Dr. Ibanez's Blog

When should you be concerned about recurrent headaches? Headaches can stem from tension and stress, extreme concentration, dehydration, sinus pressure, high blood pressure, and more. In fact, most of us experience headaches so frequently that they can begin to feel “normal”.

The truth is that the human body is designed to alert us when there is a problem. It’s up to you, with the help of your healthcare team, to determine the cause of the headaches and seek a solution. By not ignoring and addressing your headaches, you can bring your body back into proper balance and good health.

What you may not realize is that an oral surgeon is a dentist who is an excellent resource in helping to determine the cause and treatment for your headaches. Temporomandibular Disorder (or TMJ dysfunction) is a common cause of frequent headaches and neck aches. The disorder is also related to popping and clicking in the jaw joint, bone loss, damage to the teeth and gums, and clenching and grinding.

Self-diagnosis of TMJ dysfunction can be fairly difficult, since many patients are unaware of the relationship between the jaw joint, the muscles of the head and neck, and the teeth. In addition, many patients are completely unaware of their own night-time clenching or grinding habits. A thorough discussion and examination is necessary to determine if TMJ dysfunction is the cause of your discomfort.

With a proper diagnosis, the condition can be treated by an experienced oral surgeon. Depending upon the extent of the disorder, there are a number of treatment options. Relaxation and other muscle-relaxing techniques may be employed as a conservative solution. A protective mouth guard or night guard may be recommended to protect the teeth and gums from damage. The guard can also be customized to keep the jaw joint and muscles in the most comfortable position in order to relieve stress.

In some instances, oral surgery may be recommended to correct existing damage to the joint or to properly align the teeth and jaw.

If you have been unable to find adequate relief for your frequent headaches, schedule an appointment with your Charlottesville oral surgeon, Dr. Carlos Rafael Ibañez, today.

Any form of cancer that is detected within the mouth, on the lips, on the tongue, or in the throat may be defined as oral cancer. As is typically the case with any disease, early detection and early treatment can save lives.

With current research, the causes and symptoms of oral cancer have gained more widespread attention since nearly a quarter of oral cancer victims have no lifestyle risk factors. In other words, at least 25% of oral cancer victims are young, healthy, non-smokers with no prior family history of cancer.

Since it is difficult to impossible to guess which patients are at risk for oral cancer, it is important that all patients be regularly screened for the disease. Regular screening provides dentists with the opportunity to identify suspicious areas in the very earliest stages and then refer patients to an experienced oral surgeon for advanced care.

As a result of extensive training and education regarding the structures of the mouth, head, and neck, an oral surgeon is the specialist who is most equipped to diagnose and treat oral cancers. This high level of knowledge and skill enable the surgeon to differentiate between healthy and diseased tissue. A combination of clinical examination, digital imaging, and/or biopsy will aid in both the assessment and the proposed treatment.

Common early signs of oral cancer include lesions, lumps, or patches of tissue that may be red or white in color. The lesions can typically occur on the roof of the mouth, back of the throat, or inside the cheeks and lips. The back and sides of the tongue, the floor of the mouth, and the lymph nodes in the neck will also be evaluated for clues.

If a lesion is determined to be cancerous, early intervention in the form of conservative oral surgery may be recommended. Research has shown that, when diagnosed and treated early, oral cancer is often curable.

If you are interested in learning more about your options for detecting oral cancer, call Charlottesville Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center at 434-295-0911 for your appointment today.

Bruxism and other TMJ disorders are common dental conditions experienced by millions of patients each year. Some patients experience these conditions periodic ally in response to stress or fatigue. For others, the conditions are chronic and ongoing, to the point of pain or damage to the teeth, bones, and joints.

An oral surgeon is a dental specialist trained in the diagnosis and treatment of bruxism and TMJ disorders. Bruxism and TMJ disorder are actually two different conditions which require different treatments. Therefore, it is important to determine which condition affects you in order to select the appropriate treatment.

Bruxism is defined as the clenching and grinding of the teeth. Clenching and grinding may take place during the day or while sleeping and can lead to a number of unpleasant side-effects. To complicate diagnosis, it can be difficult to determine if you suffer from bruxism unless you begin to notice the side-effects. Bruxism is typically a subconscious or involuntary habit, making it even more difficult to detect and control.

To protect your teeth and jaw bone, your oral surgeon may recommend a protective mouthguard.

