How to Know if You Have TMJ

Over the years, our practice helped scores of patients dealing with Temporo Mandibular Joint Disorder, commonly called TMJD or TMJ. It is a common disorder, yet many people are not aware they have TMJ.

Our dentists can offer treatments to help patients who struggle with TMJ. However, patients need to be aware of the issue before they decide to seek treatment.

There are numerous symptoms that point to a TMJ diagnosis. These symptoms may ease for a time and then return, or you may experience different TMJ symptoms during different flareups.

Here are several common TMJ symptoms

• Pain in one or both of your jaws that often radiates out from the jaw area and spreads toward other parts of your face
• Swelling on one side of your face
• Clicking or popping sounds when you open and close your mouth
• Difficulty opening your mouth wide
• Jaws that get stuck while partially open
• Facial fatigue
• Grating sounds when you chew or speak
• Headaches that radiate from the jaw area these are generally worse when you wake and then ease as the day passes
• Ringing in the ears
• Neck and shoulder pain
• Difficulty chewing or pain while chewing
• Earaches
• Dizziness
• Difficulty hearing
• Toothaches
• Bruxism- also called teeth grinding
• The feeling that your upper and lower jaws do not fit together properly

Patients often try several remedies at home to try and ease their discomfort. These include:
• Hot or cold compresses
• Bite guards
• Massage therapy
• Biofeedback
• Stress reduction
• Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications

In severe cases, our dentists may prescribe antianxiety medicine or antidepressants to help patients relax. Muscle relaxants are also a common medical treatment, and in some cases, Corticosteroid injections can also alleviate pain and reduce inflammation.

If you believe that you could have Temporo Mandibular Joint Disorder or if you would like to know more about TMJ, please feel free to contact our office. Our staff can provide you with helpful information about the disorder. Additionally, our staff can set up an appointment for you to see one of our dentists and find out if you have a TMJ disorder.

What Dental Implants Can Do for You

For many years, dentists at our office had few options to offer our patients who were missing teeth. Generally, bridges or false teeth were the choices for patients.

Our dental implants dentist in San Francisco wants our patients to know that implants are not only a way to improve a smile’s appearance. Dental implants are an important way to improve your dental health as well.

When you lose a tooth, the root will no longer send messages to the brain. Without this stimulus, the brain will stop sending nutrients to the area of the jaw that has a tooth missing. Over time, the area that receives no nutrition will begin to reabsorb into the body, and bone loss occurs. After enough bone loss, the face begins to look shriveled and sunken.

These unpleasant physical changes still occur with patients who get bridges or false teeth because the area impacted is below the gum line.

When you receive a dental implant, the problem of bone loss and changes in your facial structure return to normal. This happens because of the way the dentist places the implant in your jaw.

To place your dental implant, our dentist first inserts titanium rods into the empty tooth socket. These rods fuse to the jaw through a process called osseointegration. Normally, this process takes between six weeks and two months.

After the rods fuse to the jaw, the brain begins to get stimuli from the previously empty root socket. The brain will send nutrients to the area, and the bone loss stops. In most cases, there is a reversing of the bone loss and an improvement in facial structure.

For the final step, our dentist attaches the top of your implant to the rod. We match the color of the implant to your teeth for a natural look. At this point, your teeth will look and feel comfortable and natural.

If you are missing one or more teeth, consider reaching out to our office. Our staff can give you helpful information and set up a no-obligation consultation with one of our dentists. You can have an evaluation and get your questions answered at this time.

Good Candidates for Invisalign

One of our most requested treatments is Invisalign. Although Invisalign is an option used successfully for over two decades, we still see patients who want to learn more.

Our Invisalign dentist in San Francisco is exceptionally skilled and experienced in the use of Invisalign. Our dentist is one of the first dentists approved by Invisalign and owns many awards from the company.

Even though Invisalign creator, Align Technology made many changes and improvements to Invisalign over the past 20 years, we still find that many patients believe it is difficult to be a candidate for treatment with Invisalign. This is an idea our dentists would like to change.

The Invisalign treatment system has well over 7,000,000 successful treatment cases. The odds are in your favor that you could become an Invisalign success story, too.

