Dr. Dezham
Dr. Dezham is inspired by the desire to help you achieve optimal health and provide you with the absolute best that dentistry has to offer.
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3009 K street
suite 255
Sacramento, CA 95816
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Archive:
- 2019
- October (6)
- You May Need an Endodontist for a Tooth With Interior Decay
- Tooth Sensitivity Could Be a Sign of Deeper Problems
- Hugh Jackman Is All Smiles for His New Broadway-Inspired Show
- 3 Reasons to See a Pediatric Dentist
- The Triple Partnership That Could Save a Cancer Patient's Oral Health
- 3 Reasons Why Correcting a Poor Bite Is Worthwhile at Any Age
- August (6)
- Implant-Supported Dentures Could Improve Your Bone Health
- Put the Extra Effort in Your Oral Hygiene While Wearing Braces
- Lingual Braces: An Invisible Way to Move Your Teeth
- Janet Jackson: Even pop stars get insecure about their smiles!
- Oral Hygiene Might Be on the Decline With the Newest Adult Generation
- Don't Let Summer Heat Increase Your Risk of Dental Disease
- July (6)
- Jaw Joint Disorders may be Connected to Other Health Problems
- Fan of Superhero Film Black Panther Breaks Steel Wire...with Her Mouth!
- Diabetes Doesn't Have to Stop You From Getting an Implant - if it's Under Control
- How Early Dental Visits Can Improve Your Child's Oral Health
- Floss First or Last? Here are Reasons for Either Approach
- Pop Star Demi Lovato Pops Out Jay Glazer's Tooth
- June (6)
- Getting a New 'Tooth in a Day' Will Depend on Your Bone Health
- Primary Teeth are Critical to Future Dental Health and Worth Preserving
- Be on the Alert for White Spots on Teeth While Wearing Braces
- Spice Up Your Teeth
- Anchorage Tools Help Orthodontists Correct Complex Bite Problems
- Affordable Veneers Can Give You a New Smile
- May (7)
- Consider an Effective and Affordable RPD for Teeth Replacement
- How Shawn Mendes and Miley Cyrus Got Their Stellar Smiles
- How Dentists Provide Your Child the Benefit of X-Rays as Safely as Possible
- Reduce Your Risk of Oral Cancer with a Healthy Diet
- Root Canal Therapy Might Just Save Your Tooth!
- Crazy Little Thing Called... Hyperdontia?
- Manage Your GERD Symptoms to Prevent Enamel Erosion
- April (6)
- Your Age Doesn't Have to Keep You from a Straighter Smile
- Dentures with Implants Could Help You Avoid Bone Loss
- NBA Player's Injury Points Out Need for Mouthguards
- Your Sinus Infection Might be a Sign of a Tooth Problem
- Your Teenager's Teeth May Not Be Mature Enough for Veneers
- A Dental Exam Could Uncover an Eating Disorder
- March (6)
- Lady Gaga Wasn't "Born This Way?"
- 4 Common-Sense Tactics to Lower Tooth Decay Risk Between Dental Visits
- Dental Sealants can help Prevent Tooth Decay in Children
- The 3 Top Ingredients That Make Your Toothpaste a Super Plaque Buster
- Why Alfonso Ribeiro Is Grateful for Root Canal Treatment
- Catch Root Resorption Early for Best Chances of Saving Your Tooth
- February (5)
- National Children's Dental Health Month Highlights Importance of Baby Teeth
- Composite Resin Could Amp up Your Teeth's Attractiveness in Just One Visit
- Viggo Mortensen's Red-Carpet Smile
- Here's What you Need to Know about a Root Canal Treatment
- Topical Fluoride is a Safe Way to Protect Your Child's Teeth from Decay
- January (7)
- Attention to Detail Crucial to a Beautiful Smile Supported by Dental Implants
- Healthy Smiles for Alfonso Ribeiro and Family
- 3 Things You Might Notice with Your Child's Teeth That Need a Dentist
- A Bonded Retainer Could be a Preferred Choice over a Removable One
- Less-Invasive Pulp Capping Could Save Your Tooth
- Bobby Bones Dances His Way to Dental Damage
- A Root Canal Treatment can Save Your Tooth and Relieve Pain
- 2018
- December (6)
- Orthodontists Anticipate Future Facial Growth When Treating Poor Bites
- Bitewing X-Rays Safely 'Reveal all' About Back Teeth to Prevent Tooth Decay
- J-Lo's Unlucky Break: Chipping a Tooth on Stage
- Advanced Equipment and Safe Practices Ensure X-Ray Safety for Children
- Don't give up on Flossing!
