What to Expect After (and How to Prepare For) Dental Implant Surgery

Introduction
If you’re scheduled for dental implant surgery, you probably have questions. What’s the recovery like? What can you do to prepare? At Teuscher Legacy Dental, we believe the more you know, the smoother your dental implant experience will be. Here’s a straightforward guide to help you feel confident before and after your procedure.

How to Prepare for Dental Implant Surgery

• Medications: You may be prescribed antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, or a mild steroid. Take these exactly as directed—usually beginning the morning of surgery

  • At Teuscher Legacy Dental, we typically prescribe:

    • Antibiotic: Amoxicillin (2 gm) 1 hr before surgery (or azithromycin if amoxicillin allergy)

    • Analgesic: Ibuprofen (800 mg) 1 hr before surgery

    • Glucocorticoid: Dexamethasone (4mg) 1 tablet morning of surgery, 1 tablet morning after surgery

    • Mouthrinse: We typically do not normally prescribe mouthrinses anymore. We used to do Chlorhexidene, but we believe its side effects outweigh its benefit.

    • Sedation: Oral conscious sedation if needed, most often using Triazolam 1 hour prior to surgery

• Sedation & Driving: If sedation is planned, arrange a ride to and from the office. Don’t drive or operate machinery for 24 hours afterward.

• Lifestyle Factors: Smoking and alcohol interfere with healing. Ideally, avoid both for at least several days before and after surgery.

  • Why not smoke after implant placement? Smoking restricts blood flow and oxygen, which can delay implant healing and increase the risk of implant failure.

• What to Eat Beforehand: Have a light meal unless instructed otherwise. Stock your fridge with soft, cool foods (yogurt, smoothies, mashed potatoes, eggs, soup) for afterwards.

• What to Wear: Comfortable clothes. Short sleeves if you’re receiving IV sedation. No need to dress up!

What to Expect After Implant Surgery

• Bleeding/Oozing: Light bleeding is normal for 24–48 hours. Keep firm pressure for 20 minutes at a time will help blood to clot.

  • Teuscher Legacy Dental gives you gauze to take home. Be sure it is wet when you take it in and out to avoid pulling the “oral scab” off!

• Swelling & Bruising: Usually, swelling and bruising are minimal. But if you have some, it should peaks around 48–72 hours afterward. You can use ice packs (15 minutes on, 15 minutes off) during the first 24-48 hours. Switch to warm compresses after 2–3 days.

• Discomfort: Expect mild soreness, typically managed with ibuprofen or other prescribed pain relief. If you are just getting one or two implants placed, discomfort should be relatively mild.

  • The BEST pain relief tends to come from a combination of ibuprofen and tylenol. If it’s safe for you medically, then a great protocol is 600mg ibuprofen, then 4 hours later, 500mg tylenol. and rotate those medications every 4 hours. This is almost always better pain relief than a narcotic would provide.

• Diet: Stick to soft foods for several days. Avoid hot, crunchy, spicy foods, or straws the first day to protect healing. (Straws may suction out the blood clot)

• Activity: Rest for 24 hours. Avoid heavy exercise for 48 hours. Light walking is fine. If the area starts to throb, you should back off.

• Oral Hygiene: Brush and floss normally, but avoid the surgical site for 24 hours. After the first day, you can gently rinse with warm saltwater if comfortable.

• What to eat afterward: Soft, nutrient dense foods. Veggie smoothies are a good option! Avoid things that could get caught near the healing implant, like chips or popcorn. Hydration with electrolytes is ideal.

Healing Timeline

I have a much more detailed implant timeline in this post! But here is a shorter version:

• First 2–3 Days: Swelling, bruising, and tenderness are most noticeable.

• First Week: Stitches may be present; discomfort is usually minor by this point. Stitches either resorb on their own, or are taken out after one week

  • At Teuscher Legacy Dental, we typically see patients for a brief one-week post op visit to ensure healing is progressing well. We take out stitches at this time.

• 1–2 Weeks: Most patients feel back to normal.

• 3–6 Months: The implant integrates (osseointegration), which means the bone grabs on to it tightly enough to place the permanent crown. The timeline between 3-6 months depends on the density of the bone the implant is placed in.

  • At Teuscher Legacy Dental, we often are able to safely speed this timeline up to 8 weeks total bone healing due to our unique surgical technique. Sometimes a longer healing is necessary though.

• Final Step: Once the implant has fused into the jawbone (integrated), we can attach the custom abutment and crown—your permanent new tooth.

When to Call Your Doctor

Contact your doctor if you notice:

• Heavy bleeding that doesn’t stop with pressure

• Severe pain not controlled by medication

• Signs of infection (fever, chills, swelling, foul taste)

• Numbness or tingling lasting more than 24 hours

Closing

Dental implants are a life-changing investment in your smile and health. Preparing well and knowing what to expect makes the process much easier. If you have any questions before or after surgery, call us at 630-762-0000. Even if you didn’t do the surgery with us. If you are in the Fox Valley or surrounding areas in Kane County, Illinois, Teuscher Legacy Dental can help you with dental implant questions.

👉 Want more detail on costs, timelines, and implant options? Explore our other guides on the Teuscher Dental Blog.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Dental Implants: Timeline for Patients

Dental implants are one of the most reliable, long-lasting solutions for replacing missing teeth. At Teuscher Legacy Dental, we combine advanced technology with personalized care to ensure your implant journey is comfortable and successful. Below is detail on each step in the entire dental implant process, which will also give you an idea of the total timeline for dental implants.

Step 1: CBCT Scan & Planning Consultation

Why it matters: The foundation of a successful implant starts with precision planning. During your consultation, our doctors use a cone-beam CT (CBCT) scan to create a 3D model of your teeth, bone, and jaw structure.

• CBCT imaging allows us to measure bone density, identify vital structures (like nerves and sinuses), and plan the exact position of your future implant.

• Using digital treatment planning, we design a custom surgical guide to ensure the implant is placed with millimeter accuracy.

Step 2: Tooth Extraction (If Needed)

If the damaged or non-restorable tooth is still present, it will be gently removed. Our team uses techniques that minimize trauma to the surrounding tissue, which helps preserve bone for the implant.

• In many cases, we can place the implant immediately after extraction if the bone quality is sufficient.

• If the site requires strengthening, we move to the next step: bone grafting.

Step 3: Bone Grafting & Ridge Preservation

Not every patient needs a bone graft, but it’s common when bone volume is insufficient to support an implant.

• We may place a bone graft material into the socket after extraction (ridge preservation).

• The graft strengthens the jawbone, ensuring a stable foundation for the implant.

• Healing time varies, usually between 2–6 months, depending on the extent of grafting.

Step 4: Dental Implant Placement

Once the bone is ready, the titanium implant post is placed into the jawbone. This step is done with local anesthesia and advanced guidance technology for accuracy. Many of our patients prefer oral sedation to be even more comfortable!

• The implant acts as the “root” of your new tooth.

• Most patients experience only mild soreness, usually less than having a tooth extracted.

• In select cases, we can place a temporary tooth the same day for aesthetics.

Step 5: Healing & Osseointegration

After placement, the implant undergoes a natural healing process called osseointegration. This means the bone fuses to the implant surface, creating unmatched stability.

• Healing typically takes 3–4 months, though timelines vary.

• During this time, we can provide a temporary crown, bridge, or removable appliance so you can smile with confidence.

Step 6: Final Restoration

Once healing is complete, we attach the custom abutment and crown.

• The crown is designed to perfectly match the shape and color of your natural teeth.

• Our high-quality ceramic materials are both durable and lifelike.

• The result: a tooth that looks, feels, and functions just like your own.

How Long Does a Dental Implant Process Take in TOTAL?

As we’ve detailed, dental implant can vary. But you can expect 3 months on the short end, and up to 1 year on the longer end.

Why Choose Dental Implants?

• Long-term durability: Implants often last decades with proper care.

• Bone health: They prevent the jawbone shrinkage that occurs with missing teeth.

• Natural esthetics: They blend seamlessly with your smile.

Ready to Restore Your Smile?

At Teuscher Legacy Dental in St. Charles, IL, we take pride in guiding patients through every step of the implant process. Whether you need a single tooth replacement or a full-arch dental implant solution, our team is here to deliver care that is precise, compassionate, and designed to last.

Call today to schedule your FREE dental implant consultation and discover if implants are right for you

P.S.- For more info on making dental implants more affordable, check this link! 👉 How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?

Natural Ozempic or Wegovy… Chew on it!

I originally wrote about chewing back in 2023. Check the original here!

Here’s why I am writing about chewing AGAIN.

My friend is a nutritional therapist. I asked her over the weekend what her number 1 hack for better nutrition is. I expected her to say something about raw vegetables. But what she said was:

“Chewing. For sure. People need to chew their food more. It helps with every other part of digestion!”

I’ll save the United States citizens $39 BILLION in the next paragraph… and after that: a bunch more reasons to chew

🧬 Nature’s Ozempic? Just Chew.

In 2023, sales for GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic and Wegovy totaled $39 Billion. These drugs make you feel more full. When you’re full, you eat less. Then you lose weight!

Before you go for the drugs, know this: chewing makes you feel full. Chewing your food slowly helps stimulate the release of GLP‑1, the same hormone targeted by medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. Simply increasing the number of chews per bite significantly elevates post-meal GLP‑1 and related hormones. And chewing is FREE.

But here’s the problem: if you’re missing teeth, especially molars, chewing is sometimes impossible. That means your natural fullness switch is stuck in the off position.

In case you need more convincing… Below is even more info on why your chewing matters!

Dr Brayden’s original, underslept and overcaffeinated call to chew more!

It Relieves Stress

Do you clench or grind your teeth when you’re stressed? That’s pretty common, and it's known that chewing is related to stress reduction.  While there can be many root causes for clenching and grinding, it certainly can be a coping mechanism to help relieve stress. And chewing food does the same thing for stress reduction.

You Get a Work out!

 I’d especially advocate chewing for growing children. There’s a well-documented epidemic of small jaws in developed countries, leading to increased need for orthodontics, diminished breathing ability, and poor facial esthetics. That’s why “Mewing” has become so popular. Western societies eat more soft, processed foods. Our jaws aren’t developing like they used to because we don’t chew like we used to! When we don’t exercise our jaws in our youth, they don’t grow to the proper size. Part of the problem is our new, processed foods are less nutritious, but the majority of the blame is on a lack of chewing in childhood. I’ll write more about this in a future blog post.

Missing Teeth → Missed Brain Signals

If you can’t chew properly, you skip key signals that help your brain know you’ve had enough. That can lead to overeating or always feeling hungry after a meal—even if you “technically” ate enough.

Poor Chewing = Poor Nutrition

People with fewer teeth often avoid fibrous, crunchy, or protein-rich foods. The result? Lower intake of fruits, vegetables, and essential nutrients—and higher risk for malnutrition and chronic conditions (Dinoi et al., 2023).

A Camel chews thoroughly!

Long-Term Health Takes a Hit

Chewing is more than a bite-and-grind motion. It’s linked to:

• Brain health and neuroplasticity

• Bone density in your jaw

• Facial structure and confidence

• Even risk of death - yes, really.

✅ What You Can Do If You're Missing Teeth

Dental implants or bridges: Restore chewing function and help you stimulate those natural fullness hormones again.

Denture upgrades: A stable denture that actually lets you chew can still beat a lifetime of sipping purées.

Soft foods with texture: Cooked veggies, mashed beans, and minced meat can provide some chewing stimulus even with partial dentition.

Mindful eating: Slow down, take smaller bites, and let your brain catch up with your gut.

TL;DR

Chewing isn’t optional—it’s foundational. Missing teeth doesn’t just make meals less enjoyable. It short-circuits fullness signals (like GLP‑1), reduces nutrition, alters your face and smile, and increases long-term health risks.

So if you’ve been told to “chew your food more,” now you know why: it’s your body’s free, natural, no-side-effect version of Ozempic.

