Archive for 2017
Where Do Dental Implants Come From?
Dental implants have a surprisingly rich and interesting history. Across centuries and throughout cultures around the world there is evidence of attempts at replacing missing teeth with various objects and materials. The oldest dental implants can be traced back to 2000 BC in China, where missing teeth were substituted with bamboo pegs. Fast forward a […]
Tooth Extraction – Managing Pain
The Procedure Itself Thanks to a wide variety of anesthesia choices available to us these days, you should feel no pain during your extraction. After the Surgery Over-the-Counter Medicines: Generally speaking, over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen are all that you will need following your surgery. Staying On Top of Pain: It […]
Oral Cancer Among Men to Increase in 2017
A recent study by the American Cancer Society reports that oral cancer cases in men is expected to increase in 2017 by 4%, while the rate of new cases among women stays the same year over year. “Oral Cancer”, which is a common way to refer to all head and neck cancers, involves cancer of […]
Why do we have wisdom teeth, anyway?
Wisdom teeth were once an extremely valuable asset to our ancestors. When a typical diet consisted of chewy plants and uncooked meat, third molars (wisdom teeth), which fit easily into our ancestors’ larger jaws, were absolutely necessary. Wisdom teeth were the evolutionary answer to the need for chewing power to combat excessive wear. Today, our […]
Walking For Those Who Crawl
March of Dimes Premature babies are those that are born before the normal 37-week gestational period. These babies have various health issues, which can affect them over their lifetime. Sadly, some premature babies won’t make it – which is what March of Dimes aims to prevent. What is March for Babies? March for Babies supports […]
Missing Teeth: More than Just a Gap in Your Smile
While it is true that the most obvious effect of missing teeth is a gap in your smile, missing teeth can cause other problems that you might not be immediately aware of. For example, did you know that for every missing tooth you have you lose 10 percent of your chewing ability? Read on to […]
3D Printers and Bone Grafting
There is exciting news in bone grafting technology that will hopefully find its way into the oral surgeon’s office over the next decade! Researchers have been able to create a synthetic bone material using 3D printers that may be better than what is being used now. 3D printers create three-dimensional objects out of a variety […]
Oral & Oropharyngeal Cancers
Worldwide, over 550,000 new cases of Oral, Head and Neck cancer are diagnosed each year. Oropharyngeal cancer is slightly different from oral cancer. Oropharyngeal cancers are related to HPV (Human papilloma virus) and usually occur in the tonsils or at the base of the tongue, while oral cancers are in the mouth and usually associated […]