TMJ disorder is a term used to describe a wide range of dental conditions that impact the jaw joint. This may include popping and clicking in the joint, pain, headaches, neckaches, and bruxism. Diagnosing TMJ disorder can be difficult without the help of your oral surgeon.

To prevent pain and damage to the jaw joint and teeth, your oral surgeon may recommend a specially designed mouthguard. In advanced cases, oral surgery may be necessary to correct the function of the joint.

The damage from both conditions can be extensive and irreversible, making preventative or corrective treatment a top priority. Chipped teeth, broken fillings, bone loss, deterioration of the jaw joint, and pain can affect your quality of life and threaten your overall health.

If you suspect that you are suffering from either of these conditions, contact Charlottesville Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center at 434-295-0911 for the proper diagnosis and treatment.

Preparing to have a tooth extracted can provoke feelings of nervousness and uncertainty. If you don’t know what to expect, or worse, you have heard frightening stories from friends, your level of anxiety can reach tremendous heights.

Modern dentistry provides your oral surgeon with the tools and expertise to extract teeth smoothly and virtually painlessly. But, what happens when you leave the dental office? Your oral surgeon and the entire dental team will provide specific instructions regarding the recovery period, according to your particular procedure.

Generally speaking, local anesthesia is used to numb the gum tissue and bone surrounding the extraction site. At the conclusion of the procedure your lips, tongue, and cheeks may continue to feel numb for a short period of time. During this time, you will be asked to apply firm pressure to the extraction site by biting on a piece of cotton gauze. This is important for controlling bleeding and promoting a blood clot. Clotting is the body’s way of stopping bleeding and the beginning of the healing process.

For several days following the extraction, you should take extra precautions to protect the extraction site. Any activities that would disturb the blood clot should be avoided or postponed. This includes drinking through a straw, smoking, vigorous exercise, and drinking alcohol.

During the first 48 hours, it is common to experience some degree of pain and/or swelling. Pain medications and an ice pack are helpful for minimizing the discomfort. For your comfort and safety, only use the prescribed medications according to your oral surgeon’s recommendations. Also, maintaining a healthy diet of soft foods and liquids will provide your body with the fuel necessary for speedy healing.

Dentistry is not an exact science, and each extraction is unique. Therefore, the hours and days following the procedure may vary widely for each patient. Your oral surgeon will discuss the results of your particular procedure with you and provide more details as to what you should expect once you leave the office.

Contact the office of Dr. Carlos Rafael Ibañez, serving Charlottesville VA, to learn more and to schedule your consultation.

“For my oral surgery procedure, just knock me out and wake me when it’s over.” This is a common sentiment among patients who are preparing for most dental procedures, especially oral surgery. The feeling is understandable since nervousness and apprehension can make a dental experience extremely stressful. Choosing to be ‘knocked out’ or sedated often makes the procedure more relaxing and comfortable.

There are a variety of options for patients who choose to be sedated. These options range from mildly relaxing to deep sleep. Your sedation dentist will select the appropriate method based on the type of procedure to be performed and your health history.

For dental procedures such as dental implants and bone grafts, the level of recommended sedation is typically referred to as ‘conscious’. With this form of sedation dentistry, you may experience a very deep state of relaxation while still maintaining full control of your speaking and breathing. As the name indicates, you will not be ‘unconscious’, but you may feel relaxed enough to fall asleep.

According to your discussion with your oral surgeon, the selected form of sedation may be administered either intravenously or orally.

Intravenous sedation is defined as the administration of medication directly into the blood stream. This form of sedation takes effect relatively quickly. Your sedation dentist can monitor and control your level of sedation during the procedure safely and accurately.

When medications are administered via pill or liquid form, sedation can be achieved orally. By swallowing the medication prior to the procedure, patients can begin to feel relaxed even before entering the dental office. In some cases, oral sedatives may be prescribed to be taken the night before the procedure in order to ease anxiety and promote a full night of rest.

Though these two forms of sedation are quite different, they share common similarities. Both methods can effectively reduce tension and apprehension related to oral surgery and other dental procedures. Both methods utilize safe and commonly prescribed medications to achieve the appropriate level of relaxation.

Though you may not be unconscious during your dental visit, your sedation dentist can provide customized levels of sedation according to your needs. To learn more about your options, call Charlottesville Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center at 434-295-0911 for your appointment.

