Karen P. Meyers, DDS

Birmingham, MI

1875 Southfield Rd, Birmingham, MI  48009
Phone: 248-646-2450
Experience Excellence in Dental care

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Now That Your College Student is Back Home

April 29, 2016

studying-703002_640 (2)When college kids come back from spring semester, they have a few things on their mind: eating their favorite meals, connecting with home town friends and catching up on their sleep.

As parents, we notice the changes that a year of school has brought to our kids. They seem older, but still child-like. They keep strange hours, sleep on every horizontal surface and at any time of day and night, need their car again, bring some activity and excitement and drama back into the house, and behave in many ways more like peers and less like kids.

What is less noticeable is what is going on in their mouths. Typically, college students are somewhat less compliant in terms of regular oral health care during their year away, especially that freshman year. So, it’s very important as part of the summer to do list (along with securing that summer job or internship) to schedule a dental exam.

The post college summer oral health exam should include:

  • Thorough teeth and gum cleaning, especially if it has been more than six months since a previous visit to the dentist. College students tend to have tartar and plaque build-up from inadequate brushing and flossing especially if combined with increased alcohol consumption
  • Thorough examination of all teeth and gums to identify decay or early problems that can get addressed before they worsen
  • Panoramic x-rays to determine if wisdom teeth need to be removed.
  • Discussion of oral health practices to stave off tooth and gum diseases. Tobacco and alcohol use should be discussed as well as oral health symptoms that require immediate visits to the dentist.

For the college student, the timing of the possible removal of impacted wisdom teeth is critical. Not every child grows wisdom teeth and they do not all need to be removed, but for those that do, the summer break between semesters is an ideal time to schedule the removal, as the recovery takes a few days. Removing wisdom teeth during the summer also prevents a painful episode mid-semester when the teeth erupt.

A reminder of the typical symptoms of  wisdom teeth eruption:

  • Visible tooth behind the molars.
  • Swollen or irritated gums in the back of the mouth.
  • Bad breath
  • Pain when chewing on the molars
  • Jaw pain

So, hug your college student if they let you. Open up your wallet and your hearts when they get home. And schedule that dental exam for them (even better if they’ll schedule it for themselves!)

Read our previous blog about wisdom teeth removal.

Filed Under: extractions, oral health Tagged With: college and dental care, wisdom teeth extraction, wisdom teeth FAQ

Why Should I Consider a Dental Implant?

March 27, 2016

dental implant x rayDental implants are more common than you think. They are used typically when a tooth is no longer salvageable due to disease or breakage. A dental implant is a permanent solution to a loss of a tooth. It is an attractive new artificial tooth with a great track record for longevity, and with none of the issues that accompany non permanent dentures and bridges.

So, why would you want a dental implant?

  • You need all your teeth. When a tooth has to be removed due to disease or damage, it’s not advisable to just leave an empty space there. It will impact your ability to chew, it can cause unnatural wear and tear and misalignment, too. In addition, teeth provide structure to your face and also are essential for good pronunciation.
  • That million dollar smile. After struggling with a tooth that is dying, you may have noticed its color changing. If your tooth has been damaged, you may be self conscious of a chip or break. Having a durable dental implant immediately improves your smile and puts a beautiful white (to match your other teeth) tooth right where it belongs.
  • Tooth 2.0: An implanted tooth is tougher than a “real tooth” and impervious to cavities. Pretty cool! But they still need to be brushed and flossed!
  • The implantation procedure can be accomplished with minimal pain and very little down time. Once the damaged or diseased tooth has been removed and your mouth has sufficiently recovered, a screw is implanted into your upper or lower jaw. After the jaw accepts the screw, then the implanted tooth is attached to the metal screw.
  • Dental implants are a permanent solution. They are securely attached and never move or need to be taken out.

Dental implants are a popular, permanent solution to the problem of irreversibly damaged or diseased teeth that need to be removed. We will help you through the dental implantation process so that you will be smiling brightly after all is said and done!

Filed Under: extractions Tagged With: dental implants

The Info on Implants

May 11, 2015

dental implant x rayWhat are dental implants? What are they used for? How do you take care of dental implants?

Dental implants are more common than you think. They are used typically when a tooth is no longer salvageable due to disease or breakage. A dental implant is a permanent solution to a loss of a tooth. It is an attractive new artificial tooth with a great track record for longevity, and with none of the issues that accompany non permanent dentures and bridges.