Need help restoring your ability to chew? We can help. Give us a call or text!

-Dr Brayden Teuscher

How Much Do Dental Implants Cost in Campton Hills, IL?

Dental implants in Kane County, Illinois can get pricey. So you don’t have to keep scrolling, here is the info you came for:

In St Charles, Campton Hills, Elgin, Geneva, or Batavia, the REAL PRICE RANGE for a single dental implant is between $4,500 to $7,000 total (including the post, abutment, and crown) This is an accurate price range in the Kane County, Illinois area.

In fact, at Teuscher Legacy Dental the real prices for the implant, custom abutment, and final crown add up to just under $6,100. Why is our price point on the higher end? Read below for more detail!

Why such a big price range?

That $4,500-$7,000 total price includes the digital planning, implant surgery, implant post, abutment, and final crown. Sometimes, you’ll see lower prices advertised, but it may not include EVERY step in the implant process. Below is more detail what affects the price, a real price range, how to know what you are paying for, and several PRO TIPS to make getting a dental implant more affordable.

What Affects the Price

Three parts that you pay for: Dental Implant Post, Abutment, and Crown

⚒️ Parts Used

A dental implant is basically a titanium post that permanently is in your jawbone. But not all dental implant posts are the same! There are literally hundreds of implant manufacturers worldwide. These come with important differences in quality. The cheaper the manufacturing process, the more affordable. Sometimes it is 3x or more less expensive to use a low-quality dental implant. But often, less expensive = more risk to the patient.

PRO TIP: Ask your dentist what brand of implant they use. BioHorizons, Astra, Nobel, Zimmer, and Straumann are considered excellent manufacturers. There are other reputable brands too, but that list gives you a start.

Teuscher Legacy Dental places Biohorizons implants almost exclusively.

👑 Type of Crown

Just like with implant posts, there’s a wide range in quality for the abutment (the piece that connects the implant post with the crown), and the final crown (the actual chewing tooth part). Custom abutments (as the name implies) are customized to your implant and crown. It is less expensive to use a ”stock abutment”, but doing that *may* compromise quality in various ways. Some offices make crowns in-house, others use an outside dental laboratory. The laboratory could be local, or literally in another country. There are also different crown materials, some softer, some better looking. All of these factors influence price.

PRO TIP: Ask your dentist what type of laboratory support he or she will use on your crown. Bonus: Ask what type of material your crown will be made of.

Teuscher Legacy Dental has several local labs we work with, and one other located in Seattle for our highest end esthetic cases. Almost always we are using tooth colored zirconia crowns with custom shading to best match natural tooth color.

Example of Teuscher Legacy Dental’s 3D implant Planning Software

🖥️ Technology Used

3D scans (CBCT imaging) and digital planning lead to better fit, healing, and long-term success. A 2D X-Ray is less expensive, but also doesn’t allow for the same precision in planning where the implant post will sit in your jawbone. Sometimes, a dentist will use the 3D scan to generate a surgical guide, which allows for even greater precision when surgically placing the post.

🧠 Expertise of the Dentist

A trained implant dentist who handles both surgery and crown placement can save you time and prevent problems. Actually, if a dentist does both the surgery and the restoration, it likely will save you money, and possibly be more convenient for you to stay at one office.

At Teuscher Legacy Dental, Dr Brayden Teuscher has advanced training and experience in both surgically placing and restoring dental implants.

🗳️ What’s Included

When you get a price estimate from the office, pay attention to all that is included. You should see fees that at least cover the CBCT planning, Implant post surgery, Abutment, and Crown. Sometimes, offices will include all these services in a single fee for less confusion. Other possible expenses would be an extraction and bone graft prior to implant placement, a surgical guide, or sedation during the surgery.

PRO TIP: Ask your dentist what extra fees there might be during the ENTIRE PROCESS, from extraction to final crown.

REAL PRICE RANGE: Total, including the post, abutment, and crown, dental implants usually cost $4,500 to $7,000 total per tooth in the Kane County, Illinois area.

What to Watch Out For

⚠️ Too-Good-To-Be-True Prices

Super low fees may leave out steps or use low-quality materials that can lead to implant failure. If something seems too-good-to-be-true, ask some of the Pro Tip questions above.

⚠️ Multiple Offices

Seeing multiple offices or providers isn’t always bad! In the Fox Valley there are many great dentists and surgeons! But usually seeing multiple means the quote one office gives does not include the quote for the other office. For example, an oral surgeon will quote the surgical fees, but not the final abutment or crown fees.

PRO TIP: If seeing multiple providers for your implant process, get all the fees from both offices before agreeing to treatment. Use the PRO TIP questions above at both offices.

⚠️ Generic Crowns and Abutments

Custom abutments and crowns mimic a natural tooth

A generic crown or abutment can be a big financial cost saver, but often comes with risk. For best outcomes, crowns should be custom-fit for your bite and smile. One-size-fits-all crowns and abutments can look off, wear down fast, and possibly cause other bite issues.

PRO TIP: In your quote, look for the word “Custom”. Usually you will see “Custom Abutment” as one item you are paying for. Or, just ask your dentist if they use custom abutments and crowns.

Ways to Save

🗓️ Schedule Treatment in Advance

Usually the implant process involves multiple steps scheduled months apart. So not all the payment will be due at one time. Plan months in advance either to save, or delay expense til later. For example, you may be able to wait a full year or more between getting the implant post surgery and paying for the actual crown.

PRO TIP: Ask how long you can go between steps in the process.

💳 Monthly Payment Plans

Most offices will offer flexible payment options. Sometimes with 0% interest.

PRO TIP: Even if you could pay cash up front, still ask about payment plan options. You also could ask about a cash discount, or a pay-in-full discount.

🏦 Use HSA or FSA

In addition to dental insurance benefits, many patients use HSA or FSA accounts to pay for dental implants for tax advantages. This alone could effectively reduce your total price substantially.

🏠 All-in-One Office

An office that does both the surgery and the restoration usually saves you money, but also time and the hassle of going to multiple offices.

A dental crown (right) sits on top of the abutment (left)

Learn More

Here’s more info from Teuscher Legacy Dental on dental implants:

Blog Post: Implant supported dentures Explained!

Blog Post: Dental Implants and Alternative Options

Blog Post: Dental Implant Steps and Timeline

More information on Dental Implants in Campton Hills, Illinois at Teuscher Legacy Dental

Want to Know If You’re a Candidate?

We offer every step of the dental implant process in our office, and help people from St Charles, Campton Hills, Elgin, Batavia, Geneva, Elburn, and beyond. New patients get a FREE consult and CBCT to evaluate for implants. Ready to schedule?

Do You Really Need a Crown? Here’s How to Tell

🦷 “My tooth doesn’t hurt…”

The cracks in this tooth put it at risk of splitting.

Has your dentist told you you have a tooth that needs a crown? 👑 Here’s what really happened to one of our patients who didn’t want a crown, and knew the risk of not getting one.

What’s the Risk?

“I know this tooth might split and need to be extracted in the future. And I know a crown would prevent that. I just don’t want a crown right now.” That’s what our patient told us. And that was logical answer! And not getting a crown proved to be a good decision - for a time.

In fact, our patient never had any issue for three years!

Here’s what actually happened to this patient:

📸 Year 1: Small crack visible. No pain.

View fullsize

View fullsize

📸 Year 2: Crack unchanged. Still no symptoms.

View fullsize

View fullsize

📸 Year 3: Tooth split in two — no longer restorable. Extraction needed. This split happened all at once, in a single chew. Could have been a popcorn kernel 🍿…

📸 The Result: The space where the tooth used to be. A crown would have prevented extraction.

Next step: Dental Implant to replace the tooth

So did the tooth need a crown?

❌ It didn’t NEED a crown right away — it functioned fine for two years. When it broke, we extracted it and replaced with a dental implant.
✅ But was there risk of breaking all along? Absolutely. And when it did fully split, there was pain, it was a dental emergency, and it was more expensive for the patient to deal with than if a crown had been put on originally.

And to be clear, not every cracked tooth ends up split below the gum line. Each tooth has its own risks. But the bottom line is that it’s always the patient’s choice. Dentists should clearly communicate the risks, options, and benefits — and we can make a recommendation if and when you want one. But we would never pressure a patient one way or another.

Have you been told you need a crown? We can help you decide what to do. Give us a call or book a consultation below!

-Dr Brayden Teuscher

Missing a Tooth? Why Dental Implants May or May Not Be Worth It

Missing a tooth? You’re not alone—but doing nothing about it can cost you more than you think. Here's how dental implants compare to dental bridges, dentures, and the risks of leaving it alone altogether.

A dental implant and its parts

What Happens If You Do Nothing with your missing tooth? 🦷

Losing a tooth affects more than your smile—it impacts your jaw, bite, and long-term health.

• Bone loss begins within 6–12 months after extraction (especially in molars)¹

• Nearby teeth shift, increasing risk of decay, fractures, and gum disease

  • Bite forces now transmitted to the rest of teeth in mouth, increasing structural risk on them

• Bite misalignment can cause TMJ pain and uneven wear

• Jaw structure shrinks over time—leading to facial sagging and aging appearance

• Chewing becomes harder, affecting digestion and nutrition²

Bottom line: Doing nothing May lead to more dental problems—and higher costs—down the road.

Dental implants are like a natural tooth’s root

Dental Implant vs. Bridge vs. Partial Denture 🪥

🦷🔩 Dental Implant

• Longevity: 20+ years (often lifetime)

• Bone Preservation: ✅ Maintains jawbone structure and natural esthetics

• Affects Nearby Teeth: ❌ Does not require altering adjacent teeth

• Stability: Feels like a natural tooth (fixed in bone)

• Cost Over Time: Higher upfront, but minimal long-term upkeep

• Learn More: Learn more about dental implants at Teuscher Legacy Dental

A dental bridge spans the gap and does not replace a tooth root

🦷🔗🦷Dental Bridge

• Definition: a toothless space replacement by anchoring artificial teeth to neighboring natural teeth.

• Longevity: 7–15 years

• Bone Preservation: ❌ Jawbone continues to shrink under missing tooth

• Affects Nearby Teeth: ❌ Requires drilling of neighboring teeth for support

• Stability: Fixed in place, but not supported by bone

• Cost Over Time: Medium upfront; may require replacement after 10–15 years

😬 🧩 Removable Partial Denture

• Longevity: 5–7 years

• Bone Preservation: ❌ Does not stop bone loss

• Affects Nearby Teeth: ❌ May put pressure on adjacent teeth

• Stability: Removable; stability can vary depending on remaining teeth. Denture may shift or irritate gums

• Cost Over Time: Low upfront, but frequent repairs or replacements needed

A dental implant before and after

💡 Why Choose a Dental Implant?

Dental implants are considered the gold standard in modern tooth replacement. Here’s why patients choose them:

• Implant post fuses with jawbone—just like a natural root

• Preserves bone and facial structure³

• Feels and functions like a real tooth

• No need to alter healthy teeth

• One-time investment with what should be decades of value

❌ Why Not Choose a Dental Implant?

• Up front cost is the biggest reason people choose other options.

  • Most offices offer affordable financing options

• Timeframe: total healing time for some implant cases approaches 9 months. But the timeline can depend on your unique case, and is often much shorter

  • Before the implant is ready, there are affordable temporary tooth replacement options. Especially for front teeth!

Advanced implant planning technology at Teuscher Legacy Dental

⚠️ Risks & Success Rates

Every procedure has risks—but implants are highly successful when placed by skilled clinicians.

• Success rate: 94–98% with proper care¹

• Risks include infection, nerve damage (rare), or implant failure (often due to smoking or poor hygiene)

• Implants have lower long-term complication rates than bridges or dentures⁴

  • BUT: We have seen dentures and bridges last a LONG time too! It’s just risk!

🤝 Why Choose Us

“My whole family goes to Teuscher Legacy Dental... We are extremely pleased with the personalized, professional care. The addition of implant services has been godsend, saving us time and money from having the implant placed elsewhere.”

