Institute of Facial and Oral Surgery

If you find that you aren’t happy, there are two routes you can take to fix this:

• Take hours to dissect why you aren’t happy, thus stressing yourself out even more.
• Do what makes you happy.

It isn’t rocket science. Nobody is stopping you from attaining happiness but yourself. At the end of the day, your personal contentment should be your number one priority. If you aren’t happy with any specific aspect of your visual appearance, such as the shape of your nose, you owe it to yourself to schedule a consultation with your local cosmetic surgeon.

The Art of Rhinoplasty

Being born with a disproportionate nose isn’t uncommon. Many A-list celebrities such as Shia Lebeouf, Tyra Banks, and Paris Hilton are all said to have had rhinoplasty surgeries due to their abnormally shaped noses. But celebrities aren’t the only ones turning to nose-jobs to perfect their appearance. Each year, approximately half a million people reach out to cosmetic surgeons for consultations regarding reconstructive nose surgery. This number will continue to increase as cosmetic surgeons become increasingly advanced with their procedural techniques.

The Sculpting

One of the most important things to know about a Rhinoplasty surgery is that every specific procedure is unique. The surgeon carefully decides where to make the initial incision, whether it be in the area between the nostrils, or anywhere on the inside of the nose. If the tip of one’s nose is too large, the surgeon will correctly sculpt the cartilage in this area to make the nose better harmonize with the rest of the face. If any part of one’s nose is abnormally small, the surgeon will add cartilage or soft tissue grafts, thus re-shaping the nose accordingly. We know that the angle of one’s nose is just as important as the size, which is why we will sculpt the nasal support structure to make the nose point at the perfect angle towards the upper lip.

After the Procedure

After the surgery, your doctor will monitor you in the post anesthesia recovery area. He will not send you home until you are back to 100%. Most patients do not feel a significant amount of pain after their procedures, but the few who do are sent home with analgesic medications. Some patients will see swelling for the first 2-5 days, and some will have a puffy face. These symptoms are normal, and will not last for more than one week. It is extremely important to follow all of your post-operative instructions, as failure to do so can result in an elongated healing process.

All in all, visual appearance goes hand in hand with personal happiness.

For the majority of people, the removal of their wisdom teeth is just another part of growing up. However, that doesn’t mean it’s an easy part! A combination of frightening stories from friends and false rumors online have may have you feeling anxious about your upcoming procedure. So we’d like to set the record straight and put your mind at ease.

Here is what you really need to know about wisdom teeth:

1. If you ignore them, there will be more (pain, that is).

Despite their name, it is not a smart idea to refuse surgery and live with your wisdom teeth. Most wisdom teeth are asymmetrical (they don’t grow evenly) which can cause complications. Asymmetric wisdom teeth have a high chance of developing gum disease and infections, which can become life threatening if not treated.

2. Patience is not a virtue.

As wisdom teeth generally form roots during the teenage years, it is better to have them removed during that time. Waiting until you are 30 or 40 can increase the chance of them rupturing a nerve, leading to a longer and more complicated recovery.

3. I scream for ice cream!

We recommend that you only ingest liquids for a day after the procedure. Ice cream, pudding and smoothies are all great choices (without straws). Softer foods are advised for the rest of the week, so make sure to stock up on pasta, eggs and mashed potatoes! And remember: NO straws during your recovery period.

4. No pain, plenty to gain.

Thanks to anesthesia and/or laughing gas, your wisdom tooth extraction will be painless. However, most of our patients do experience some sort of discomfort in the days following the surgery, so we will suggest methods and medications to help with that while you are in our office.

5. Rest is the best!

Post-removal recovery depends on the patient, but most people do not resume work for four-to-five days. Patients are also advised to not exercise vigorously or play any sort of wind instrument for a week.

The droopy eye effect is almost always the result of age and genetics. As we get older, skin all over the body begins to lose its elasticity, allowing it to sag. The eyelids are no exception. In fact, because the skin that covers your eyes is very thin, it is often the “first to go”. As elasticity goes, eyelid skin stretches, creating folds and often a heavy, droopy feeling over the eyes.

Believe it or not, this process begins in our mid to late thirties. And it’s not just the upper eyelids. The under eye area is notorious for “bags”, which is really just fat pockets protruding through weakened muscles. The combination of these two conditions has a tendency to make us look tired, sleepy, and maybe even a little bit sad.

Luckily, the eyes can be re-awakened with blepharoplasty surgery, right here in our surgical center! Although the area surrounding the eyes will be swollen for several days after the surgery, the procedure itself is relatively simple. You will be sedated, but still awake and comfortable.

