Showing posts with label difficulty chewing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label difficulty chewing. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Digital X-Rays

Digital radiography is one of the most technologically advanced products available to the medical field today. While traditional systems are effective, there are many features of digital X-ray machines that help create a better overall image of your mouth. Not many dentists have taken advantage of this technology and are still utilizing traditional radiography technology. We have brought this technology to our practice in order to properly diagnose our patients.
 
Digital radiography can be compared to traditional when it comes to taking the image, but that’s where the comparison ends. Both systems use small sensors to capture an image but the digital sensors are electronic and connect to the computer system rather than an x-ray machine. Unlike traditional x-rays, digital x-rays are available immediately. Patients no longer have to wait for the x-ray images to be developed and printed. Patient wait times are down considerably and their office visits are getting shorter and shorter. 
 
Studies have shown that digital x-rays use 90% less radiation than traditional systems. Patients who are concerned about radiation exposure are feeling much more comfortable with the digital method. Along with the lessening of radiation exposure, Dr. Sanguinetti is receiving a higher quality image. Higher quality images afford Dr. Sanguinetti the opportunity to correctly and precisely diagnose her patients more effectively. The most valued aspect of the digital x-ray system is the fact that it is environmentally friendly. There are no harmful chemicals used to develop the image because it is displayed on the computer screen. The whole process is computerized and has no waste whatsoever. Even the sensor is reusable. 

Friday, February 7, 2014

TMJ

The temporomandibular joint is a joint connecting the jaw to the temporal bone in the skull. Abbreviated as or TMJ, it is the joint that helps people chew, talk, and open or close their mouth. There is a disorder of the TMJ called TMD that can cause a variety of side effects, making things like eating and opening the mouth extremely painful.
 
Some of the more common symptoms of TMJ disorders include the jaw getting stuck while opened or closed, grinding at night, headaches or pain in the ears, pain when opening and closing the mouth, difficulty chewing, and hearing popping or clicking sounds when opening the mouth.
 
Our dental practice provides a variety of treatment options for TMJ disorder, to help alleviate pain and reduce popping and locking of the jaw. Our dentist Dr. Ivi Sanguinetti may begin by recommending a night guard to be custom made, which protects the patient from teeth grinding at night. This can help relieve tension on the jaw, and reduce morning headaches, teeth pain, and ear pain. There are also some surgery options for TMJ, though these are the last resort.
 
If you have any of the above symptoms of TMJ, call us at 281-421-5950 for a consultation in our Baytown, TX dental practice.