What is involved in the treatment itself?

These conditions may cause many functional and psychological problems. The good news is that they need not be permanent. Improvement, and often correction, can be attained with the proper procedure. It is a cosmetic surgery and the surgeon envisages changing the face of a person from distortion to proportion. The results of orthognathic surgery can have a dramatic and positive affect on many aspects of your life.

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Evaluation : After the initial examination a thorough examination with facial measurements, photographs, x-rays, and dental impressions will be carried out. A complete medical examination will follow. This rules out any health problems that would interfere with the surgery or the administration of General Anesthesia.


Pre-surgical Orthodontia : The Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon and the Orthodontist will work closely together during your treatment. Orthodontic treatment (braces) is started before surgery. The teeth are moved and repositioned into proper alignment before surgery if necessary.


Preparing for Surgery : The Orthognathic Surgery will take place in a hospital under general anesthesia. You will be admitted to the hospital one day prior to surgery and will be advised on dietary conditions for the days leading up to surgery. You will probably be required to stay in the hospital for a week or so until you have recovered from the surgery. You may need blood transfusion during the surgery. You will then undergo a full medical checkup. You should as always, maintain a good standard of oral hygiene before and after surgery.


Surgical Procedures : Orthognathic Surgery lasts anywhere from 1½ hours to several hours depending on the type of surgery needed. Incisions are made inside the mouth during surgery and there will be no visible external scars. However if external incision has to be made, as in surgeries of the tempromandibular joint , care is taken to conceal it in the natural skin creases or folds. Meticulous suturing technique can reduce the scar formation.
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At what age is the treatment most effective?

The ideal age for Orthognathic Surgery is after the growth period has been completed (18 years for girls and 20 years for boys), although there are a few exceptions. If the patient has psychological problems due to the deformity of the face then orthognathic surgery may take place at an earlier age.
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Can these conditions be effectively treated?

These conditions may cause many functional and psychological problems. The good news is that they need not be permanent. Improvement, and often correction, can be attained with the proper procedure. It is a cosmetic surgery and the surgeon envisages changing the face of a person from distortion to proportion. The results of orthognathic surgery can have a dramatic and positive affect on many aspects of your life.

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ORTHOGNATHIC SURGERY

Orthognathic surgery is the type surgery performed by Oral Surgeons to correct skeletal mismatches. The word orthognathic is derived from "ortho" meaning correct or straight and "gnathos" meaning jaw. These situations involve a situation where one of the jaws is:

- too large
- too small
- too far forward or
- too far back in relation to the rest of the skull.



Orthognathic Surgery is not intended to replace orthodontics for straightening the teeth when the relatinship ot the jaws is within the normal range, but cannot change the relationship of the jaw.

Orthognathic surgery is usually done in conjunction with orthodontics to provide the best possible end result.

Situations that lend themselves to Orthognathia are:

1. Apertognathia is a situation when the back teeth meet but the front teeth do not touch. This space causes difficulty in biting with the front teeth

2. Prognathia is a situation where the lower jaw is too large and grows too far forward. Surgery can be used to slide the lower jaw back.

3. Retrognatia is a situation where there is a "severe" overbite. These situations are managed with surgery and orthodontics together.

4. Vertical Maxiallary Excess also known as the gummy smile. In this case the upper jaw has grown too far down. Surgery can move the jaw upward to create a much nicer looking smile.
If you believe you have any of these situations discuss them with your dentist who will refer to specialists qualified to carry out these procedures.


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Are You Choosing Your Dentist The Right Way?

What makes one dentist different from another? How should we, as consumers, find the dentist that can take care of us properly? Who and where do we go for reference?

For everything that we need, there is a system says San Diego dentist.

All texts and information out there that teach how to find a dentist regurgitate the same garbage, and they all start by “Ask a friend or a family member”. The funny thing is that all have either been either written by non dentists or dentists who were practicing eons ago! So, the big question remains, how can you as a patient be able to tell the difference between a good dentist and a bad one? How can you tell the difference between quality dentistry? How can you be assured that the dentist gave you all the options that are truly available? How do you know that they are the right options?

Some people say that they can tell. Well, I would suggest you read on says Los Angeles dentist.

Dentistry has evolved tremendously, especially over the last 10 years, and is continuously evolving on a daily basis. But while techniques and materials are improving and changing daily, dental schools today are not keeping up with the pace, instead, they still teach the same things that were taught 50 years ago says Orange County dentist.

