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Do You Grind Your Teeth While You Sleep? | Chicago Dentist

Have you noticed that your jaw is sore when you wake up? Does your significant other notice that you are grinding your teeth? It is estimated that 30-40 million Americans are affected by what is known as bruxism. Clenching causes pressure on the muscles, tissues, and other surrounding structures of the jaw, which can cause jaw joint disorders, headaches, neck pain, jaw pain, ear pain, tense muscles, and excessive wear on the teeth. The cause of bruxism is not completely known, but many agree that stress and anxiety play a major role. Bruxism can cause damage to the temporomandibular joint (the hinge that connects the lower jaw to the upper jaw) if not properly treated. 

So, what is the treatment? Stress reduction and anxiety management are methods used to treat bruxism and reduce the symptoms, but a dental night guard is the most commonly used treatment method. A night guard is a horseshoe-shaped, retainer-like, plastic appliance with shallow borders that can be worn on either the top or the bottom teeth. It is intended to protect the teeth from the pressure of clenching and grinding by having a protective cushion between the upper and lower teeth. A nightguard is a simple and affordable decision for protecting your teeth and jaws from the damaging effects of bruxism. When properly made by your dentist, it can help reduce clenching, grinding, and TMJ problems by helping to relax the muscles in the jaw.

If you would like more information about bruxism, call Dr. Peter O. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Halloween and Your Braces | Chicago Dentist

October is National Orthodontic Health Month, and coincidentally, Halloween. (I know…How did that happen?) So, in honor of these two fantastic occasions, let’s do a quick run-down of what to expect from this scary holiday if you do decide to not look after your braces, because the consequences will be more frightening than the holiday itself. When we get our braces put on, we are warned that there are certain foods we will have to forgo while our braces are fixing our smile. Popcorn, nuts, gum and all hard, sticky or chewy candies are pure evil on your mouth’s delicate appliances.

Hard candy, like lollypops or Jolly Rancher, are a favorite because they last a while if we suck on them. Having the sugar linger around in your mouth as the candy dissolves makes it easier for cavities to form. And if you chomp on them, you can run the risk of breaking off one of your brackets or chipping an actual tooth. Chewy candies, like a gummy bear or a jellybean, have similar results but have a tendency to get stuck in the crevices of your molars, making a perfect hideout for cavities. Sticky candy, like caramels or chewing gum, are some of the worst treats of all. Not only can they pull off a bracket from your tooth, but they can burrow within your molars as well, making them basically a sweet combination of the two others. There are also candies on the market that are sour than they are sweet and are an absolute favorite with all kids today. The sourness is actually acidic and can break down your tooth’s enamel, making them more prone to decay, so try to limit these candies the most. Have a happy Halloween!

If you would like more information about caring for your braces, call Dr. Peter O. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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What Are Gums Anyway? | Chicago Dentist

We all know our smile is basically composed of lips, teeth and gums. A set of bright white teeth and a pouty lip, and you’ve got yourself a great smile. But what are our gums? Today we will discuss the basics of what our gums do and how we can keep them nice and healthy our entire lives.

Gum tissue serves two main purposes: it provides a seal around teeth, keeping bacteria away from the tooth root, and it provides physical support for the tooth, helping keep the tooth firmly in its socket. One of the most significant risks of periodontal disease is loss of gum tissue – as bacteria from plaque and tartar spreads beneath the gums, it damages bone and gum tissue, leading to a number of problems.

Dentists and periodontists will advise patients to have professional cleanings to help minimize the likelihood of developing periodontal disease. If they determine that periodontal disease is becoming a problem, they’ll likely advise corrective action such as scaling and root planning, where plaque and tartar is physically removed from the roots of the teeth beneath the gum-line, removing the damaging bacteria and giving the gums an opportunity to heal. In some cases, however, the gum tissue will recede, exposing the roots of the teeth. In these cases, periodontists will recommend a procedure to replace gum tissue over the tooth root (such as gum grafting) to help restore the barrier around the tooth root and protecting the tooth’s long-term health.

If you’re experiencing bleeding, sore, inflamed gums, be sure to speak to a dentist or periodontist soon, so that you can minimize the risk of damage to gum tissue.

