Dental anxiety and phobia are more common than most people think. One bad experience in the dentist’s chair may be enough to develop a lifelong aversion to going to the dentist. A fear of needles or medical procedures can also trigger anxiety while getting dental care. Whatever the reason, it’s important to understand that you’re not alone: 36% of Americans …
Time and time again, research has shown how oral health and overall health are closely linked. We know that when there is disease in the mouth, it can impact your body—and that the reverse is true as well. One example of this in action is the connection between diabetes and gum disease. How Diabetes Sets the Stage for Gum Disease …
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that’s certainly true when it comes to tooth decay. It’s much easier to take measures to prevent cavities from developing rather than treating cavities once they’ve occurred. Luckily, there are many ways to prevent tooth decay, and when you use a few of them, you can optimize your oral …
Dental implants are considered the gold standard when it comes to replacing teeth because they address tooth loss both above and below the gum line. Unless you’re getting immediate-load dental implants, the process takes some time and patience, but when all is said and done, you’ll be left with a lifelong solution that functions, looks, and feels very much like …
We’re all familiar with the tell-tale signs of aging. We notice gray hairs and crow’s feet, our knees start cracking when we walk up the stairs and suddenly it’s a lot harder to get up after crouching down in the garden to pull weeds. Just like the rest of the body, our gums and teeth start to show signs of …
A common question we hear at Dental Associates of Lodi is, “What soft foods can I eat after oral surgery procedures?”The best foods to eat after a dental surgery (like wisdom teeth extraction or dental implants) need to have two characteristics: they should have a high nutrient value and be easy to eat to promote recovery. Some examples include: Cool …
When you need to replace a single missing tooth, your options are a dental bridge or a dental implant and crown. While bridges are a popular option for many patients, dental implants are becoming increasingly common because they are the only restoration that addresses the effects of tooth loss both above and below the gum line. Here’s what you need …
On both sides of your jaw, a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) acts as a sliding hinge whenever you open or close your mouth. Without these joints and the jaw muscles and ligaments surrounding them, you wouldn’t be able to bite, chew, speak, or swallow. Despite their importance, most people don’t give much thought to their TMJs—unless they become painful. Here are …
If you’re missing one or more teeth, a dental bridge is a common solution. Although there are a few different types of dental bridges, they all have a basic structure in common—one or more pontics, or replacement teeth, are held in place with abutments. Below, we answer some frequent questions our patients have about dental bridges, starting with the cost. …
We offer a variety of dental implant restorations, but one of the most common performed in our practice is the single tooth implant. This type of restoration involves three components: the dental implant itself, which is a small post or screw that is placed in the jawbone, the abutment that attaches to the implant, and a dental crown that is …