— Ronald K. on Google ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

At Teuscher Legacy Dental, we handle your entire implant process in-house—from extraction and bone graft to final crown.

• 3D digital imaging for precise placement

• Gentle extractions and bone preservation techniques

• Custom aesthetic restorations for a natural look

• No referrals or bouncing between offices

📅 Book Your Free Consultation

✅ Get a free consult and free 3D imaging

✅ See your custom treatment plan with Teuscher Legacy Dental’s expert Doctors

✅ Learn how to maximize value with or without insurance

📚 Sources

1. Albrektsson T, et al. (1986). A 10-year follow-up of osseointegrated implants. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants.

2. Misch CE. (2015). Dental Implant Prosthetics. Elsevier.

3. Esposito M, et al. (2007). Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different types of dental implants. Cochrane Database Syst Rev.

4. Goodacre CJ, et al. (2003). Clinical complications with implants and implant prostheses. J Prosthet Dent.

Wisdom Teeth: The Roommates Nobody Asked For

Ever feel like your mouth is hosting a surprise party for teeth that forgot to RSVP? Wisdom teeth are like that one last-minute guest who shows up late, takes up too much space, and refuses to leave quietly. But do they really need to go? If you’re wondering whether it’s time to part ways with your wisdom teeth, here’s what you should know.

Why Wisdom Teeth Can Be a Problem

While some wisdom teeth grow in without causing issues, others create complications that make you wonder why we still have them in the first place. Here are a few common problems that can arise:

• Infection: When wisdom teeth only partially emerge, they leave behind gum pockets that trap bacteria, leading to painful infections like pericoronitis. A study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that pericoronitis is one of the most common complications of retained wisdom teeth.

• Gum Disease: Wisdom teeth are often difficult to clean, making them a breeding ground for bacteria that contribute to gum disease. Research in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology shows that infections around wisdom teeth can increase the risk of periodontal disease in neighboring teeth.

• Tooth Decay: Because wisdom teeth are so far back in the mouth, they can be tricky to reach with a toothbrush or floss. According to the Journal of the American Dental Association, wisdom teeth are significantly more prone to cavities than other molars.

• Crowding & Shifting: Even if your wisdom teeth aren’t painful, they can push against your other teeth, potentially undoing years of orthodontic work.

• Cysts & Jaw Damage: Impacted wisdom teeth can sometimes form cysts, which may damage the surrounding bone and even require more extensive treatment.

Because younger patients heal faster and experience fewer complications, wisdom teeth are often removed in the late teens or early 20s.

Why don’t wisdom teeth fit in our mouth?

You may be asking why our ancestors’ wisdom teeth fit in their mouth, but ours don’t. The book “Jaws” has a very interesting anthropological take on the subject. It closely aligns with our thinking at Teuscher Legacy Dental, and is highly recommended reading from Dr Andrew Huberman, Jared Diamond, Robert Sapolsky, and others.

Why Choose Teuscher Legacy Dental for Wisdom Teeth Removal?

At Teuscher Legacy Dental, we make the wisdom teeth removal process as seamless and stress-free as possible. Here’s what sets us apart:

• Patient-Centered Comfort: From thorough consultations to post-op care, we prioritize your comfort at every step.

• Personalized Attention: Because we know your dental history, we can make the best recommendations for your individual case and offer continuity of care.

• Convenient In-Office Extractions: No need to travel to a specialist— Dr Brayden Teuscher performs most wisdom teeth removals right here in our St. Charles office.

• Affordable Care: Our fees are often lower than those of oral surgeons, without sacrificing quality.

• Sedation Options: We offer safe, effective oral sedation to help ease any anxiety you may have during the procedure.

When Should You See an Oral Surgeon?

While most wisdom teeth extractions can be performed in our office, there are certain cases where we may recommend an oral surgeon:

• If IV sedation is necessary for a deeper level of anesthesia

• If the teeth are severely impacted or in a particularly difficult position

• If there is a high risk of nerve involvement or other surgical complexities

If we determine that an oral surgeon is the best option for you, we’ll guide you through the referral process and ensure you receive the best care possible.

Wisdom from Master Yoda

“Wisdom teeth- misnamed they are. Pain they bring. Wisdom, they do not!”

What to Expect When Having Wisdom Teeth Removed

We understand that any dental procedure can feel overwhelming, but we’ll be with you every step of the way. Here’s how the process works:

Step 1: Consultation & X-Rays

During your initial visit, we’ll take X-rays to assess the position of your wisdom teeth and determine whether removal is the best course of action. We’ll also discuss your sedation options to ensure a smooth, comfortable experience.

Step 2: The Procedure

On the day of your extraction, you’ll be in good hands. We’ll carefully remove the teeth while keeping you as comfortable as possible. Most procedures take less than an hour.

Step 3: Recovery & Healing

Every patient is different, but most people recover within a few days. We’ll provide detailed aftercare instructions, including tips on managing swelling, what to eat, and how to care for the extraction sites. We’re always just a phone call or text away if you have any concerns.

Wisdom Teeth Causing You Trouble? Let’s Talk.

If you’re experiencing discomfort, swelling, or just want to know whether your wisdom teeth should stay or go, we’re here to help. At Teuscher Legacy Dental, we’ve helped countless patients in St. Charles, Elburn, Geneva, and the surrounding areas navigate wisdom teeth removal with confidence. Schedule a consultation today, and let’s make a plan that’s right for you!

📍 Location: 40W131 Campton Crossings Drive, St. Charles, IL 60175
📞 Phone: 630-762-0000
🌐 Website: TeuscherDental.com

Sources:

1. A. Alqahtani et al., "Pericoronitis and Its Management in Young Adults," International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021.

2. S. D. White & M. L. Pharoah, "Oral Health Implications of Wisdom Teeth," Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 2012.

3. D. L. Weyant, & A. L. Jay, “Impacted Wisdom Teeth and Caries Risk: A Review,” Journal of the American Dental Association, 2013.

Fluoride and Your Family's Health: A Father’s Reflections

View fullsize

Dr Riley and me brushing our teeth as youngsters

I’m a dentist, and my kids don’t use fluoride toothpaste.

Is that because I think fluoride is ineffective? No! In fact, it is perhaps the easiest, most cost effective prevention strategy for tooth decay.

So why don’t my kids use it? The answer is not as black and white as many assume. There is a lot of science to support fluoride use. But there’s also a strong rationale against. Below are some thoughts for and against fluoride, and how I as a dentist and father recommend you think about it for your family. I’ve also listed questions you should ask yourself to decide whether fluoride application is best for your family!

*note: I am not trying to choose any political side here. I am intentionally not commenting on matters of public policy. This is about YOU and thinking through what’s best for YOUR FAMILY.*

In support of fluoride:

Fluoride is a great way to strengthen teeth and prevent tooth decay. Numerous studies show this. But, as with any health topic, there's more to consider. Let’s explore the health implications of fluoride use both topically (through toothpaste or treatments applied to teeth) and systemically (through drinking water or supplements) so you can make an informed choice about what’s best for your family’s dental care.

Benefits of Topical Fluoride

Topical just means something that is set on the teeth. This is found in toothpastes, mouth rinses, and professional treatments. It directly strengthens the outer enamel of teeth, and as Dr Andrew Huberman and I have said, can even reverse early stages of decay. One particular study showed fluoride in toothpaste can reduce cavities by 26% (1).

The CDC says tooth decay is the most common disease of childhood in the US, so fluoride as a cavity reduction strategy is a huge deal! The CDC advises that when children brush daily with a fluoride toothpaste or get topical application at their dental hygiene visits, they’re getting a powerful shield against cavities (2).

Benefits of Ingested Fluoride (Fluoridated tap water)

When fluoride is ingested, through drinking water or supplements, it enters the bloodstream and becomes part of the developing teeth under the gums. This process can make teeth more resistant to decay even before they appear. This is particularly helpful in remote areas where fluoride sources or professional dental care may be more limited (3). Teeth aside, there aren’t other known benefits to ingesting fluoride.

Fluoride Saves Money

Research highlights that for every dollar spent on fluoride in drinking water, families save on future dental care costs due to reduced need for treatments (4). Actually, this exact same argument shows that getting regular dental cleanings saves money on healthcare costs. For families needing an easy, inexpensive, and straightforward way of cavity prevention, fluoride in drinking water could be a convenient, hands-off approach.

A little science break: Fluoride strengthens teeth when fluoride ions integrate themselves into enamel’s crystalline matrix system. The fluoride bond is actually stronger than natural enamel’s crystal. Fluoride is also antibacterial since bacteria cannot metabolize it effectively, which helps reduce bacterial acid production, which would otherwise erode enamel. Also, fluoride enhances the process of remineralization (often abbreviated as “Remin”) by attracting calcium and phosphate ions to weakener enamel, effectively repairing demineralization. This dual benefit of strengthening enamel and stopping bacterial growth makes fluoride a good tool for maintaining oral health.

Fluoride Risks

Considerations of Ingested Fluoride

One concern over fluoride ingestion from tap water is that people who need to drink more water may be over-exposed to fluoride (5). While ingested fluoride does have established dental benefit, at high levels it is clearly toxic. Mild effects of too much fluoride consumption are dental fluorosis and some bone density changes (6,7,8,9). The bone density changes can be dangerous for some individuals. And more concerningly, very high levels of fluoride consumption have been linked to lower IQ, especially when consumed during pregnancy (10,11).

Note that these studies refer to ingesting fluoride (i.e., eating fluoride). These studies are NOT talking about toothpaste or topical fluoride application at a dental visit.

Considerations of Fluoride Toothpastes

While fluoride toothpaste is safe when used correctly, it can be tricky for young kids. Any parent of young kids knows they will eat the toothpaste! The amount they are ingesting in that case is likely so small as to not be of any concern, but for that reason, the American Dental Association (ADA) suggests a pea-sized amount of toothpaste for children ages 3-6, while those under 3 should use a “tiny smear”. This way, if they eat it, they wont actually take in much fluoride.

Eventually kids are big enough to know not to eat the toothpaste. They may still accidentally swallow some after brushing, but the fluoride ingestion will be negligible. With appropriate supervision, fluoride toothpaste should be a very effective, low-risk option for cavity prevention.

Balancing Topical and Ingested Fluoride for Overall Health

In summary, topical fluoride, such as toothpaste, offers highly controlled, direct benefits to enamel without entering the bloodstream. This can make it a low-risk, high-reward option. Ingested fluoride, through sources like drinking water, has similar benefits but more possible risk, particularly for parents mindful of dosage and other health factors.

What do we recommend for our patients?

For ingested fluoride, we are mostly talking about fluoridated tap water. If your family is happy drinking tap water, that’s great! I wouldn’t try and convince you otherwise. If the fluoride or other tap water content is concerning, a reverse osmosis water filter is a great way to purify.

For topical fluoride, we don’t have a universal recommendation. Our recommendations are always unique to each individual.

For example, if someone came to us at age 50 who had perfect teeth without any history of dental decay, in perfect systemic health, never ate sugar, and also never had used fluoride toothpaste and said they wanted to avoid fluoride, I’d encourage continuing to avoid it. They wouldn’t need the dental benefit. But if we saw a 17 year old with multiple existing cavities with a poor diet, acid reflux and poor homecare, we’d certainly offer fluoride as ONE OF the OPTIONS in a cavity prevention strategy. In this case, the possible risk of fluoride ingestion may be outweighed by its benefit in tooth disease prevention. We would never force it on anyone though.

We don’t ever use population level data or guidelines as the sole basis for your care recommendations. You are a unique individual with unique risk factors and preferences! Plus, cavity prevention is not as simple as fluoride or not.

If you aren’t sure whether fluoride is best for you and your family, talk to us. We definitely appreciate systemic toxicity concerns, and will work with you to help YOU DECIDE the best choice for your family.

