Dry Sockets

At Dr. Eric Meyer’s Fullerton dental practice, we have several doctors who are experienced in all manners of saving teeth. But when extractions are inevitable, we want our patients to know they can rely on us if complications from dry sockets arise during their recoveries.

We always ask about patients’ medications before performing surgeries. This is partly because medications which prevent blood clotting put that patient at a high risk of developing a dry socket. Blood clots protect an empty socket from dryness and infection during the time it takes for a socket to close. Patients also are advised not to sip through straws in the days following an extraction, as the suction may tear a clot loose.

If the patient’s bleeding never stops or they are still in severe pain two days after the extraction, we will see them during an emergency appointment. We have tools for cleaning sockets and medicated wound dressings for re-moisturizing them and fighting infection. We may also prescribe painkillers and will monitor the patient’s recovery while changing the dressings every few days. Dry sockets are most common following extractions which required incisions and sutures, and the appointment to remove the sutures provides us with a chance to ensure all is well.

Eric M. Meyer, DDS, operates at 2720 North Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, California, 92835. To schedule an appointment, call 714-879-7943 or visit FullertonDental.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Childhood is the period in life when people are most vulnerable to cavities, and very young children often experience what dentists call Baby Bottle Tooth Decay. We want the families visiting Dr. Meyer’s Fullerton office to understand this problem so they can better care for their children’s oral hygiene.

When babies feed from bottles, sugar tends to accumulate on the fronts of their incisors. Although milk and formula may not be particularly sugary compared to juice, if the sugar they do contain remains stuck to babies’ teeth for too long, the teeth will be at risk for decay. Unfortunately, the sugar often does remain when babies are given bottles of milk or formula to swig from for hours but have no opportunity to rinse their mouths by drinking water. Older children and adults are also at a higher risk for tooth decay if they snack throughout the day, but they can choose when to brush their teeth or chew sugar-free gum, whereas babies are dependent on others to brush their teeth for them.

The easiest way to avoid Baby Bottle Tooth Decay is to limit the amount of time babies are allowed to keep bottles. But for nutritional as well as dental reasons, children should transfer to drinking from cups around the time of their first birthdays.

Eric M. Meyer, DDS, operates at 2720 North Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, California, 92835. To schedule an appointment, call 714-879-7943 or visit FullertonDental.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Sealants

Dental sealants are a preventative measure used to preserve the teeth and tooth enamel. Almost half of all children and adolescents in the United States have had cavities in their permanent teeth, and Dr. Eric Meyer wants to help you protect your child’s teeth with a sealant. Most tooth decay in children and teenagers occurs on the chewing surfaces of molars, where the pits and grooves tend to trap food and bacteria.  Molars first come in at around 5-7 years of age, with a second set coming in between the ages of 11-14. It is best to have a sealant placed when the molars first come in to ensure they are protected early.

Dental sealants are applied to surfaces of these back teeth much like paint. The plastic resin fills any pits and grooves on the surface and hardens. Now the surface is protected from bits of food being stuck, so bacteria cannot multiply and cause decay.  Sealants also protect tooth enamel from plaque and acids, and can effectively prevent cavities for up to ten years. If you think anyone in your family would benefit from a dental sealant, our dentists can determine if you are eligible candidates and start preserving your teeth.

Eric M. Meyer, DDS, operates at 2720 North Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, California, 92835. To schedule an appointment, call 714-879-7943 or visit FullertonDental.com and fill out a contact sheet.

Sedation for Dental Anxiety

Dr. Eric Meyer knows far too many patients put off dental work because of an anxiety or fear about the procedure. Some patients have had painful or traumatic dental appointments in the past that give them fear, and others have sensitive teeth or a sensitive gag reflex that has always made dental work dreadful. Anxieties like these are no reason to put yourself at risk by leaving dental issues untreated.

We strive to make the process as comfortable as possible for each patient. In addition to using local anesthetic in the area of a procedure, we are equipped to offer the following options for sedation:

• ·        Nitrous Oxide, also called laughing gas, is inhaled by the patient and causes a sleepy euphoria before the patient drifts off


• ·        Oral Conscious Sedation, or taking a sedative orally before the procedure, keeps the patient awake but they remain completely relaxed and experience no pain


• ·        Anxiolysis, also administered by taking a pill orally, is a lighter sedative recommended for moderately anxious patients


• ·        IV Sedation delivers medicine straight into your blood stream to work quickly, and the level of sedation can be adjusted during the procedure

Anyone experience anxiety-free dental appointments with our help. Sedation also presents an opportunity to condense complex procedures that would typically take multiple visits into one. If you think you could benefit from our services please give us a call.

