Should You Get an Oral Cancer Screening?

Should You Get an Oral Cancer Screening?

Oral cancer screening is a procedure in which a dentist or doctor examines your mouth for indicators of cancer or precancerous diseases. Oral cancer screening aims to detect mouth cancer at an early stage when there is a better possibility of a cure. During a typical dental visit, most dentists will examine your mouth to check for oral cancer. Additional tests may be used by some dentists to help identify irregular cell areas in your mouth.

 

What is Oral cancer screening?

Oral cancer screening comes in several stages, from a Screening Test to a Comprehensive Oral Cancer Screening.

Your dentist will most likely perform a basic exam on you, which will include a comprehensive examination of all sections of your mouth, including:

  • Outside and within, your lips
  • Your gums are in good shape.
  • The insides of your cheeks, from all sides and underneath your tongue
  • Your mouth’s lining
  • Your throat’s backside

If you have dentures, you will be required to remove them so that the tissue beneath them may be examined.

They may place one finger under your tongue and one over your skin below the chin and then move to sense a tissue all around. Your dentist in Yorba Linda CA may also examine the area beneath your jaw.

The exam should take no more than an hour. The idea is to search for lumps and patches in the spit that covers all of the pink portions of your mouth and see if anything looks out of the ordinary.

 

Benefits

  • It’s simple: Oral cancer screening is a simple procedure. It’s so simple that you may do it while getting your teeth cleaned and examined. All your dentist has to do is look for signs of oral cancer on your lips, cheeks, tongue, gums, and roof of the mouth. He may even examine the throat on occasion.
  • It has the potential to save your life: If oral cancer is detected early on, it is considerably easier to treat and your chances of survival improve dramatically. This is why screenings are so crucial. If you are screened regularly, cancer will probably be caught early.
  • It is cost-effective: Oral cancer screening is included in your regular dental exam at no additional cost. The only time you may have to pay extra is if cancer is discovered and additional treatment is required.

 

Who is it for?

Oral cancer screening aims to discover precancerous lesions or oral cancer which could progress to mouth cancer at a beginning phase while lesions or cancer are easier to remove and cure.

Oral cancer can be caused by several factors, including:

  • Tobacco use in any form, such as pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, cigarettes, and snuff, is prohibited
  • consuming a lot of booze
  • Oral cancer diagnosis in the past
  • Extensive sun exposure history, which raises the risk of lip cancer

 

Conclusion

Oral cancer is more likely to progress if early diagnosis or management is delayed. In many ways, advanced-stage oral cancer treatment is difficult. To keep your mouth healthy, everyone should see a dentist at least once a year. However, doctors disagree on how frequently people should have oral cancer screening exams. Certain people believe that being checked out is a good idea when you have a high risk of contracting the disease.

The Importance of Dental Veneers

The Importance of Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are thin artificial shells that are tooth-colored, precisely attached to your teeth’ surface so they can improve their appearance. These teeth are crafted from resin or porcelain materials that are bonded to your natural teeth.

Generally, veneers can manage various cosmetic concerns such as chipped, discolored, or broken teeth. The main advantage of these veneers is improving the appearance of your teeth, giving your teeth a brighter look.

When to use Dental Veneers?

Veneers are commonly used to fix some dental problems, which primarily include:

  • Discolored teeth occur due to stains from chemicals such as tetracycline or other pharmaceutical drugs. It can also occur due to excessive fluoride and resin fillings. These veneers perfectly conceal the discolored teeth and help you have a brightly colored dental structure.
  • Chipped or broken teeth
  • Worn-down teeth
  • Misaligned, uneven, and irregularly shaped teeth
  • Close the irregular gaps between teeth

What are the Types of Veneers Available?

The most prevalent types of veneers available in the market include composite resin and porcelain veneer. Porcelain is the most effective in correcting issues such as color or the shape of your natural teeth. These porcelain veneers are durable and have an average lifespan of 10 to 20 years. The veneers cover the entire surface of the teeth. During the insertion process, the dentist will file the existing teeth so that the shell can perfectly fit on the teeth. Dr. Chad Ollom needs to make an accurate impression of your natural teeth and send them to the lab to prepare your veneer.

The composite resin veneers are manufactured by the dentist and will be applied directly to your teeth. You will only require a single appointment with the dentist to have these veneers fixed on your teeth. These types are minimally invasive options that are made using resin coverings. They will sit on your existing teeth and help to shape your teeth into a desirable appearance.