The alignment trays are able to remedy numerous issues, including:

• Crowded teeth
• Teeth that are generally straighter
• Gap teeth
• Overbite
• Open bite
• Crossbite
• Underbite
• A mix of permanent teeth and baby teeth


It is worth noting that there are a few conditions that may make Invisalign ineffective for certain patients. These include:

• Dental Implants- Because the titanium rods fuse to your jawbone, the Invisalign alignment trays will not reposition those teeth

• Bone loss- If you suffer from bone loss, your teeth lack sufficient anchoring in your jaw. Using Invisalign may cause greater bone loss as the alignment trays move your teeth

• A significant build-up of calculus- The calcified plaque will block tooth movement, making Invisalign ineffective. However, calculus is removable with dental instruments. If your calculus is gone, you could be a candidate for Invisalign treatment

• Dental bridges- Since bridges attach to at least two teeth, Invisalign aligners will not function properly

If you are interested in finding out if the Invisalign alignment system can help improve your smile, please contact our office. Our staff can provide you with helpful information and set up a no-obligation consultation with our dentist so you can ask questions and learn how Invisalign can help you.

How Zoom Whitening Works

Our dental office receives many requests for information about ways to whiten teeth. Whitening is one of our most popular cosmetic procedures, and we are proud to offer our patients the Zoom whitening treatment.

Zoom is widely considered the top of the line for in-office whitening systems. Our cosmetic dentist in Huntington Beach is extensively trained in using Zoom and recommends it to patients on a regular basis.

Zoom whitening treatments work quickly and give brilliant results. The Zoom whitening treatment uses a special whitening gel that is 25 percent hydrogen peroxide. This is a much higher concentration than other teeth whitening products. Other whiteners also use Carbamide Peroxide. This works less efficiently than hydrogen peroxide and can take more than 30 minutes to penetrate your tooth enamel. In addition to the whitener, Zoom also uses a special blue light on your teeth after the application of the whitening solution. The blue light increases the action of the whitening gel creating enhanced whitening.

Using the blue light also helps the whitening solution penetrate your tooth enamel to clean thoroughly. The whitening takes place deep within your teeth and actually whitens your teeth from the inside out. Because Zoom does more than remove surface stains, the treatment gives better results which are long-lasting.

Patients appreciate the fact that Zoom takes about one hour in our office, and during the hour their teeth can become up to eight shades whiter. Zoom also causes less sensitivity for patients. This can occasionally be a problem for patients who receive other types of in-office whitening. Our dentist also places a special gel barrier on your gums before applying the whitening solution. The barrier prevents the whitening gel from accidentally seeping onto your gums and discoloring them.

If you are interested in teeth whitening options and would like to learn more about Zoom, please contact our office. Our staff can give you more information about the treatment and make an appointment for a consultation with our dentist.

Best Teen Candidates for Invisalign

Some of our happiest patients are teens getting orthodontic treatment with Invisalign Teen. When dentists first began using the traditional Invisalign system, it was not suitable for teenagers. The alignment trays did not allow for jaw growth or the eruption of molars. There were also doubts about teens keeping up with the strict protocol needed for Invisalign success.

Our San Francisco dentist is a skilled expert with Invisalign Teen as well as traditional Invisalign. In the majority of cases, Invisalign Teen will create the smile your teenager wants. On rare occasions, usually with misalignments involving vertical tooth movement, a different kind of orthodontic treatment will give the best results.

Invisalign Teen can help numerous malocclusions, including:

• CROWDED TEETH- If your jaw is not large enough for all of your teeth to fit properly, they will often overlap, turn, or push forward or backwards. Aside from aesthetics, crowded teeth are usually difficult to brush and floss adequately.

• CROSSBITE- When you close your jaw, and some upper teeth are inside your lower teeth; you have a crossbite. Crossbites often lead to gum problems, such as receding gum lines. Additionally, your teeth are more likely to chip or crack if you have a crossbite.

• OVERBITE- While it is normal for your upper teeth to overlap the lower teeth, a very large gap between the two is called an overbite. It is common for your front lower teeth to wear down because of the way your jaws fit together.

• UNDERBITE-Patients with underbites have their lower teeth in front of the upper teeth when the jaws close. This can cause difficulties in speaking and chewing.