If you would like more information about gum recession, call Dr. Peter O. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Pinhole Surgical Technique: What You Need to Know | Chicago Dentist

No one wants receding gums, but unfortunately, it’s a fact of life. Fortunately, there is a way to repair the issue without having to use painful gum grafting. Pioneered by Dr. Chao, the Pinhole® Surgical Technique is a new way to repair gum recession through a pinhole-sized incision, rather than having to cut. This new technique will not only reduce discomfort grafting surgery can do, but also cut down recovery time. Here are some of the common questions asked:

Is gum recession something that you see often? If it isn’t a painful result, chances are patients won’t address the issue. Before the Pinhole Surgical Technique, a lot of people are put in a dilemma of whether they should fix it with a very painful, drawn out gum grafting procedure, try to ignore it, or try a temporary fix by placing a filling on the exposed root.

How long does the standard gum grafting procedure take? The standard procedure requires cutting out a graft of the gum from the palate and grafting it to where it’s needed. To delicately cut and remove the graft tissue and attach it with sutures takes about an hour to an hour and a half for just one or two teeth. But what is more drawn out is the recovery time, which could two or three weeks. With Pinhole Surgical Technique, there is no gum grafting anymore. A pinhole is made by a needle, so there’s no scalpel or cutting at all. Then we shift the tissue down with very little trauma to the tissue.

Will I have to do this often? This is expected to be permanent and lasts as long as any other procedure. Maintenance will keep the procedure intact.

If you would like more information about Pinhole Surgical Technique, call Dr. Peter O. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Get the Smile You’ve Always Wanted with All on Four Smiles | Chicago Dentist

While a beautiful set of pearly whites is definitely on top of most people’s wishes, it’s not always possible for them to have it. One good reason for this is because how expensive the necessary dental treatments and procedure are to get that picture-perfect smile.

An all on four smile is made from high-tech dental resins that allows it to cover either the entire lower or upper arch of your mouth, immediately disguising common aesthetic dental problems such as stains, chips, crowding, missing teeth and so on.

The material used is durable, but also thin and is made to look exactly like natural teeth. You can also eat and drink while wearing the appliance. All on four smiles offer a very affordable cosmetic solution that can last for a year or two before being replaced and one that patients can wear as needed while they save up for a more permanent solution.

  • Virtually painless and fast process that requires only two short visits and as little as two to three
  • weeks
  • A more affordable solution compared to other cosmetic dentistry treatments
  • Almost everyone is a suitable candidate
  • A good alternative for those who can’t be fitted with implants or bridges
  • A more comfortable and attractive alternative for those who don’t like partial dentures
  • The process is reversible as nothing is changed and the appliance can be removed at any time

Still, all on four smiles are a great way for you to test out a new smile before fully committing to a more expensive, permanent cosmetic solution as veneer, laser whitening treatments or Invisalign.

If you would like more information about all on four implants, call Dr. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Do You Like the Gap in Your Teeth? | Chicago Dentist

When you ask someone if they liked one of their flaws, more often than not you will get a negative response. In fact, if they can help it, they wouldn’t have that flaw at all. This is especially the case when it comes to our smiles. Because it is our mouth, and the first thing people notice, most will consult a periodontist when they have a dental issue. So, it has been a surprise to find patients coming into the dentist office to add a flaw to their smile – namely a gap.

If you keep up with celebrity news, you will have heard that fans were devastated to find out that Dakota Johnson’s famous front tooth gap had closed. But the fix wasn’t intentional – it naturally closed up when her orthodontist removed a retainer she wore most of her life.

Now, when patients come to see about having a gap inserted into their smile, they are left with a few options. Ideally, developing a wider U arch in your top teeth with clear aligners, like Invisalign. This will create space in enough for your teeth to move and give you a gap. The one option that isn’t really popular amongst periodontists is reshaping your natural teeth. After all, once you reshape your teeth, it can’t be reversed. Instead, veneers are a more common option to create that visual you are looking for.

The advances made in dentistry have been tremendous. Not only can a periodontist help keep your smile healthy for a lifetime, but they can give you the smile you’ve always wanted – flaws and all.

If you would like more information about gapped teeth, call Dr. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Enhance Your Smile with Dental Implants: The Aftercare | Chicago Dentist

Last month we discussed the important advances the dental industry has made in order to create a cosmetic solution to a flawed smile. But while there are many options, depending on the issue, immediate implants/teeth-in-a-day options give a patient a comfortable, natural-looking smile, but it can be done in a single dental visit.

But once you leave the dental chair, what should you expect? After all, getting a new smile in a single visit must hurt. Quite the contrary – because dental anxiety is a real condition, the patient’s comfort comes into the design of these procedures. However, there is a healing process that will take about 3-6 months, or until the implant fuses to the bone (integration).

