Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Preventing and Treating Dry Sockets

Patients undergoing tooth extractions at Dr. Amit Pandya’s New Hyde Park dental office are provided with detailed post-operation instructions. However, it is possible in some cases for things to go wrong, particularly if the extraction required Dr. Pandya to cut through bone and gum tissue. Therefore, we want our patients to know how to recognize signs of a dry socket, as well as how to prevent one.


Typical instructions following a tooth extraction are to refrain from sipping through straws, using birth control, and smoking or otherwise using tobacco. These are meant to ensure that a blood clot is able to form over the extraction site and remain in place (birth control prevents clot formation; the sucking pressure from a straw tears clots loose). Without the blood clot, the socket will dry out and be at high risk of infection.


If a patient can see the exposed socket or is in severe pain, they should request an immediate emergency appointment. Dr. Pandya will clean the extraction site with a small vacuum and cover it with medicated dressings. These dressings will have to be replaced every few days until the socket is closed. The patient will also be given painkillers and antibiotics. Though a dry socket is painful and something to be avoided, it is treatable and should not prevent a full recovery.


The office of Amit Pandya, DDS, is at 1575 Hillside Ave, Suite 207, New Hyde Park, New York, 11040. To schedule an appointment, call 516-233-2135, or visit his website at GoingGrin.com and fill out a contact sheet.


 

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Oral Pathology and Cancer Screening

Oral cancer screening is a service that Dr. Amit Pandya, DDS provides in the office to look for signs of cancer or precancerous conditions in your mouth. Oral cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the lips, oral cavity or the throat. Oral pathology is the specialty that identifies and treats diseases of the mouth and maxillofacial region and Dr. Pandya would like to explain why oral cancer screening is important to the patient.


Oral cancer screenings are a very important part of the dental visit for the patient. The goal of oral cancer screening is to detect mouth cancer or precancerous lesions that may lead to mouth cancer at an early stage – when cancer or lesions are easiest to remove and most likely to be cured. The screening itself involves checking the tongue, floor of the mouth, cheeks, throat, palate and gums for any signs of pathology. The goal of oral cancer screening is to identify mouth cancer early when there is a greater chance for a cure. If this is something you are interested in, please ask us about it the next time you come in for a visit.


It is important to remember that just because the doctor may recommend an oral cancer screening does not necessarily mean you have oral cancer. To set up an appointment with Dr. Amit Pandya, DDS in New Hyde Park, NY, call us at (516) 233-2135 or visit our website, www.goinggrin.com

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Dangers of Amateur Orthodontics

In recent years, orthodontists have seen an alarming trend of people attempting orthodontic work on themselves. While amateur dentistry has always been a problem, the internet is now helping to fuel a new wave of dangerous practices which we at Dr. Pandya’s New Hyde Park office want to make sure our patients do not engage in.


Moving teeth safely takes time. They and the bony ridge surrounding them are living tissue, and shifting teeth requires that the jaw bone dissolve and then rebuild itself around them. Much of the current DIY orthodontic craze can be traced to a story that appeared online in March of 2016 about a person who used a 3D printer to make his own aligners. He claimed that by shifting his teeth at whatever speed he pleased, he was sparing himself expense at the dentist’s office. But dentists aren’t draining our patients of money by scheduling aligner appointments every six weeks; we’re giving our patients’ jaw bones enough time to rebuild so their teeth won’t come loose or fall out.


Other amateur orthodontic correctives are older, but are regaining fame online. These include using floss or hairbands as corrective wire. There are several problems with this: elastic could strangle the teeth’s blood supply, bonds without brackets could slide underneath the gum line, and they could exert too much pressure and push teeth the wrong way. If you are suffering from misaligned teeth, we urge you to come to our office and discuss professional orthodontics. Doing it yourself is unlikely to provide satisfactory results and very likely to do you harm.


The office of Amit Pandya, DDS, is at 1575 Hillside Ave, Suite 207, New Hyde Park, New York, 11040. To schedule an appointment, call 516-233-2135, or visit his website at GoingGrin.com and fill out a contact sheet.