• OPEN BITE- If your top and bottom teeth do not touch when your jaw closes, it is considered an open bite. Patients with open bites experience difficulties biting into foods and with speaking.

If your teen would like to learn more about Invisalign Teen, please contact our office. We can make an appointment for a no-obligation consultation where your teen can ask questions and learn more about Invisalign Teen.

Age Range for Invisalign Teen

When the Invisalign orthodontic system debuted a little over 20 years ago, it was immediately popular with adults who did not wear braces when they were younger and did not want unsightly wire braces as adults.

Unfortunately, another group was unhappily not a part of this new treatment. Teenagers, who are still often the first image that comes to mind at the word braces, were not good candidates for Invisalign. The reason for the exclusion was two-fold. Invisalign alignment trays did not allow for jaw growth or tooth eruption. Many parents did not believe their teens would maintain the strict protocol necessary for Invisalign success and felt concern about lost or damaged alignment trays.

Invisalign creators responded to the numerous requests from teens and parents for a suitable alignment system for teenagers. The company's newest product, called Invisalign Teen, was the product that dentists and teens hoped would arrive.

The Invisalign Teen alignment system worked the same way the traditional Invisalign alignment system worked. A series of transparent plastic aligners, worn over the teeth, guided the misaligned teeth into their best position. The product offered the same benefits as traditional Invisalign. It was discreet, removable, and the treatment generally took a year to 18 months. The new system works best with patients in their mid to late teen years.

Invisalign Teen developers made a few critical changes to adapt the alignment trays for teens.

*Designers eliminated the problem of allowing space for growing jaw bones and erupting molars by giving the alignment trays tabs to make extra space for growth or new teeth.

*Creators used a clever tactic to relieve dentist and parent compliance concerns. Each set of aligners came with an inconspicuous blue dot. Gradually, the dot would wear off over time. If the patient wore the aligners according to directions, the dot would not be present when the time came to change aligners.

* To save teens and parents stress, Invisalign Teen offers a replacement aligner if one is broken or lost.

If your teen needs orthodontic treatment and would like to learn more about Invisalign Teen, feel free to contact our office to set up an appointment for a no-obligation consultation with one of our dentists.

Importance of Healthy Gums

We understand that our patients want to do all that is necessary to have healthy teeth and a beautiful smile. Our staff does everything possible to help you achieve those goals. However, many of our patients overlook the significance of healthy gums.

Our dentist in Huntington Beach wants to make sure all of our patients have the best total dental health possible. Keeping your gums healthy is essential in order to have optimal dental health.

Your gums have the essential task of holding your teeth in place. There are other reasons your gums matter, including:

• Giving support to the teeth by stabilizing them when you use your mouth
• Absorbing pressure for the teeth
• Supporting your teeth when you chew food
• Protecting your jaws
• Containing your teeth


It is important to remember gum disease begins subtly and painlessly, so being proactive with the health of your gums is vital. Since your gums are as important to your overall oral health as your teeth, there are steps you should take to ensure that your gums are healthy. These include:

• BRUSH YOUR TEETH AT LEAST TWO TIMES A DAY- This may be a tip you first heard as a child, but its importance to your oral health has not diminished over time.

• FLOSS DAILY- While brushing your teeth is important, there is no substitute for thorough flossing. The areas where plaque collects are tough to reach with a toothbrush, so flossing is essential for healthy gums.

• GARGLE WITH MOUTHWASH EACH DAY- Just as flossing supports your brushing efforts, gargling helps to eliminate bacteria dental floss missed.

• USE A TOOTHPASTE THAT CONTAINS FLOURIDE- There are many choices in the toothpaste aisle of your local store. While each variety boasts miraculous abilities, focus on purchasing a tube containing fluoride.

• SEE YOUR DENTIST OR PERIODONTIST AT THE FIRST SIGN OF A PROBLEM- When detected in the early stages, gum disease is highly treatable through non-invasive methods. However, the signs of problems with your gums are hard to notice in the early stages. Our periodontist in Huntington Beach suggests patients make appointments for care if they notice gums that bleed are red and puffy or receding.

If you would like more information regarding how to make sure your gums are healthy, please contact our office.