San Francisco Surgical Arts

dental plaque:

Dental plaque is a biofilm, usually a pale yellow, that develops naturally on the teeth. Like any biofilm, dental plaque is formed by colonizing bacteria trying to attach themselves to a smooth surface (of a tooth). ……. This allows a numerous amount of microorganisms to adhere to the surface of teeth for long periods of time[3]. These multiple species of bacteria become dental biofilm. Dental biofilm, more commonly referred to as dental plaque, is composed of about a thousand species of bacteria that take part in the complex ecosystems of the mouth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_plaque

Bad Breath!

Has any one ever mentioned to you that you have bad breath?   Beyond being embarrassing, bad breath might be the sign of something more serious.

The most common cause of bad breath, or halitosis, is a lack of oral hygiene.  A person should brush their teeth twice as day for two minutes per session in addition to daily flossing to help prevent bad breath.   Brushing and flossing will help prevent a build of plaque and other bacteria that lead to bad breath, cavities and gum disease.  Not only is it important to brush and floss, but it is important to do so with uitilzing proper technique.  Your general dentist can give you a tutorial on the proper ways to brush and floss, also know as Oral Hygiene Instruction (OHI).  It is important to see your dentist at least twice a year for a professional cleaning and exam.  Bad breath may be a sign of more serious tooth decay or periodontal disease that has to be treated by a professional dentist.

Bad breath may also be caused by food that you eat.  Upon ingesting foods with an odor, such as garlic or onions, the food is digested through our stomach and other organs until it is absorbed into our blood and lungs.  From that point both your body and your breath can expel an odor.

Foods may also turn into bacteria that sticks to your tongue, causing bad breath to increase as the day/night goes on.  Brushing or scraping the tongue  with an over the counter tongue scraper will help minimize this effect.

Xerostomia, or dry mouth can also contribute to bad breath.  Dry mouth can be a caused by numerous things and can also be a symptom of sleep apnea.  Sleep apnea is a common disorder that disrupts one’s sleep because the affected person will have several pauses in the breathing trough out the night.  Please refer to our previous blog about sleep apnea for more information on this condition. https://www.sfsurgicalarts.com/blog/category/sleep-apnea/

Halitosis  or bad breath may be a sign that there is a more serious infection or illness.  Respiratory tract infections, kidney failure and diabetes can all associated with bad breath though there many contributing factors that can lead to halitosis.

Schedule an exam today, to see your general dentist.  He or she will help you diagnosis the cause of your bad breath, and plan the steps necessary to treat it.  Whether it be a simple need to floss better or something more serious, it is time for you to know.

 

 

Sources:

1.http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2008/12/02/8-surprising-causes-of-bad-breath

2. http://www.ada.org/2941.aspx

3. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sleepapnea/

Study Club #2 : Computer Guided Implant Surgery Based on a Merger Between Cone Beam CT and Intraoral Scanner.

Study Club #2 titled ” Computer Guided Implant Surgery Based on a Merger Between Cone Beam CT and Intraoral Scanner” which was  presented by Dr Michael Sodeifi was a success!!  Here are some pictures from the  Wednesday 6/27/12 event.  Stay tuned for more info on the next study club, lecture 3 TBA which is going to be in September 2012.

Xerostomia

Xerostomia: dry mouth

Xerostomia (play /ˌzirˈstmiə/) is the medical term for the subjective complaint of dry mouth which may or may not be associated with a lack of saliva. Xerostomia is sometimes colloquially called pasties, cottonmouth, drooth, or doughmouth. Several diseases, treatments, and medications can cause xerostomia. It can also be exacerbated by smoking or drinking alcohol.[1]

Xerostomia can cause difficulty in speech and eating. It also leads to halitosis and a dramatic rise in the number of cavities, as the protective effect of saliva’s remineralizing the enamel is no longer present, and can make the mucosa and periodontal tissue of the mouth more vulnerable to infection. Heavy methamphetamine use can cause xerostomia, usually called “meth mouth” in this case; it can be worsened by methamphetamine at recreational doses causing tight clenching of the jaw, bruxism (compulsive grinding of the teeth), or a repetitive ‘chewing’ movement as if the user were chewing, but without food in the mouth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xerostomia

SFSA STUDY CLUB — WEDNESDAY JUNE 27, 2012 @ 6:30

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are looking forward to seeing you at our  SFSA Study Club Meeting this Wednesday 6/27 from 6:30-8:30 pm.

