Crown lengthening is a common procedure done under local anesthesia to remove or reshape gum tissue, bone (or both) to expose more of the remaining tooth or teeth. It can be performed on one or more teeth on the gum line. This treatment is often recommended if you have a “gummy smile” where your teeth look shorter because of excess... read more »

What happens when facial trauma from winter sports and snow accidents lead to facial and maxillary trauma to the hard parts (bones and teeth) and soft tissue (skin and gums) of your body? Whether you are injured from snowmobiling, skiing or snowboarding, or have an accidental fall on the ice while carrying groceries, you might incur severe maxillofacial trauma that... read more »

Periodontal (gum) disease is the number one cause of bone loss in the mouth. If you are experiencing gum disease, you can have chronic bacterial infections that impact your gum tissue as well as the supportive bone material underneath. Once plaque (the sticky bacterial film in the mouth) reaches beneath the gum line, it creates toxins which inflame the gums... read more »

If your dentist or orthodontist has suggested to you that you might benefit from jaw surgery, you are not alone. Misalignment of the jaw can range from mild to severe, and sometimes orthognathic surgery may be needed. While your orthodontist can correct bite problems involving your teeth, surgery may be needed when the jaws need to be repositioned. At its... read more »

If you have ever lost a tooth, you might have more than just a gap between your teeth. If a lost tooth is not replaced, the bone in the jaw that supported the lost tooth starts to deteriorate. That’s because when you chew your food, there’s no more stimulation to the bone from the missing tooth’s chewing action. Over time,... read more »

If you find yourself experiencing TMJ symptoms that are mild and infrequent, they may go away on their own. This sometimes can take weeks or months depending on what you do to help your jaw find relief. Of course, this is a good time to alleviate symptoms by temporarily sticking to a soft food or blended diet instead of trying... read more »

Do you have questions concerning your recovery post-op? We have answers to the most common questions we get. Read on for more: How can I prepare for oral surgery? Make sure you have a comfortable recovery place set up at home. Having extra pillows can help you rest more comfortably, and having something to do while you rest can also... read more »

Do you have questions about bone grafting? If so, our oral and maxillofacial surgeons, Dr. David McAninch, is happy to help you find the answers. The more you know about the treatment, the better, especially because it can help you make the best and right decisions for your smile. So, to help you, they would like to share the answers... read more »

The TMJ is also known as the temporomandibular joint. It’s the joint that hinges the jaw and it’s the joint that allows you to open and close the mouth as well as chew, talk and swallow. When you have pain, discomfort and limited functionality in this joint, it’s called the TMJ disorder. To help you know all about the TMJ... read more »

An oral surgeon is a specialty within the field of dentistry. Just like a pediatric dentist has had advanced training to treat the teeth of children, and a periodontist has a focus on gum disease, the oral surgeon (known formally as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon) has had advanced training and experience performing surgeries such as complicated tooth extraction (including... read more »