Cleft lips and palates are among the most common birth defects. A cleft lip is an opening that splits the upper lip in half, while a cleft palate is a similar fissure in the roof of the mouth. In some cases, the two birth defects occur simultaneously.

Babies born with a cleft lip or a cleft palate face many challenges if the condition is not corrected by an oral surgeon. These issues not only have an impact on a child’s appearance, they can also compromise nutrition and overall wellbeing.

Although cleft lip or palate treatment may be considered to be cosmetic dentistry, it is essential to address the problem, ideally when the child is very young.

The many risks associated with cleft lips and cleft palates include increased likelihood of decay and malformed teeth. Children with these birth defects also may have problems speaking and eating, and they are more prone to ear infections as a result of increased build-up of fluid in the middle ear.

Fortunately, cleft lips and palates can be addressed by common surgical procedures. In the case of a cleft lip, the surgery to unite the lip takes place when the child is just under three months old. If a nostril deformity is present, a second surgery may be needed at a later date.

With a cleft palate, the initial surgery is completed when the child is between 7 and 18 months old. This procedure aims to create a functional palate by closing the hole between the roof of the mouth and the nose and connecting muscles to the palate.

A second surgery may be needed to repair a cleft hard palate. This occurs between ages of 8 and 12 years, and it involves a bone graft in which material from the hip is inserted into the cleft. This procedure stabilizes the upper jaw, allowing it to support permanent teeth.

Although cleft lips and palates come with potentially serious consequences, they can be readily addressed with surgical interventions. If you have a child with one of these birth defects, consult with our experienced team at Charlottesville Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center while the child is still young and the treatment less traumatic.

When discussing the potential complications of wisdom teeth extraction, an oral surgeon will often include dry sockets in the list.

A dry socket is a painful condition that can develop following a tooth extraction. Although dry sockets can occur with any permanent tooth extraction, they are most commonly associated with the wisdom teeth.

During the process of healing from the wisdom teeth removal, the patient should develop blood clots that protect the bone and nerves underneath the extraction site.

Those blood clots should stay in place until the patient has healed sufficiently. If they are dislodged or dissolve prematurely, they’ll expose the underlying nerves to the oral cavity, causing a great deal of discomfort.

Most patients will not develop dry sockets, but when the condition does arise, the symptoms typically begin around two days after the extraction. Patients may also be able to see the bone exposed by the clot’s absence, or they may notice a foul odor coming from the mouth.

Fortunately, patients can take steps to reduce their risk of developing dry sockets. Patients should avoid drinking through straws until the surgical site has healed. Smokers should abstain from the habit immediately following wisdom tooth extraction, too.

Other unavoidable factors may also increase the likelihood of dry sockets, such as especially complex extractions, the use of oral contraceptives or a previous history of dry sockets.

When patients do develop symptoms that may indicate dry sockets, they should return to their oral surgeon as soon as possible. The oral surgeon can confirm the presence of dry sockets and move forward with treatment.

In treating dry sockets, the oral surgeon may use a number of approaches, such as using special dressings, flushing out the socket or recommending prescription-strength painkillers when over-the-counter medications are ineffective.

Prior to your wisdom teeth extraction, your oral surgeon will give you detailed instructions for self-care after the procedure. Most patients will be able to prevent dry sockets by following those recommendations closely.

If you have questions regarding wisdom tooth removal in Charlottesville VA, contact the office of Dr. Carlos Rafael Ibañez today.

Dental implants are becoming increasingly popular for tooth replacement. The technology is far superior to other alternatives, like fixed permanent bridges.

One of the major benefits of dental implants is their fit with the natural teeth that remain in the mouth. Dental implants are free-standing, requiring no support from neighboring teeth.

This differs from the fixed permanent bridge, which is another method for replacing a lone missing tooth or filling in a small gap left by a few absent teeth. That technique requires that crowns be placed on adjacent teeth to hold the pontic, or prosthetic tooth, in place.

Because of their need for crowns as part of the appliance, fixed permanent bridges force the dentist to sacrifice healthy enamel from nearby teeth to make room for those crowns.

When an oral surgeon places dental implants, on the other hand, the devices are inserted directly into the jaw and fuse with the bone over time. Therefore, they function independently from the other teeth.

At the same time, it’s easier to care for dental implants due to that structure. Dental implants are not attached to nearby teeth, so patients can floss and brush them just as they do with their natural teeth.