Eric M. Meyer, DDS, operates at 2720 North Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, California, 92835. To schedule an appointment, call 714-879-7943 or visit FullertonDental.com and fill out a contact sheet.

How to Care for Dentures

Dentures need to be cared for differently than normal teeth, and we want to ensure that our patients understand how to make the most of them. The trick to maintaining them is that they have to be kept moist at all times, but must also be kept clean to prevent plaque or fungus build-up. Below are some helpful rules.

Each night, patients should remove their dentures and brush them with a soft-bristled brush and toothpaste made specifically for dentures. (Soft-bristled toothbrushes are the only kind anybody should use for oral hygiene, but the special toothpaste is necessary because dentures don’t have a biological covering to protect them from grit.) Dentures should be left overnight in room-temperature water or cleaning solution unless they have exposed metal which could rust. Hot water will melt and reshape the plastic.

Before putting their dentures back in, patients should brush their gums and tongue. This will stimulate blood flow, which will preserve the mouth’s health and feeling. Patients with implant-supported dentures should brush in between their abutments. Any damage to the denture should be reported immediately to a professional. Some refitting over the patient’s life is expected, but patients should not attempt to manipulate the shape of the denture on their own.

Eric M. Meyer, DDS, operates at 2720 North Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, California, 92835. To schedule an appointment, call 714-879-7943 or visit FullertonDental.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Waterlase

One of the reasons we’re able to provide so many different kinds of treatments at Eric Meyer’s Fullerton dental office is that we have excellent tools. The Waterlase is our preferred brand of surgical laser. Though our doctors have many specialties, this water-guided handheld laser can be used for nearly all the operations on hard and soft tissue we perform.

Pain from the traditional dental drills had three main causes: heat, vibration, and pressure. The noise also tended to provoke a negative psychological reaction. Lasers produce no noise, pressure, or vibration, but early models still produced heat. The first generation of the Waterlase, which came on the market in 1998, fixed this problem by emitting a stream of water onto the surgical site. Not only was the water cooling, but it also caused the water molecules in the tissue to vibrate, lowering their resistance to the laser’s cutting.

Our periodontal specialist uses the Waterlase because it causes less bleeding than metal tools. We also use it for cutting away tooth decay because it is precise enough to minimize the risk of causing the tooth to crack. This means a more comfortable surgery for our patients and a shorter recovery time.

Eric M. Meyer, DDS, operates at 2720 North Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, California, 92835. To schedule an appointment, call 714-879-7943 or visit FullertonDental.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Peri-Implantitis

For years, patients at Fullerton Dental have received dental implants from our highly trained doctors. Dental implants are among the safest surgeries, and are successful in nearly all cases. But because implants require life-long maintenance, it is occasionally possible for them to fail as the patient’s situation changes. The most common cause of implant failure is peri-implantitis.

Peri-implantitis is when the gum tissue surrounding an implant becomes inflamed. This sometimes occurs immediately after an implant is placed if dental cement leaks onto the gum, but this problem will usually be caught right away, and the cement can be easily cleaned away. More commonly, the gum tissue decays due to normal gingivitis, trapping acids at the base of the implant. Though implants are usually made of a titanium-nickel alloy, they are not immune to acidic corrosion, and their structure can be compromised. The zone at which they fuse with the surrounding bone tissue can also disintegrate, requiring the implant’s removal.

Proper oral hygiene is usually enough to prevent peri-implantitis, but this can be difficult if the patient has a disability or is on a medication which causes dry mouth or otherwise creates a risk of gingivitis. Anybody who notices the area around an implant becoming inflamed should schedule an appointment immediately.

Eric M. Meyer, DDS, operates at 2720 North Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, California, 92835. To schedule an appointment, call 714-879-7943 or visit FullertonDental.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Electric toothbrush apps

Manufacturers of dental products are making their wares smarter, so we thought we’d held guide our customers through their ever-expanding options for maintaining oral hygiene at home. Particularly interesting are efforts by electric toothbrush makers to integrate smart phone and tablet apps into their products. This kind of software is mostly marketed towards parents and people with disabilities.

Electric toothbrushes don’t require as much dexterity as manual toothbrushes and don’t require the brusher to use them for as long during each session (actually, it’s best not to). But some people still don’t reach every surface of every tooth. Some of the new apps provide feedback on which parts of the mouth the user has missed, whether they have brushed for long enough, and whether they need to adjust the toothbrush’s settings. Apps geared toward kids contain reward systems for brushing properly, and likewise provide feedback to adjust their technique. Progression through simple video games is the most common kind of reward, with success meant to instill good habits.

