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. 

Do Wisdom Teeth Have a Purpose?

Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars that most people get in their late teens or early twenties. During this “age of wisdom” phase, sometimes teeth can be a valuable asset to the mouth when healthy and properly aligned, but more often they are misaligned and require removal. Some might think of wisdom teeth as spare tires, because if you lost your teeth, the wisdom teeth would be extra teeth that come in and function like normal teeth. At the dental practice of Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, we may recommend extraction depending on their position and stage of development.

So why do we have them? Anthropologists believe wisdom teeth or the third set of molars, were the evolutionary answer to our ancestor’s early diet of coarse, rough food – like leaves, roots, nuts, and meats – which required more chewing power and resulted in excessive wear of the teeth. The modern diet with its softer foods, along with marvels of modern technologies such as forks, spoons, and knives, has made the need for wisdom teeth nonexistent; however, they don’t always need to be removed.

If your wisdom teeth are still present and they are beginning to bother you, give us a call to discuss your options. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

Post-Op Tooth Extraction Care

There are many reasons why a tooth may need to be extracted. Tooth decay, gum disease, or even for orthodontic purposes name a few. After the tooth is removed, you may need stitches and you will need to follow strict instructions that Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS will give you. After the surgery, you will need to rest and you should expect the extraction site to bleed a little following extraction. In addition, here are a few things to remember during post-op care.

If bleeding continues for longer than 24 hours you should call our office immediately. Once you return home after the surgery you should rest, but do not lie flat. This could prolong the bleeding. One of our doctors will prescribe you pain medication, as well as cleaning solution for the extraction site, so if you become sore take as directed. It’s important to limit yourself to soft foods such as gelatin, pudding, yogurt, mashed potatoes, etc. so that the stitches are not punctured. When drinking, make sure you do not use a straw, because the sucking motion can loosen your sutures and slow the clotting process.

If you are experiencing tooth discomfort or have questions about post-op aftercare, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

What is a Tooth-Colored Filling?

To treat a cavity your dentist will remove the decayed portion of the tooth and then “fill” the area on the tooth where the decayed material once lived. At the dental practice of Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, we utilize white (tooth-colored) fillings. Composite resins or tooth-colored fillings provide good durability and resistance to fracture in small to mid-size fillings that need to withstand moderate pressure from the constant stress of chewing.

Fillings help restore teeth damaged by decay back to their normal function and can prevent further decay. When a dentist gives you a filling, they first remove the decayed tooth material, clean the affected area, and then fill the cleaned out cavity with a filling material. Composites are also used for cosmetic improvements of the smile by changing the color of the teeth or reshaping disfigured teeth. Aesthetics are the main advantage of composites since dentists can blend shades to create a color nearly identical to that of the actual tooth.

If you have questions about dental bonding or white fillings, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

ARESTIN for Gum Disease

Gum disease is the #1 cause of adult tooth loss in the United States. If you don’t practice proper oral hygiene on a daily basis, you can develop gingivitis (the earliest stage of gum disease), which if left untreated can lead to periodontitis (the final stage of gum disease). Gingivitis is reversible, however, periodontitis is not. If your gum disease moves past the stage of gingivitis, Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS may need to apply ARESTIN to the gums, an antibiotic that is used in adjunct to scaling and root planing. 

Scaling and root planing is an effective gum disease treatment. In this procedure, our doctors use tools to clean plaque and tartar from your teeth and roots below the gum line. During the procedure, our doctors utilize ARESTIN, an antibiotic containing microspheres that are smaller than grains of sand. ARESTIN is placed directly to your gums and has the power to kill bacteria so your gums can heal better than with scaling and root planing alone. In one single visit, our doctors can add ARESTIN to the pocket between your gum and tooth. It is a painless procedure, with effective results.

If you have questions about ARESTIN, please give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

How to Prevent Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is the destruction of your tooth enamel, the hard, outer layer of your teeth. Hundreds of different types of bacteria live on our teeth, gums, tongue and other crevices in the mouth. Some are helpful, but some can be harmful such as those that play a role in the tooth decay process. At the dental practice of Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, we want our patients to know that good oral and dental hygiene can help you avoid cavities and tooth decay.

When a tooth is exposed to acid frequently – for example, if you frequently eat foods or drinks containing sugar and starches – the repeated cycles of acid attacks cause the enamel to continue to lose minerals. This will cause a white spot to appear if the minerals have been lost. When this happens, this is a sign of early decay.

You can help prevent tooth decay by following these tips:

• Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.


• Clean between your teeth daily with floss or an interdental cleaner.


• Eat nutritious and balanced meals and limit snacking.


• Visit Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS for professional cleanings and oral examination.

If you need assistance maintaining your oral hygiene routine, give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.

Do Pacifiers Damage Baby Teeth?

It’s one of the hardest habits to break and can require a great deal of persuasion – parents often struggle with weaning their child off a pacifier. Yes, pacifiers provide a sense of security and a method of self-relaxation for infants, but the downside of pacifiers is the effect they can have on the growth and development of the teeth and mouth. At the dental practice of Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, we always welcome new patients, including pediatric patients who have yet to wean off of the pacifier.

Prolonged pacifier use can cause changes in the shape of the roof of the mouth, prevent proper growth of the mouth and create problems with tooth alignment. Long-term pacifier use can lead to a variety of complications including tilting in of the bottom teeth and slanting in of the top and front teeth. Narrowing of the roof of the mouth and misalignment of the jaws can also occur. The Academy of General Dentistry recommends that children stop using pacifiers by the age of two. Up until that age, any alignment problem with the teeth or developing bone is usually corrected within six months after pacifier use has stopped.

If you have questions about pacifiers and teeth development, give us a call. To learn more about the services provided at the practice, visit www.fullertondental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Eric M Meyer, DDS, in Fullerton CA, call 714-879-7943.