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7 Reasons You Should See a Chattanooga Oral Surgeon

Tuesday, 31 August 2021 17:53
7 Reasons You Should See a Chattanooga Oral Surgeon

7 Reasons You Should See a Chattanooga Oral Surgeon

You know to see your dentist twice a year for cleanings and exams, but it may not be as clear when you should seek the services of a Chattanooga oral surgeon. It is likely that at some point your life circumstances will warrant a trip to the oral surgery office. Here are seven scenarios in which you absolutely should seek out the specialty care of a Chattanooga oral surgeon.

1– Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Most of us have at least some wisdom teeth, if not all four, and ultimately any dental professional will tell you you should have them removed. If wisdom teeth align properly with surrounding teeth and the neighboring gum tissue is healthy, they do not have to be removed; however, that does not generally occur. If you haven’t undergone wisdom teeth removal surgery, you should probably see an oral surgeon.

2– Impacted Tooth

An impacted tooth is one that has not erupted within the mouth, and this is often the case with wisdom teeth. Impacted teeth can take on many positions in the bone, and they will attempt to find paths by which to erupt successfully. This can be problematic for a number of reasons as they may grow sideways, partially emerge from the gums, or even stay trapped beneath the gums and jaw bone. Impacted teeth can cause all sorts of problems like pain, swelling, stiffness, and even infection, so they also warrant a visit with an oral surgeon.

3– Dental Implants

Another reason to visit an oral surgeon is the need for dental implants. Dental implants offer a permanent solution for missing or damaged teeth. For most patients, dental implant placement involves two surgical procedures. First, dental implants are placed within your jawbone. For the first three to six months following surgery, the dental implants are beneath the surface of the gums, allowing them time to bond with the jawbone. Then your surgeon will uncover the dental implants, and attach small posts to them to act as anchors for the artificial teeth. The entire process usually takes six to eight months; however, most patients experience little disruption in their daily lives.

4– Corrective Oral Surgery

Facial trauma is another reason you may need to see a Chattanooga oral surgeon for treatment. Facial trauma can include facial and lip lacerations, knocked out teeth, fractured facial bones, fractured upper and lower jaw bones, and more. In the event that you suffer a facial injury due to a sports or motor vehicle accident, work-related injury, or some other circumstance, you may need to be treated by an oral surgeon.

7 Reasons You Should See a Chattanooga Oral Surgeon

5– Surgically-Assisted Tooth Eruption

Some teeth are just stubborn and will not come in all on their own. If this happens to you or your child, you can seek treatment from an oral surgeon to uncover or expose the tooth and coax it into its proper place, usually with the help of an orthodontist. Tooth exposure is a simple surgical procedure in which the gum is lifted to uncover the impacted tooth, assisting its eruption. If there is still a baby tooth present, it will be removed at the same time.

6– TMJ Treatment

TMJ (Temporomandibular joint) disorders are a family of problems related to the complex jaw joint. Unpleasant symptoms can occur when the joints of the jaw and the surrounding chewing muscles fail to work together as they should. Since some types of TMJ problems can lead to more serious conditions, early detection and treatment is important. An oral surgeon can suggest avenues of treatment for TMJ such as the introduction of a mouthguard to help protect your teeth from excessive grinding and clenching, orthodontic braces to fix a problematic bite, and injections of Botox into the jaw muscles to help manage pain and promote relaxation.

7– Oral Pathology

Another reason to see an oral surgeon is if you think you may be exhibiting symptoms of oral cancer. Things to look for include sores that bleed easily and fail to heal, chronic sore throat or hoarseness, trouble swallowing or chewing, reddish or whitish patches in the mouth, and a lump or thickening on the skin lining the mouth. Any alterations in the appearance of the inside of the mouth could be an indication of an issue. Through our oral pathology services, our oral surgeons at Ocoee can help detect and diagnose these problems in office.