The new apps don’t do much to make electric toothbrushes more affordable, so whether they are worthwhile will depend a lot on each patient’s situation. But for people who haven’t gotten good results with manual toothbrushes, they might provide an extra incentive to give hi-tech home products a try.

Eric M. Meyer, DDS, operates at 2720 North Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, California, 92835. To schedule an appointment, call 714-879-7943 or visit FullertonDental.com and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Soft Tissue Grafting

After gum disease, your gums can be left with recession, which unfortunately causes further complications. In order to fix recessed gums, Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS of Fullerton, CA can perform a soft tissue graft.

When gum disease advances, it can cause the gum to recede, which means they pull back from the teeth. This elongates visible tooth material, causing exposure of the tooth roots. This can cause sensitivity, pain, and it can even cause a resurgence of gum disease. In order to prevent these problems, Dr. Meyer performs a soft tissue graft.

Soft tissue grafting takes tissue from the roof of the mouth or palate and stitches it down to the gums to cover the exposed area. In cases where there is a lot of gum tissue near the tooth, the gums may be cut and stretched over the exposed root, instead of taking tissue from the roof or palate of the mouth. The graft promotes even more gum growth and when the healing is complete, the patient will have a healthy gum line that holds teeth snuggly.  

Gum disease can become a vicious cycle it if is allowed. To inquire about soft tissue grafting, give our Fullerton, CA office a call at (714) 879-7943 or visit Dr. Eric M Meyer’s website, www.fullertondental.com. 

Sinus Lift

Bone grafting can be necessary when a patient does not have enough bone material in their jawline to hold a dental implant. Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS offers sinus lifts here in our Fullerton, CA office. This is a procedure that adds bone to the space between the upper molars and the sinus cavity.

Sometimes the jawbone right below the sinus cavity is too small to allow a dental implant to be successfully placed. When a tooth is missing for a while, the bone in the area where the tooth used to be can begin to deteriorate. In other cases, a patient may just be born with a smaller jawbone. Also, sometimes the sinuses on either side of the nose are just too low for placing an implant. A sinus lift adds bone to the area between the upper jaw and the sinuses.

The bone for the graft is usually taken from another area in the jaw or from a place like the hip bone or shin bone. Sometimes it is from a bone bank. The grafting process begins with cutting the tissue where the implant will be. The bone is exposed and a small opening is created. The membrane separating the sinus cavity from the jaw is pushed up and away. The bone graft material is then packed into the space. Afterward, the area is stitched closed. The area will need several months to heal and during this time, the new bone material will promote even more new bone growth. The end result is a large and strong jawbone that can hold a dental implant for life.

If you are interested in a dental implant or the process of bone grafting, be sure to visit our website or give us a call. To set up an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, call our Fullerton, CA office at (714) 879-7943. Appointments may also be requested through our website, www.fullertondental.com. 

What is a Dental Bridge?

You have probably heard of a dental bridge before. They are a popular option for tooth replacement and something Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS offers here in our Fullerton, CA dental office. Read on to learn just what a bridge is and how it works.

When a tooth goes missing, there is a space in between teeth unless the tooth is located in the back of your mouth. A bridge uses the two teeth adjacent to the open space to attach a replacement tooth. In the case that the missing tooth is the last one in the back of your mouth, the bridge can work with just the one adjacent tooth. The bridge itself consists of two crowns with a “pontic”, the replacement tooth, in the middle. The crowns are placed on the adjacent teeth and the pontic is fit perfectly in the middle.

Bridges are strong and durable tooth replacement options. They are also usually the most affordable. Bridges are not only able to replace the tooth and restore chewing function; they are also able to look just like the rest of your teeth. This means your smile is also restored.

Missing teeth can cause shifting in your mouth, injury, and even deterioration of your jawline. To set up a bridge consultation with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS in our Fullerton, CA office, call us at (714) 879-7943 or visit our website, www.fullertondental.com. 

How is a Dental Crown Applied?

When a tooth is damaged or decayed, a dental crown makes restoration possible. Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS of Fullerton, CA uses crowns as an option to keep a patient’s natural tooth in place.

Dental crowns are like caps that go on your tooth. They can be created out of gold, porcelain fused to metal, or porcelain. They are completely customized to blend in with the rest of your natural teeth, so they are not only restoring your oral health but also improving the aesthetic look of your smile!