Beverly Hills dentist says that, the only way that a dentist would be able to tell the difference between good and high quality material to be used on you and to be able to decide which materials mix well with one another and which ones do not go well with one another is for the dentist to have the right type of training. What materials are used many of times in a dental office are based on the recommendation of the sales rep for the supply company, the specials that the specific supply company has that day and their prices. So the question is this, if your dentist does not charge you properly and if they are very cheap, do you think they can afford to buy the right supplies and materials? The answer would be a big NO. But is that really important? What difference does it make between using a cheaper material and the more expensive one?

I will tell you a story. About 2 years ago, I was on a panel of highly trained dentists to evaluate certain new products that are going to be introduced to the market by one of the big supply companies. They introduced a new material that will help to bond or glue on the white fillings to the teeth. Now, there are 10 different quality of materials in general that can be used for this, each one has its own indications based on the type of the filling, the quality of the tooth and how deep and big the cavity is. And to make it more complicated, there are subcategories of these materials. This company has had a bonding agent material that has served well and does a great job for certain specific situations. One of the issues is that most dentists only carry one type of these materials in their office and use the same thing for all instances. Why? Because most often they do not know that there is a difference between the strength of this materials in different situations. The sales reps know enough to sell the material, but are not dentists and do not know when a dentist should use these material. Back in that meeting, this company introduced a new version of this same bonding agent to us. Instead of having two little bottles and putting one drop of each on the tooth and place the filling over it. The new material, instead of two bottles, is in a beautiful pen like applicator and it auto mixes the material, so it can conserve the material.

When we raised the question of if the strength of this material is the same, the answer by the presenter from the manufacturing company was I am not sure. So he went ahead and found out that the strength of this material is 30% less than the older version. So why is this new material on the market? Because it looks cool? Is it because it is very difficult to put one drop each of the bonding agents on the tooth? Is it a marketing issue? Well, it was decided that this material is not good enough to be used. You would think the story ends here. Months later, I had my sales rep come into my office, telling me about this magical new material that makes my life so easy. She pull out this pen out. Yes you are right, it was the same bonding material pen. I asked her if they had improved the bonding strength. As I had expected, her answer was a simple I don’t know. We came to find out that it was the same sub standard agent that they had asked the panel to vote on! I asked her if anyone is using these? She said “This is the hottest thing in the market now. I have been selling this to most of my clients and they are loving it!”

Dentistry is advancing every day, materials are changing every day. The face of dentistry has changed. It is no longer about drilling and filling and taking care of cavities. Many dentists have learned to ask the question of why. Why some people more prone to cavities, why some people have wear on their teeth. Those who have dedicated their career to excellence have learned that they must continue to learn. This is the only way they can decide which material is ideal for one patient and is not good for another. To be able to look at a patient as a whole, not a tooth walking in. To evaluate posture, to look for signs and symptoms, to look at diet, to look at airways and snoring and sleeping and the list goes on. Today, we know that unlike Vegas, what happens in your mouth, does not stay in your mouth! Your mouth is the gateway to your body. In part two of this article, I will go over more specific way that you can evaluate your dentist.

Meanwhile, for some more information, you can go to www.top3dentists.com to learn more about dentistry and who the top dentists are, truly, based on measurable standards, vs. all the other sites out there that claim to have the top dentists on their sites, but are rated based on the amount of money that these dentists spend on marketing.
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Emergency Dental Care

Our regular patients typically do not have dental emergencies but occasionally a tooth with a large filling could fracture, a denture can be dropped or teeth can be damaged accidentally. It is important to have the problem evaluated as soon as possible to keep a bad situation from getting worse. We treat dental emergencies almost every day and we like to make appointments immediately.

We know that many dental emergencies happen because people are afraid to go to the dentist. They wait until they have pain. We help you overcome your fear of dental treatment. Our gentle compassionate dental care turns the frightened patients into happy people with beautiful smiles. If your emergency involves extensive oral surgery we will give you the doctor’s cell phone number so you can contact him with your concerns after hours.

Cosmetic Emergencies


What do you do if your cap or veneer breaks the day before your wedding? The best thing you can do is call our office because we can make a new veneer or a permanent crown in about 1 hour. We can even do most denture repairs in less than an hour and we can usually replace a missing tooth the same day.