- Wisdom Teeth Warrant Close Watch to Avoid Future Health Issues
- November (6)
- NBC Star Delivers a Message about the "Perfect" Smile
- Dentures are Still a Viable Choice for Tooth Replacement
- 4 Reasons Why You May Need to See a Periodontist for Your Gum Disease
- 4 Signs Your Child May Have a Poor Bite
- Steely Dan Founder's Death Highlights Importance of Early Cancer Detection
- Practice Caution with Energy or Sports Drinks to Protect Your Enamel
- October (6)
- Watch What Carbs You Eat to Reduce Your Risk of Further Gum Disease
- Stay Ahead of Plaque Buildup with Effective Brushing and Flossing
- Why Big Bang Theory Actress Mayim Bialik Couldn't Have Braces
- What You Should Know About a Home Teeth Whitening Kit
- Inflammation: the Link Between Gum Disease and Cardiovascular Disease
- 3 Factors That Could Affect the Success of a Root Canal Treatment
- September (6)
- Dental Injury Is Just a Temporary Setback for Basketball Star Kevin Love
- Don't Wait - Seek Out Treatment for Gum Recession Now
- See Your Dentist if You're Having one of These 3 Dental Problems
- It's National Gum Care Month - Take Care of Your Gums
- Margot Robbie Knows: A Great Smile Is Worth Protecting
- Not all Dental Crowns Share the Same Quality of Life-Likeness
- August (6)
- Veneers may Offer a Less Invasive Way to Transform Your Smile
- Take Care of Your Dental Appliance and It Will Take Care of You
- A Different Kind of "Chip Shot" for Pro Golfer Danielle Kang
- Have Your Loose Tooth Examined as Soon as Possible
- 3 Reasons You Should Consider Tooth Whitening
- Pros and Cons for Flossing Before Brushing and Vice-Versa
- July (6)
- Noah Galloway's Dentally Dangerous Dancing
- Practice Proactive Prevention to Enhance Your Child's Dental Development
- Tips to Brighten Your Summer Smile
- Replacing a Back Tooth May Help You Avoid Future Dental Problems
- Any Time, Any Place: Cam Newton's Guide to Flossing
- 4 Important Facts About Gum Recession and What You can do About It
- May (7)
- Baseball's Francisco Lindor Shines as "Mr. Smile"
- Assessing Your Risk for Severe Gum Disease
- 4 Things You Should be Doing Now for Your Baby's Long-Term Dental Health
- What to Do For Mouth Injuries Your Child Might Encounter
- Neil Patrick Harris: What the Oscars Host Treasures Most
- Bone Loss at the Roots can Put Your Tooth in Danger of Loss
- Why we Need to Care for a Younger Patient's Bone after a Tooth Loss
- April (5)
- Topical Fluoride can Enhance Your Child's Dental Care
- Julianne Hough Shares a Video - and a Song - After Wisdom Teeth Come Out
- If You're not a Good Candidate for Dental Implants, Consider Bridgework
- Keep Your Smile Beautiful...in April and Beyond
- 3 Things You Need to Know about Easing Anxiety Over Dental Visits
- 2017
- June (5)
- Not All Bacteria are Harmful to Oral Health
- Fifth Harmony's Camila Cabello Chips a Tooth, but Concert Still "Worth It"
- Screw or Cement: Which is Best for Attaching Your Implant Crown?
