4698 Convoy Street Suite 203
San Diego, CA 92111
San Diego area gum disease dentist Gary Sigafoos, D.D.S. has extensive experience with gum grafting. If you're suffering from exposed roots or receding gums, we can help.
Our caring, professional team can perform the periodontal surgery you need. You'll once again be able to enjoy having healthy teeth and gums.
Dr. Sigafoos has extensive experience providing gingivitis treatments in the San Diego area. Bleeding gums can lead to more serious health problems if not treated promptly.
Our friendly, professional team will evaluate your needs and design a personal treatment plan. We'll help you have healthy gums and teeth for life.
New and safe sedation dentistry with San Diego area sedation dentist Dr. Gary Sigafoos means you can have years of dental treatments done quickly while you're lightly sedated, with little or no discomfort. If you've been putting up with discomfort, hiding your smile, or delaying scheduling dental work because you're too busy, your life is about to change. Make a sedation dentistry consultation appointment today with Dr. Sigafoos.
If you need gum disease treatment, San Diego area gum disease dentist, Dr. Sigafoos offers extensive experience. Unhealthy gums can be a risk factor for more serious health problems if not treated promptly.
Our professional team will assess your situation and create a personalized treatment plan. We're committed to your life-long healthy gums and teeth.
At San Diego Sleep Apnea Centers we offer a range of treatment options for sleep apnea. If snoring or obstructed breathing is a problem, call Dr. Sigafoos today to learn how we can help you breathe easier.
Left untreated, sleep apnea can cause serious health problems, so contact us now to schedule an examination.
9420 Mira Mesa Blvd Suite D
San Diego, CA 92126
Gary Sigafoos, D.D.S., in the La Jolla area accepts Delta Dental® insurance. Our experienced team at San Diego Sleep Apnea Centers will file your insurance claim for you.
We want your dental treatment to be affordable for you. We're committed to helping you maintain your life-long oral health.
San Diego Sleep Apnea Centers is a trusted La Jolla area dental implants practice providing natural-looking, comfortable tooth replacement. We make it our mission to use a gentle touch during the process.
We hold ourselves to the highest standards to replace missing teeth and provide you with natural-looking results. Our goal is to restore your confidence and your bright, healthy smile.
Dr. Sigafoos has extensive experience providing gingivitis treatments in the La Jolla area. Bleeding gums can lead to more serious health problems if not treated promptly.
Our friendly, professional team will evaluate your needs and design a personal treatment plan. We'll help you have healthy gums and teeth for life.
At San Diego Sleep Apnea Centers we offer a range of treatment options for sleep apnea. If snoring or obstructed breathing is a problem, call Dr. Sigafoos today to learn how we can help you breathe easier.
Left untreated, sleep apnea can cause serious health problems, so contact us now to schedule an examination.
New and safe sedation dentistry with La Jolla area sedation dentist Dr. Gary Sigafoos means you can have years of dental treatments done quickly while you're lightly sedated, with little or no discomfort. If you've been putting up with discomfort, hiding your smile, or delaying scheduling dental work because you're too busy, your life is about to change. Make a sedation dentistry consultation appointment today with Dr. Sigafoos.
Fink, John A D.D.S.
317 N El Camino Real # 107
Encinitas, CA, 92024-2812
Godinez, Mario A D.D.S.
345 Saxony Rd # 103
Encinitas, CA, 92024-2787
Dr. Gary D. Krueger, D.D.S.
320 Santa Fe Dr Ste 201
Encinitas, CA, 92024
Rhee, Jim S D.D.S.
477 N El Camino Real # C210
Encinitas, CA, 92024-1355
Q. How does one care for primary teeth?
A. As soon as the first tooth erupts, primary teeth may be cleaned with a clean, wet wash cloth or wet gauze. The gums should also be gently wiped. If a toothbrush is used, it should be an appropriate size.
Q. Where does decay on the primary teeth occur most often?
A. With inappropriate or prolonged use of the baby bottle, decay may occur on the upper front teeth (incisors). The second most-often occurring site are the upper primary molars, which are found furthest back in the mouth. If there is no spacing between the primary teeth, there is a much greater chance of decay between the primary molars. These teeth should be flossed as soon as they come in.
Q. Why are dental sealants beneficial for children?
A. Dental sealants are protective coatings for the chewing surface of permanent molars. They protect the teeth from decay. Read on for more information.
Q. What is a dental implant?
A. A dental implant is a permanent artificial tooth replacement after a tooth loss.
Q. What is the procedure for receiving dental implants?
A. Dental implats are inserted surgically in two steps. The first step is to insert a "post" into or onto the jawbone. This post will then become the "anchor" for the artificial tooth that will be placed over the "post."
