Affecting countless individuals annually, oral cancer refers to any kind of cell mutation or persistent growth in the mouth, including the roof, floor, sinuses, throat, and tongue. When it comes to treating oral cancer, early detection is particularly crucial. Through proactive screenings and biopsies conducted throughout the year, dentists can identify potential oral cancer warning signs early, which improves a patient’s chances of successful treatment and remission.
How is Oral Cancer Diagnosed?
Dentists are the first line of defense against oral cancer, as their specialized training in the health of the whole mouth can make it easier for them to spot symptoms of the disease. The screening process begins with a thorough exam of the mouth, nasopharynx, and larynx. The appearance of the tissue will also be examined for any lumps, sores, or discolorations that may be indicative of malignant growths. Finally, in-depth diagnostic images will be taken in order to monitor changes and identify any unusual growths.
If any suspicious lumps are uncovered, a biopsy will be performed and sent for analysis. After a diagnosis has been made, a treatment plan will be developed jointly by a team of medical and dental professions. Together, your oral surgeons, radiation oncologists, chemotherapy oncologists, dentists, nutritionists, and restoration dentists will create a treatment plan specific to your health needs and your specific cancer. Generally, this will include a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. However, which treatment or combination you receive is determined by how far your particular cancer has progressed.
How Do Oral Cancer Treatments Affect Dental Health?
Because radiation and other oral cancer treatments can negatively impact other dental health concerns, it is important that any potential oral conditions be addressed prior to undergoing radiation therapy. Your long-term remission plan often includes treatments for dental problems such as periodontal disease, caries, cavities, and decaying teeth. Tackling these issues prior to chemotherapy can reduce the chances of developing osteonecrosis, or damage of the jaw bone. Such jaw damage can make treating dental conditions difficult after you’ve completed cancer treatment.
Restoring Your Smile after Oral Cancer
At Lorton-Springfield Dental Implants & Oral Surgery, we want to ensure your cancer treatment is as successful as possible and that your post-treatment dental health is of the best possible quality. Our oral surgeon offers a wide range of pre- and post-radiation treatments and have extensive experience partnering with other team members as a qualified and dedicated member of your cancer care team.
We offer prior-to-treatment tooth extraction, which can minimize complications brought on by unhealthy teeth. For certain cancers, oral surgery is recommended to remove the mass. We offer this service, as well as bone grafting to restore jaw bones to a healthy status. After treatment, we provide dental implants and implant supported restorations that can bring back your beautiful smile and enable you to eat and speak without pain. To learn more about these pre- and post- radiation dental treatments, contact your nearest location today.
Monday, April 25, 2016
Monday, April 18, 2016
Understanding Oral Cancer
Like other types of cancer, oral cancer occurs when cells in your mouth mutate or change, resulting in a growth that doesn’t go away. Oral cancer can affect any part of the mouth, including the lips, tongue, cheeks, roof, floor, sinuses, or throat, but it is most often found on the tongue or mouth floor. Chewing tobacco users are more susceptible to oral cancer that occurs between the lip/cheek and soft tissue of the lower jaw because this is where the tobacco typically has the most contact with the mouth.
Causes and Risk Factors
Doctors, dentists, and scientists don’t know exactly what causes mouth cells to mutate, forming oral cancer, but they have identified a number of risk factors that describe indicate who may be at risk.
Tobacco use has been directly linked to oral cancer; those who smoke are six times more likely to develop the disease, and those who use chewing tobacco are 50 times more likely to receive a diagnosis. Excessive alcohol consumption, sun exposure, and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) are also risk factors.
Certain populations, such as adults over the age of 40, men, and those with a family history of cancer, are also more likely to develop the disease, though scientists haven’t determined whether these demographics themselves are risk factors or if people in these groups are simply more likely to have other risk factors counting against them.
Is Oral Cancer Common?
Though oral cancer isn’t often in the media, it is actually more common than Hodgkin’s lymphoma, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, and many other cancers that are often the subject of news reports and public service announcements. In 2014, over 40,000 people were diagnosed with oral cancer. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, that number is expected to leap by 10,000 to 50,000 this year for 2016 oral cancer diagnoses.
Schedule Your Oral Cancer Screening Today
Much of the high mortality rate associated with oral cancers can be attributed to the high frequency of late stage diagnoses. As this form of cancer exhibits few symptoms during its early stages, patients are often unaware that they have cancer until the condition has spread to other parts of the body, making treatment and remission more difficult to attain.
