OST Blog

New Year’s Day marks the beginning of the calendar year in most parts of the world. The holiday is celebrated on January 1st of each year. Customs and celebrations vary by country, religion, and even individual desires. Whether celebrated quietly or with gusto, the day brings the start of new opportunities for those that observe it.

United States and Canada

In both the US and Canada, celebrations begin on New Year’s Eve. At midnight on January 1st the New Year is welcomed with bells, horns, whistles, and other noisemakers. Fireworks are often part of the celebrations. In New York City, Times Square comes alive with revelers. In Toronto, there are large celebrations which may feature concerts, late-night partying, sporting events, and fireworks, with free public transit service during peak party times. Many individuals in North America greet the year by making resolutions for improvements in their lives.

China

In China, many people celebrate two forms of a new year. They may observe January 1st, but the traditional Chinese New Year is based on a lunar calendar. Parades with paper lanterns and dragons made from silk are a significant part of the festivities. Legends say that the dragon spends most of its time in hibernation so fireworks are used to keep the dragon awake.

Jewish Celebration

Jewish New Year’s observances begin with Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the New Year, and end with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This ten-day celebration is held in September or October, based on the Hebrew calendar. The New Year is not marked as much with loud celebrations as with personal insight to mend wrongs and resolve to better oneself.

Other countries and cultures also have different dates for New Year’s Day observances:

• Vietnam observes the New Year in February
• In Iran, the day is celebrated on March 21st
• Islamic cultures often observe the tenth day of the month of Muharram
• Russian Orthodox observers use the Julian calendar and celebrate on January 14th
• Buddhist celebrations are held from April 13th through 15th

If you observe New Year’s Day by making healthy resolutions, include dental care in your plans with Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter. The health of your teeth and gums contributes to your overall health. Caring for your mouth now can prevent many dental problems later in life. Oral Surgery of Tidewater wishes you a healthy, prosperous, and happy New Year!

Have you ever wondered why people have wisdom teeth? These are a third set of molars that come in behind the rest of all your other teeth, usually during early adulthood. Scientists and anthropologists believe that wisdom teeth are a result of evolution, because our ancestors needed these extra teeth to handle their primitive diets. Nowadays, the average diet consists of fewer hard-to-chew foods, which renders wisdom teeth largely superfluous.

Most people begin to experience wisdom teeth pain between the ages of 17 and 25. Our ancestors nicknamed them wisdom teeth because they appeared at a time in life when we supposedly grew wiser.

If you’ve already had your wisdom teeth removed, you know how painful they can become if they aren’t taken care of promptly. If not, watch out for discomfort in the back of your mouth and let Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter know right away if you think your wisdom teeth are coming in.

In some cases, people do not experience any problems or discomfort with their wisdom teeth. These patients may keep their wisdom teeth intact if there’s enough room in their jaw to fit them properly. But this is generally not the case, so wisdom teeth can cause several concerns, depending on which direction they grow.

Common problems include:

• Damage to surrounding teeth due to the pressure from the emerging teeth
• Infection that causes the surrounding gums to swell and become painful
• Tooth decay due to the lack of room to clean the teeth properly
• Impaction (when the tooth is unable to break through the skin)
• A cyst that may damage the jaw, the surrounding teeth, and nerves

If you haven’t had your wisdom teeth removed yet, there are many symptoms to watch out for when they begin to grow. Symptoms may include:

• Pain or stiffness in the jaw
• Tooth irritation
• Swelling of gum tissue
• Crowding of other teeth
• Spread of tooth decay or gum disease on nearby teeth

If you’ve noticed these symptoms, schedule an appointment at our Virginia Beach, VA office. Don’t forget: This is a common procedure that will take some time to recover from. Allow your mouth to heal, and then you’ll be able to get back to a normal routine quickly and be free from pain!

Okay, perhaps “everything” is a bit of an exaggeration—but we do have the answers to some essential questions if you’re thinking about replacing a missing tooth with an implant.

• What Are Dental Implants?

The construction of dental implants is simple and elegant. Most often, a titanium cylinder or screw is implanted into the jawbone. After several months, the implant becomes fused with the bone, a process called “osseointegration.” An abutment can then be secured inside the implant, extending above the gum line, and a crown is securely attached to this abutment. The result? A tooth that looks and functions just like a natural tooth.

• How Long Do Implants Last?

Unlike dentures and partial bridges, which may need to be replaced every five to seven years, an implant can last a lifetime. The material usually recommended for implants is titanium, a metal that integrates well with human bone and is resistant to corrosion, although non-metallic alternatives are also available. Over a period of months, the implant fuses into the bone. The result is a base that is as strong and stable as your natural root.

• Are There Any Preconditions for the Procedure?

