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Oral health declines when we lose natural teeth. Obviously, there are problems with eating your favorite foods. Even speaking clearly could be a problem. However, the major problem is the loss of structure in the jaw. This weakens the jaw, and could even cause an older appearance. More importantly, this leaves the smile too weak for implants. Additional treatments could be necessary to strengthen the jaw in order to make dental implant placement possible! Fortunately, Doctors Network could help you schedule an appointment with a good Akiachak oral and maxillofacial surgeon who is in-network with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and performs ridge augmentation. In addition, we could also discuss our membership program to make dental care affordable!

Bone grafting is also referred to as ridge augmentation. Essentially this enables the dentist to rebuild jawbone structure in your mandible. Your dentist could employ new tissue from multiple sources. Tissue could be sourced from the back of the jaw or the hip. Donor materials could also be used. We could also recommend synthetic materials. During oral surgery, these are applied to the areas of weakened structure in the mandible bone.

Once the area heals, one or more dental implants could be placed. The body will see them as natural structures. As a result, they help prevent any further breakdown in the jaw, protecting facial structure. Our team can connect you to a dentist or oral surgeon in Akiachak, AK who offers ridge augmentation, and also let you know about our membership plan to make sure your care fits in your budget!

When you have a toothache, or a tooth that is injured, you need treatment. Otherwise, the tooth could develop caries and infections. Soon, there is a risk of not only a lost tooth, but a spread of infection to other teeth. But sometimes, the damage or cavity is beyond the stage to be treated with a restoration. Instead, the tooth could require immediate removal. At Doctors Network, our team can help you connect with a Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield dentist or oral surgeon in Akiachak, AK who can provide a gentle tooth removal as needed.

As we discussed earlier, severe cavities or injury could be why a tooth needs extraction. But a dentist could also remove one that is loosened by periodontal disease. Extracting a tooth could return balance and chewing function. Extraction could also provide room for treatment with braces! In many cases, this could prevent wisdom tooth impaction. Removing wisdom teeth prior to eruption helps preserve the balance and appearance of your smile. For people with advanced tooth loss, removing the last few teeth essentially paves the way for full or partial dentures. Your Akiachak general dentist could use the extraction to improve the health, function, and surprisingly, sometimes the appearance of your smile.

Now that you understand when and why a tooth may require removal, how do you seek care for one? Well, as mentioned above Doctors Network can find a great dental practice in the Akiachak, AK area. But if you don’t have a dental plan, you may worry about costs. Fortunately, we have a payment plan! Our dental membership plan is opened with an initial fee and maintained with a monthly fee. For some, this could cut the cost of care by up to 90%!

Tooth loss could lead to major issues for your smile. For example, this could impact how easily you eat your favorite foods, or how clearly you can talk. But the most severe complication is the loss of mass and density in the jaw. The body decreases the flow of calcium and phosphate to the areas without roots, which in turn causes bone loss and an older appearance and weakens the structure significantly. Which means you may not be able to receive dental implants to address gaps in your smile. But Doctors Network can connect you with a dentist in Akiachak, AK who can make smiles ready for implants.

As we’ve discussed in previous posts, a ridge augmentation procedure helps strengthen the mandible, so it can support dental implants. But what about the the upper area? Instead of a grafting procedure, your Akiachak dentist could perform a sinus lift. Essentially, the dentist will raise the sinus floor to induce the formation of new bone structure. The new structure can support dental implants. Once the new teeth are secured, this stimulates the growth of bone tissue to keep your jaw secure. Your new teeth then stay firm for decades, possibly even a lifetime.

If you need to strengthen your weakened upper jawbone to support a new smile, we could help. Our team can connect you with a Akiachak, AK oral surgeon who can offer a sinus lift and takes Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. When your smile is strengthened and ready, dental implants could provide a full smile again. If you don’t have dental insurance, don’t let this stand between you and optimal oral health. Instead, talk to our team about our Direct Dental Plan. With our Direct Dental Plan, you can have treatments discounted by as much as 90% in some situations. A full smile is possible again!