Alternatives to this traditional method include laser resurfacing and a transconjunctival approach, however the traditional blepharoplasty procedure tends to be a more comprehensive, long lasting approach. Give us a call so that we can help you decide which procedure is best for you at this time.

Don’t waste another moment looking tired. Let us help you revive your look today!

Whether it was during a consultation in our office or perhaps while you were doing your own research online, you have probably come across the term “dental implant” at some point. A dental implant is a great way, often the best way, to replace a missing tooth.

So how do you decide if a dental implant is the right path for you, or if a more traditional tooth replacement method such as dentures or bridges is the best way to go?

We have been asked this question many times, and have compiled a comprehensive breakdown of the benefits that implants offer over their conventional counterparts. We hope that this guide will help make the decision process easier for you.

Dental Implants vs. Dentures and Bridges: Things to Consider

• Longevity: Dental implants offer a long-term solution (often lasting a lifetime) to missing teeth, while dentures and bridges require replacement every 5 to 10 years. Not only does this mean less hassle, it also means that implants may be more affordable over time.
• Quality of Life:
  • Simply put, dental implants look, feel and function more like natural teeth than do dentures and bridges.
  • With a dental implant, our patients can hardly notice the difference when biting into hard objects. They also look more natural.
  • In addition to that, dental implants are fixed – they are not going to fall out while you are talking or smiling, and you don’t have to put them away each night when you go to sleep. They remain in your mouth, anchored to your jawbone at all times.
• Bone Stability and Health: Just like muscles, bones also need a “workout” in order to maintain their mass and health. So when a tooth is missing from the jawline, the bone underneath the old tooth site becomes atrophied and shrinks. Dentures and bridges do nothing to help this deterioration. However, dental implants actually screw into the bone and integrate with it, actually encouraging new bone growth.
• Overall Health: Because implants allow for a normal range of food choices in the diet (a benefit not afforded by dentures), they encourage you to continue your healthy lifestyle for the rest of your life!

Do you still have questions? As always, we are here to answer any questions you have. Give us a call for more information!

Dermal Fillers:

While growing older is a part of life in which we have no control over, facial aging can be stalled with various cosmetic procedures. Facial fillers are a common procedure we offer. Years ago, if you wanted to diminish wrinkly, saggy skin, facelifts were the only option available. However, with today’s technology, dermal fillers can be injected into the face resulting in similar younger looking skin without needing to go under the knife. When it comes to facial fillers, we have years of experience working with Juvéderm fillers.

What are Dermal Fillers?

Dermal Fillers are facial injections used for aesthetic treatments to effectively reduce the appearance of unwanted wrinkles, contour and create volume, and to revitalize the skin. Facial fillers augment deep creases and replace structure immediately and can last up to a year for many of our patients.

What is Juvéderm?

Juvéderm®: is a hydrating substance filler known as Hyaluronic acid (HA), that normally lasts about 9 months. The lack of HA causes your skin to loose structure and volume. Juvéderm is also a smooth injectable gel, which makes it less likely to look lumpy under the skin.

Where are Dermal Fillers used?

• Lip augmentation
• Cheek Augmentation
• Laugh Lines, also known as Parenthesis Lines
• Worry Lines, also known as 11s between the brows

The results of dermal fillers will leave you with volumized and younger looking skin, plump lips, as well as diminished facial creases. If you think dermal fillers are right for you, contact us to book an appointment!

One of the most common questions we hear from patients when it comes to dental implants is “Why does it take three separate procedures?”

It helps to understand that within the entire dental implant process, there are not just three stages, there are also three important parts to the final product that replaces your tooth. First, there is the implant itself, which is the metal rod that we surgically implant into the bone. Next, there is the abutment, which connects the implant to the artificial tooth. And lastly, the crown (or prosthetic tooth) itself.

The fact that the process has three physical components alone doesn’t tell the whole story though. Here, we explain why the most commonly employed dental implant method is split up into three separate procedures.

Step One: Placing the Implant

The first stage of the dental implant process is to bury the implant in the jaw bone via a surgical procedure. The dental implant replaces the tooth root, and requires healing time. During this healing time, osseointegration (the integration of the bone with the implant itself) occurs. The bone cells actually attach to the implant rod, filling in the spaces to secure the implant in place for permanent residency.   The healing time usually takes from 3-6 months.

Step Two: Placing the Abutment

The abutment is a post that connects the implant to the prosthetic tooth. Essentially, the abutment is a bridge that spans through the gum line so that the implant itself remains buried. As with the implant, the abutment has a healing period of its own. The gum around the abutment must heal and form a cuff or collar around it before the crown can be placed.

Step Three: The Prosthetic Tooth

Once the implant site and abutment have successfully integrated, the prosthetic tooth is fabricated and installed.

If you have any questions about the dental implant process, give us a call!

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