiday, many offices, businesses, and schools close for the day. As you think about your plans for this holiday, here are some fun facts about New Year’s that might surprise you!

Can you guess what the most common New Year’s resolutions are? You may already have one or two of these on your own personal list. The top five New Year’s resolutions are: to quit smoking, get a new job, lose weight, increase personal savings, and return to school. Just remember that coming up with a concrete plan to reach your goals is the surest way to achieve your resolutions!

About one million people brave the cold to watch the New Year’s Eve ball drop in New York City’s Times Square in person. Yes, that’s one million! This event is one of the most iconic celebrations in the world. People travel from all over just to experience it, but you can watch from the warmth and comfort of your living room.

If you’re not a fan of cabbage, collard greens, black-eyed peas, or ham hocks, you might want to revise your tastes. All these foods are all regarded as lucky fare on New Year’s Day. Unless you’re allergic, of course!

For many people in Mexico and Latin America, eating 12 grapes at midnight is a tradition that brings good luck in the 12 coming months. Most people even make a wish per grape!

Whether you’re celebrating in Virginia Beach, VA or traveling elsewhere to observe the holiday, New Year’s Eve is a time to enjoy the company of your friends and family. Don’t forget to send warm wishes to your loved ones, and snag a midnight kiss with that special someone if you can!

Thanks to today’s advances in dental technology, we can replace missing teeth with implants for a smile that looks healthy, natural, and complete. If you’re worried that you’re too old for dental implants, good news! While younger patients must wait until their jaw bones are completely developed before implant surgery, there is no upper age limit for dental implants.

In fact, studies have shown that patients aged 65 and over have high rates of successful implantation, long-term implant retention, and minimal complications. Of course, as our bodies age, there are changes that take place. And some of these changes can make an implant procedure more challenging.

Fortunately, oral surgeons like Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter have the training, experience, and advanced techniques to make implants possible even in challenging circumstances. Two important concerns for older patients are bone density and healing ability. What can Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter do to address these concerns?

• Bone Grafting

A complete tooth replacement consists of an implant that serves as a “root” to anchor the tooth in the bone, an abutment that is secured in the implant and extends above the gum line, and a crown restoration that is attached to the abutment.

Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter will drill a small hole in the jawbone for the implant and carefully place it in position in the jaw. Over a period of months, this implant will become integrated into the bone just like a natural root. You can see why one of the most important requirements for a successful implant is having enough healthy bone in which to anchor it.

But after losing a tooth, the bone under the missing tooth gradually shrinks without the pressure and stimulation of chewing. As time passes, more bone loss occurs.

If there is not enough bone size and density to support an implant, you can still regain the structure you need for success with surgical bone grafting. This is a type of surgery which uses your own bone, a synthetic grafting material, or a processed bone grafting material to repair and replace damaged bone. After approximately three to four months of healing, the jawbone has recovered enough volume and density to accept an implant.

And one wonderful bonus? An implant gives your jawbone the same pressure and stimulation that your natural tooth did, preventing future bone loss.

• PRP Treatment

One consequence of aging is that older bones simply don’t heal as rapidly as younger bones.  If this is a concern for you, an encouraging new treatment for implants in older patients is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP). This plasma is rich in platelet growth factors and has shown promising results in bone and tissue regeneration as well as faster healing.

After drawing a small amount of your own blood, the blood is immediately centrifuged to separate and collect the platelet-rich plasma. This plasma is then mixed with bone grafting material. And, because the PRP is composed of your own blood cells and plasma, there is no chance of rejection, reaction, or disease transmission.

If you have any concerns about your age, the implant procedure, bone health, healing time, or any other issue, talk to Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter.

After all, as oral surgeons, we are specialists. We have a minimum of four years of surgical education and training in a hospital-based residency program. We train with medical residents in advanced studies, which include general surgery, anesthesiology, internal medicine, plastic surgery, and otolaryngology (the study of the ear, nose, and throat). We are experts not only in implant procedures, but in adapting procedures successfully for your individual needs.

There is nothing like the look and feel of a natural smile. Make an appointment at our Virginia Beach, VA office to talk about dental implants. After all, a healthy, attractive smile is something we deserve at any age.

When you think of a dental emergency, you may picture teeth that have fallen out or severe tooth pain. But it is not uncommon for wisdom teeth to develop conditions or problems that require urgent care from Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter and our team at Oral Surgery of Tidewater. Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars that erupt in the late teen years to early 20s. Spacing and crowding problems often cause impaction and infections, which is why many people elect to have their wisdom teeth removed. If you are experiencing discomfort or pain related to your wisdom teeth, call our office to schedule a wisdom teeth consultation.

Perisoronitis and Infections

You may develop perisoronitis if you have a partially-erupted wisdom tooth that has become inflamed. Often, inflammation is caused by food lodged beneath the gum. Here at Oral Surgery of Tidewater, we can gently search for and remove food debris, as well as clean the affected area and treat it with antibiotics. Do not avoid treatment, however, as untreated perisoronitis can lead to infection, which ultimately places your health at risk.