If you find yourself in need of oral surgery care, contact our team at Ocoee Oral Surgery today. We are accepting new patients, and no referral is necessary. We’d love to take care of you.

Stress and Oral Health

Thursday, 03 June 2021 15:32
Stress and oral health are more closely linked than you may have thought. We all experience stress to a degree, and we all know the toll that stress can take on our minds and bodies. But did you know that stress can have some serious consequences for your teeth and gums?

Stress and oral health are more closely linked than you may have thought. We all experience stress to a degree, and we all know the toll that stress can take on our minds and bodies. But did you know that stress can have some serious consequences for your teeth and gums?

Stress and oral health are more closely linked than you may have thought. We all experience stress to a degree, and we all know the toll that stress can take on our minds and bodies. But did you know that stress can have some serious consequences for your teeth and gums? It’s important to care for your teeth and gums not only by brushing and flossing and seeing your dentist regularly, but also by managing your stress so you can avoid the slew of oral health issues that can arise from stress left to run amok.

Teeth Grinding

One common symptom of stress is teeth clenching and grinding. Particularly common at night, sometimes individuals dealing with stress will clench their teeth together during sleep or grind back and forth. Teeth grinding, also referred to as Bruxism, can have some serious consequences if left untreated including: headaches, jaw pain, TMJ disorder, broken or chipped teeth, abnormal wear of the teeth, and even sleep disorders. Teeth grinding can be countered through the use of a nightguard which serves to protect your teeth while you sleep. Managing your stress is also imperative, to tackle the problem at its root.

Canker Sores

Although the exact cause of canker sores has yet to be determined, it is believed that they are linked to stress and anxiety. For many patients, canker sores tend to surface during times of high stress.

TMJ Disorder

Stress and anxiety have also been linked to Temporomandibular Joint Disorder or TMJ. The reason for this is that stressful situations can trigger the overuse of jaw muscles and can also cause you to grind and clench your teeth. There are several treatment options for TMJ that our oral surgeons at Ocoee Oral Surgery can suggest, but symptoms also tend to diminish when a patient’s stress is adequately managed.

Stress and Oral Health

Neglecting Oral Hygiene

Sometimes severe stress can cause people to neglect their regular self-care practices, and this can include oral hygiene. Sometimes when we get extremely stressed out, we suffer from poor sleep which can make it harder to complete even the easiest of tasks like brushing and flossing. Stress can also affect our food choices, and gravitating toward less nutritious, sugary foods can also take its toll on our oral health over time.

What to do?

If you worry that stress is adversely affecting your oral health, it’s time to make a plan about how to combat the symptoms. Take time to figure out what in your life is causing your stress, and find ways to minimize the effects. You can also work with your regular dentist and our team at Ocoee Oral Surgery to identify ways you can be proactive about prioritizing your oral health through stress management and other treatments. We’re here to help.

Living With TMJ Symptoms – Effects & Treatment Options for Pain Relief

Tuesday, 05 November 2019 14:49
Our Cleveland TN practice can help with treatment for TMJ symptoms like jaw pain, popping and clicking jaw, and other symptoms.

Our Cleveland TN practice can help with treatment for TMJ symptoms like jaw pain, popping and clicking jaw, and other symptoms.

Living with TMJ can be incredibly painful and disruptive to overall quality of life, but if you suffer from the effects of this temporomandibular disorder (TMD), there are measures you can take to minimize the discomfort that comes along with it. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts as a hinge, connecting your jawbone to your skull on both sides. TMJ disorders can cause pain in the jaw joint itself, as well as the surrounding muscles that control jaw movement.

What causes TMJ?

The exact cause of one’s TMJ disorder can be difficult to pinpoint, and can often be attributed to a combination of factors ranging from genetic makeup to jaw injury or arthritis. Some folks who struggle with bruxism (teeth grinding) and clenching can experience jaw pain as a result of those behaviors, which can be linked to a TMJ disorder. Sometimes TMJ can be triggered or worsened by excessive stress. But regardless of the cause, the symptoms of this condition are unpleasant to say the least.

