Patient Information from Our Implant Dentist Serving San Antonio, New Braunfels, and Other Areas
Whether you would like to learn about periodontal disease, dental implants, or have other dental needs, as an implant dentist serving patients from San Antonio, New Braunfels, and other areas, I will do my best to provide you with all the information you need. Of course, should you have additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly. My goal is to help you understand your dental health and the treatment options available to you. It is important that you feel comfortable throughout the course of any treatment I provide.
What is a Periodontist?
A periodontist is a dentist who has had two to three years of advanced formal training in treating diseases that destroy the bone support around teeth. A periodontist is also an expert in soft tissue ulcerations of the mouth and treatments to manage mouth problems that are part of larger systemic diseases, such as diabetes.
When bone loss or tooth loss occurs, periodontists can provide reconstructive procedures to replace lost bone with grafts and lost teeth with dental implants. Personally, I am proud to provide advanced bone grafting and implant dentistry procedures to patients in San Antonio, New Braunfels, and other areas of Texas.
To become "board certified" as a periodontist one must demonstrate their expertise by successfully passing both written and oral examinations conducted by a board of nationally recognized experts in periodontics. Once a periodontist has been certified by the American Board of Periodontology, he earns the title of diplomate of the organization.
No matter what the reason for your referral to me, our first task together will be to determine in some detail what your specific dental needs are. Following this, we will consider and discuss all reasonable treatment options in order to find the one that will work best for you. Of course, I will be communicating with your general dentist throughout this process.
About Fees
I wave my fees for initial consultations. I simply ask that you make the appointment you set without rescheduling, if at all possible. Waived fees are provided at certain times of the day. This means if you must see me at a particular time and this time necessitates altering the day's procedure schedule there will be a charge for the visit. After your treatment plan has been established, your dental insurance coverage for the procedure or procedures will be determined.
About Dental X-rays
The number and type of x-rays needed will depend on the number of x-rays already taken by your referring dentist, as well as the treatment or treatments you are in need of. When analyzing gum disease, a full series of x-rays is standard. These should be taken every three to five years.
In most cases, we will likely need to take periapical x-rays. Periapical means "around the tip of the root." These x-rays give a detailed view of the bone and roots that otherwise cannot be seen simply by looking in the mouth. It is important to know how long the roots are, whether there are any unusual shapes, and if there are bone quality issues that need to be considered.
A word about radiation: A full-mouth series of x-rays will expose you to an extremely low amount of radiation. This is due to the extremely high-speed film used today. Exposure lasts only a fraction of a second, and the rest of your body is shielded. The chance of illness from untreated dental problems far outweighs that from radiation.
About Dental Implants
Dental implants are the most advanced means of replacing missing teeth. As an experienced implant dentist, I take pride in providing Dental implants to patients from San Antonio, New Braunfels, and surrounding areas. Dental implants are a very practical and durable way to replace one or more missing teeth. The reason they are so strong is that the support post of the replacement tooth is imbedded into the bone of the jaw.
The dental implants healing process can take from two to six months, depending on the quality of the bone and the size of the implants. Even though your gums will heal within a few weeks, the bone of the jaw needs to be given time to grow into and around the implants — fusing in a process known as "osseointegration." While this takes place, and you are waiting for your custom fabricated replacement teeth, temporary teeth can be in place so you will never be without your smile. For missing back teeth, this temporary replacement tooth may not be needed. If you would like to learn more about dental implants, please feel free to contact our implant dentist based in the San Antonio area.
Home Care Instructions Following Surgery
It is important that you take it easy during the 12 hours following periodontal or dental implant surgery. This helps ensure that you are able to have a good stable blood clot form. There are three reasons why this is important:
1. When a good blood clot forms, pain is reduced. This is because the clot covers over all exposed nerve endings and protects the site of surgery.
2. When a good blood clot forms, any risk of continuous bleeding is obviously reduced (Under "Complications" below, we discuss what can be done if bleeding recurs or does not completely stop).
3. When a good blood clot forms, the risk of infection is significantly reduced. This is because the pathway for bacteria entering the site of surgery is cut off.
