29204 Dentist | Common Cases for Oral Surgery

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You probably have some pre-conceived notions about oral surgery. You might think of it as a worst-case resort for people with particularly serious oral health issues. Maybe you assume that all oral surgery procedures are painful, invasive, and take a while to fully heal. However, there are plenty of reasons an individual could benefit from oral surgery, and not all procedures are going to require the same amount of healing. Below are some common issues that can be resolved by oral surgery. Contact our team today to learn more if you think you could benefit from one of these procedures.

Restoring Missing Teeth

Dental implants are a permanent solution for missing teeth. An implant is fixed to your jawbone and a cosmetic crown that mimics the look and function of a natural tooth is fixed on top. Implants can help restore the function of missing teeth as well as keep the adjacent teeth from shifting in the mouth.

Resolving TMJ and Bite Alignment Issues

A misaligned bite can cause any number of issues. From a clicking sensation and pain in the jaw to excess wear and tear on your teeth as they rub against each other, misalignment can easily spiral into a number of other oral health issues.

Removing Problem Teeth

The majority of people find that they need to have their wisdom teeth removed at some point in their lives. Additionally, other teeth may need to be extracted due to damage or infection. Removing problem teeth can help protect overall oral health and give the rest of your teeth room in your mouth.

Repairing Facial Trauma

After sustaining a traumatic facial injury, an individual might need to undergo oral surgery to help repair and rebuild the delicate structures found in the mouth. Whether damaged teeth need to be extracted and replaced with implants or the jaw needs to be reset, the extent of the surgery will depend on the injuries sustained.

Don’t let a limited understanding of oral surgery stop you from receiving the care you might need. To learn more about all the potential benefits of oral surgery, contact our dental team today!

3261 Harrison Rd.
Columbia, SC 29204

Phone: (803) 738-1114

Richland County, SC Dentist | Men: Here’s What You Need to Know About Keeping Your Mouth Healthy

Dentist Near Me

Men, dental examinations and treatment are important for you, too. Did you know according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), by age 72 men lose an average of 5 teeth? That number jumps to 12 if you are also a smoker. Here’s what you need to know about keeping your mouth healthy. Follow these tips and you can beat the odds stacked against men and their oral health.

The Basics

Men are more likely than women to suffer from periodontal, or gum, disease. Men also have a higher risk of developing oral cancer and throat cancer, and men tend to lose more teeth than women. A poll conducted by the AGD found that 45% of men who responded felt there was no need for them to visit the dentist. This is a troubling statistic for a group more prone to oral health issues. A visit to our office can help us identify problems early.

Risk Factors

Certain medications can directly impact your teeth. Others can cause side effects such as dry mouth, which decreases saliva. Saliva is important in keeping your teeth’s enamel strong. Smoking or chewing tobacco, including smoking electronic cigarettes, have been linked to increasing your risk of developing oral cancer and other oral health issues. If you play sports, especially football or hockey, get fitted with a mouth guard to protect your teeth from extensive damage. You should avoid or limit energy drinks and sports drinks, as these contain acids and sugars that can lead to decay.

Periodontal Disease

Men are at a higher risk for developing periodontal, or gum, disease. Periodontal disease is caused by a buildup of hardened plaque on teeth and gums. This buildup, known as tartar, can inflame your gums. Studies have linked periodontal disease to increasing your risk for strokes, heart attacks, diabetic complications, and more. If your gums are red, bloodied, or sore, you should make an appointment to see us. Our experienced, professional dental team will assess your gum health and work to find a treatment for you.

Take These Steps at Home

A visit to our office will provide you with a complete dental examination and cleaning, but you should also practice good oral hygiene each day at home. This starts by brushing your teeth twice each day, for two minutes each time. When you brush, use an appropriate toothpaste. Ask our team if you are not sure what kind of toothpaste is best for you. Make sure you are also using dental floss. Taking care of your teeth at home will make your next visit to see us easier.

Men, your teeth are important so take good care of them. Practice good brushing and flossing habits at home. Reduce your risk of developing decay and oral disease by cutting back on sugary or acidic drinks, avoiding tobacco and smoking, and keeping our office up to date on any medications you are using. Get into the habit of coming to our office regularly, your smile depends on it.

For more tips on keeping your mouth healthy or to schedule your next dental examination, please contact our office.

3261 Harrison Rd.
Columbia, SC 29204

Phone: (803) 738-1114

Implant Dentist in Richland County | Experts question benefits of fluoride-free toothpaste

Dental health experts worry that more people are using toothpaste that skips the most important ingredient — fluoride — and leaves them at a greater risk of cavities.

Most toothpastes already contain fluoride. While health authorities recognize fluoride as a cavity blocker, the internet is dotted with claims, often from “natural” toothpaste marketers and alternative medicine advocates, that fluoride-free toothpaste also prevents cavities.

Dental authorities disagree.

“It’s really important to debunk this idea that brushing your teeth stops decay. You need to have the fluoride,” said Damien Walmsley, a scientific adviser to the British Dental Association and dentistry professor at the University of Birmingham.

That view was underscored this week by an article in the dental journal Gerodontology that reviewed the scientific literature on cavities. Its primary conclusion is that, without fluoride, oral hygiene efforts have “no impact” on cavity rates.

The idea that just brushing teeth doesn’t stop cavities has largely been accepted among individual researchers for decades, but not always by the public. Dentists generally recommend fluoride for cavity fighting, but even some of them continue to believe that the mechanics of wiping your teeth clean of plaque also reduces cavities. The review findings, published Monday, gave pause to at least one dentist.

