Handsman Periodontics Blog

More than 54,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with oral cancer each year, and of that group, about 68% of them will survive over the next five years. If you find out that you have oral cancer, your chances of survival will depend on how advanced it already is as well as whether you have it treated appropriately as soon as possible. Below is a closer look at the different stages of oral cancer as well as how the disease can be identified.

Do you need to be concerned if a lesion appears in your mouth? On the one hand, it could be a relatively harmless canker sore that will go away within a few weeks; on the other hand, it could be a symptom of a much more frightening problem – namely, oral cancer. How can you tell the difference between canker sores and oral cancer so that you can react appropriately? Here’s what you need to know.

While traditional dentures are still a viable option for replacing all of your missing teeth at once, more and more patients nowadays are opting to get state-of-the-art implant dentures instead. Could this form of tooth replacement be the best choice for your smile? To find the answer to that question, you’ll need to carefully consider the pros and cons of implant dentures; here’s what you should know before making any long-term commitments.

Gum disease is an all-too-common oral health issue that can affect anyone. In fact, it’s estimated that roughly 47% of adults over the age of 30 in the United States have gum disease in one form or another. There are several factors that could put you at risk for this condition – and, perhaps surprisingly, this includes your genetics. Here’s a closer look at how specific genetic factors might make you more susceptible than normal to gum disease.

One of the less obvious consequences of tooth loss is the impact it can have on your bone health. Over time, people with incomplete smiles tend to experience significant bone loss in their jaws. Of course, it’s possible to replace missing teeth with traditional dentures and implant dentures – but will either of them help protect your bone health? How do dentures compare to dental implants when it comes to preventing bone loss? Your periodontist is here with the answers.

Gum disease can be a more devastating oral health issue than many people realize. While the initial symptoms are often mild, the condition can ultimately lead to far bigger problems – and surprisingly enough, this can potentially include facial collapse. Below is a closer look at how gum disease may affect the shape of your face if it isn’t properly dealt with.

One important thing to note about gum disease is that its consequences aren’t necessarily limited to your mouth. Research indicates that people with gum disease can have a higher risk for all kinds of health issues – and surprisingly enough, this can include Alzheimer’s. For the sake of helping you protect your oral and overall health, here’s a look at how gum disease and Alzheimer’s can be linked.

Gum disease affects nearly half of all adults in the United States, and it’s known to result in tooth loss if it’s left alone for too long. Given those facts, you may wonder what you can do to protect your smile from gum disease. There are multiple steps you can take, but one measure you might not have thought of is making use of probiotics. Your periodontist is here to explain exactly what probiotics are and how they can help you maintain healthy gums.

While dental implants have a very high success rate, there’s a chance that they could fail either shortly after being placed or much later down the line. If you want to protect your newly rebuilt smile, then you need to be able to recognize the warning signs of dental implant failure so that you can take appropriate action. Below is a quick look at possible symptoms that could point to an issue with your dental implants – as well as how you should handle the problem.

When it comes to replacing missing teeth, dental implants are often highly recommended because they offer many advantages that make them the next best thing to real teeth. But how can you be sure that they’re the best choice in your case? There are a number of criteria that you’ll need to meet to be considered a good candidate for dental implants; here’s a quick look at 5 of these key traits.