Dr Donald Bill Rudolf

How can you tell if your wisdom teeth are properly aligned before they erupt? A dental x-ray can show the position of your wisdom teeth while they are still resting under the gums, and offer insight as to whether or not the teeth should be removed.

Have you ever wondered why so few people smiled in some of the first photographs? It may be because they were missing teeth or had wooden teeth. With today's dental implants, you can smile with confidence.

Did you know that most people who grind their teeth do so while they are sleeping? How can you tell if you are grinding your teeth? Symptoms include a sore jaw or headache upon awakening – an examination may also show early wear signs from nightly teeth grinding.

There are many different treatments for sleep apnea. We can explain some different surgical procedures. One is called Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. This surgery will shorten and stiffen the soft palate by removing a part of the uvula.

Remember, getting dental implants is not a quick fix for missing teeth. As the titanium posts bond to your skin, you may still need to rely on dentures for around six months.

Some easy ways to help with your TMJ pain are to eat soft foods, use ice packs, and avoid extreme jaw movements like wide yawning and chewing gum.

Do you know how wisdom teeth got their name? They are called “wisdom” teeth because they usually come in when a person is between the ages of 17 and 21, when he or she is presumably old enough to have gained wisdom.

There's something about the word "surgery" that triggers everything from apprehension to downright fear. No matter what procedure you need, there's no need to worry about feeling any pain, thanks to local anesthesia, nitrous-oxide, IV sedation and general anesthesia.

In a perfect world, your mouth would have plenty of space for your final four wisdom teeth to grow in. Unfortunately, most people have room for only 28 teeth, not 32.

If you have difficulty chewing, biting, or swallowing and suffer from chronic jaw pain, you may be a good candidate for orthognathic surgery, a procedure that involves repositioning misaligned jaws after orthodontics straighten your teeth.

Did you know that your upper and lower jaw may grow at different speeds? When one jaw grows much quicker than the other, it can cause problems when chewing or speaking.

What is the third and final set of molars? The wisdom teeth. These molars generally appear when people reach their early twenties, and they are the most commonly removed teeth due to the crowding and discomfort they can cause once they emerge.