To begin the process of applying a dental crown, your tooth will be reshaped to fit the crown and then an impression will be taken of the tooth. A dental laboratory will use the impression to create a custom crown that will have the look and feel of one of your natural teeth. The laboratory process can take between two and three weeks, so your dentist will place a temporary crown so you can still use your tooth normally during that time. When the permanent crown is ready, it is cemented into place.

Dental crowns are perfect for when there is too much damage for a filling to hold. It is always ideal to keep your natural teeth, so the dental crown is there to strengthen and restore function of that tooth.

If you would like to learn more about dental crowns, visit our website or give us a call. Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS is located in Fullerton, CA. Our office can be reached at (714) 879-7943 and we can also be reached through our website, www.fullertondental.com. 

Braces Vs Invisalign

When it comes to orthodontic options, Invisalign is a favorite of many patients. Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS of Fullerton, CA offer Invisalign to his patients because of the convenience, the comfort, and the near invisibility.

The Invisalign trays are to be worn for twenty to twenty-two hours per day. You can take them out to eat, brush, and floss, unlike with braces. This means no need to buy special supplies like interdental cleaners and floss threaders. Also, no worrying about uneven stains that braces might leave.

You also take out Invisalign to eat. So this means that there are no restrictions on what you can eat with Invisalign, so you do not have to avoid crunchy, hard, sticky, or chewy foods. With braces, you need to be careful so you do not break brackets or wires.

The smooth plastic trays are also more comfortable than metal braces, so the calluses and irritated spots that braces cause are less likely. In addition, the trays are clear. This means you can straighten your teeth discreetly and will not have the metal look to your smile.  

If you are ready to use Invisalign to create your perfect smile, be sure to contact us! To set up an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS of Fullerton, CA, call us at (714) 879-7943 or visit our website, www.fullertondental.com. 

Electric Toothbrushes Vs Manual Toothbrushes

Electric toothbrushes and manual toothbrushes have gone head-to-head for a long time. No pun intended! Do you know the facts? Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS of Fullerton, CA wants to make sure his patients are taking the best care of their oral health no matter what they choose to use.

In recent studies, it has been shown that manual toothbrushes do just a good of a job brushing teeth as electric ones. Some sonic electric toothbrush users show less signs of gingivitis, however, this could be because those who spend more on dental care take more time brushing and flossing. While that is what studies show, this may change for those who have trouble using their hands like those with arthritis. Since an electric toothbrush does most of the work, it may make it easier for arthritic hands to brush, therefore letting them get a better brushing.

In addition to this news, electric toothbrushes with timers may help people brush for the correct amount of time and electric toothbrushes that play music may get kids more interested.

In the end, it really depends on how well you are brushing rather than the toothbrush used. To schedule a cleaning with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS in Fullerton, CA, call us at (714) 879-7943 or visit our website, www.fullertondental.com. 

How Smoking Affects Dental Implants

It isn’t news that smoking is bad for your health. However, did you know that smoking can also affect the success of a dental implant? Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS of Fullerton, CA wants to inform his patients of the effects smoking has on oral health and why it can mean trouble for implants.

Smoking physically changes the gum tissues in your mouth and the blood vessels surrounding them. The top layer of skin cells in the gums develops a condition called keratosis, which is the thickening of the tissues. The salivary glands within these tissues become blocked off and damaged, which creates dry mouth. The superficial blood vessels in the mouth begin to constrict, so they do not supply enough blood to the area. These effects create problems with healing, immune strength, and bacteria. When there is decreased blood flow, the area can take longer to heal after implant surgery. In addition, a dry mouth promotes gum disease. Over time, these issues will cause more bone loss in the jawbone around an implant, increasing the risk of the implant falling out.

It is never to wrong time to quit smoking or better yet, never start. To learn more about dental implants, contact our Fullerton, CA office or set up an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS by calling (714) 879-7943. Appointments may also be requested through our website, www.fullertondental.com. 

Bone Grafting for Dental Implants

When time has allowed jawbone to degenerate, it can become tough for a dental implant to be placed successfully. As we lose teeth, the jawbone will degenerate over time. Here in our Fullerton, CA dental office, Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS can perform bone grafting to restore that jawbone and allow a dental implant to be placed.

It is common to not have enough bone for an implant. Maybe you were born with a small ridge or maybe your bone has degenerated after the loss of a tooth. When the jawbone is too small, a dental implant often cannot be placed. Or, if it can be placed, it is not big enough to let the implant stay for very long. Dental implants are supposed to have the ability to stay in place for a lifetime, so bone grafting is a popular procedure to give back patients the ability to have dental implants.