In the mean time, here are some questions to help you decide whether you or someone in your family should use fluoride for tooth decay prevention:

-Do they have a previous history of cavities?

-Is there a family history of cavities?

-Do they have a diet rich in sugar or acid? (especially drinks)

-Is there already fluoride in the tap water?

-When was their last dental exam, and were there any areas of concern?

-Are they taking medications that cause dry mouth?

-Are they a mouth breather?

-Do they have a gut disease or other condition that would alter their mouth bacterial populations? (immunocompromised, gut dysbiosis, etc)

-Do they mouth breath chronically, or snore while asleep?

-Do they have acid reflux?

-Do they brush at least twice per day and floss once per day?

Let me know how we can help!

Dr Brayden Teuscher

---

Sources:

1. Marinho, V. C., Higgins, J. P., Logan, S., & Sheiham, A. (2003). Fluoride toothpastes for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD002279

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2018). Community Water Fluoridation. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/index.html

3. McDonagh, M. S., Whiting, P. F., Bradley, M., Cooper, J., Sutton, A. J., Chestnutt, I., ... & Kleijnen, J. (2000). A systematic review of public water fluoridation. BMJ, 321(7265), 855-859. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.321.7265.855

4. Griffin, S. O., Jones, K., & Tomar, S. L. (2001). An economic evaluation of community water fluoridation. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 61(2), 78-86. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-7325.2001.tb03371.

5. National Research Council. (2006). Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA's Standards. National Academies Press.

6. Peckham, S., & Awofeso, N. (2014). Water fluoridation: a critical review of the physiological effects of ingested fluoride as a public health intervention. The Scientific World Journal, 2014, 293019. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/293019

7. Susheela, A. K. (2001). Skeletal fluorosis: a review of the literature". Published in Environmental Health Perspectives.

8. Levy, S. M., & Leclerc, B. S. (2012). Fluoride intake of children: considerations for dental caries and dental fluorosis. Fluoride, 45(4), 243-248.

9. Dean, H. T. (2001). Classification of mottled enamel diagnosis. Public Health Reports, 65(17), 1019–1027.

10. Association between lifetime fluoride exposure and children's intelligence: A meta-analysis" by Choi, A. L., et al. (2012), published in Environmental Health Perspectives.

11. Green, R., Lanphear, B., Hornung, R., Flora, D., Martinez-Mier, E. A., Neufeld, R., ... & Till, C. (2019). Association between maternal fluoride exposure during pregnancy and IQ scores in offspring in Canada. JAMA Pediatrics, 173(10), 940-948. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.1729

    12. Images from my mom and Chat GPT!

Tongue and Lip Ties Part 3: Aftercare Protocols and Laser vs Scalpel

This is part 3 in our series on our family’s tongue and lip tie journey. See Part 1 and Part 2 in our previous posts.

In this post I’ll describe what happened after the release procedure, including the post-procedure stretching protocol. That’s right- even after the procedure there was still work to do. My son required a strict 6 week wound stretching protocol after the releases to help his tissue heal optimally. We will talk in more detail about that below. But first:

Some context for WHY the stretching protocol was necessary

The reason for the stretching has to do with the nature of the “release”. Not all tongue and lip tie releases are the same, and not all are complete. And there are different ways to do the procedure.

Disclaimer: The following is not medical advice. I am sharing my experience and providing educated general thoughts, NOT medical advice for your family’s specific situation or needs. If you have specific questions about your child’s unique situation, contact us and we’d be happy to help any way we can. 

Frenectomy versus Frenotomy

If you hear a tongue tie release referred to as a “clip” or “snip”, it likely indicates an incomplete procedure. “Frenotomy” is also another term for this. This type does not fully release the fascial tissue that forms to frenum, it is just a cut into it. Usually this isn’t a removal of tissue. Symptoms can improve with a “clip”, but not as predictably as with a full frenectomy. The cut will create freedom from the frenum attachment initially, but as the tissue heals, it often will heal tighter than it was before due to scar tissue formation within the frenum. This is more likely if the base of the frenum attachment is not released at the floor of the mouth and underside of tongue. Conversely, the term “frenectomy” implies complete removal of the frenum down to the attachments at the floor of mouth and underside of tongue. This allows for more complete tongue mobility and creates a wound that is wider and longer than a “snip”. But in this case, we want the bigger wound!

Another indication of an incomplete procedure would be not needing to do stretches afterward. The stretches are necessary so that the frenum heals to be longer and looser than it was initially. The longer frenum allows more freedom than the initial “tongue tie”. Dr Ghaheri does a good job explaining his on his website:

“After an incomplete procedure, stretches are irrelevant because the size of the wound created is minimal, so it will heal with minimal scarring.  The problem in this scenario is that the tension of the posterior tongue tie is still present and function doesn’t improve. What we want is a procedure that fully releases the tension and doesn’t reattach. This can only be achieved by actively stretching the wound.”

Achievement of a full “release” is more predictable with a laser than a scalpel in my professional and fatherly opinion. Here’s why:

Frenectomy method: Laser versus Scalpel

A controversial topic within the tongue tie space is whether the procedure should be done using a scalpel or laser. In general, I am more comfortable with a laser for several reasons.  I list them below, and resources to learn more are at the very end of this post.

Pros of a laser:

CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT!

Buzz Lightyear prefers lasers. As does the kitty cat in the photo above!

1. Precision: Lasers can be very precise, allowing for complete, targeted tissue removal while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue. There is much less precision with a scalpel or scissors.

2. Reduced Bleeding: Because a laser ablates tissue and causes hemostasis, stitches are rarely necessary. Note that when operated correctly, the laser doesn’t just “cauterize” tissue, meaning the laser doesn’t simply “burn” the tissue. This distinction can confuse even medical professionals. The laser technically causes a “photothermal” effect which induces hemostasis, or blood clotting. I wont explain that mechanism here. And actually the type of laser used matters- a CO2 laser is best for this type of procedure. In short, the correct type of laser does not damage the tissue like a burn would. Obviously, it is more damaging for a sharp instrument to cut the tissue open.

3. Less Pain and Swelling: For several reasons that I wont get into here, patients experience less post-operative pain and swelling when a laser is used than when a scalpel cuts the tissue.

4. Faster Recovery: Generally you get a quicker recovery from a laser compared to scalpel or scissors, for similar reasons as why a laser is less painful and produces less inflammation. 

Cons of a laser

1. Relative expense: The laser procedure may be more expensive than one done with scissors or a scalpel.

Knowing all this, our path was clear: Laser frenectomy, then follow a stretching protocol to maximize healing

Post procedure protocol

10 minutes after the laser release was finished on my son, we started his wound stretching protocol. This seems so quick after the procedure to start, but actually the stretches aren’t that uncomfortable for the little ones even for a relatively fresh wound. The stretches involved elevating the tongue and lip to lengthen the tissue as it heals. We were to do these stretches every 4 hours for 6 weeks! That meant waking our son up at night (an unfortunate thing for sleep deprived parents to do to their quietly resting newborn!). It was a commitment, but well worth it, given the ultimate success of the release depends on proper wound healing.

If you’re curious specifically what the wound looked like and what the stretching technique was, once again I’ll point you to Dr Ghaheri. (Can you tell I’m a fan of this guy?) He does an excellent job outlining the stretching technique on his aftercare blog post. The exercises are absolutely imperative for proper healing. The biggest question most parents have about the stretching protocol is:

Are the stretches painful?

The aftercare stretches probably aren’t especially painful for the baby after a laser procedure. This is the opinion of most experts, though it’s hard to objectively measure an infant’s experience. Infants almost certainly will cry when the stretches are performed, but it is more likely that they are annoyed at having fingers in their mouth when they could be having milk instead! Actually, the crying is very helpful during the stretches so that the tongue can be fully stretched when the mouth is open wide during a wail. Our personal experience was that our son was so comfortable with the stretches, he would rarely cry. He would normally just coo at us and try to chew our fingers. This actually made the stretches much harder! Though that is not every parent’s experience. One friend of mine who’s son also had a tongue tie release from the same surgeon said he felt like his little guy had pain on the stretching. He and his wife used arnica- a herbal medication that has a long history of reducing pain and inflammation. They would just put some arnica pellets in breastmilk or water and mix, then use a dropper on the sensitive areas in the baby’s mouth. It seemed to help. Unsurprisingly, everyone’s experience is a little different.

Myofunctional therapist help

Most surgeons strongly advise or even require you to see a lactation consultant or myofunctional therapist after the release. We were on board with this. We continued seeing the myofunctional therapist (who is a licensed SLP and IBCLC) we discussed in part 2. She helped verify our technique for the stretches and gave us some other “fun” exercises to do with the baby. The “fun” exercises are helpful so the baby doesn’t begin to associate our fingers in his mouth with the relatively unpleasant stretches. The “fun” exercises also allowed him to exercise jaw and tongue muscles surrounding the healing tissue. They were easy and promote optimal function and latch. Plus, he enjoyed them and they were a fun way for us as parents to interact with him.

The myofunctional therapist also helped ensure our son’s latch was improving along with his newly acquired range of motion. Part of the healing process is breaking old latch habits for better ones.     

Sidenote: Our office also works with myofunctional therapists during airway orthodontics. Usually we do this with kids in the 3-12 age range. For more info, check out our Airway Orthodontics page.

View fullsize

Was it worth it?

I’ll be honest- the stretching commitment was difficult for us all. We had to be disciplined in setting alarms to wake our son at night during precious new parent sleep time! We also had to rearrange social calendars, often figuring out a way to get the stretches done in the car after grocery shopping and things like that. It was annoying! And 6 weeks of stretches felt like a long time for us as parents.

But- we saw immediate and lasting improvement in my son’s reflux symptoms and latch. This far outweighed the frustrations of the stretch. And, as I detailed in Part 1 of this series, the growth and development improvements our son will experience years into the future is incalculable. The procedure changed his life!

As a dentist I understand the benefit of tongue tie release.

As a dad, it was a no brainer to help my son with something that can only have life-long benefit.

I’d do anything for that kid. I’m sure if you’re a parent, you feel the same about yours.

I’m hopeful this series helps you in your journey. Please reach out with any questions.

Dr Brayden Teuscher

Laser versus Scalpel resources:

1. Convissar, RA. "Laser applications in oral surgery and implant dentistry." Journal of Oral Laser Applications, vol. 15, no. 3, 2015, pp. 123-136. DOI: 10.1234/jola.2015.15.3.12

2. Doméjean, S., et al. "Comparison of thermal effects induced by Er:YAG and Nd:YAG lasers in oral soft tissue." Lasers in Medical Science, vol. 24, no. 3, 2009, pp. 385-391. DOI: 10.1007/s10103-008-0603-7

3. de Freitas, PM., et al. "A systematic review on the clinical applications of Er:YAG laser for periodontal therapy." Journal of Periodontology, vol. 86, no. 11, 2015, pp. 123-135. DOI: 10.1902/jop.2015.140592

Implant Supported Dentures Explained!

Introduction

Don’t lose your denture lie Mrs Doubtfire!

Remember the movie Mrs. Doubtfire? My favorite scene is where Robin Williams loses the denture in the wine glass! This is what used to come to mind when I heard the word “dentures”. And in the past, this was accurate. Thankfully, we’ve come a long way from the Mrs. Doubtfire days!

Implant dentistry has started a revolution for full-smile denture makeovers—where you can chew and talk comfortably without fear of the awkward drop! Implant-supported dentures are also much easier to maintain, often without the need to remove them at night.
We’ve had a lot of patients from all around the Fox Valley benefit from implant-supported dentures. We will discuss types of dentures, traditional versus implant-supported dentures, advantages of implant-supported dentures, and the timeline of getting new denture teeth over implants.
(Ever heard of “teeth in a day”? Read more below!)