- Teeth Grinding in Older Children and Adolescents a Cause for Concern
- Dealing with the Reality of Increased Disease Risk with Braces
- March (5)
- Dr. Travis Stork: If Only I'd Worn A Mouthguard!
- Don't let Limited Finances Keep you From Needed Dental Care
- Antibiotics Before Implant Surgery Could Lower Infection Risk in Some People
- The Top 3 Oral Problems in America - and What You Should Do About Them
- How Kathy Bates Retains Her Movie-Star Smile
- 2016
- December (5)
- Transform Your Smile and Dental Health by Correcting Your Bad Bite
- Keep Ahead of Potential Sidetracks to Your Child's Oral Health
- Help 'De-Stress' Your Child's Dental Visits with these Tips
- Dwight Howard: A Bright NBA Star With a Smile to Match
- Non-Prescription Pain Medication can Manage Most Post-Procedure Discomfort
- September (5)
- 4 Things to Give Your Child a Head Start on Good Oral Health
- Treating "Burning Mouth" Depends on What's Triggering it
- Game, Set, Match: Milos Raonic Says A Mouthguard Helps Him Win
- Encourage Your Child to Stop Thumb Sucking by Age 4
- What's Causing Your Toothache? The Answer Determines Your Treatment
- July (5)
- Consult Your Dentist for Help with Diagnosing and Treating Sleep Apnea
- Master Illusionist Benefits from the Magic of Orthodontics
- Clear Aligners Reduce Risk for Developing Gum Disease Better than Braces
- Increase Bone Mass for Dental Implants through Grafting
- Teens Benefit Most from A Temporary Solution to Missing Teeth
- May (5)
- Dental Porcelain is a Great Option for Creating a Natural Appearance
- Even Celebrities Like Jennifer Lawrence Aren't Immune From Bad Breath!
- Home Whitening Kits are Safe and Effective, if Used the Right Way
- Root Canal Treatment Alleviates Pain and Saves Your Tooth
- Create a Strategy to Deal with Dental Problems to Avoid Future Expenses
- 2015
- January (5)
- It's an Art: Determining Tooth Color in Composite Resin Restorations
- Taking the Right Steps to Prevent Early Tooth Decay in Children
- Four Tips for Preventing Premature Loss of Baby Teeth From Tooth Decay
- Actress Florence Henderson Shares Her Secrets for Keeping Your Natural Teeth as You Age
- Test Your Knowledge: A Quiz on Dental Erosion
- 2014
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- oral hygiene (35)
- oral health (21)
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- tooth decay (14)
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- dental exam (1)
- orthodontics (10)
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- gum disease (23)
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Categories:
My Blog
Posts for: April, 2019

Bite problems are quite common—as many as 75% of adults may have some form of orthodontic issue. Unfortunately, there's also something else just as common: that many people believe they're too old to correct it.
This belief is a myth—while there are factors that could prevent orthodontic treatment, age isn't necessarily one of them. If your teeth, gums and bone are sound and you're in reasonably good general health, you most likely can have a bite problem corrected even beyond middle age.
Why worry about it, though, if you've lived this long with misaligned teeth? For one thing, straightening teeth with braces or clear aligners can boost your dental health. Teeth that are in normal alignment are easier to keep clean of disease-causing bacterial plaque. You'll also find it easier to chew than if your bite is out of line.
A more attractive, straighter smile can also impact your social and professional life. Having a smile you're not embarrassed to show can boost your self-confidence and image. Research on people who've undergone orthodontic treatment in adulthood have found improvements in social connection and even expanded career opportunities.
Orthodontic treatment can make a difference with your health and life, no matter your age. But while the number of years you've lived won't necessarily make a difference, what those years have brought could rule it out.