A bone graft consists of taking bone from another area and moving it to the area it’s needed in. The bone usually comes from an area in the jaw or another part of the body like the shin and is packed into the space it is needed. Over several months, the grafted bone will also promote bone growth. The grafted bone and original bone will grow together and create enough jawbone to place dental implants.

Bone grafting makes dental implants possible for those who have too small of a jawbone. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, call our Fullerton, CA office at (714) 879-7943 or visit our website, www.fullertondental.com. 

Intraoral Camera- Advanced Dental Technology

New technology means more accuracy and efficiency. Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS uses advanced technology to provide the best care for patients. One piece of technology used here in our Fullerton, CA office is the intraoral camera.

The intraoral camera allows us to see parts of the mouth that have been difficult to see in the past. We can now access those hard-to-reach places by going inside the mouth. The camera is about the size of a pen and lets us look at any surface in the mouth more close-up with ease. We can also take pictures and videos that can be saved on a computer. The digital photos and video make future visits more efficient by allowing us to refer back to the past condition of the mouth. These photos can also be printed and taken home by the patient so they can keep a better eye out for any changes. It is also very easy to send pictures of a condition to another doctor or to an insurance company.

To learn more about the technology we use here in our Fullerton, CA office, visit our website, www.fullertondental.com. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, call us at (714) 879-7943 or visit our website.

Mini Dental Implants

When looking for a permanent tooth replacement, it is important to remember that not all mouths are the same. Some mouths have more room, some teeth are bigger, and patients have different types of needs. Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS provides patients with mini dental implants here in his Fullerton, CA office when a full-sized implant will not work.

Sometimes a full-sized dental implant is too big to fill the space that is open. Still desiring the best option for replacement, our patients need a smaller size. This is why we offer mini implants. They are about half the size of the full-sized implants. They are able to fit into smaller spaces and since they are smaller, they do not require surgery to be placed. This means a much quicker healing time, so permanent replacement crowns are often able to be placed the same day as the implant.

Mini implants are also great for creating a stable base for dentures. For this purpose, four to six mini implants are placed along the gum line, and the dentures are made to clip onto them. They stabilize the dentures so they fit great and do not move around. They also slow down the degeneration of the jawbone.

If you have been told a full-sized implant will not work for you or you are interested in implant-retained dentures, do not hesitate to contact us. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS in our Fullerton, CA office, call us at (714) 879-7943 or visit our website, www.fullertondental.com. 

How an Apicoectomy Saves a Tooth

When root canals fail to completely clear up a tooth infection, it means the infection is very deep. To clear up the infection for good, Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS can perform an apicoectomy here in our Fullerton, CA office. An apicoectomy is a procedure to clean out a root canal from the tip of the root.

An apicoectomy may be necessary to save a tooth if one or more root canal procedures failed to keep the infection away. An apicoectomy is a surgical procedure that cleans out the infection from the other side of the tooth, directly through the tooth’s root. First, Dr. Meyer will make incisions in the gums to reveal the root’s tip. Sometimes bone tissue will need to be removed to access the root, so in that case, bone tissue removal will be the next step. Upon access to the root, any infected tissue surrounding the root will be removed. The last few millimeters of the root will also be removed so the root canal can then be cleaned out and sealed again. The bone and gum tissues are put back in place and the gums are stitched together to heal.

When root canals fail, an apicoectomy is the next step to make sure the patient does not lose the tooth. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, call our Fullerton, CA office at (714) 879-7943 or visit our website, www.fullertondental.com. 

Implant-Retained Dentures

Dentures are a common tooth replacement option; however, many patients do not like when dentures are ill-fitting or loose. For a more stable option, Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS provides his patients with implant-retained dentures here in his Fullerton, CA dental practice.

Implant-retained dentures are a much stronger and more stable base for dentures. This is because the dentures are clipped onto implants that are inserted into your bone sockets. It is like giving the implants an anchor. To do this, Dr. Meyer will insert four to six mini implants into the upper or lower gum line. Mini implants are about half the size of traditional implants, so they do not require an incision. This means healing takes much less time; the dentures can be installed the same day as the implants. In addition, most denture sets are able to be altered to fit onto implants, so many patients can keep the dentures they are already using.

The dentures are able to be clipped in and out by the patient. Patients will now be able to enjoy talking, laughing, eating, and smiling all without worrying about their dentures moving around. Implants also slow down the degeneration of the jaw bone, which is a natural occurrence when teeth are missing. This means the dentures will remain fitting comfortably for a long time.

If you are experiencing ill-fitting dentures, it may be time to look into implant-retained dentures. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS in Fullerton, CA, call our office at (714) 879-7943 or visit our website, www.fullertondental.com.