The implantation procedure is as follows:

  1. Permanent removal of the tooth or teeth in question.
  2. Implantation of a screw (or screws) directly into either the upper or lower jaw. These are typically made of titanium and either shaped like a screw or are cylindrical.
  3. After the jaw has accepted the screw, then a porcelain tooth or teeth are installed.

Following the dental implantation, patients are able to eat normally and the porcelain teeth are as attractive as your natural teeth and even tougher.

Patients should be aware that dental implants still require excellent oral hygiene including regular brushing and flossing. In addition, patients with dental implants require regular dental check-ups to assess the continuing health of the dental implant and the gum surrounding it and to make sure any disease processes that may have caused the initial tooth loss are under control. Patients with dental implants are also advised to quit smoking.

Filed Under: extractions, oral health Tagged With: care of dental implants, dental implants

The Summer Question: How Wise is it to Keep My Wisdom Teeth?

July 21, 2014

Summer is often the time when people make decisions about wisdom teeth removal, particularly college students and those who are on an academic calendar. So, now is a perfect opportunity for a mini-lesson on wisdom teeth.

The so-called wisdom teeth are the final set of molars that develop in young adults. They begin to erupt and mature in people’s late teens or early twenties, hence the name wisdom teeth, although we know plenty of people in this age group who have not hit their peak of wisdom.

wisdom tooth xrayFor lots of people, there is plenty of room in their mouths and the wisdom teeth can fit right in and become part of their dental landscape. But most people’s mouths just don’t have enough room to accommodate these teeth. As a result, the teeth either are coming in misaligned or are completely impacted.

Misaligned wisdom teeth begun to erupt at the gum line at an odd angle, either twisted or angled, or the teeth could possibly even be completely horizontal. These misaligned teeth do not aid in eating and are detrimental to the alignment of the other teeth, causing crowding, possibly damaging adjacent teeth or even abutting the jawbone or any of the nearby nerves, which could cause pain and infection.

In an even more serious case, wisdom teeth can be not just misaligned, but completely impacted.  Impacted wisdom teeth may not even erupt beyond the gum line, but often lie completely beside the jawbone or within the gum tissue. A partially impacted wisdom tooth could create a hole in the gum, which becomes an entry point for bacteria and infection.  Partially erupted teeth don’t aid eating, but become a magnet for tooth decay and gum disease. In short, they are not beneficial at all.

Extracting Wisdom Teeth

If you and the dentist decide that your wisdom teeth need to be removed, a plan for extracting them will be developed. Often, a referral to an oral surgeon will be made. We have very good relationships with extremely skilled oral surgeons, known for their gentleness and their capability.

If your wisdom teeth have already fully erupted, their extraction is a fairly simple affair, akin to taking out any other teeth and it is possible to do without an oral surgeon.

If your wisdom teeth are partially or fully impacted, their removal requires incisions and stitches and is a more complex procedure.

For any extraction, local anesthesia will be administered to the area. Depending on your anxiety and pain tolerance as well as the complexity of the procedure, other pain-relief measures will be used including general anesthesia and anti-anxiety medications, either given orally or intravenously.

What Do I Do if my Wisdom Teeth Hurt Right Now?

There are several symptoms of wisdom teeth problems. You may be experiencing pain around the area of an erupting wisdom tooth, or even notice a cyst on the gum near where the tooth should be or a flap of skin above the erupting tooth. You could have pain in the jaw, sensitivity in the area when eating or drinking or what feels like a constant ache that will not go away.

Obviously, don’t suffer in silence! Please call us right away so we can evaluate the nature of your mouth pain. In the meantime, you can try some of these at home remedies to give yourself some immediate short-term relief:

  • Place a cold pack on your face near the pain for about 15-20 minutes at a time.
  • Do not put heat on your face (heat causes swelling).
  • You may under certain circumstances take over-the-counter pain medications (but not aspirin for children) like ibuprofen or naproxen.
  • You can rinse your mouth out every few hours with saltwater.

Filed Under: extractions Tagged With: wisdom teeth FAQ, wisdom teeth pain relief

To schedule an appointment please call us 248-646-2450.

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Karen P Meyers, DDS 
1875 Southfield Road, Birmingham, MI  48009

Phone: 248-646-2450

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