Crowding and Impaction

When your wisdom teeth erupt, they may cause overcrowding of your teeth, which can have a negative effect on their alignment. This can make it harder for you to clean your teeth properly, and it also increases the chances for developing tooth decay and other oral health problems in the future. For some people, the wisdom teeth never erupt, becoming impacted beneath the gum and causing problems with the neighboring teeth.

If you have an impaction or wisdom tooth crowding, make an appointment with our office soon. We will be happy to evaluate the progress of your wisdom teeth, as well as their effect on the rest of your jaw. Depending on our analysis, we will then discuss your options for treatment and whether extraction might be right for you.

Complications from Wisdom Tooth Extraction

If you have recently had your wisdom teeth extracted, blood clots will have formed in the open sockets the teeth previously occupied. In most cases, the gums heal normally, assuming you follow post-surgical care instructions. However, a small percentage of wisdom tooth extractions do not heal according to plan. If you continue to experience pain or other unusual symptoms following a wisdom tooth extraction, please give us a call. We’ll do everything we can to minimize discomfort and help you heal safely and quickly.

Remember, our team is here to support your dental health in every capacity. We are dedicated to providing excellent service before, during, and after all wisdom tooth procedures, so you can rest assured that your oral health is in good hands.

If you have lost a tooth or teeth, dental implants can restore your smile. Implants look natural, don’t impact the healthy teeth around them, and protect the underlying bone from the bone loss that can be caused by a missing tooth.

One important prerequisite for a successful implant: the bone in the jaw that will hold the implant must be healthy, and must be the appropriate size and strength to allow osseointegration (the fusion of the implant with the jawbone) to take place. If the bone isn’t wide enough, high enough, or dense enough, the success of the implant will be in jeopardy.

An implant, unlike a denture or a bridge, is rooted in the jaw much like your tooth. A cylinder is implanted in the bone, and will later hold the abutment which attaches to the final crown. Because a great deal of pressure is placed on our teeth with everyday functions such as chewing, the bone must be strong enough to successfully fuse with the implant.

Fortunately, Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter can actually restore the density and shape of your jawbone if the bone isn’t suitable for an implant. This reconstruction is accomplished with bone grafting.

Why Would You Need a Bone Graft?

The bone structure which supports our teeth can be compromised in a number of ways. We might recommend a bone graft if you have insufficient bone due to causes such as:

• Bone Loss Caused by Tooth Loss

The bone tissue which supports our teeth needs the stimulation of biting and chewing to stay healthy. Without that stimulation, the bone area under the missing tooth gradually shrinks. The bone tissue is resorbed into the body, which, in a relatively short amount of time, can lead to a noticeable sunken spot where the tooth used to be. Bone grafting will rebuild this area—and a dental implant will provide the tissue stimulation that a natural tooth would, helping to prevent future bone loss in the jaw.

• Gum Disease

As gum disease progresses, the gums pull away from the teeth, leaving the bone and connective tissue exposed to infection and bacteria. Infection and the body’s own response to bacteria can cause deterioration in the bone structure supporting the teeth. Bone loss cannot be reversed, but a graft can replace lost bone and allow healthy tissue to regenerate.

• Pre-existing Bone Conditions or Traumatic Injuries

In the case of bone structure that is naturally less thick or dense, or bone which has been damaged by accident or injury, a bone graft can provide a solid basis for an implant.

What Takes Place in a Bone Grafting Procedure?

Bone grafting is a type of oral surgery. Bone tissue for grafting may be taken from your own body, or a graft material composed of safe and sterile donor tissue or synthetic substitutes can be used. This second kind of graft will be absorbed gradually by the body as your own new, healthy bone tissue replaces it.

If you decide a bone graft is your best option, we will discuss the options for grafting with you during your appointment at our Virginia Beach, VA office, and use imaging to map out the area of bone loss and to create the best individual treatment plan for you.

After anesthesia, an incision will be made in the gum tissue to reveal the damaged bone. Grafting material will be shaped and secured to the affected area, and sutures are generally used to close the incision. We will give you careful instructions for after care and follow-up visits. The time it takes for you to heal completely will depend on the type and size of the graft.

We recommend bone graft surgery when it will provide the best, most successful foundation for your dental implant procedure. Oral surgeons have years of medical and surgical training in the complex relationship and interaction of bone, muscle, and nerve. We are uniquely qualified to provide a skillful, safe, and effective bone grafting procedure.

When you choose an implant, one of your primary goals is the aesthetic restoration of your smile. Just as important, you are also making sure that the bones supporting your teeth will remain heathy and strong. Talk to us about bone grafting, and how we can start you on your way to a lifetime of beautiful smiles.