The temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, can fracture, swell and/or become sore, limiting movement of the lower jaw and causing pain in the head, ear, jaw or neck. If you have trouble opening and closing your mouth, ear or facial pain, pain while chewing, clicking or...
Dental implants (artificial tooth roots permanently embedded in the jawbone with a false tooth attached) have an interesting history. Wood, copper, iron, gold, jade, platinum, porcelain, sea shells, and animal and human teeth were all tried — without much success — before an orthopedic surgeon...
So you’ve been told you need a tooth extraction. Your tooth is damaged or decayed, your mouth is too crowded, or you have an infection. Knowing what to expect can improve the experience before, during and after the procedure. Before Before the day of your...
Dental implants (artificial tooth roots permanently embedded in the jawbone with a false tooth attached) are an excellent solution to a number of oral health challenges: missing teeth, unstable dentures, speech/smile/eating problems caused by dentures, lack of back teeth on which to attach a bridge,...
When your jaws do not line up properly, you may not like the way you look. It can be hard to smile, eat, swallow, or even rest your mouth comfortably. Even more concerning, misaligned jaws can cause health problems such as chronic joint pain (TMJ),...
Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. While the causes of this infection are many–hormonal changes, illnesses, medications, smoking, family history and poor oral hygiene–it can often be prevented, or stopped before it progresses from gum inflammation (gingivitis) to gum disease...
Bone grafting, or the transplanting of bone tissue, is a common procedure in our practice. It can help correct misaligned jawbones, allow more effective tooth replacement, and help maintain facial structure when numerous teeth have been lost. With modern bone grafting, lost bone can be...
At Wilmington Oral Surgery, we have used 3D cone-beam computer tomography (CT) since the early 2000s. This technology is extremely useful in certain dental evaluations, diagnoses, and treatment planning, because it gives us 3D images of patients’ teeth, soft tissues, nerve pathways and bones–all in...
Some people have congenitally missing teeth; they were born without one or more permanent tooth under the gums. Others’ teeth came in, but left large gaps between teeth. These issues can cause physical and emotional problems, especially when the empty spaces are in the front...
At Wilmington Oral Surgery, we use Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) to speed healing after oral surgery. PRF is a blood-clot “fabric” of concentrated platelets and growth factors made from a patient’s own blood. When a PRF is put in oral surgery wounds, the wound site is...