Sometimes bruxism, grinding and clenching the teeth, can lead to TMJ and jaw pain. Our staff at Ocoee Oral Surgery in Cleveland TN can help!

TMJ Symptoms

If you think you may be suffering from TMJ pain, there are certain symptoms to look out for that will help you better make a determination. If you’re experiencing any of the below symptoms, you may want to talk with one of our providers at Cleveland TN Ocoee Oral Surgery about treatment options, and how to best manage your condition.

  • Pain and tenderness in the jaw area
  • Pain in one or both of the temporomandibular joints
  • Aching facial pain, and pain in or around the ear or ears
  • Locking of the jaw
  • Jaw popping or making clicking sounds
  • Difficulty or pain while chewing

TMJ Treatment Options

Oftentimes, the effects of TMJ disorders are pretty responsive to home remedies such as ice packs on the joints, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, massage, and stress management. Avoiding things like gum chewing, and being aware of harmful behaviors like jaw clenching can also help minimize TMJ pain and symptoms. But when home treatment doesn’t make much of a difference, there are other treatments you can seek out through your dentist or oral surgeon. Treatment options will look different for each individual patient, but may include things like dental splints, Botox injections, physical therapy, and medications, and sometimes in cases that are more severe, surgery is the best option.

If you are struggling with pain from TMJ, don’t suffer in silence. Reach out to us at Ocoee, because we would love to help you find some relief. We’re here to answer any questions you may have, and help you figure out a treatment plan that works best for you.

TMJ: Break These Bad Habits

Wednesday, 31 May 2017 05:46
Cleveland TMJ pain jaw discomfort

Cleveland TMJ pain jaw discomfortExperiencing temporomandibular joint pain? You might have TMJ. The symptoms can be identified when the joints of the jaw and muscles do not work together correctly. Since some types of TMJ can lead to more serious conditions, prevention and early detection is key. If you are experiencing minor jaw pain, here are three bad habits that you can break today to prevent any longterm TMJ disorders from occurring or worsening.

  1. Biting your nails
  2. Overworking (anxiety and stress)
  3. Control caffeine consumption

Bad habits, even if believed to be innocent, may actually be affecting your health. For example, if you have one or more of these bad habits, you may be creating the root of the problem.

1. Biting Nails: Biting your fingernails exercises the jaw to work in an unnatural way. This anxiety-induced habit can aggravate and cause jaw discomfort, which in most cases, leads to TMJ

Looking for ways to quit biting your nails? Here are some tips!

  • Paint your nails using a nail polish.
  • Keep nails trimmed short.
  • Recruit the help of friends and family to bring attention to the habit.

2. Grinding Teeth or Clenching Jaw: This common habit is often found in patients who experience higher levels of stress and anxiety; this can result in clenching or grinding, both conscious or unconscious.

Looking for ways to quit grinding your teeth? Here are some tips!

  • Acknowledge and manage your stress and anxiety levels.
  • Wear a mouth guard to protect your teeth and jaw.
  • Periodically reposition your tongue between teeth to relax the jaw.

Cut the Caffeine : With all the possibilities that may cause TMJ flareups, caffeine might just be the hardest to give up for the majority of patients. So what does caffeine have to do with TMJ? Essentially the chemical reaction that creates alertness winds up your nervous system, which can worsen already aggravated tissues in the head, neck and jaw.

Looking for ways to cut the caffeine? Here are some tips!

  • Don’t give up your morning cup of coffee – just switch to decaf.
  • Trade your coffee pot for a tea kettle. Drinking green tea is a natural energizer, while also providing a plethora of antioxidants and nutrients.

If you’re experiencing consistent jaw pain, it may be time to make an appointment with Ocoee Oral Surgery of Cleveland, TN. Schedule an appointment today to learn more about TMJ and our available treatment options for you.