Composite veneers are more suitable to fix cracks or chips on the teeth. The dentist will apply a strong adhesive glue on your teeth during insertion to help the resin cover stick on the teeth. The resin is then sculpted according to the shape of your mouth and polished with an admirable shine finish.

What are the Advantages of Veneers?

Composite and porcelain veneers offer multiple advantages to the user, such as:

  • Will provide an elegant natural teeth appearance
  • Gums can perfectly tolerate the veneers
  • These veneers are stain-resistant
  • You can select a color that rhymes with the natural color of your teeth
  • There are more robust in comparison to other alternatives such as the crowns
  • Veneers are non-invasive and straightforward cosmetic fix to your teeth
  • They are permanent and offers strong durability
  • Are pretty easy to maintain

Key Takeaway

Veneers are necessary to camouflage stained or broken teeth. If you choose the veneers, you will enjoy multiple orthodontic benefits and cosmetic enhancements. These options are durable and elegant manner to create a natural smile. Even though this type of cosmetic dental remedy is expensive it is worth investing in as it offers long-term benefits.

All You Need to Know About TMJ

All You Need to Know About TMJ

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ Disorder) on your bite is one of the major problems that can affect your smile. If not treated on time, it can lead to many other problems such as malocclusion, muscle pain, and tooth mobility. This disorder prevents you from having a proper occlusion and stable bite. People suffering from this syndrome complain of misalignment of upper and lower jaws. It can cause pain in your face, neck, shoulders, especially jaws. TMJ treatment is a great option for people suffering from TMJ.

What is TMJ treatment?

It is a type of treatment that helps you to restore the alignment of the upper and lower jaw. Once your dentist determines the TMJ condition, they will suggest you use mouth guards and recommend some TMJ exercises and bite therapy.

The treatment is done on two levels. The first thing that the dentists focus on is the pain relief methods. They do it by applying dental splints and mouthguards to provide temporary relief. The next thing that they do is employ bite therapy principles to pinpoint the cause of the misalignment of the jaws.

You should know that using a TMJ mouth guard is not the solution for your TMJ symptom. People suffering from TMJ have weak joints so one should not do something that damages their jaws. TMJ mouth guards indeed relieve pain, but using them for a long time can damage joints. Like any other thing, a TMJ mouth guard also has some harm.

People using it has to open their mouth all night, it means that you are allowing the entry of harmful bacteria all night. Using mouth guards should not be used if it is due to trauma or hereditary causes.

TMJ treatments help alleviate the pain and also strengthen weakened joints. Jaw exercises are recommended by dentists to ensure that the jaws are relaxed and they do not get affected by clenching.

TMJ exercises can restore your upper and lower jaws to their original alignment. You should keep in mind that you can never do this treatment on your own. You need to hire a good dentist for a consultation. They can give you appropriate TMJ exercise depending on the condition of your TMJ.

 

The Benefits of TMJ Treatment

  • You can remove your discomfort
  • You can reduce your risk for dental damage
  • You can enjoy your meals once again
  • You can protect your ear health
  • You can enhance your overall health
  • You can boost your mood and quality of life

 

Who is it for?

TMJ treatment is necessary for people suffering from TMJ symptoms or misalignment of jaws. One can consult a dentist in their area and disclose all information related to the condition of the jaw and they will choose the right course of treatment. The dentist can only determine whether the person needs TMJ treatment or not. If you are successful in getting the right treatment then you can relive your life and say goodbye to TMJ symptoms. All you need to do is find a good dentist in your area.

Improving Your Smile with Teeth Whitening

Improving Your Smile with Teeth Whitening

Once the tooth fairy stops leaving treasures under your pillow, your pearly whites usually start a journey toward becoming more of a pearly yellow/brown/grey. If that’s the case, don’t berate yourself for it. It happens to everyone.

First and foremost you’ll want to be sure that you’re brushing and flossing every day to reduce the natural discoloration that can happen over time. But for some, this may not be enough and our smiles are an important part of how we see ourselves. So if you would like to improve your grin, you may be interested in doing some teeth whitening.

 

How Do You Whiten Your Teeth?

There are several options for bleaching your teeth back to your preferred shade of white. The easiest and cheapest option is toothpaste with teeth whitening capabilities. Be sure to look for the American Dental Associate stamp of approval to ensure you’re getting the highest quality and safest product for your mouth.

Another way is to get help straight from your dentist. These will very likely be the most heavy-duty bleaching options. The dentist would be able to make a tray mold of your teeth and give you whitening gel either applied right there in the office or that you take home to apply for yourself. The good thing about having a mold made of your exact teeth is that the whitening product will be held more closely and directly to your tooth.