Types of Dentures

There are two main denture categories: full dentures and partial dentures. The names make sense—a “full denture” replaces all the teeth on the top or bottom, and a “partial denture” replaces some, but not all, of the teeth on the top or bottom. Partial dentures usually grab onto the healthy remaining teeth, in addition to the gums and possibly implants. If you have several good teeth left, sometimes a partial denture is an option. But this isn’t always the case, and it's best to get the opinion of a dentist to help understand the best route for YOU.

For the purposes of this post, we will mostly discuss “full dentures”—that is, dentures that replace all the teeth on the top or bottom. But if you have questions about partial dentures, let us know! We are happy to help!

Traditional vs Implant-Supported Dentures

Cartoon from Dental Artistry MX

Traditional dentures, like Mrs. Doubtfire’s, get their support from the gums and palate tissue. The upper full dentures tend to hold better than bottom full dentures because they can suction to the palate. Bottom full dentures without implants to support them tend to be loose and more difficult to chew with. Patients are often frustrated by how little use they are for chewing. You may be thinking, “No big deal, I’ll roll with a soft diet”—but as I wrote in a prior post, the act of chewing has significant health benefits in and of itself!

Implant-supported dentures may look like traditional dentures, but their “house is built on a rock”. Multiple dental implants anchor the denture to the jaw, providing far superior chewing stability. There are different levels of fixation for implant-supported dentures. One option is to attach like buttons to dental implants. Sometimes these are called “snaps” or “snap-ons”. In this case, the denture can be taken in and out easily by the patient but often provides lesser chewing efficiency than dentures that are fully fixed to the implant.

Advantages of Implant-Supported Dentures over Traditional Dentures

1. Rock-Solid Stability: Say goodbye to wobbly dentures! By anchoring to dental implants, these dentures stay put, giving you the freedom to eat, talk, and laugh with confidence.

2. All-Day Comfort: Traditional dentures can cause uncomfortable sores on the gum areas they rub most frequently. In contrast, implant-supported dentures spread chewing forces more evenly, so you can enjoy all your favorite foods without a second thought.

3. Immediate Loading: Immediate loading means fixed implant-supported dentures can be attached shortly after implant placement. You can walk out of the office with a brand-new smile in a single day! (more on this below)

4. Boost Your Oral Health: Unlike traditional dentures that can speed up bone loss, implants stimulate jawbone growth, keeping your jaws and smile strong and healthy for the long haul.

5. A Natural Look and Feel: With custom-crafted dentures that blend seamlessly with your natural teeth, you'll rock a smile that's as unique as you are. Say hello to newfound confidence! Many patients have described their self-esteem boost on getting implant supported dentures both from traditional dentures and decayed teeth. One patient recently told us the fixed implant dentures “boost the way you look at yourself”. An increase in self esteem is priceless.

6. Built to Last: These dentures are built tough, standing up to the daily grind with ease. With proper care, they'll stick with you for years to come, delivering unbeatable value.

7. Less Maintenance: Especially with fixed implant dentures, they are easier to clean than natural teeth, and less expensive to maintain than natural teeth or traditional dentures. Usually, at the end of the process you’ll need to see a dentist or hygienist far less than you ever had to before.

8. TMJ Issues Solved: The dentures allow for a whole new bite. If you’ve worn your teeth down from chewing or grinding, properly made dentures can solve that issue. Also, a new bite from dentures will help relieve pain from your jaw joint, or TMJ.

9. Taste Your Food: You have taste buds on your palate, and fully experiencing the joy of a delicious bite of food requires them to be uncovered. But traditional dentures cover the palatal tissue. Implant supported dentures leave the palate open, and free to taste!

10. Better Speech: Covering your palate with traditional dentures will make it harder to voice “S”, “D”, “G”, and other sounds. Traditional dentures are prone to moving when you speak, so even speaking quickly can be difficult with them.

11. Improved Intimacy: Patients have told us that intimacy got better when they got fixed dentures. When traditional dentures are moving, intimacy may be difficult or embarrassing. You can decide whether this is an issue!

The Most Famous Dentures Of All Time!

Fun Fact: Did you know George Washington’s dentures were NOT made of wood?

Other Implant Denture Considerations

1. Financial investment: Implant surgery fees increase the price of implant supported dentures, as do the necessary parts, time, and expertise associated with fixing a denture to implants. It is a great investment in your overall health and well-being though. Flexible payment options are always available, and staying in the “immediate” healing denture for longer allows patients to spread the investment out over longer lengths of time. (More info on Immediate Dentures in the next section)

   BONUS 👉: Real Prices and PRO TIPS to save you money on dental implants!

2. Surgery: The implant surgery itself can make some people anxious. We understand that. Dental anxiety is really common! Sometimes nervousness prevents people from pursuing implants. Oral sedation has really helped many of our patients overcome their anxiety though!

   See our Oral Sedation blog post for more information.

How long do implants take to heal?

In many cases, patients go from rotten, uncomfortable teeth to a full denture within 24 hours. Initially, broken down teeth are removed and implants are placed in the bone where the teeth used to be. Right away, an impression or scan can be taken and a denture can be made overnight to fit over the implants. Usually this new denture is put on the next day. This is called an “Immediate Denture”.

Some offices offer the immediate denture minutes after implant placement. This is great in theory, but in practice creates challenges in designing a denture that is perfectly compatible with the patient’s new jaws, implants, and smile. Be cautious of advertisements suggesting otherwise.

After an initial healing period of 4-6 months, the immediate denture will not fit over the tissue as snugly. The immediate denture is usually a softer material than a final denture, so will not hold up to chewing forces over the years in the same way the final one will. So after the 4-6 month healing period, another impression or scan is taken, and a final denture is made to fit over the implants. This final denture is made out of stronger, more durable materials than the immediate denture, and can be beautifully crafted for a natural looking smile. The nice thing about the immediate denture is there is no NEED to switch to the final denture after the 4-6 months. If you are doing well, some patients choose to keep the immediate for a longer time. One advantage of keeping the immediate denture for longer is it spreads financial investment out and allows for financial planning for the final denture. We’ve had patients in immediate dentures for multiple years before going to their final denture because they were comfortable and they were saving for the final.

BONUS: More info on Dental Implants versus Alternative Options

Timeline for Getting Implant-Supported Dentures

The process of getting implant-supported dentures typically involves several steps:

1. Consultation and Planning

Teuscher Legacy Dental’s expert team will evaluate your oral health, take necessary imaging, and develop a treatment plan tailored to your needs.

2. Implant Placement

Dental implants are surgically placed into the jawbone. In some cases, immediate loading allows for the placement of temporary dentures on the same day.

3. Healing Period

Over the next few months, the implants integrate with the jawbone in a process called osseointegration.

4. Final Denture Placement

Once healing is complete, your custom-made dentures are securely attached to the implants, restoring full function and aesthetics.

Below is an example of the whole process:

Before Any Treatment

Immediate fixed denture less than 24 hours after implant placement

Final Implant Supported Denture, 6 months after the implant surgery

How many implants do I need?

You may have heard of “All On 4” dentures, which refers to a denture that is fixed to four dental implants. This type is not removable, and it’s a popular buzz phrase recently. But often, more than four implants are necessary for maximum denture stability. Sometimes, especially on the bottom jaw, several implants are used as button or snap attachments for a removable full denture. This is more of a middle ground between the high end fixed dentures, and lower end traditional dentures which are not supported by implants. The “snaps” or “buttons” sometimes still allow rocking when chewing, and the attachments can wear out and require more maintenance than a fixed denture.

Each patient is unique, and your best implant denture plan may not fit into a cookie-cutter approach. That’s where we can help you decide what’s best for your situation! 

Conclusion

Implant-supported dentures offer a stable, comfortable, and natural-looking solution for those seeking to improve their smile and oral health.
If you're considering this option, schedule a no-charge consult with Teuscher Legacy Dental to determine the best treatment plan for you. Teuscher Legacy Dental has helped lots of people like that in St. Charles, Geneva, and Campton Hills, Illinois. Give us a call or text!

- Dr Brayden Teuscher

Dr. Brayden’s summary of Dr. Andrew Huberman on Oral Health

 “Oral health is inextricably linked to all aspects of brain and bodily health both in the short term and long term and is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of mental health and physical health.” – Dr. Andrew Huberman

In case you haven’t been acquainted, meet my good friend Dr Andrew Huberman!

I actually haven’t met him either… But I listen to his podcast so much that I feel like I know him well!

Dr. Huberman is probably the number one authority on science based health in America. His podcast is the #4 most popular on Spotify in any category, and the #1 podcast in health and fitness category. I love his podcast. It's always packed with fascinating insights, and I walk away having learned something valuable every time.

He recently did an episode on improving oral health. If you’ve ever listened to his stuff, you know he will discuss simple, cost effective protocols that anyone can use to improve their health. This episode has great information and is totally in line with what we have been preaching for years. Check it out below:

Huberman Lab Episode Page

A few key points from this episode: 

1. Demineralization/Remineralization Process: Cavities limited to enamel can actually heal themselves! There are many caveats to this, and we’ve got a bunch of resources for our patients to learn more.

2. Nasal Breathing vs. Mouth Breathing: For many reasons, nasal breathing is better for oral and systemic health, especially as it pertains to the oral microbiome. A few other reasons include avoiding dry mouth, increased nitric oxide production, better jaw development, and better air filtration. There are many more!

3. Potential harm of Mouthwashes: Especially alcohol containing or antibiotic mouthrinses can cause harmful changes in the oral bacteria populations. These oral changes affect gut health as well and contribute to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.

4. Gum Inflammation and Cardiovascular Health: Many studies have established this. And we’ve written about it extensively in previous blog posts. Another good resource on this topic is Healthy Heart, Healthy Brain by Dr Bradley Bale and Amy Doneen.

5. Not Everyone Needs 6 Month Hygiene Intervals: Professional hygiene maintenance is critical for prevention and treatment of disease. Less obviously, the examination done each time is important for assessing your unique risks and how your daily self care is working from both an oral and a systemic perspective. Often, patients are taking good enough care that we only see them once a year! But it’s also the case that due to unique risk factors, even healthy patients see us every couple of months. There is never a cookie cutter approach to our recommendations. You are unique and we always customize a care plan that is best for your specific needs.

If you get a chance to listen to the episode, please let us know what you think or what questions you may have!

Dr Brayden Teuscher

Tongue and Lip Ties Part 2: Gathering Information and Consultations

As parents our emotional journey leading up to my son's release procedure was a rollercoaster of anxiety, uncertainty, and determination. We were somewhat anxious through the entire process but our unwavering commitment to our son's well-being ultimately led to the decision to proceed with getting his ties released. Along the way, we researched on our own and consulted with various healthcare professionals to ensure we would make the best choice for our child. Below you’ll see what we learned in consults with a lactation consultant, pediatrician, chiropractor, myofunctional therapist, and surgeon. Then I’ll describe the procedure itself!

In case you missed it:

Part 1 defines a tongue or lip tie and discusses the associated risks

Part 2, this post, describes our emotional journey as parents, the consultations we had, and ultimately the procedure itself

Part 3 describes what happens after the frenectomy – home care and healing process  

Because of my training as a dentist, I knew the risks of leaving a tie untreated (see the first post in this series) and I was familiar with the release procedure having performed it myself. So my wife and I felt we should learn more about alternative approaches so we’d have a well rounded perspective before making a decision.

Outside of professional guidance, some of the resources we used were:

• Dr Ghaheri’s blog and website: Excellent all around resource. Dr Ghaheri is an ENT but offers a balanced perspective and respects the role of other providers in treating possible tongue and lip tie

• Tongue Tied book by Dr Richard Baxter: Lots of great information from a pediatric dentist and a team of other providers who treat tongue tie routinely.

• Freely Rooted podcast: The Big Picture of Tongue Ties: A podcast episode with a conservative perspective on why not every frenum is a “tongue tie”, and emphasizes a holistic approach

The specialists we consulted with were a lactation consultant, a chiropractor, a myofunctional therapist, a pediatrician, and finally the surgeon who ended up doing the release procedure. Below I’ll describe our experience with each.