With this in mind, preventive screenings and biopsies are critical components to early detection and proactive oral cancer treatment. In Lorton and Springfield, oral surgeon Dr. Snehal Patel works closely with local dental oncologists and dentists to develop post-radiation treatment solutions, helping patients retain their oral function through restorative oral surgery. For more information about these procedures, contact your nearest location today.
Causes and Risk Factors
Doctors, dentists, and scientists don’t know exactly what causes mouth cells to mutate, forming oral cancer, but they have identified a number of risk factors that describe indicate who may be at risk.
Tobacco use has been directly linked to oral cancer; those who smoke are six times more likely to develop the disease, and those who use chewing tobacco are 50 times more likely to receive a diagnosis. Excessive alcohol consumption, sun exposure, and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) are also risk factors.
Certain populations, such as adults over the age of 40, men, and those with a family history of cancer, are also more likely to develop the disease, though scientists haven’t determined whether these demographics themselves are risk factors or if people in these groups are simply more likely to have other risk factors counting against them.
Is Oral Cancer Common?
Though oral cancer isn’t often in the media, it is actually more common than Hodgkin’s lymphoma, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, and many other cancers that are often the subject of news reports and public service announcements. In 2014, over 40,000 people were diagnosed with oral cancer. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, that number is expected to leap by 10,000 to 50,000 this year for 2016 oral cancer diagnoses.
Schedule Your Oral Cancer Screening Today
Much of the high mortality rate associated with oral cancers can be attributed to the high frequency of late stage diagnoses. As this form of cancer exhibits few symptoms during its early stages, patients are often unaware that they have cancer until the condition has spread to other parts of the body, making treatment and remission more difficult to attain.
With this in mind, preventive screenings and biopsies are critical components to early detection and proactive oral cancer treatment. In Lorton and Springfield, oral surgeon Dr. Snehal Patel works closely with local dental oncologists and dentists to develop post-radiation treatment solutions, helping patients retain their oral function through restorative oral surgery. For more information about these procedures, contact your nearest location today.
Monday, April 11, 2016
What is a Root Canal?
If you panic whenever you hear the word “root canal,” you’re not alone. However, root canals are common procedures that can make a positive impact on your oral health and overall well-being. Once you know the facts about root canals, you’ll see that they are safe and effective solutions to a number of dental health problems.
When is a Root Canal Necessary?
When a tooth has become infected and begins to decay, your dentist might recommend a root canal, a procedure in which the inner pulp and root of a tooth are removed to prevent further spread of the infection.
Internal tooth decay can occur when a weakness in the tooth’s structure, such as a cavity or crack, exposes the inner pulp chamber to bacteria. The most common symptom of internal tooth decay is tooth pain or sensitivity when exposed to changing temperatures. Tooth discoloration and bumps on the gums can also be signs of internal infection. If left untreated, an infected tooth can cause abscesses, or painful lumps filled with pus, and cause bacteria to spread to other parts of the body, such as the face, neck or head.
What is a Root Canal?
A root canal is a common procedure during which general dentists remove the infected nerve and pulp from inside the tooth, clean and sterilize the inner chamber, then seal the tooth and cover it with a restoration.
Although the saying “about as much fun as a root canal” has permeated American culture, the reality is much different - the root canal process is similar to having a cavity filled, and doesn’t typically cause much discomfort or any pain. Typically, the root canal procedure is a quick, outpatient process that is performed in a general dentist’s office.
In some instances, however, more comprehensive treatment is needed to completely remove infected tissue. Known as apical surgery, this includes the removal of part of the root. In the event the bone has been severely damaged as a result of tooth abscess, bone grafting and other surgical treatments may be the best solution to restoring comprehensive oral function and health.
How is the Tooth Restored?
Traditionally, crowns are used to restore teeth following root canal therapies. However, if you frequently require root canal retreatment or have experienced serious damage as a result of an abscess, dental implants may offer a more comprehensive restorative solution. As implants are embedded into the jaw, they help to reinforce jaw strength as well as stimulate healthy bone regeneration which is critical for patients with compromised bone structure. Similarly, implants leave patients with a natural replacement tooth that is impermeable to future reinfection.