Lastly, there are over-the-counter options that are likely to be more affordable. The process could still be a one-size-fits-all tray or it could be strips that go straight on your teeth. Again, the bleaching agent for these would be less concentrated than what you’d get at the dentist. So do a little research to make the best possible choice for your personal needs.

 

Do I Have To Get My Teeth Whitened?

There are a lot of benefits to teeth whitening, but certainly, it is a cosmetic issue not a life or death kind of situation. It’s more essential for your mental and emotional health than for your physical health.

But no matter which route you go, it is often a pain-free process. Some people do experience tooth sensitivity with the stronger products, but it is all designed to be easy.

As you’re deciding, think about your confidence. Will you feel better as you are or do you think having a little more sparkle in your smile might improve things. Do you have any special events coming up? Are you going to be taking pictures or appear on-camera any time soon? Granted, a photo editor app can do a lot to improve any imperfections for Instagram. But if it’s a problem that bugs you AND you can fix it at the source, you’ll be saving yourself time, effort, and stress. You deserve to be happy in your skin. Shiny, white teeth can go a long way toward helping with that.

 

Who Is Teeth Whitening For?

Addressing teeth stains by cleaning and whitening is the most common procedure done at any dentist. It can easily and quickly improve your natural teeth. Unfortunately, however, it doesn’t usually work for crowns, bridges, fillings caps, or veneers.

Check with your dentist to discuss all the options, but usually, if you’re older than 14 and you have had the color of your natural teeth affected by food, drink, injury, medication, smoking, or general use over your lifetime, teeth whitening could be great for you.

How Pediatric Dentistry Can Help Your Kids

How Pediatric Dentistry Can Help Your Kids

Pediatric dentistry is the branch of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all oral and dental problems in children. The dentist for children is the specialist who is also in charge of treating newborns and infants.

It should be noted the difference that exists between the techniques, knowledge, and methods that the pediatric dentist should have because the teeth and mouth of children are in a constant process of development and formation.

In the case of baby teeth, they come in between 6 and 24 months of age, starting with the lower incisors. As children grow, these baby teeth gradually begin to be replaced by what will be permanent teeth, until they are 12 or 13 years old.

 

When to see a pediatric dentist

There are several oral and dental damages and diseases that can occur in childhood, and therefore it is necessary to visit a pediatric dentist as soon as possible. Among these, we have the following:

  • Caries: it is damage that occurs frequently, and dental cavities appear in children. In fact, there is a type of caries called baby bottle tooth decay, the pediatric dentist specialist will be in charge of treating the appearance of this and even better of its prevention.
  • Trauma: children because of their age, often fall and hit constantly due to their games, they can break a tooth or even falls out having a loss of the same. So it will be necessary to make dental reimplants or repair them.
  • Congenital alterations: these are those types of disturbances that can damage the child’s teeth, such as deformities, sizes, among others.
  • Temporary tooth ankylosis: this is a trauma caused by necrosis of the soft tissue inside the tooth, which produces a dark color and interrupts the eruption of new teeth.

 

Benefits of pediatric dentistry

Among the main benefits, is the fact of being able to maintain constant control over the patient’s oral health, because, after each attendance or consultation, it will be possible to verify and detect any anomaly, disease, or cavities and to solve them as soon as possible.

It will also help the child motivating him/her in the correct care of his/her teeth, allowing him/her to create a conscience of responsibility about his/her oral hygiene so that he/she can keep his/her teeth strong, clean and healthy.

 

Who is pediatric dentistry for?

Pediatric dentistry is intended for children with dental problems. When parents or guardians fail to observe something relevant in their children’s teeth, it is recommended that they visit a pediatric dentist at 4 years of age.

The child’s brushing will be evaluated, and a visual inspection will be made to detect any possible damage or defects. If the child is already 6 years old or is about to turn 6 years old, the growth of the teeth and the next ones that are about to come in will be evaluated.

Depending on how the child’s teeth are, a schedule will be made of how often the child should visit the specialist, time that may vary, as it may be between one or three times a year, this will also depend on how the patient is developing.

This specialist is also in charge of attending to those patients who have other types of risks or needs, whether physical, sensory, or mental. This specialist is specialized in psychological techniques, which help to calm or reassure the child if necessary if an uncomfortable and unexpected situation occurs or presents itself.

There are several special needs that children may have, such as children with autism, ADHD, diabetes, oncological problems, and coagulation problems. These patients are the most likely to suffer problems due to poor positioning of teeth, gingivitis, halitosis, bruxism, trauma, among others.