Q. How long is the procedure for dental implants?
A. Getting a dental implant is a two step process. Once te "post" is inserted into the jawbone, the patient will have between three and six months with a temporary restoration. During this period, the bone and gum area around the post will heal to create a strong and healthy bond. Once this bond is complete, an additional set of smaller posts is attached to the original post and then the artificial tooth is secured to the posts. The entire procedure could take anywhere from three to ten months.
Q. Can I eat regularly while the implants are bonding?
A. While th "post" is bonding with your jaw and gums, your dentist will place a temporary artificial tooth on the post. During the bonding period, you will need to eat soft foods.
Q. Do implants require special care?
A. Yes and No. Dental implants need to be brushed, flossed and checked regularly ba dentist, just as you would do with your regular teeth. But dental implants don't need special brushes or pastes.
Q. Can you eat and chew normally with dental implants?
A. Yes. Consider that natural teeth can absorb up to approximately 540 lbs. per square inch of biting pressure and properly placed dental implants can withstand up to approximately 450 lbs. per square inch of the same pressure.
Q. How long should a dental implant last?
A. With proper placement, excellent home care, regular dental visits, and good overall health, dental implants should be permanent.
Q. What are wisdom teeth?
A. Wisdom teeth are the third molars.
Q. Why is it necessary to remove wisdom teeth?
A. It is necessary to remove wisdom teeth to avoid problems, such as an impacted tooth destroying the second molar.
Q. Why do wisdom teeth cause problems?
A. Wisdom teeth generate problems because the shape of the modern human mouth is too small to accommodate these teeth, and they become impacted or unable to come in or move into their proper place.
Q. What problems occur from impacted third molars?
A. Partially erupted wisdom teeth are breeding grounds for bacteria and germs that may cause infection. Cysts and tumors may grow on trapped wisdom teeth.
Q. How is a wisdom tooth removed?
A. Wisdom teeth are remove by surgery. The gum tissue over the tooth is removed, the connective tissue is stripped gently away from the tooth and bone, the tooth is removed, and the gum sutured.
Q. When are lasers used in dentistry?
A. Lasers are used in oral surgery, gum surgery, tooth whitening, cancer sore treatment, and the treatment of gums that have been diseased.
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It is ironic that one of the most common dental disorders is also the most neglected, malocclusion, bad bite. The way the teeth fit together when the jaw closes and chews is of profound importance to the long-term health of your teeth.
If surfaces of the teeth interfere with how the jaw moves, the teeth can be worked loose or the enamel can be worn away this is know an malocclusion, bad bite. The muscles that move the jaw are very powerful and can do major damage to the teeth when the biting surfaces don't fit together properly.
The problem can be compounded if teeth interfere with functional muscle patterns, the jaw muscles will attempt to "erase" the part of the tooth that interferes by grinding against it all the more. This can lead to even more severe wear or it may crack off a cusp or split the tooth. Or it may loosen the tooth or cause it to move out of alignment. The excessive muscle activity often results in pain in the muscle itself. All of the jaw muscles can become sore including the temporal muscles that are the source of many so-called tension headaches.
Some excessive muscle activity may be caused by emotional stress. But with some special exceptions, damage done by stress induced grinding and clenching can be minimized to a manageable level by equalizing the biting surfaces that are in conflict with jaw movements.
The power of the jaw muscles may surprise you. Some people can exert over 900 pounds of compressive force with their jaw muscles so you can imagine how much damage such force can do when you close into a single tooth and then work it from side to side. The effect is very much like working a fence post loose as the bone around the root breaks down. If you can put your finger on any tooth in your mouth, and then squeezing your teeth together causes the tooth to move, you can be sure that it is just a matter of time before there will be a problem with that tooth.
Sometimes in malocclusion, bad bite the muscle forces that work the tooth sideways stimulates bone around the root to build up and become stronger. When that happens, the tooth actually bends in its socket and this creates a microscopic chipping away close to the gum line to form a deep groove in the tooth. This is called an abfraction. These deep grooves at the gum line are often mistaken for toothbrush abrasion, but scientists have shown us that the grooves are actually the results of bending of the tooth in its socket. These grooves can lead to much sensitivity in those teeth because the opening into the tooth exposes nerves that can be exquisitely sensitive. Correction of the bite to remove excessive lateral forces on the teeth in most instances either eliminates the sensitivity completely or reduces it to a much more acceptable level.
Patients should be aware that much confusion surrounds the importance of a harmonious bite, including many misconceptions that have been fostered by flawed research that has failed to properly relate the bite interferences to the position and condition of the temporomandibular joints. Knowledgeable clinicians, however, are very much aware of this relationship and can achieve excellent results in making both your teeth and your jaw muscles more comfortable by bringing your whole biting into harmony and avoiding malocclusion, bad bite.
By Peter E. Dawson, DDS