At Lorton – Springfield Dental Implants & Oral Surgery, our Lorton and Springfield locations offer comprehensive bone grafting and dental implant solutions for patients recovering from serious tooth infection. For more information about these procedures, contact your nearest location today.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Understanding the Dental Implant Treatment Process
Compared to traditional restorations like partials, full dentures, and bridges, dental implants and implant-based restorative treatments offer an innovative solution to replacing missing or severely damaged teeth. However, the longevity of this treatment is based on the success of each stage of the implant process. These unique phases include:
Planning
During this stage, advanced diagnostic tools are used to provide our dentist with an in-depth look at the condition of a patient’s smile. At Lorton-Springfield Dental Implants and Oral Surgery, cone beam digital imaging is used to generate three-dimensional models of the patient’s mouth and jaw bone. Not only do these tools allow our dentist to determine whether a patient is an ideal candidate for dental implants, but they also provide our oral surgeon with the means to plan the strategic placement of the implants.
For patients requiring preliminary treatment to strengthen the jaw bone prior to the placement of dental implants, cone beam imaging helps Dr. Patel to pinpoint areas of bone deterioration and incorporate necessary pre-treatments into the larger implant procedure to ensure long-term success.
Placement & Recovery
Once any preliminary bone grafting or ridge augmentation procedures have been completed, Northern Virginia oral surgeon Dr. Snehal Patel uses computer-guided surgery to precisely embed the implant into jaw bone. To help patients remain comfortable during this surgical procedure, our team offers several different sedation options.
During the recovery phase following implant placement, the implant and bone slowly merge, known osseointegration. The successful completion of this naturally-occurring phenomenon helps the implant become an integral part of the dentition. Over the course of recovery, patients visit our Lorton and Springfield practices to ensuring successful healing and integration.
Restoration
Towards the end of the recovery phase, visits to our oral surgery practices also include creation of the restoration. Depending on your oral health needs, the prosthetic you receive may range from a single porcelain crown to comprehensive arch replacement with a hybrid denture or implant-supported overdentures.
Schedule your Implant Consultation Today
Dr. Patel and his team are dedicated to helping patients find the right solution for their dental needs. With offices located in Springfield, VA and Lorton, VA, Lorton-Springfield Dental Implants and Oral Surgery offers diverse implant-based treatments tailored to meet your goals. We welcome new patients are well as referrals. To learn more about the long-term benefits of this restorative treatment plan, contact our oral surgeon today.
Planning
During this stage, advanced diagnostic tools are used to provide our dentist with an in-depth look at the condition of a patient’s smile. At Lorton-Springfield Dental Implants and Oral Surgery, cone beam digital imaging is used to generate three-dimensional models of the patient’s mouth and jaw bone. Not only do these tools allow our dentist to determine whether a patient is an ideal candidate for dental implants, but they also provide our oral surgeon with the means to plan the strategic placement of the implants.
For patients requiring preliminary treatment to strengthen the jaw bone prior to the placement of dental implants, cone beam imaging helps Dr. Patel to pinpoint areas of bone deterioration and incorporate necessary pre-treatments into the larger implant procedure to ensure long-term success.
Placement & Recovery
Once any preliminary bone grafting or ridge augmentation procedures have been completed, Northern Virginia oral surgeon Dr. Snehal Patel uses computer-guided surgery to precisely embed the implant into jaw bone. To help patients remain comfortable during this surgical procedure, our team offers several different sedation options.
During the recovery phase following implant placement, the implant and bone slowly merge, known osseointegration. The successful completion of this naturally-occurring phenomenon helps the implant become an integral part of the dentition. Over the course of recovery, patients visit our Lorton and Springfield practices to ensuring successful healing and integration.
Restoration
Towards the end of the recovery phase, visits to our oral surgery practices also include creation of the restoration. Depending on your oral health needs, the prosthetic you receive may range from a single porcelain crown to comprehensive arch replacement with a hybrid denture or implant-supported overdentures.
Schedule your Implant Consultation Today
Dr. Patel and his team are dedicated to helping patients find the right solution for their dental needs. With offices located in Springfield, VA and Lorton, VA, Lorton-Springfield Dental Implants and Oral Surgery offers diverse implant-based treatments tailored to meet your goals. We welcome new patients are well as referrals. To learn more about the long-term benefits of this restorative treatment plan, contact our oral surgeon today.
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