Dental health experts worry that more people are using toothpaste that skips the most important ingredient-the fluoride-and leaves them at a greater risk of cavities. (August 7)

“It violates certain principles we’ve been taught and that we teach and that we believe,” said Richard Niederman, a dentist and professor at New York University who saw an advance copy of the study and found the findings credible. “What it says to me is that the toothbrush is just a delivery system.”

Few studies of the question have been carried out in recent years because the value of fluoride has been widely accepted for decades. In the review, University of Washington researchers looked for high-quality studies since 1950 and found just three. They were carried out in the U.S. and Great Britain and published from 1977 to 1981. They involved a total of 743 children aged 10 to 13 years who flossed and brushed for up to three years.

When the studies were evaluated statistically as a whole, there was no significant cavity reduction from simply brushing or flossing without fluoride.

Dentist J. Leslie Winston, oral care director for Crest-toothpaste maker Procter & Gamble, said the review “serves as an important reminder.”

“Despite a large body of scientific evidence, there are growing numbers of consumers who believe that all toothpastes are the same and that as long as you clean your teeth effectively with a toothbrush or other device which cleans in-between the teeth, you can prevent decay,” he said in a statement.

The market share for fluoride-free toothpaste is closely held company data. Industry sources estimate it at no more than 5 percent of all toothpaste sold, but with projected growth of over 5 percent annually. On Monday, Tom’s of Maine antiplaque and whitening toothpaste, which is fluoride-free, was listed as the second-best selling toothpaste on Amazon’s online buying platform.

Paul Jessen, a brand manager at Tom’s of Maine, said “the products that don’t contain fluoride that we offer do not promise that benefit” to fight cavities. He said his company’s customers generally understand this.

Yet customer comment on Amazon’s website sometimes indicates otherwise, with many reviews insisting that the company’s fluoride-free toothpaste does fight cavities. “If you brush regularly with or without fluoride, you reduce the risk of cavities,” asserts one customer.

Oral care companies themselves also stray into such claims. The website of Revitin non-fluoride toothpaste says it “strengthens your teeth against tooth decay.”

Gerald Curatola, the dentist who founded Revitin and now serves as chief science officer, called the review “misleading.” He said that the latest science suggests that a healthy mix of oral bacteria is key to dental health. “I don’t think fluoride makes a difference at all,” he said.

However, referring to his company’s decay-fighting claim, he added: “After this call, I’m probably going to remove that from the website, because I don’t think that should be on there, because I didn’t know that was on there.”

Jeff Davis, the CEO of Sheffield Pharmaceuticals that sells toothpaste with and without fluoride, said it’s “pretty established” that fluoride is what helps reduce cavities. But he said some people worry about the harmful effect of too much fluoride and so choose fluoride-free toothpaste.

Even without fluoride, dentists say there’s some value in brushing. Philippe Hujoel, the dentist and University of Washington professor who led the dental review, said oral hygiene without fluoride might produce real cavity-fighting effects too small to detect in a study, or adults might conceivably benefit where the children in the studies did not.

And toothbrushing did reduce swollen gums in Hujoel’s review. Brushing the teeth may also dislodge stuck food and help patients recover from oral surgery.

Dentist Matthew Messina, a spokesman for the American Dental Association, said mechanical brushing can also help avoid decay that sometimes forms, especially in older people, at the normally hidden roots of teeth, which was outside the scope of this review.

“The study is important,” he added, “because the study is supporting what we’ve been contending for a long time.” The ADA recommends using fluoride toothpastes.

The review also cited a 2009 analysis of studies involving 60,000 people that found fluoride rinse prevents cavities about as well as fluoride toothpaste.

In 2016, The Associated Press reported on the poor scientific evidence for the benefits of flossing. As a result, the federal government removed its long-standing flossing recommendation from Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The review raises questions about how cavities form. Cavities have long been thought to develop in a poorly cleaned mouth when acids left by food start to wear away tooth enamel. The idea is that clean teeth do not decay. This review, though, argues for an alternate model: cavities grow in tiny crevices in the enamel that can’t easily be reached with a toothbrush or dental floss alone.

Despite the clear benefit of fluoride, some studies have also challenged the belief that fluoridated drinking water stops dental decay as well as fluoride toothpaste or rinses. In any event, it makes sense to combine fluoridated water and dental products for amplified protection, said Niederman, the NYU dentist.

Some dentists also said the most effective way to prevent cavities is simply to reduce sugars in the diet.

For more news, please visit AP News.

We Are Here For You

Dr. Julia K. Mikell
Solo Practitioner

3261 Harrison Rd.
Columbia, SC 29204

(We are easy to find in Forest Acres at the corner of Harrison Rd. and Budon Ct., near the Zesto’s on Forest Drive.)

(803) 738-1114

Providing Dental Care
For Many Communities Including:

Forest Acres, Fort Jackson, Arcadia Lakes, Lake Katherine, Heathwood, Shandon, Rosewood, Downtown Columbia, Earlewood, Cottontown and the University of South Carolina

Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 8:30 AM - 5 PM
Friday: Closed


  • South Carolina State Dental
  • America Dental Association
  • America Dental Association

Dentist in Columbia, SC

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Dentist in Columbia, SC

“My husband and I had our 1st appointment with Dr. Mikell today and we left there feeling like we absolutely made the right choice! She and her staff were professional, kind, competent, and very respectful to us. We feel like this was a fabulous start to a long and happy relationship!”

Erica R. Columbia, SC Dental Patient

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