Periapical Abscesses

It’s never good to see signs of a gum infection. But a particular kind of infection called a periapical abscess is especially dangerous and requires urgent treatment. All Coast Dental is a provider of general and cosmetic dentistry in Pacific Beach and can assist people suffering from gum and tooth pulp problems, and we want everyone to know how to recognize the signs of advanced disease.

When a tooth is cracked or badly enough decayed, bacteria are able to enter the pulp at its center. They could then spread to its root(s) and create an abscess. An abscess is a pocket filled with pus, which is a mixture of dead material and bacterial secretions. The abscess may cause a fever, swelling, and bad taste, in addition to the pain and sensitivity in the infected tooth. Abscesses don’t heal on their own, and if the infection spreads, the patient could get sepsis.

We can safely drain an abscess and clean it out. But removing the infection will require a root canal. This means that the pulp chamber will be cleaned out and filled with sealant. In severe cases, saving the tooth might not be possible and it will have to be removed. We’ll discuss with the patient what kind of restoration would best suit their needs, but we hope everyone takes to heart the importance of preventing periapical abscesses by cleaning their teeth and protecting them from injury.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Preventing Osteonecrosis

Complications following tooth extractions are rare, but to prevent them, we at All Coast Dental require the cooperation of our patients. If a patient is taking certain medications, one of the potential hazards of a tooth extraction is osteonecrosis of the jaw. This does not mean those patients cannot receive treatment, but we need everyone to understand why it is so important for them to disclose their medical history and medication use to us.

Osteonecrosis is the death of bone tissue from lack of blood supply. It can occur in the jawbone when the gum is unable to close over an empty socket, leaving the bone at the base of the socket exposed. A person may experience it if they are taking large doses of antiresorptive medications, which people usually take intravenously for cancer. There is a lesser, but possible risk to people taking oral antiresorptives for osteoporosis. Smokers and people with diabetes are also at greater risk.

If a person develops osteonecrosis, we can provide antibacterial washes and painkillers until their healing process is complete. Usually, conservative treatments are all that are necessary. But osteonecrosis is painful, and we want patients to be able to avoid it. If they have an infected tooth and have already started antiresorptive medication, we may be able to save the tooth with a root canal instead of extracting and replacing it. We may also want to stagger tooth extractions in patients who are getting extensive restorations, or use bridges or partial dentures to avoid extractions entirely.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

Gum Abscesses

Are your gums red and swollen? Do you see blood when you spit toothpaste? If so, that’s common, but it’s not healthy. At All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, we take gum disease very seriously, and want our patients to understand all of its signs and complications. We encourage you to see us for a cleaning soon if you’re experiencing gingivitis, because if left untreated, you could develop a gum abscess.

An abscess is a hollow space where pus accumulates. Pus is the mixture of bacteria, dead tissue, and acid that builds up as the result of an infection. When a person has gingivitis, which is the lesser form of gum disease, an abscess may develop near the gum line. This would be called a gingival abscess. By contrast, a periodontal abscess forms when a person has periodontitis, the more severe form of gum disease. When a gum infection is advanced, it will cause the walls of the gum pocket to loosen and recede from a tooth root. Pus could accumulate in this hollow space, leaving the patient not only in pain and with a persistent bad taste in their mouth, but also at risk of fever and jaw bone deterioration.

We can lance and drain the pus from an abscess, but to truly kill the infection, we’ll have to remove the dead tissue. X-rays will reveal whether a patient’s dental pulp is also infected, in which case they’ll need a root canal procedure. Once the infection is removed, we will smooth down the tooth’s root by a process called planing so it will be easier to clean at future appointments. Patients will also need to take antibiotics following treatment for an abscess to ensure the infection won’t return.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Research into Filling Failure

Patients at All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach receive preventive care in accordance with the latest scientific research. To help make sure everyone understands the importance of keeping regular appointments, we wanted to share the results of a new study which examined why dental fillings can fail early.

Smoking is one of the most common factors among failed implants, and it’s the same with failed fillings. The study found that men who smoked had a much higher chance of a filling needing to be replaced after just two years. On average, a filling lasts for ten years. Alcohol use was also correlated with filling failure, as was a family history of failed fillings. While shared lifestyles may be behind this, scientists also are interested in researching whether there is a genetic predisposition toward filling failure. If so, it is especially important for people who are at-risk to get their fillings assessed and replaced regularly.

The study was initially prompted by a desire to compare amalgam to the new white composite resins. Encouragingly, the study found there was no difference in longevity between the two construction materials.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.

 

Warning Signs of a Failing Implant

We’re proud of the implant work we do at All Coast Dental. Implants allow us to vastly improve patients’ quality of life and have a very high success rate. However, it is possible for things to go wrong over years of wear and tear or for us to have to correct work done elsewhere. A failing implant is a dental emergency which patients should know how to recognize.

In the immediate aftermath of an implant placement, some pain and bleeding are expected. However, if a patient’s pain is severe and does not improve, the implant may have been placed on a nerve. This is excruciating and will not result in proper fusion of the implant into bone. If the incision wound does not stop bleeding after a few days patients should seek help, and if they seem to be having an allergic reaction, it may be caused by the implant’s metal.

No matter how old an implant is, it should not move. If it does, it needs to be replaced. We will also want to monitor the amount of jawbone tissue a patient has for the first few years following the implant’s placement. If too much bone tissue is lost, there is a great risk of the implant failing later on.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit AllCoastDental.net and fill out a contact sheet.