Alternatively, a fixed permanent bridge restricts access to the gumline, and special techniques must be used for brushing and flossing around those appliances.

Dental implants offer additional advantages beyond the preservation of biological tooth material. In fusing with the jaw bone, the dental implant replaces the missing tooth’s root. Although the root is hidden from view, it performs a very important function – it holds the jawbone in place.

If the jawbone begins to erode, which happens when only the crown is replaced, it can reduce the stability of nearby teeth.

Dental implants are more durable than bridges, as well. They become permanent structures in the mouth and can last for decades when cared for properly. In comparison, dental bridges must be replaced every 10 years or so.

Patients who want to replace a tooth while minimizing the impact on neighboring teeth should consider dental implants. Contact Charlottesville Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center at 434-295-0911 to learn more about the benefits of these devices.

The gap left behind by a missing tooth or multiple missing teeth can create the appearance that you are years older than your true chronological age.

Fortunately, this aging process is reversible. It can be fixed in just a few visits to the implant dentist. Dental implants give you the opportunity to shave years from your smile.

In terms of aesthetics, dental implants are far superior to other tooth replacement techniques. A fixed permanent bridge does not look as natural as a dental implant does, and dentures often slip out of place and they lose their fit over time.

In fact, dental implants can be so lifelike that it’s often hard to tell them apart from their biological neighbors. You may be able to create the illusion that you never lost a tooth in the first place.

Dental implants are long-lasting, too. An implant dentist offers patients a tooth replacement solution that will help you look younger for decades to come. The titanium screw-like structures become a permanent fixture in the jawbone, providing a complete tooth structure as a fill-in for the real thing.

The bone loss that accompanies tooth loss can also prematurely age a patient’s facial feature. When a tooth is lost, its root is no longer available to hold the underlying jawbone in its place. As a result, the jawbone in the vicinity wears away, creating a sunken-in effect in the lower face.

Because dental implants replicate that missing root, jawbone atrophy does not occur with dental implants as it does with bridges and dentures. Patients who choose dental implants get the added benefit of maintaining a youthful bone structure.

Unlike the alternatives, dental implants are the only tooth replacement devices that replicate the entire tooth structure. Bridges and dentures fail to prevent bone loss, and dentures may even need to be refitted as the shape of the jawbone changes over time.

To take advantage of all of the benefits of dental implants, contact Charlottesville Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center at 434-295-0911 to see if the devices are an appropriate treatment for your case.

To achieve maximum comfort during an oral surgery procedure, many patients opt for intravenous (IV) sedation or general anesthesia. IVs have a nearly instantaneous effect, and you’ll have no recollection of the procedure after it is complete.

When your sedation dentist uses IV sedation, the anti-anxiety medication that relaxes you (or puts you to sleep, in the case of general anesthesia) is delivered directly into your vein by a needle.

IV sedation is generally considered to be safer than general anesthesia because the patient remains conscious—although deeply relaxed—throughout the procedure and maintains the ability to respond to the surgeon’s commands.

Anesthesia is not unsafe, however. Regardless of whether they choose IV sedation or general anesthesia, patients are carefully monitored during the procedure for signs of problems with the medication.

Before undergoing a procedure with IV sedation or anesthesia, you will need to take steps to prepare and ensure your safety while you are undergoing the procedure. Your sedation dentist will give you a list of guidelines to follow in the days and hours leading up to your appointment.

You should not eat or drink anything, including water, in the eight hours prior to your appointment. Smoking is also out in the 12 hours preceding the surgery.

Remove any nail polish before the surgery and avoid wearing heavy makeup or lipstick. To accommodate the IV, you’ll need to wear loose-fitting sleeves that can be easily rolled up past the elbow, so plan your outfit accordingly. Choose low-heeled shoes so that you won’t have trouble walking around after the procedure.

Take out your contact lenses and dentures (if you have them) and take off any jewelry immediately before the surgery.

You will not be able to drive immediately after recovering from the anesthesia, so make arrangements for a responsible adult to escort you to your appointment.

As part of your preparations, you should also have an in-depth discussion about your sedation and anesthesia options with your oral surgeon. This will help you choose the best method for your particular case.

Surgery with sedation or anesthesia can be a major proposition. Do your best to be ready for it by following the guidelines provided by your oral surgeon.

To learn more and to schedule a consultation, please contact the office of Dr. Carlos Ibañez in Charlottesville VA today.