What you can expect the day of your appointment


First tell us what the dental emergency is. Then we would like to hear about your past experiences with dental treatment and what you liked and did not like. Usually a dental x-ray is taken when we evaluate the problem. We may also visually check your teeth to determine the exact source of the pain. Once we determine the problem we will present you with all the options modern dentistry has to offer. We will answer all your questions and give you our recommendations. Once you have all the information you can decide what is best for you.

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How To Get Your Teeth White Again

In the past in order to get your teeth looking white you would have to pay a visit to the dentist or even an expert teeth whitening clinic of some sort - the ones that claim you can have a smile like the celebrities do. Now a days there are several teeth whitening treatments available that you can try in the comfort of your own home for very little cost. Many which you can try on a trial basis before you buy so you can see what kind of results you can expect to get.

There are several treatments available today to whiten your teeth - from toothpastes, to gels, to floss and even bleaching. However many people report mixed success with either one or more of these remedies. One of the best teeth whitening kits on the market involves a simple powder scrub and the use of swabs. The powder scrub gently erases the stains from your teeth safely and effectively - and there is no messy measuring involved on your part. The swab is then placed into the powder scrub and you simply wipe the swabs over your teeth. That's it - the whole process takes no more than 5 minutes. It won't take up any of your important time and it is a very convenient and quick way to get white teeth again.

This treatment has provided thousands of people with results far beyond their expectations - most people achieving whiter teeth in less than 7 days. This is remarkable considering that it can take years for the yellow colour on your teeth to build up - but this unique system literally erases the stains on your teeth within hours of using it.

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Down Economy Sparks Up-Surge in New Smiles

By Judith Sloan—WASHINGTON, DC—These have been challenging times for Annette S.—who recently joined the ranks of unemployed attorneys in Washington, DC.—and soon after joined the ranks of people with a brand new smile!

“I was out on the job market for the first time in years, and the first thing I thought was ‘I need a better smile,’” says the mother of two young boys. “I need everything going for me when I feel like competition is so fierce.”

Annette searched online, and chose our office after viewing the before-and-after photos on our website. “The photos showed real people getting good looking smiles,” says Annette, who explains that she needed to feel that she could get a natural look that would be right for her.

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How To Make Stained Yellow Teeth White Again

There are so many of us out in the world today that would dearly love to get rid of the yellow stained colouring of our teeth. White teeth along with a bright smile amost always leaves a lasting positive impression on anyone we meet in our day to day lives whether it be social, personal or work life. If you are one of those that have yellow stained teeth and would like to get them white again this article will provide you with a simple solution.

Studies have shown that having a bright smile with clean fresh white teeth will always provide us with an increase in confidence, a sense of high self esteem and a highly positive self image. These are just many of several reasons why people today are searching for a proven way to make their yellow teeth white again.

So how do you get your teeth white again? Well while many of us follow a good dental routine daily with proper brushing, flossing and using mouth wash we can still find our teeth are yellowing. We may even be avoiding all those sweet foods and things like tea, coffee and smoking - but the yellow teeth are still there. Not all is lost however - there is a solution, a simple solution that can be performed at home in very little time - and won't cost you a fortune.

The solution is to use a simple system that has many people all over the world getting their white teeth back again with alot of success. This system involves the use of powder scrubs and swabs that will actually erase the yellow stains and discolorations on your teeth. Many success stories show people who have seen a huge difference in the colour of their teeth within 7 days of using this simple system.


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Tooth Abscesses and the Root Canal Relief

In its simplest sense, a tooth abscess is an infection of the root of the tooth or of the tooth itself. When the root of the tooth is dead, a dentist is most likely to clean the tooth and the root canal before filling the tooth and root canal. In this case, a tooth abscess is likely to form in the root and the infection generates puss. The puss is responsible for most, if not all, of the symptoms of a tooth abscess, including swelling, nerve sensitivity, and pain. On the other hand, when the root of the tooth is still alive, the infection upsets the nerve of said tooth and causes pain. Tooth decay begins as the tooth abscess forms in the soft pulp located in the very center of the tooth. An abscess usually occurs on just a single tooth, but delayed treatment may result in the infection of the surrounding teeth.