Come join us for  for 2 FREE CE credits and dinner while learning and listening to a fascinating lecture given by Dr Sodeifi.

Lecture Topic: Computer Guided Implant Surgery Based on a Merger Between Cone Beam CT and Intraoral Scanner.

It is not to late to RSVP.  If you wish to attend, please call Melissa @ 415-813-6400

Study Club meets at San Francisco Surgical Arts

301 Main St Unit 1A, San Francisco CA 94105

Remember the lecture starts at 6:30, so please come early for a refreshment and an office tour!

Advances in Bone Grafting – Study Club Lecture 1

For decades we have been looking for an ample supply of materials that could produce vital bone for  repair of significant bony defect of the jaw. There are many opinions about the type of material to be used for the repair of missing bone.  Facial bones are the substructure needed to support the proper jaw line, teeth and projection of face which in turn are one’s self-image. Premature loss of bone in the upper and lower jaw, due to gum disease, trauma and malignancies leaves patient with very few options for tooth replacement. There are drawbacks in harvesting the patient’s own bone; explicitly, the donor site morbidity, limited supply and less than desirable results.

Bone grafting with human (cadaveric) and other mammalian bone (bovine and swine), to provide the scaffolding,  relies on the patient’s own cells in the recipient bed to produce bone, which are not predictable.  In order to produce bone predictably, there is a need of osteogenic cell (bone producing cell) in the graft site. Hence, the cell base tissue engineering.

Stem cells are defined as a group undifferentiated cells capable of producing other specialized cells, e.g. bone and cartilage. Regardless of their source, they share two characteristics:

1. They are capable unlimited but controlled self-renewal (none tumorigenic).

2. They are capable of creating one or more mature tissues (differentiation into specialized cell lines).

There are three types of stem cells: Embryonic, Fetal and Adult.

Embryonic and fetal stem cells, aside from being in a highly undifferentiated state (difficult to control), also have clinical use challenges with ethical and political controversies.  However, adult stem cells are more committed cells and are generally considered to be easily accessible and readily available. Adult mesenchymal stem cells are defined as cells capable to give rise to Bone, Cartilage, Muscle and Tendon, making these cells exceptional tools for cell-based tissue engineering, for the repair of lost or damaged maxillofacial tissues.

At San Francisco Surgical Arts, and one of our other locations (Palo Alto Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery), we are the only centers in Norton California performing this type of advance osseous (bone) reconstruction.  In combination with advances in computerized dental implant planning, cone beam CT scan and digital impression system (iTero) cases that were previously deemed impossible are done readily, but also they are performed with great degree of accuracy and very high success rates.

San Francisco Surgical Arts Study Club ….. Presents Lecture 2:

Computer Guided Implant Surgery based upon a merger between Cone Beam CT and Intraoral Scanner

Dear Colleagues,
You are invited to the 2nd San Francisco Surgical Arts Study Club meeting.

The future is coming upon us faster than ever.   Just imagine, a marriage between images generated by an intraoral scanner (iTero) and a Cone Beam CT.  Thus setting the stage for a virtual implant surgery; which is then seamlessly transferred to the patient’s mouth for a guided surgery with absolute precision.
Well, the future is here.
See how STL image files generated by the  intraoral scanner are merged with the DICOM images from a Cone Beam CT on Anatomage software.  Next a Surgical Guide (generated by Anatomage and based on the software planning) is used to duplicate a virtual surgery for the patient.
All this without having to take a traditional impression.  No mess, no fuss, no wasted chair time!
This is just the beginning of future possibilities on the Horizon.
Join us for a presentation and follow up Q&A session from the audience.

Speaker –  Michael Sodeifi, DMD MD
Please RSVP 415-813-6400

2 C.E. Credits will be provided along
with a complimentary dinner.

 

The meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 from 6:30pm-8:30pm
Please meet at the SFSA office on Main St.

San Francisco Surgical Arts
301 Main St Unit 1A
San Francisco, CA 94105
[email protected]
www.sfsurgicalarts.com