Month: February 2015

Wisdom teeth typically arrive as you are entering into adulthood and are therefore “wiser” than when your other teeth erupted. But when exactly is the “wise” time to have them removed? This is a common question we hear from patients and parents alike. While the timing may be slightly different for each person, generally speaking the best time to see an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is during the early teenage years when the wisdom teeth have started to grow.

 

A number of studies have defined the development and eruption pattern of wisdom teeth, also known as third molars. The wisdom teeth usually become visible on an x-ray by the age of nine. In most cases, the crowns of these teeth are formed completely by the age of 14 and the roots are about halfway formed by age 16. By your twenties, wisdom teeth have typically erupted (if there is enough room for them to erupt), and are therefore visible in the back of the mouth. In these late teen years, it is quite common to see impacted wisdom teeth, meaning that the teeth are unable to break through the gums because there is not enough space present. A lack of space in the jaws is one factor that will be considered by an oral surgeon when making a recommendation to have your wisdom teeth extracted.

 

Why are the teenage years best for wisdom teeth removal?

Wisdom teeth are easiest and safest to remove when patients are in their teenage years due to the fact that the roots are not completely formed yet and the surrounding bone is still soft. Wisdom teeth removal becomes more complicated as the roots of the wisdom teeth develop and grow closer to the mandibular nerve in the late teens and early twenties. Injury to the mandibular nerve can cause numbness to the lower lip and chin, so removing wisdom teeth while the roots are far from the nerve is always safer and preferred. Early removal of wisdom teeth has been shown to result in very predictable and successful outcomes, including a faster recovery with minimal risk of complications.

 

Why do wisdom teeth need to be removed at all?

Still not convinced that your wisdom teeth need to be taken out? Check out our blog post, Wisdom Teeth – What’s the Big Deal?, about why it’s important to have this procedure done and how it can prevent health problems down the road. If you’re interested in learning more about all the factors that are evaluated before Dr. Cohen will recommend wisdom teeth removal, he addresses that topic in an article for the Huffington Post.

 

Not all patients will need to have their wisdom teeth extracted, but a consultation with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon that involves radiographic imaging will be necessary to evaluate your condition.

 

Looking for an oral surgeon in NYC for wisdom teeth removal?

Dr. Ruben Cohen at Park Avenue Oral & Facial Surgery can perform the procedure from his state-of-the-art office on the Upper East Side, an accredited surgery center that’s also a comfortable environment designed to put you at ease throughout the entire process. Check out our patient testimonials to see what other patients are saying about Dr. Cohen. A consultation at our practice is just a call or click away. You can reach us by calling (212) 988-6725 or by filling out the schedule appointment form on this page.

If you’ve seen a doctor for a chronic snoring problem or been diagnosed with sleep apnea, there’s a good chance you may have been prescribed a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask. While CPAP masks have long been the “gold standard” in snoring and sleep apnea treatment and can be extremely effective if used correctly, the biggest problem with this treatment method is that compliance rates are very low. In other words, patients do not use the CPAP machine as directed and therefore their symptoms are not adequately managed.

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What many individuals do not realize is that there are other non-surgical options that effectively treat symptoms of snoring and sleep apnea. At Park Avenue Oral & Facial Surgery we are pleased to offer one such option.

 

Dr. Ruben Cohen has helped hundreds of patients dealing with snoring and sleep apnea using custom oral appliances, also known as mandibular advancement devices. These devices are fitted to the specific needs of the patient and they work by effectively opening the airway during sleep.

Oral Appliances for Sleep Apnea in NYC

A custom-made oral appliance device looks similar to a mouth guard you might wear while playing sports such as football or basketball. It works by repositioning the tongue inside the mouth and advancing the lower jaw slightly, both of which will help with maintaining an open airway and preventing obstruction during sleep. The appliance is fully adjustable, and will be custom fitted to suit your specific needs depending on the severity of your sleep apnea and snoring.

 

In conjunction with weight loss (the leading risk factor associated with obstructive sleep apnea), oral appliances can be a highly successful treatment option for patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea. If you or a loved one snores, but you aren’t sure whether it’s sleep apnea, take our snore quiz to evaluate your level of risk.

 

It is important that patients treated with oral appliance therapy receive ongoing care so that Dr. Cohen can assess and monitor the sleep disorder, as well as the condition of the oral appliance and how the patient is responding to the device. If necessary, Dr. Cohen can make adjustments to improve your comfort level and ensure that it’s as convenient as possible to wear the device each night. Compliance is critical to the success of this treatment. However, unlike CPAP masks, most patients find oral appliances quite tolerable and easy to use on a regular basis.

 

For those patients with more severe sleep apnea who may have tried CPAP or oral appliance therapy without success, Dr. Cohen is also trained to perform advanced surgical procedures (including some minimally invasive procedures) that can permanently eliminate symptoms by treating the underlying cause(s) of your condition.

 

If you’re looking for an alternative to your CPAP mask or perhaps your significant other has pleaded with you to find a solution to your snoring, we are here to help. No matter what your unique circumstance, Dr. Cohen will find a treatment option that works best for you.

 

To schedule an appointment, you can contact us by email or call our office at (212) 988-6725. You can also schedule your visit by submitting your information in the form on the right-hand side of this page. We look forward to helping you and your bed partner get the restful, restorative sleep you both need to be at your best!

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