There are many factors that contribute to the formation of tooth abscesses, the most primary of which is proper oral hygiene, or the lack of it, to be more precise. People who observe good oral hygiene are not prone to experience any tooth problems. To take a closer look, the succeeding sentences offer an explanation for the occurrence of tooth abscesses. Firstly, tooth abscesses are formed when the affected tooth had dental work – such as a crown, filling, or root canal – previously performed on it.

On these occasions, the tooth had been compromised by infection via a cavity. In other words, the germ responsible for the inevitable formation of the abscesses was not entirely killed when the tooth was fixed. Secondly, time delay causes the formation of tooth abscesses. If, for example, a germ is left alive and undetected for some time, the immune system is weakened and control over any sort of infection becomes difficult, if not impossible. Thirdly, tooth abscesses are formed as aging continues. Like any other part of the body, an aging tooth is more prone to diseases than a new tooth. As the tooth’s weakness progresses over time, a microscopic crack or a gum withdrawing from the tooth can easily allow infection to set in.

Once a tooth abscess is formed, a variety of symptoms mark the different stages of its development. Firstly, there is the feeling that the tooth is becoming loose and/or that the tooth is positioned higher than usual. These symptoms are due to the initial puss build-up. Secondly, there is a feeling of discomfort and/or pain, which varies in degree. Thirdly, if still left untreated, the tooth falls out after the infection eats away the jaw and gum near it. Fourthly, in the highly progressed state, the infection leads to facial disfigurement and spreads throughout the body and causes complications, including death on rare occasions. Before symptoms worsen, it is best to have a tooth abscess treated – and one of the most recommended options is the root canal relief.

Under the root canal relief, the affected tooth undergoes treatment for the purging of the tooth abscess. The first thing that is done is the drilling out of the root canal and the infected area. This way, the dentist can see just how far the infection has spread. Then, the infection is cleansed out and, finally, the tooth is resealed. To ensure that the infection dies, the insides of the tooth are painted with a germ killer; thus, antibiotics are seldom prescribed after root canal relief is performed. However, rest is required to allow the tooth to heal and the rest of the immune system to recover.

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Tonsillolith or Tonsil Stone - a Smelly Lump Coughed Up From Your Tonsils?

A tonsillolith, also commonly known as a tonsil stone or tonsil rocks is a whitish/yellow lump, which forms within the tonsil crypts and eventually works its way out where it is either coughed up or swallowed. They can be an unpleasant annoyance at times giving the sensation of a foreign body stuck in the back of the throat and are often associated with bad breath issues and a dry metallic taste in the mouth.

If you squash a tonsil stone between your fingers they give off an awful smell a bit like rotten eggs or vomit. This is because they contain quantities of sulfur-producing bacteria that are found at the back of the tongue, which is often the cause of many bad breath problems. The stones vary in size from tiny up to around the size of a pea, but can be even larger and very uncomfortable in extreme cases.

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Tag : Lump in the Throat (Globus) , Sensation/feeling lump throat swallowing

What exactly is a tonsillolith and why do they form? They are generally made up of bits of food, dead skin cells, dead white blood cells, saliva and sulfur-producing bacteria that collect in crevices found in the tonsils. Over time they gradually get larger until they finally dislodge and fall out. There are some who try to squeeze them out using a moistened cotton bud but this tends to make you gag and can lead to soreness of the tonsils if you are not careful.

Tonsil stones are more common in adults than in children and tend to turn into more of a noticeable problem during later teenage years. They only normally materialize in individuals who still have their tonsils but this does not mean you should take drastic action to have your tonsils removed. It is estimated that around a quarter of all adults who still have their tonsils suffer from this condition at sometime during their lives. Symptoms can be a dry metallic taste in the mouth, sore throat, repeatedly coughing to clear the throat, referred ear pain or itching within the ear, bad breath and of course coughing up the tonsilloliths.

It does not make any difference if you have good dental hygiene, this in itself will not get rid of tonsil stones. At best, toothpaste, mouthwash or mints may mask any bad odours for a couple of hours but will do nothing to combat and eliminate your problem for good. The only way is to fight back and use a quality tonsil stones treatment plan. You need to get hold of the best cure available and give it a go.

The main problem more often than not is people are naturally lazy and put off doing something positive about their disorder for another day. This day never comes and they carry on through life just complaining rather than doing. If you have a problem with a tonsillolith or tonsil stone and don't want to waste any more time, then do something positive now, don't be one of those who leave it for another day. There is a solution to your problem and it's worth giving it a try.