If, for example, you've lost significant bone structure due to diseases like periodontal (gum) disease, your teeth may not be able to sustain the new position created by braces or aligners without a form of permanent fixation. If you have systemic conditions like severe cardiovascular disease, bleeding problems, leukemia or uncontrolled diabetes, orthodontic treatment could worsen those conditions. And certain prescription drugs may pose similar problems as well.
That's why you'll need to undergo a thorough dental exam, as well as provide a complete medical history to your orthodontist. If nothing prevents you from treatment, though, you may be able to regain a new smile, better health and a new confidence in life.
If you would like more information on adult orthodontics, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Orthodontics for the Older Adult.”

Even with modern prevention and treatment advances, losing teeth in later life is still a sad but common part of human experience. Just as generations have before, many today rely on dentures to regain their lost dental function and smile.
But although effective, dentures have their weaknesses. The most serious: they can't prevent jawbone deterioration, a common problem associated with tooth loss.
Bone health depends on chewing forces applied to the teeth to stimulate replacement growth for older bone cells. When teeth are gone, so is this stimulation. Dentures can't replicate the stimulus and may even accelerate bone loss because they can irritate the bone under the gums as they rest upon them for support.
But there's a recent advance in denture technology that may help slow or even stop potential bone loss. The advance incorporates implants with dentures to create two hybrid alternatives that may be more secure and healthier for the supporting bone.
The first is known as an overdenture, a removable appliance similar to a traditional denture. But instead of deriving its support from the gums alone, the overdenture attaches to three to four implants (or only two, if on the lower jaw) that have been permanently set into the jawbone. This not only increases stability, but the implants made of bone-friendly titanium attract and foster increased bone growth around them. This can help slow or even stop the cycle of bone loss with missing teeth.
The second type is a fixed denture. In this version, four to six implants are implanted around the jaw arch. The denture is then secured in place to these implants with screws. It's a little more secure than the overdenture, but it's also more expensive and requires good quality bone at the implant sites.
If you've already experienced significant bone loss you may first need bone grafting to build up the implant sites for these options, or choose traditional dentures instead. But if you're a good candidate for an implant-supported denture, you may find it provides better support and less risk of continuing bone loss than traditional dentures.
If you would like more information on implant-supported dental restorations, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Overdentures & Fixed Dentures.”

Basketball isn't a contact sport—right? Maybe once upon a time that was true… but today, not so much. Just ask New York Knicks point guard Dennis Smith Jr. While scrambling for a loose ball in a recent game, Smith's mouth took a hit from an opposing player's elbow—and he came up missing a big part of his front tooth. It's a type of injury that has become common in this fast-paced game.
Research shows that when it comes to dental damage, basketball is a leader in the field. In fact, one study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) found that intercollegiate athletes who play basketball suffered a rate of dental injuries several times higher than those who played baseball, volleyball or track—even football!
Part of the problem is the nature of the game: With ten fast-moving players competing for space on a small court, collisions are bound to occur. Yet football requires even closer and more aggressive contact. Why don't football players suffer as many orofacial (mouth and face) injuries?
The answer is protective gear. While football players are generally required to wear helmets and mouth guards, hoopsters are not. And, with a few notable exceptions (like Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry), most don't—which is an unfortunate choice.
Yes, modern dentistry offers many different options for a great-looking, long lasting tooth restoration or replacement. Based on each individual's situation, it's certainly possible to restore a damaged tooth via cosmetic bonding, veneers, bridgework, crowns, or dental implants. But depending on what's needed, these treatments may involve considerable time and expense. It's better to prevent dental injuries before they happen—and the best way to do that is with a custom-made mouthguard.
Here at the dental office we can provide a high-quality mouthguard that's fabricated from an exact model of your mouth, so it fits perfectly. Custom-made mouthguards offer effective protection against injury and are the most comfortable to wear; that's vital, because if you don't wear a mouthguard, it's not helping. Those "off-the-rack" or "boil-and-bite" mouthguards just can't offer the same level of comfort and protection as one that's designed and made just for you.