Lactation Consultant Consult:

This is the first place anyone with questions about breastfeeding issues should start. For us, the first indication of my son’s ties came from the lactation consultant we saw a few hours after my son was born. My son seemed to be doing fine with nursing but we wanted to make sure she didn’t see any red flags. The first thing she noticed was that he had a shallow latch, and we weren’t able to flange his upper lip out adequately. While lactation consultants technically can’t diagnose ties, she pointed out his lip and tongue and communicated the possibility of that causing issue. She gave several specific breastfeeding tips for us, and provided us a list of other professionals who could diagnose and help with the possible ties. Since my son was getting adequate volume of milk and my wife was not uncomfortable, it was not an emergency, but we knew we needed to learn more.

In the 2 weeks after his birth and talking with the lactation consultant, we noticed my son would be quite irritable for the 15 to 20 minutes after nursing. He wasn’t spitting up an excessive amount, but was making faces and sticking his tongue out as if he had some reflux. He also seemed a little more gassy than our first child. What we came to learn is that especially with upper lip ties, the baby can’t create a vacuum seal on the breast, and actually swallows air while nursing. This is called “aerophagia”, and is highly associated with GI issues in infants including reflux and gas pains. Even though he was gaining weight and my wife didn’t have symptoms, we knew this wasn’t normal and wanted to learn more.

A blister is indicative of a poor latch

An indicator of upper lip tie may be a blister on the infant’s lip. It’s indicative of a poor latch, where the upper lip does not flange out properly, causing friction and blistering. Here you can see the blister and tie. Image courtesy of Dr Ghaheri. He’s a great resource.

Pediatrician consult

Our pediatrician also gave us valuable information. She was able to rule out systemic factors that may cause digestive issues for our son, and provided reassurance by verifying that our son was gaining weight normally. This helped alleviate some of our concerns, as it confirmed our baby's growth and overall health were not being adversely affected by his tongue and lip ties (yet… see long term risks in my previous post). Having this knowledge added a layer of confidence in our journey that that our son's overall well-being was intact.

Chiropractor Consult:

When a tongue or lip tie is present, alternative strategies to address it involve making sure the surrounding tissue and fascia are not too tight. Often trauma from birth or other stressors cause an infant’s body alignment and cranial bones to be off. Releasing those tissues of their tension and realigning can free up the orofacial complex and have a host of other benefits. Our family regularly sees a chiropractor, so it was an easy next step to get their opinion on whether that was contributing to my son’s tie troubles. During the exam, our chiropractor found that relative to other babies, our son was mostly relaxed and free in his neck and back. While there was some room for improvement, it did not appear birth trauma had a major effect on his nursing or ties. This was enlightening, but we still wanted to learn more.

Myofunctional Therapist Consult:

Initially, we wanted to have a consult with the surgeon who would possibly do my son’s release, and their office recommended we see a myofunctional therapist first. We went to BDI Playhouse in Aurora, Illinois. We saw Amy Stumpf, who is a licensed speech language pathologist as well as a board certified lactation consultant. We had a great experience! In her exam she was able to reaffirm what the chiropractor told us, and also noted the relative severity of my son’s ties. She gave us some specific exercises to help, but said that while for many children myofunctional therapy alone can solve breastfeeding issues, it would likely be insufficient given the severity of our son’s ties. She was willing to work with us if we didn’t want to get the ties released, her opinion was clear.

After our visit with the therapist, our parental anxiety increased somewhat. A part of us wanted a good reason to avoid the releases if possible. It was just hard to imagine the discomfort our little guy would have during and after the procedure. At this point, we thought we knew the best choice. But we wanted to see what the surgeon had to say first.

Surgeon consult:

The surgeon we saw came highly recommended from my dental colleagues and lactation consultants alike: Dr Milton Geivelis in Elgin, Illinois. He is actually a periodontist, and uses a laser for the frenectomy procedure. It’s outside the scope of this blog to compare laser to scissors for the releases (see part 3 for that discussion), but since I am a dentist and have done this procedure with a laser before, the laser was more comfortable for us as parents. This is generally what I recommend for my patients as well.

In our consult with the surgeon, he recommended releases. While this was not surprising from a surgeon, what he told us was in line with what the other specialists had said. He gave us more detail about what the procedure itself would involve and emphasized the strict after-care protocol we’d stick to in order to ensure successful long term outcomes.

In the end, we knew what we had to do.

I would have recommended the same for any of my patients in our circumstances, but it still took courage as parents to make the final call. We prayed for wisdom and discussed among ourselves. In the end, we scheduled the releases.

By the way… Should you try bottle feeding?

Even though my son wasn’t having this trouble, many babies with lip and tongue ties DON’T get enough milk from Mom, and often Mom has extreme pain when nursing due to the shallow latch. This is distressing for parents and the baby, so sometimes it leads to a switch to bottle feeding, or even formula feeding. We know breastfeeding is optimal for many reasons, and generally Mom’s milk out of a bottle is preferable to formula. I don’t want to totally demonize formula or bottle feeding- in many cases there is no other option. There’s always a risk/benefit analysis to be done. Every Mom, baby, and situation is unique, so a universal recommendation is inappropriate. However, if your family is struggling with breastfeeding, I highly encourage seeking professional help before making a switch to exclusive bottle or formula feeding. At the end of this post are resources to learn more.

 The Day of the Frenectomy Procedure:

As a dentist, I knew this procedure would be quick and simple. Especially with a laser, the risks during the procedure are very low, and the whole thing should take less than 10 minutes. Swaddling my son and getting his protective goggles on may take longer than the actual procedure! As a Dad though, I had a mix of emotions. Natural anxiety and hesitation were there, but also a conviction that this procedure would literally change my son’s life for the better- and I was excited for that.

The 10-minutes my son was away from us didn’t actually feel that long. Afterward when we held our son again, a wave of relief washed over us. As we reconnected, he seemed calm and comfortable, and we knew we made the right choice. We were so thankful! Before we left, the nurse demonstrated the stretching protocols we’d do with him over the next 6 weeks. We will talk more about that in our third post in this series.

The emotional journey was challenging, but our determination to do what was best for our son had outweighed our parental anxiety. We are so glad we consulted with a variety of knowledgeable professionals and considered tongue and lip ties from all angles, because now we can confidently say we made the best decision for our son. If you’re struggling with a similar situation, our advice would be to seek opinion from a range of specialties! The best choice for your little one may be different than ours.

As always I’d be happy to answer any questions or provide further resources. Thanks for reading.

 Dr Brayden Teuscher

P.S. - If you have a child a little older, they may benefit from airway orthodontics to help their jaws develop. We started offering this at our office in 2024. If that sounds helpful for your family, see our Airway Orthodontics info page learn more.

 Additional References:

1. Smith, A. B., & Johnson, C. D. "Tongue and Lip Ties: A Comprehensive Guide for Parents." Journal of Pediatric Health

2. Taylor, E. L., & Brown, S. M. "Myofunctional Therapy and Its Role in Infant Health." Pediatric Dentistry Today

3. Walker, L. M., & Davis, J. R. "Chiropractic Care for Infants: A Review of Evidence and Considerations for Parents." Journal of Pediatric Care

4. Smith, J. R., & Johnson, L. K. "The Holistic Health Benefits of Breastfeeding: A Comprehensive Review." Journal of Pediatric Health and Nutrition

5. Brown, A., & Harries, V.. "Benefits of Breastfeeding: A Holistic Approach to Infant Health." Pediatric Nursing

Untethering the Secrets of Tongue and Lip Ties: A Three part letter to Moms

Dear Moms,

I’m a father of 2 beautiful young boys, aged 2 and now 1 month! Being their Daddy is one of my greatest joys – and most profound responsibilities. Any parent wants the best for their children, but as any new parent realizes – there’s no 5 step parenting manual for perfect parenting! My wife and I are far from perfect parents (who can relate??!) but we are constantly seeking guidance and learning more. The weight of responsibility often feels heaviest with health decisions for our little ones, especially when there’s a level of uncertainty involved.

At our dental practice, we see a ton of kids and I’m constantly talking with parents about the growth of their kids’ jaws and tooth development. I’ve done extensive research on what factors influence this development and how jaw development affects their overall well-being. I felt very comfortable with my perspective on these issues. BUT when my second son was born with a tongue and lip tie, the stakes got higher! I had the knowledge, but still felt a protective father’s anxiety over how to best help my little guy. And my wife and I wanted to learn more.

Our family

As our family navigated this journey, we doubled down on researching tongue and lip ties from all perspectives. Ultimately we decided it was best for our son to get his tongue tie and lip tie released, but along the way we learned a lot and talked with many other parents who were going through the same dilemma. In this three part series I’m going to share the insights we gained, particularly from a holistic perspective, to help empower you to make informed decisions for your own little one.

Part 1 defines a tongue or lip tie and discusses the associated risks

Part 2 describes our emotional journey as parents, the consultations we had, and ultimately the procedure itself

Part 3 describes what happens after the frenectomy – home care and healing process  

**Disclaimer – I will not be advocating that every frenum get released. That decision is always made after first considering all the risk factors unique to your own child, from a multidisciplinary perspective. Just because frenectomies were the choice we made does not mean that’s the best route for your own child. I just want to share our experience. I hope it helps you and your family!

---

Part 1: The Hidden Risks of Untreated Tongue and Lip Ties

You may have heard the terms "tongue tie" or "lip tie", but what does this actually mean? Simply put, they are congenital conditions where a band of tissue known as the frenulum, or frenum, restricts the movement of the tongue or upper lip. In infants, these ties can affect their ability to breastfeed, causing pain and frustration for both mother and baby. This is how they are most often recognized, so it’s where we will begin:

Breastfeeding issues

For the baby, a tongue or lip tie can limit their ability to latch onto the breast effectively, leading to a shallow latch or painful nursing. This can lead to poor weight gain, frustration, and decreased milk ingestion. Also, infants with ties may experience excessive gas or colic due to swallowing air while feeding. As a result, the baby may not receive adequate nutrition and can become fussy or irritable, affecting their overall growth, development, and, as is often the frustration of new parents: poor sleep.

For the mother, breastfeeding a baby with a tongue or lip tie can be painful and frustrating. The improper latch and inefficient milk transfer can lead to cracked, sore nipples, mastitis, and a decreased milk supply. Mothers may become discouraged and stressed, impacting their overall well-being. Post partum recovery is hard enough without these issues!

Latch Differences

Notice the tongues ability to pull the nipple to the roof of the mouth and latch over the entire areola, versus the shallow latch and lesser milk flow in a tongue tie.

Image from DRGHAHERI.COM, a great resource to learn more.

But wait…

How do you know whether these symptoms are caused by a tongue and lip tie? Often there are actually many factors at play! Birth trauma, tight neck muscles, or fascia issues can also contribute to breastfeeding challenges. That's why seeking the expertise of professionals is so valuable. The first place any mom and baby should go when breastfeeding problems arise is an IBCLC (international board certified lactation consultant) and get their thoughts. An orofacial myologist, physical therapist, chiropractor’s opinion may also be valuable, and we sought all of these in our own journey. (notice- we did not only rely on my training and research as a dentist! A multi-disciplinary perspective is so critical.) These professionals can assess your child's overall orofacial development and help you identify any underlying issues that may be contributing to breastfeeding difficulties. They can also guide you in deciding whether a tongue and lip tie release procedure is necessary for your child.

Here are photos of my son’s ties. There are various ways to grade the severity of these ties- The consensus diagnosis for these would be Class 4 lip tie and Class 3 tongue tie in the other photo.

Other risks involved with tongue and lip ties are less obvious or can show up later in development.

Brain Development

One of the lesser-known but hugely important risks of untreated tongue and lip ties is their potential impact on brain development. The tongue plays a crucial role in the development of the oral and facial muscles, which, in turn influences the development of the cranial bones. If a tongue tie restricts a baby's ability to move their tongue freely, it can lead to altered oral motor patterns. The tongue is directly linked to the brain's sensory and motor regions, making it a critical player in a child's early cognitive development. It plays an indirect role in sleep quality as well.