Physical symptoms. Prepare for some bleeding and swelling for the next 24-48 hours. Gauze will help with the bleeding; bite down on a gauze pad for about thirty minutes. If swelling occurs, ice packs will help to reduce it. Keep something cold on the affected area until the swelling goes down. Warm saltwater rinses are also great to reducing swelling. If you experience any pain, taking Tylenol or Ibuprofen will help the transition as the anesthetic wears off.

Diet. This one will be tricky for a while. The first day, limit your food to liquids and soft textures. As it becomes easier to eat, you can slowly move to your regular diet. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.

Moving around. You may think you won’t need downtime, but that’s not true. Oral surgery is just like any surgery – relax and focus on the healing process. Too much activity may cause bleeding or throbbing in the area.

If you would like more information about dental implants, call Dr. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Enhance Your Smile with Dental Implants | Chicago Dentist

Implant surgery may have been improving smiles for the past 60 years, but implant therapy has come a long way, becoming one of the greatest dental advances. Under specific situations, dental implants can be placed at the time that the tooth is extracted. And if the implant is placed in very firm bone, temporary crowns can be placed on the implant the same day.

Immediate implants are placed into two categories: single teeth or full mouth. Single tooth implants are those used to replace flawed teeth in the front of the mouth, or those people would see when you smile. Typically, this treatment option would be ideal when the cause is the result of trauma, where a tooth is fractured and cannot be restored. The full mouth option is ideal for patients with many failing teeth, or already have dentures.

As far as the process is concerned, it really is pretty straightforward. During your initial examination, your dental professional (periodontist) will take a three-dimensional scan of the injured jaw. This will tell us precisely how much bone is available for the placement of a secure implant. Once complete, a treatment plan will be discussed. During the surgery, the periodontist will remove the tooth and replace it with the implant (a root substitute). Typically, bone grafting is also performed at the same time. The patient then has a temporary tooth, or custom-made bridge, inserted.

When we have a flawed smile, we become self-conscious about showing it off. With these immediate dental implant/teeth-in-a-day options, we don’t need to worry about keeping our smile hidden for long. All it takes is one dental appointment.

If you would like more information about dental implants, call Dr. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Dental Implants: The Cure for Shifting Dentures | Chicago Dentist

As we progress in age, it is possible that some may require dentures, especially if we don’t have good dental hygiene routines. There problem is that many find wearing dentures to be cumbersome, as they tend to need a lot of maintenance and have a tendency to shift around inside the mouth. This ill-fitting fix to our dental issues not only leads to discomfort and soreness but can even affect our self-confidence.

Thankfully, implantology has progressed to the point that denture issues are a thing of the past. Now dentures can be attached to the mouth with dental implants. During this surgery, your periodontist will place dental implants that vary in size depending on the patient’s anatomy. Patients usually can function well with two implants on the lower while more implants are typically needed on the upper as the bone is softer. This is especially beneficial to those that have difficulty wearing dentures due to their sensitive gag reflex. Upper implants allow the roof of the denture to be removed because it is fixed to the upper jaw.

Now for the advantages – not only will wearing dentures become a whole lot less cumbersome, but this  procedure is affordable and minimally invasive. For best and long lasting results, the surgery is performed by a well trained surgical specialist, the periodontist in collaboration with your dentist.

If you are considering dentures to improve your smile, discuss your options with your periodontist. You could be the perfect candidate for implants.

If you would like more information about dental implants, call Dr. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Are Teeth in a Day Possible? | Chicago Dentist

When we have a flawed smile, it causes all sorts of other issues from self-esteem to health issues from the missing teeth. So, off we go to the dentist to find out how our smile can be repaired. Because believe it or not, you can get your grin fixed in a single day. Don’t believe it? May we introduce you to All-on-4 implants in a day. Although this form of treatment has received a significant amount of media attention in the past couple of years, this is a service we have been providing to our patients for some time.

Not sure you are eligible? There are generally two areas where this treatment is an option:

In certain patients with a front tooth that needs to be extracted and there is sufficient bone, the periodontist will remove the tooth and place a temporary implant on the same day. For individuals who are losing all of their teeth, we do a procedure called all on 4 (AO4). Not only is your replacement created in-office, but in six months later, you have the permanent appliance.

Once the periodontist places the implants (4-6 depending on the patient), there are precautions that the patient must take during the initial period to avoid biting on anything hard.

One thing that is not mentioned in the advertising is that in all instances, the immediate teeth are temporary and further work will be required 6 months later to ensure everything is working properly. In addition, the appliances must be kept clean to prevent the tissues from getting infected. The follow up cleaning appointments are typically alternated between the periodontist and the patient’s general dentist.

If you would like more information about All-on-4, call Dr. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.