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Simple Home Remedies for Whitening Teeth

There are many treatments to get whiter teeth. There are laser treatments, whitening strips, whitening toothpastes, gels, chewing gum, and even whitening markers just to name a few. These can cost a lot of money, but there are a few ways to get a whiter smile just by using a few home remedies for whitening teeth that will keep your wallet happy.

Why spend thousands of dollars and valuable time taking trips to the dentist to have them put some weird chemicals in your mouth to bleach your teeth? Why go the store and spend your hard earned money on whitening strips that have a gross taste and take up to a week or more to work before you even see any real results?

When people think of home whitening they think of strips, whitening trays, gels and brush-on whitening. There is an alternative way to get the same results for a lot less. You can start to get the whitest smile ever simply by opening the door to your refrigerator or cabinet.

Some home remedies from across the world include the consumption of fruit. A natural and safe way to whiten your teeth is by eating strawberries. Eating five to seven strawberries can clean your teeth and therefore make them look brighter.

Another basic at home method is by creating a paste made out of lemon juice and salt. Just mix one part lemon juice with two parts salt and rub the paste over your teeth. The salt granules gently lift away the dull color of your teeth and any stubborn yellow stains.

Another method you can create to lift stains is with carbonated club soda that is diluted with water. You can make a whitening mouth wash by using two parts club soda and one part water. We have all seen how soda eats away the rust off of an old penny. It will do precisely that to your teeth if you swish it around inside your mouth.

The last suggestion is by using an orange peel. Many people take an orange peel and dry it out. They then use the rind to rub against their teeth to remove stains. The orange peel is very acidic and it will gently lift stains.

These simple home remedies for whitening teeth are cost effective and most of them are all natural. Follow the guidelines and you will see excellent results. Enjoy your white smile and the extra money you saved by using these remedies.
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Remedies for Toothache Relief

Toothache Relief

One of the worst pains that a person can experience is a toothache. It is referred to any soreness, discomfort or pain within or around a tooth, with symptoms like irritation, swelling, reddening, etc. One of the major reasons of toothache comprises of an infection, with some chances of abscess. The best way to escape from toothache is to avoid any infection altogether.

Toothache relief with this natural

A great natural toothache remedy is to either ground clove or pure food grade clove oil on the affected tooth. This is the most well known of all herbal toothache remedies. I list this remedy first since most people have cloves in their spice rack.

Toothache Diet

No medicine is effective, if the diet we take is not balanced and rich in nutrition. Nutritional food will make your tooth and gums, and mouth bones healthy and strong for lifetime. Always include fresh green leafy vegetables, juicy fruits, cereals, grams, etc., in your diet. Strictly avoid junk foods, spicy foods. Even if you take them occasionally, always brush your teeth after that.

Toothache, toothache remedies

A toothache is any pain or soreness within or around a tooth, indicating inflammation and possible infection. Generally a toothache happens if tooth decay penetrated the pulp chamber or is very close to it, which contains the nerves and tiny blood vessels.

You should consider yourself very lucky if you have not gone through the anguish and agony of toothache. But you never know, it can really hurt you in near future. So you should always have some knowledge regarding some home remedies for Toothache Pain Relief. Be prepared to prevent that immediate, unbearable pain.

Apply a dab of “Vicks vapor rub” on the side of the face where the pain is. Place a paper towel on top and lay down in bed. The heat from the vicks absorbs into the skin and brings you toothache relief.

Always brush your teeth with good quality of toothpaste and toothbrush. Never brush in hurry. Proper brushing of teeth will keep your teeth clean and gums healthy.

Foods rich in vitamin C are good for the teeth. So include amalaki, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables and citrus fruits in your diet.

Fast Tooth Pain Relief

Ache of the tooth, more commonly known as a toothache, is clinically labeled either odontalgia or odontalgy. The intense discomfort associated with such affected tooth, is in the aching pain that involves the tooth or areas around it. Sources that contribute to the aching tooth are developed due to problems concerning the tooth or jaw.

Toothache relief using garlic

Among the most effective toothache relief is garlic. A clove of garlic with a little rock salt should be placed on the affected tooth. It will relieve the pain and, sometimes, may even cure it. A clove should also be chewed daily in the morning. It will make the cure teeth making it strong and healthy.

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