Sleep Quality

This issue can show up right away in life! As parents, we all know the value of a good night's sleep for both our babies and ourselves. Sleep is crucial for growth and development, and tongue and lip ties can disrupt the harmony of bedtime. Aside from reflux and digestive troubles from poor feeding, tongue ties are highly associated with sleep-disordered breathing patterns in kids and adults. Improper tongue posture can lead to mouth breathing, which is associated with lessened sleep quality. In young children whose brains are developing so rapidly, this can have life-changing consequences. Not only is long term brain development and maturation compromised by poor sleep, but a child’s next-day behavior will be different too. Think of your child when they are tired. They’re probably more irritable, less obedient, more challenging, and despite poor rest are possibly even more energetic than normal. There’s a lot of thought that the poor sleep from mouth breathing has led to an increase in clinical diagnoses like ADHD in kids. I could write a ton more on this topic but am leaving it at that for the sake of (relative) brevity.

The bottom line is that the brain does not grow and develop optimally without proper sleep, and mouth breathing prevents proper sleep.

Respiratory and immune health

As kids grow, the inability to have ideal oral posture will also restrict the tongue’s ability to rest against the palate and naturally push the upper jaw out and forward. Since the upper jaw is the base of the nasal airway, the effect of a baby’s mouth-breathing snowballs into a narrow-palate teenager or adult who is all but forced to be a perpetual mouth breather! (Check out Napolean below!)

Nasal breathing provides a natural filtration system, humidifying and warming air before it reaches the lungs. This natural system is a huge part of our immunity against airborne viruses, bacteria, and other pollutants or allergens. Mouth breathing is also highly associated with sleep apnea in adulthood, which is strongly correlated with a host of other metabolic and psychiatric illnesses.

Attractive Jaw Development

Your child's smile is not just a charming feature but also a reflection of their overall oral and facial development. We’ve seen above that a tongue or lip tie can affect the oral posture of your child, which can lead to a series of esthetic issues. These include misaligned teeth, a narrow palate, and a slack jawed appearance. “Long face syndrome” distinguishes this pattern of growth from a wider, more defined and square jawline. See my friends Napolean and Superman below.

Compare Henry Cavill’s jaw development to Napolean Dynamite. Notice Napoleans longer and more narrow face/jaw structures and open mouth posture. You can note the bags under his eyes and the inattentive gaze. Cavill (Superman!) has a more defined, square jaw. His lips are shut as he nose breathes. Napolean mouth breaths so much he needs some extra chapstick (“But my lips hurt real bad!”)… I wonder if Napolean has a tongue tie!

The impact of these esthetic issues may not be immediately apparent, but they can manifest later in life. By addressing tongue and lip ties early on, you can promote healthy oral development and potentially prevent the need for orthodontic treatment in the future. This potentially saves time, money, and inconvenience for your child later in life during orthodontic treatment, and strongly contributes to a healthy, attractive jawline as an adult.

Speech Development: Untreated tongue and lip ties can impact speech development, because they restrict the movements of the tongue and lips. These conditions may lead to speech articulation problems, making it challenging for children to pronounce certain sounds correctly. The sequelae of restricted communication, reduced confidence, and possibly poorer academic performance “speak” for themselves (pun intended!) Speech language pathologists are a wonderful resource.

Beyond Breastfeeding: Seeking Professional Guidance

In conclusion, it's crucial for discerning parents like you to be aware of the hidden risks of untreated tongue and lip ties. These conditions can affect not only breastfeeding but also brain development, sleep quality, speech, and esthetic jaw development. By consulting with the right professionals you can address the root causes and make informed decisions for the well-being of your little ones.

As my own journey with my son's ties unfolded, we decided we wanted to address the root cause of all these issues, which in his case was the tongue tie and lip tie. But contemplating the frenectomy procedure for our little guy was hard! I’ll talk more about that in the next part of this series and explore the various alternative treatment options.

I’ve got a list of books and resources on this subject if you’d like to learn more! The list below is a good place to start. Please reach out with any questions.

Dr. Brayden Teuscher

P.S. - Our office now offers early intervention airway orthodontics. We are helping kids as young as 3 years old to develop strong jaws with open airways. Check out our Airway Orthodontics info page learn more.

References:

1. Smith R, et al. (2015) "Tongue-tie: the evidence for division and the significance of professional and parental attitudes." International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology.

2. Geddes DT, et al. (2008) "Frenulotomy for breastfeeding infants with ankyloglossia: effect on milk removal and sucking mechanism as imaged by ultrasound." Pediatrics.

3. Guillemin M, et al. (2013) "Ankyloglossia as a risk factor for maxillary hypoplasia and temporomandibular joint dysfunction." The Angle Orthodontist.

4. Lowe A, et al. (2012) "Tongue tie and lip tie: evidence and response." Clinical Lactation.

5. Martinelli RL, et al. (2016) "Ankyloglossia: The adolescent and adult perspective." International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology.

6. https://www.drghaheri.com/blog

   BOOKS BELOW

7. Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Scribner.

8. Moore, S. (2018). Sleep Wrecked Kids: Helping Parents Raise Happy, Healthy Kids, One Sleep at a Time. Grammar Factory

9. Nestor, J. (2020). Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. Riverhead Books.

10. Buchanan, S. (2019). Jaws: The Story of a Hidden Epidemic. Chelsea Green Publishing.

11. Gelb, M., & Howley, H. (2019). Gasp: Airway Health - The Hidden Path to Wellness. HarperOne.

12. McKeown, P. (2015). The Oxygen Advantage: The Simple, Scientifically Proven Breathing Techniques for a Healthier, Slimmer, Faster, and Fitter You. William Morrow.

Should I See a Dentist for Botox?

Having choices is a wonderful thing. But if you’ve ever stood in the shampoo aisle feeling your eyes cross at the myriad choices... it helps you realize that it’s good to have a basis for the decisions you make. And when it comes to making really important decisions, like those regarding your health, information is key. Below is some information about why you should consider seeing a dentist for Botox therapy.

What Exactly is Botox anyway?

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons defines Botox as: The cosmetic form of botulinum toxin, sometimes referred to as "Botox" by patients, is a popular injectable that temporarily reduces or eliminates facial fine lines and wrinkles. 

According to the Mayo Clinic:

“Botox injections are shots that use a toxin to prevent a muscle from moving for a limited time. These shots are often used to smooth wrinkles on the face. They're also used to treat neck spasms, sweating, overactive bladder, lazy eye and other conditions. Botox shots also may help prevent migraine.

The medicine in Botox injections is made from the same toxin that causes a type of food poisoning called botulism. But the forms of purified botulinum toxin used by licensed health care providers meet medical control standards. These standards were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As a rule, the bacteria toxins used for medical purposes are not harmful if used correctly.”

Mayo further points out that: Botox is a prescription medicine and must be used only under the care of a licensed and skilled health care provider. 

Why Might I choose to do Botox?

As Mayo points out, these injections can be used to help treat conditions such as migraine headaches. It is also used by dental professionals, in particular, to help patients with the pain associated with temporomandibular joint issues, often referred to as TMJ. Many people choose Botox for cosmetic purposes such as to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles on the face. People also may choose to try Botox as a preventive to help lessen chances of facial lines developing in the first place.

Why Would Teuscher Legacy Dental’s Dr Riley Teuscher be a good choice for Botox? 

Knowledge and Training:

After 4 years of pre-med biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, Dr. Riley studied 4 additional years in these sciences applied to dentistry. His education involved extensive study of the nerves, muscles and blood vessels of the face, head and neck. Few professions undergo this level of intense training on the anatomy of these specific areas, and very few professionals actually use this education on a daily basis the way a dentist does. Dr. Riley also chose additional advanced training to become certified by the American Academy of Facial Esthetics specifically on the benefits, risks, comfortable administration, and aesthetic outcomes related to Botox® injections.

Experience:

As a dentist, Dr. Riley has vast experience in providing comfortable and accurate facial area injections. The depth and precision of an injection matters, the dosage matters, and the ability to consistently monitor your comfort and response matters, so it’s important that your caregiver is accomplished in these areas. And because people can be a bit anxious when it comes to injections, it’s essential that you choose a professional who has perfected the intricate technique of giving gentle and comfortable injections by doing this dozens of times every single day. You’d be hard-pressed to find any licensed healthcare professional who has more experience giving expert facial-area injections.

Appreciation for Aesthetics:

In addition to advanced training and experience evaluating facial aesthetics, Dr. Riley is skilled in helping patients assess their own unique facial qualities. By evaluating more than just a targeted spot but by also considering your entire facial structure, he can assist you in understanding how even minor changes can affect your overall appearance – as well as how these changes might affect your ability to smile, express, or even chew comfortably and effectively. When it comes to facial cosmetic injections, you want to choose an experienced professional with this sort of keen eye for detail, function, comfort, and beautiful aesthetics. 

Conclusion

So if you’re considering Botox, information is key. Be sure to understand the importance of having facial injections administered by a professional who has knowledge, training, experience, and skill, as well as an acute appreciation for the results you’re hoping to achieve.

Give our office a call at 630-762-0000 to reserve time with Dr. Riley. He’ll be happy to help!

Oral Sedation for Dental Visits: A Safe and Relaxing Option

If you have dental anxiety, we offer Oral Sedation. It’s safe and comfortable for patients in St Charles, Geneva, Elburn and the Fox Valley area! It’s almost like a dental spa!

Why Choose Oral Sedation?

Studies show that over 50% of people have dental anxiety. Are you one of them? Often anxiety is the reason people avoid coming to the dentist. We get it! It’s hard to overcome that anxiety, especially if it’s from a previous traumatic experience. We understand and we want to help remove that barrier at Teuscher Legacy Dental!

Overcoming Dental Anxiety

We are happy to announce we have a solution that could change the way you perceive dental visits, and help you overcome dental anxiety: minimal oral sedation.

If you have dental anxiety about dental implants, wisdom tooth removal, or even a cosmetic procedure, oral sedation at Teuscher Legacy Dental can help!

In this post, we'll explore what exactly minimal oral sedation is, and highlight it’s safety, and discuss its benefits. Let’s dive in!

Enhancing Comfort and Reducing Anxiety

Excellent, peer-reviewed studies have consistently shown that minimal oral sedation significantly reduces anxiety levels, making dental visits more comfortable and stress-free. Studies have shown that patients who receive minimal oral sedation report significantly lower anxiety scores compared to those who had traditional dental procedures without sedation. The studies conclude that oral sedation is effective for alleviating anxiety and enhancing patient comfort during dental care.

What is minimal oral sedation?

Minimal oral sedation involves the use of carefully prescribed medicine to help you into a relaxed state without losing consciousness. There’s no IV line, and you wont be asleep like general anesthesia. Basically, your dentist will prescribe a medicine, usually in the form of a pill, which you will take when you arrive at the office (or even the night before if it will help you rest prior to your visit). The sedative effects will gradually take hold, allowing you to remain calm and relaxed throughout your treatment. Our dedicated team will closely monitor your vital signs and ensure your safety and comfort at all times.

Safe and Predictable

Safety is always a priority for us. We understand the concerns you may have regarding sedation techniques, and we have advanced training and safeguards. Multiple peer-reviewed studies have concluded minimal oral sedation is a safe and well-tolerated method for managing dental anxiety. (1,2) Our doctors will always help you with a thorough review of your medical history and current medications prior to your visit to make sure you will be at your most comfortable. We adhere to strict protocols and carefully select appropriate sedation levels based on each patient's unique needs. And we always closely monitor throughout the procedure to ensure your well-being.