When taking it easy during the 12 hours after surgery, please keep the following in mind:
1. Do not exercise or do anything that elevates your heart rate or blood pressure. This prevents additional blood from being pumped to the surgery site.
2. Limit talking and chewing. Drinking liquids and eating is appropriate, but it is best to select foods that are easy to swallow and do not require a lot of chewing.
After 12 hours, the anesthetic will be gone and your pain will be under the control of pain medication. When you feel you can return to a normal routine, do so. This means you can return to routine exercise and chewing (away from the site or sites of surgery as much as possible).
Medications
Working with your general dentist, medication will be recommended to help relieve pain after periodontal or dental implant surgery. You will be informed of type and amount of medication or medications that should be taken, as well as the duration medications should be taken. Typical medication options include ibuprofen or Tylenol®.
Antibiotics
Take antibiotics as prescribed. You will be given contact information should you have any adverse reactions to the medication.
Oral Sedation
It is important that each patient is accompanied by someone who can stay with them for the first few hours after arriving at home. The patient is likely to take a nap and, because the sedative can cause short-term memory loss, it is the escort's responsibility to tell the patient where he or she has been that day. Once the patient understands what has happened, it is alright for the escort to safely leave the patient unattended.
Sedation is considered to be in effect for 24 hours after the procedure. During this time the patient should not drive a vehicle or operate hazardous equipment.
Oral Hygiene Instructions
If prescribed, Peridex® can be used as a rinse to help rid the mouth of bacteria. Begin rinsing the day after the procedure. Rinse with one-half-ounce for 30 seconds twice a day; once in the morning and once in the evening. Do not drink or rinse with water for at least one hour after using Peridex®. Before rinsing, make sure your mouth has no toothpaste flavor left over from brushing. The chemicals in the flavors you taste can inactivate the germ killing ingredient in Peridex®.
If you are not prescribed Peridex®, you will likely be instructed to rinse with warm salt water. Stir one teaspoon of salt into an eight to ten ounce glass of water, rinsing two to three times. This can be done after meals.
Brushing and Flossing
After your procedure, do not brush or floss the surgical area until sutures are removed or have disappeared (if dissolving sutures are used). You are encouraged to brush and floss other areas of your mouth.
Food
For the first 12 hours after surgery, please drink liquids and eat only very soft foods. After this time has passed, you may eat most foods. For the first few weeks after surgery, please avoid popcorn, chips, nuts, and all foods with small seeds.
Good nutrition after surgery is important for optimum healing. Taking vitamins is also recommended.
Activity
Restrict any strenuous exercise for at least 24 hours following surgery.
Smoking should be avoided for the rest of your life. If you must smoke, smoke as little per cigarette as possible to calm your nerves, then stop. It is important to understand that smoking significantly slows the healing process and increases the risk of surgical complications and failures.
Complications
Should you feel any pain after your dental treatment, please do not hesitate to contact your general dentist. As always, I will work hand-in-hand with your dentist to ensure your procedure is successful. The following information is provided to help you determine the proper course of action should you have a dental emergency of other dental issue:
Emergency: If you believe that you have a life-threatening problem, immediately call 911.
Sutures: If you find that a suture (or stitch) has come loose, feel free to clip the dangling end with small scissors. Do not pull on the sutures.
Persistent bleeding: You may taste blood for the first 24 hours after surgery, but the surgery area should not be actively bleeding. Try to determine if you are seeing blood or reddish-tinged saliva. Try to locate the exact point where the bleeding is occurring. Place direct pressure on this area with wet gauze or a wet washcloth. Allow at least ten minutes to pass before removing the material to check on the bleeding. If you are unsure whether you have a problem, please call your dentist's office.
Pain from a dental implant: Following normal post surgical soreness after a dental implant is placed, there should be absolutely no pain or swelling. If you find that there is either pain or swelling, please schedule an evaluation at your dentist's office. Pain should be addressed as soon as possible. It can usually be addressed quickly and without the need to remove the implant, but small issues can become more serious as time passes.
Bone particles noticed: It is not unusual to discover small pieces of bone coming from an area where a bone graft was placed. This is absolutely normal. However, if you are unsure it is always wise to call your dentist.