Do mouthguards really work? The same JADA study mentioned above found that when basketball players were required to wear mouthguards, the injury rate was cut by more than half! So if you (or your children) love to play basketball—or baseball—or any sport where there's a danger of orofacial injury—a custom-made mouthguard is a good investment in your smile's future.
If you would like more information about custom-made athletic mouthguards, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Athletic Mouthguards” and “An Introduction to Sports Injuries & Dentistry.”

Each year thousands of people develop sinus infections from various causes. But there's one cause for sinusitis that might surprise you—tooth decay.
Tooth decay begins when the acid produced by oral bacteria erodes a tooth's enamel protection to create a small hole or cavity. Left untreated, the infection can move into the inner pulp of the tooth and tiny passageways leading to the roots called root canals. The decay can then infect and break down the structure of the supporting jawbone.
This could affect the sinus cavities, hollow air-filled spaces in the upper portion of the face. The maxillary sinus in particular sits behind the cheek bones just above the upper jaw. Tooth roots, particularly in back teeth, can extend quite near or even poke through the floor of the maxillary sinus.
If decay affects these roots, the bone beneath this floor may begin to break down and allow the bacterial infection to enter the sinus. We call this particular kind of sinus infection maxillary sinusitis of endodontic origin (MSEO), "endodontic" referring to the interior structure of teeth.
While advanced decay can show symptoms like pain or sensitivity with certain hot or cold foods, it's also possible to have it and not know it directly. But a recurring sinus infection could be an indirect indication that the root of your suffering is a deeply decayed tooth. Treating the sinus infection with antibiotics won't cure this underlying dental problem. For that you'll need to see a dentist or an endodontist, a specialist for interior tooth issues.
The most common way to treat deep tooth decay is with root canal therapy. In this procedure, the dentist enters the decayed tooth's pulp (nerve chamber) and root canals and removes the diseased tissue. They will then fill the empty pulp and root canals with a special filling and seal the tooth to prevent future infection. The procedure stops the infection and saves the tooth—and if you have MSEO, it eliminates the cause of the sinus infection.
So, if you're suffering from chronic sinus infections, you might talk with your dentist about the possibility of a tooth infection. A thorough examination might reveal a decayed tooth in need of treatment.
If you would like more information on how dental problems can affect your overall health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.

Teenagers and adults alike can improve their smile appearance with dental solutions like teeth whitening or orthodontics. But there are a few cosmetic solutions like porcelain veneers that are better suited for more mature teeth.
Veneers are composed of thin layers of dental porcelain that are bonded to the outside of teeth. They're kind of a tooth "mask" that hides blemishes like chips, discoloration or mild bite problems. They're often less involved and expensive than other types of dental restoration.
Even so, we usually need to remove some of the natural tooth's enamel before applying them. Veneers placed directly on unprepared teeth can appear bulky, so we remove some of the enamel to create a more natural look. And although usually only a slight amount, the alteration is permanent and will require the tooth to have some form of restoration from then on.
This usually doesn't pose a major issue for adults, but it could for a teenager's younger teeth. The nerve-filled dentin in a teenager's still developing tooth is thinner and closer to the pulp (nerve tissue) than in more mature teeth.
There's at least one situation, though, where veneers might be applied safely to a teenager's teeth without this concern. If the teen has abnormally small teeth and are receiving veneers to improve their appearance, they might not need alteration. Because the teeth are already thinner than normal, the "no-prep" veneers may not look bulky when directly bonded to them without preparation.
With most cases, though, it might be best to pursue other options that at the very least can make a cosmetic difference until their teeth are mature enough for veneers. For example, we might be able to repair chipped areas with composite resin material that we form and bond to the tooth to achieve a life-like appearance.
We can discuss these and other options for safely improving your teenager's smile. The important thing is to achieve a more confident appearance without endangering their future health.
If you would like more information on cosmetic treatments for teenagers, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Veneers for Teenagers.”