Because the stability and longevity of an implant depend on its fusion with the bone surrounding it, your jawbone must have healthy density and the necessary depth and width to support an implant. When we lose a tooth, the bone underneath begins eroding as well. The longer you wait to replace a tooth, the more the jawbone beneath it shrinks. Advanced gum disease can also lead to bone loss.

Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter can often restore jawbone strength and density with a procedure known as 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 three to four months of healing, the jawbone is generally strong and dense enough to accept an implant.

• What Takes Place during the Implant Procedure?

The procedure takes place under local anesthesia. Sedation dentistry is also an option if you feel it would make your experience more comfortable. Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter will make a careful incision in the gum tissue. A drill will be used to create a small opening for the implant within your bone, and the implant will be gently positioned. A healing cap will be placed over the implant which will extend through the gum tissue, or the site will be closed and a healing cap applied in a second procedure after the bone heals.  The entire process takes about an hour for a single implant, and you will be given careful and detailed instructions for aftercare.

Once the implant has fused with the jawbone, which takes several months, you are ready for restorative work. The dentist you choose to do the restoration will oversee the fabrication of a crown designed to match your natural teeth and to fit perfectly in the space left by your missing tooth. An abutment piece will be fitted into the implant, and the crown will be attached to the abutment. The result will be a stable, anchored tooth that functions and feels like a natural tooth.

• Why Choose an Oral Surgeon for Your Implant?

Oral surgeons like Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter are specialists. They have a minimum of four years of surgical education and training in a hospital-based residency program. They train with medical residents in fields of study such as general surgery, anesthesiology, internal medicine, plastic surgery, and otolaryngology (the study of the ear, nose, and throat).

Because oral and maxillofacial education and training are focused on the bone, muscles, skin, and nerves of the face, mouth, and jaw, an oral surgeon is the best choice for your implant surgery and, in fact, any kind of oral surgery.

We gave it a try, but we probably haven’t answered “everything” you’d like to learn before deciding on a dental implant. But there is someone who has the knowledge and experience to assess whether you are a suitable candidate for an implant procedure and to perform your implant surgery safely, comfortably, and successfully: Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter. Make an appointment at our Virginia Beach, VA office today with someone who really does know everything you need to know about dental implants!

Dental implants are an increasingly popular choice when we need to replace a lost tooth or teeth. The reasons for choosing an implant are clear: implants look just like our natural teeth, are firmly anchored in the jaw just like our natural teeth, and are easy to clean and care for just like our natural teeth.

Not as clear? Whether your insurance will cover your implant procedure. Because implants are often more expensive than other replacement options, it’s important to learn just what your insurance plan provides, and what your out-of-pocket expenses will be. What do you need to know?

Know your policy

Dental and medical plans vary widely, from individual to individual, company to company, and state to state. Depending on your specific policy, you might be covered for part or most of the cost of a procedure, or your plan may provide no coverage at all. It pays to find out ahead of time!

Know the reason for your procedure

Your coverage may be affected by the reason for your procedure and whether it’s seen as medical or dental.

• If your dental insurance policy considers an implant to be a cosmetic or an elective treatment, implant surgery may not be covered. However, the cost of the crown restoration could be, at least in part.
• If implants are used to anchor a bridge or a denture, your dental policy might provide partial coverage, at least to the monetary extent that the insurance company would cover standard bridges or dentures.
• If you are suffering medical complications because of tooth loss due to illness, accident, or injury, your medical health insurance could cover some of your expenses.

 Know your plan’s annual and lifetime limits

If you do have dental coverage, there might be limits imposed on the kind and number of procedures allowed during a calendar year. You could also have yearly maximum benefits or lifetime maximum benefits, after which your expenses will be out-of-pocket.

Find out which steps of the implant procedure are covered

The implant process can require different steps, some of which may be covered by insurance while others are not. Depending on your needs, these steps can include:

• Extraction
• Bone grafting
• Implant surgery
• Crown restoration
• Anesthesia

Your policy may or may not cover any of these individual procedures, so it’s always best to discover exactly what’s involved in your implant treatment before you begin.

Know how to find out what you need to know!

• Talk to our Virginia Beach, VA office before you schedule surgery. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are experts in implant procedures, and can provide you with an explanation of just what services will be involved at every stage of your implant treatment, as well as a pre-treatment estimate.
• Talk to your dental insurer to see exactly what coverage they provide for the procedure or procedures you might need.
• And don’t forget to touch base with your medical insurer if you need implants as the result of a medical condition, accident, or injury.

Finally, talk to Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter again! We want to make sure that you receive all of the coverage that you are entitled to, and that your implant procedure is as affordable as it can be for this lifetime investment in your oral health. Whether it’s working with you to make the most of your insurance coverage, or working with you to discuss a financing plan that fits your budget, we will do their best to provide the clear answers you need.