According to studies by the CDC, over half of adults older than 30 suffer from poor periodontal health. Without treatment, this condition could lead to painful symptoms, including bleeding gums. The advanced stage, referred to as periodontitis, could also cause adult tooth loss. This is why care from a Akiachak dental specialist is necessary when you begin to notice changes to your gums. We can help by connecting you to one that accepts Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. After all, we all benefit from routine dental care!

How does the poor gum health come about? The disease could occur due to poor oral hygiene habits. Some could develop it due to lack of dental cleaning visits, or due to tobacco use, inflammatory illness, certain medications, or even other family members with poor gum health. As we touched on above, warning signs include sore, red, and bleeding gums. By seeing a dentist in Akiachak, AK you can receive gum treatments like pocket reduction surgery to bring relief and improve your oral health. These treatments could be covered by insurance plans.

If you recognize these symptoms, or if you simply have not been to a dentist in the last six months, you should schedule a visit. At Doctors Network, we can make sure you find dentists in Akiachak who accept Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. A healthy and whole smile is always possible, and we can help facilitate this process!

You probably know a lot of people who have had their wisdom tooth extracted and are eager to divulge their experiences to you. While this can be helpful, it is still crucial to consult with a oral surgeon. If you need your wisdom teeth extracted, it is important to have lots of information at your disposal. This will help you understand what to expect from wisdom teeth removal and what you should look for in a dentist. Luckily, Doctors Network can help you connect with a great oral surgeon near you in Akiachak, AK that accepts Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

The third molars or wisdom teeth are located in the back of the mouth, and there are two on the top and two on the bottom. They most commonly appear between seventeen and twenty-five. Because they come in later than the rest of your teeth, their presence can cause complications with your existing ones. They can erupt at unusual angles, only partially come in, or overcrowd your current teeth. When this happens, they are likely to succumb to bacteria and infections. If any of these situations happen, it can be very painful and can affect your existing teeth. If you think you might have issues with wisdom teeth coming in, it is important to see a Akiachak oral surgery specialist hastily.

If you in fact need wisdom tooth extraction, your oral healthcare professional will determine how they will go about the removal to make sure everything goes according to the plan. They will decide which of your wisdom teeth need to be removed and how complex it could get. They will also determine the appropriate type of sedation and the state of your existing vital anatomy such as nerves. Once they ascertain these details, they can plan your wisdom teeth extraction more easily. When you come in for the procedure, you will receive the appropriate anesthesia, so you will not experience pain. Your dentist will extract your teeth and monitor you the entire time to make sure you are ok. Once your wisdom teeth are extracted, you will receive post-operative instructions. Fortunately, there are many Akiachak dentists that accept Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and can adeptly remove your wisdom teeth.

Have you experienced a popping sensation in your jaw? Do you have frequent headaches or jaw pain? If so, this could be related to a common but serious oral health issue. Around twenty-five million people in the United States suffer from chronic bruxism and TMJ dysfunction. Without treatment, these could not only cause pain, but actually damage the teeth too! Fortunately, your friends at Doctors Network can connect you to a dental office in Akiachak, AK who accepts Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

While very different from one another, we often find these are related. TMJ disorder develops when the joints connecting the jaw and skull are stressed. This could cause problems opening and closing the mouth fully. Common symptoms include pain in the face, head and neck, and jaw. Bruxism means you clench or grind your teeth in your sleep. The pressure of clenching could cause jaw pain. Teeth grinding could also weaken and damage the tooth structure. This damage could lead to decayed teeth, infection, and more. Both disorders could be caused by issues that strain the jaw joints, and untreated TMJ disorder could lead to bruxism, and vice-versa. When you have persistent pain in your head and neck, you should find help. We can even connect you with a dentist in Akiachak who accepts Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

There are, however, multiple treatment options available; for some, relief is possible following recontouring, which improves bite balance. For others, treating misalignment with orthodontic treatment could ease strain and stop symptoms. The most common option offered by most dentists is an oral splint, which fits like a night-guard. If you need to find treatment from a Akiachak dentist. then contact our team!