Oral health is essential to general health and quality of life. It is a state of being free from mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral infection and sores, gum diseases, tooth decay, tooth loss, and other diseases and disorders that limit an individual’s capacity in biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial well being. Get the general facts on the nation’s leading diseases and prevent yourself from getting severe periodontal disease. For more information on preventative care or to check if you are at risk, please contact us at (213) 250-7554 and schedule a consultation with periodontist David Kao.

Scientists discovered fragments of stones and seashells in the jawbones of skeletons found dating back to 600 A.D during the era of ancient Mayans. The foreign materials in the jawbone of the Mayans resulted in the early instances of implants that proved to be fused to the bone. Since then, dental implants have been developed from advanced technology with the most significant advancement occurring in the 1950s, the discovery of titanium and osseointegration.

Why is it called the money tooth?

The first mandibular molar #19 and #30 is considered the most commonly treated tooth in dentistry. Reasons are: over the years, more restorations follow and they keep getting bigger and bigger until a root canal is involved.

Some molar are crowned several times in the life of a patient with occasional crown lengthening and endodontic re-treatment. The money tooth is often functional until the root fractures or secondary caries makes it non-restorable. The tooth is then extracted and replaced with a dental implant.

More Americans die from heart disease than any other diseases. However, ironically researchers have observed that people with gum disease (when compared to people without gum disease) were more likely to develop heart disease or have difficulty controlling blood sugar. That is, irritation between your gum lines can cause inflammation around the tooth. The gums will gradually separate from the teeth, forming pockets (spaces between the teeth and gums) that will eventually become infected. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. The teeth will then become loose and will have to be removed. This is called periodontal disease, the progression of bad oral hygiene ranging from simple gum inflammation to serious diseases.