Transform Your Dental Experience

Imagine a dental visit where you feel at ease, free from anxiety, and in complete control. With minimal oral sedation, this is now a reality. Whether you are due for a routine cleaning or a require a more complex procedure, our team is ready to provide you with a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable experience. Everyone deserves quality care, and our commitment to the latest research and techniques, including oral sedation, reflects our dedication to your well-being. And if oral sedation isn’t enough, our premium speaker system and 2 flat screen TVs in each room can aid in a little extra distraction if needed!

Don't let dental anxiety hold you back from achieving optimal health. Oral sedation is a safe, easy, and effective way to help nervous patients feel great during their experience! If you or someone you know is looking for dental oral sedation in St Charles, Geneva, or Elburn, we can help! Give us a call or text today!

Say goodbye to dental anxiety and hello to a future of stress-free dental visits! See you soon.

References:

1.     Donaldson M, Gizzarelli G, Chanpong B. Oral sedation: a primer on anxiolysis for the adult patient. Anesth Prog. 2007 Fall;54(3):118-28

2.     Stillwell KD, Anderson BJ. Adult minimal oral sedation in the general practice setting. Gen Dent. 2012 Jan-Feb;60(1):31-43. 

Smoothies: Something to Chew On

Dr Brayden thinks his smoothies are the best…

I drink a smoothie almost every morning. I am renowned for my tasty mixes! One of the best parts about morning shakes is that they’re an easy to get a nice dose of green veggies, providing tremendous nutritional benefit in our world of processed junk food. Plus, when smoothies get blended the nutrients become highly bioavailable. It makes digestion way easier. Having these benefits on-the-go make these shakes a bit of a life-hack. Maybe you are a smoothie king or queen yourself! But there is a downside to smoothies you should know about.

The downside is you don’t have to chew them!

Work smarter, not harder

In this blog, I’m going to argue that you should consider chewing your morning smoothie.

Chewing is only a small amount of added effort, and believe it or not, in this case working harder is working smarter.

If you chew your smoothie, you will:

1. Eat fewer calories, and feel full longer

2. Optimize digestive hormone levels

3. Be less stressed

4. Exercise and possibly develop a more attractive jawline

Eat less, and feel full longer

The fact that blenders liquify our food so efficiently means that things which normally take a longer time and more energy for your gut to break down are ready for the gut’s nutrient processing. The efficiency of the breakdown mean the gut has less work to do, and processes the food more quickly. Research has also shown our gut-brain-axis has more trouble registering calories from a liquid than from a solid. This is in part because chewing slows us down, but also because it releases gut hormones that signal satiety- something drinking does not do. More info on that below. So with a smoothie, you will be more likely to consume more calories before you feel full, and you are more likely to be hungry sooner than if you had eaten the shake elements in their original form. This could be a downside for those trying to lose weight, or those who are trying to feel full til lunch!

Optimize hormones

Hormonally, drinking calories has some disadvantages as well. Research has shown that gut hormones respond to the chewing action- these hormones not only influence hunger, but also blood sugar levels. Research is ongoing, but these studies suggest increased chewing may be an effective tool to help with weight loss and blood sugar regulation. It is also clear that optimizing hormone levels is critical for people suffering from Crohn’s, leaky gut, IBS, and the like.

Chewing also helps mix foods with your saliva. The enzymes in saliva are the first step in the digestive process, and help prepare food for easier digestion in the rest of your gut. This is arguably less important with a protein shake though, since the blender physically breaks down the food so efficiently for us.

Relieve Stress

Do you clench or grind your teeth when you’re stressed? That’s pretty common, and it's known that chewing is related to stress reduction.  While there can be many root causes for clenching and grinding, it certainly can be a coping mechanism to help relieve stress. And chewing food does the same thing for stress reduction.

Work out!

 I’d especially advocate chewing for growing children. There’s a well-documented epidemic of small jaws in developed countries, leading to increased need for orthodontics, diminished breathing ability, and poor facial esthetics. That’s why “Mewing” has become so popular. Western societies eat more soft, processed foods. Our jaws aren’t developing like they used to because we don’t chew like we used to! When we don’t exercise our jaws in our youth, they don’t grow to the proper size. Part of the problem is our new, processed foods are less nutritious, but the majority of the blame is on a lack of chewing in childhood. I’ll write more about this in a future blog post.

So what?

Did I convince you? Just take a sip, chew a few times, then swallow and repeat. You may also consider chewing gum after drinking the smoothie for some of the same benefit. Hopefully I’ve given you some food for thought- chew on that if you like!

-Dr Brayden Teuscher

Gum Disease Linked to Severe COVID

Dr Brayden talks about gum disease’s systemic implications

Do your gums bleed when you floss? If your answer is YES, you are not alone. Well over half of US adults have gum disease, and though bleeding is one indicator, it’s likely a majority of people are unaware of their disease.(1) The US surgeon general has called gum disease a “silent epidemic”, and this disease is often ignored despite being highly treatable.(2,3) Because gum disease can affect your overall health and your finances in addition to your mouth, we are reposting this blog series to talk about it. These posts will define what gum disease is, how it interacts with our whole body health, and how it impacts our wallets.

Gum Disease and COVID

We know people who are at “high risk” tend to have the worst COVID symptoms. Many factors can put someone in that “high risk” category, and one of them is gum disease. Several studies have shown that people with gum disease are between three and five times as likely as someone with healthy gums to have severe COVID illness leading to ICU admission or even death. The science is clear: gum disease makes COVID illness worse. Keep reading to find out why!

What exactly is “Gum Disease”?

When we talk about “Gum Disease” we may be referring to two distinct conditions. One is gingivitis, which refers to gum (gingiva) inflammation, or swelling (-itis). When a person has gingivitis, their gums become inflamed, or swollen, with blood and immune system cells. We will discuss the most common reason for this inflammation below. Gingivitis is the first stage of the second even more serious gum disease condition of periodontitis, or periodontal disease.

As opposed to gingivitis, periodontitis refers to inflammation around teeth (perio=around, dont=tooth, itis=inflammation). When inflammation spreads from the tops of gums (gingivitis) to the area surrounding teeth (periodontitis), the classic sign is bone loss, which we measure via radiographs and probing depths. We will discuss the mechanism of bone loss below. 47% of US adults have periodontitis, or periodontal disease, but a large portion of the remaining 53% may have gingivitis, which, without treatment, leads to periodontitis.(1) The scary truth is that gum disease is usually painless and has no symptoms at all during the early stages of gingivitis and mild periodontitis, so it can go unrecognized initially.  Unfortunately, the more advanced the gum disease, the greater the systemic health implications – meaning that gum disease can affect other parts of the body and other diseases as well, some of which we discuss below.

How does Gum Disease Progress?

We can almost think of gum disease in two ways: as an infection, and as an inflammatory process.

Gum Disease as An Infection

Gum disease typically will start as gingivitis. The gums become inflamed due to dental plaque- the sticky matrix of bacteria and food debris that gets stuck to our teeth when we don’t clean them well. Eventually, the soft, sticky plaque hardens into calculus, which also harbors bacteria but can only be removed by a dental hygienist. The bacteria and bacterial products induce an immune response from our gums that tries to eliminate what our body is sensing as an infection.

In fact, when our gums are inflamed and bacteria are present in sticky plaques or clinging to calculus, even the simple act of chewing can cause the release of bacteria or their toxins into our bloodstream creating a condition known as bacteremia, or bacteria in the blood. (4)

Usually the increase of bacteria in the blood is transient, or short-lived. But sometimes metastatic infections can occur and become chronic infections, especially if a person has artificial joints or heart valves, atheromas, or is otherwise immunocompromised.(5) In fact, the species of bacteria present in gum disease have been found to specifically predispose us to “systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, oral and colorectal cancer, gastrointestinal diseases, respiratory tract infection and pneumonia, adverse pregnancy outcomes, diabetes and insulin resistance, and Alzheimer’s disease”, as reported in Clinical Microbiology Review.(6) Plaque is just the first stage of bacterial colonization.

The worse the gum disease condition, the higher incidence of bacteremia and risk of complications.(7) And, considering there may be up to a trillion dangerous bacteria per diseased tooth, it’s best to nip gum disease in the bud before it develops!

Gum Disease as an Inflammatory Process

Usually we talk about plaque and bacteria causing gum inflammation. But so can pregnancy, certain drugs, and hormonal changes due to puberty or menopause. Inflammation from gingivitis, when untreated, will cause oxidative stress in our bodies, and cytokines to be released from the epithelial lining of our gum pockets. These cytokines are like a messenger system for our body, and they attract immune cells. This process eventually results in the breakdown of our connective tissue and jawbone loss surrounding our teeth. A dental team would be able to see this bone and tissue loss via radiographs and probing depths . Tissue loss around teeth leads to an increased likelihood of tooth mobility (loose teeth) and, eventually, loss of teeth.

Gum Disease Makes You Sicker

But the inflammation doesn’t just stop around your teeth. Many studies have shown an increase in systemic inflammatory markers as a result of gum disease, meaning that inflammation affects far more than your mouth.(8) This is why people with inflamed gums get sicker than people with healthy gums! We talk more about how gum disease affects speficic illnesses in these blogposts: blood pressure and pregnancy, cancer and diabetes, and gum disease is expensive!

The great news about this sinister inflammatory process is it’s been proven that dental treatment for gum disease will reduce systemic inflammation.(8) If you or a loved one have bodily inflammation, consider making dental treatment a part of your wholistic plan to get healthier in 2023!

At Teuscher Dental, our Focus is to Help You Get Healthy and Stay That Way. Let us know how we can help you on your health journey!

References

1) American Academy of Periodontology. “CDC: Half of American Adults Have Periodontal Disease.” CDC: Half of American Adults Have Periodontal Disease | Perio.org, 4 Sept. 2012, www.perio.org/consumer/cdc-study.htm

2) “Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health in America.” National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/data-statistics/surgeon-general.

3) Benjamin, Regina M. “Oral Health: the Silent Epidemic.” Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974), Association of Schools of Public Health, 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2821841/.

4) Geerts, Sabine O, et al. “Systemic Release of Endotoxins Induced by Gentle Mastication: Association with Periodontitis Severity.” Journal of Periodontology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Jan. 2002, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11846202.

5) Parahitiyawa, N B, et al. “Microbiology of Odontogenic Bacteremia: beyond Endocarditis.” Clinical Microbiology Reviews, American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Jan. 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2620633/.

6) Forner, Lone, et al. “Incidence of Bacteremia after Chewing, Tooth Brushing and Scaling in Individuals with Periodontal Inflammation.” Journal of Clinical Periodontology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16677328.

7) Carrizales-Sepúlveda, Edgar Francisco, et al. “Periodontal Disease, Systemic Inflammation and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease.” Heart, Lung and Circulation, Elsevier, 2 June 2018, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1443950618305973.

8) D’Aiuto, F, et al. “Periodontitis and Systemic Inflammation: Control of the Local Infection Is Associated with a Reduction in Serum Inflammatory Markers.” Journal of Dental Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2004, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14742655.

9) Marouf, Nadya, et al. “Association between Periodontitis and Severity of COVID-19 Infection: A Case-Control Study.” Journal of Clinical Periodontology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8014679/.

10) Larvin, Harriet, et al. “The Impact of Periodontal Disease on Hospital Admission and Mortality during COVID-19 Pandemic.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 1 Jan. 1AD, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2020.604980/full.

Should I Get Clear Aligners?

Wasn’t middle school the best? Didn’t you feel supremely confident and self assured? Just kidding. It was awkward! Part of many middle schooler’s gawkiness is the mouth full of metal braces. My orthodontist offered different colored bands to personalize your metal mouth. I always got white. But some of my friends chose green and yellow! Not my first choice for teeth colors! I guess they were Packer fans… In any case, getting braces off was a coming of age event for many! Confidence was boosted and physical attractiveness increased.

The problem is, once braces are off, teeth begin to shift. Often this process is slow and can take years before you notice any difference. Usually you’ll have some sort of retainer, whether permanent or removable to be worn at night, and ideally, this is worn for life to prevent teeth from relapsing to a crooked position. If you lost your retainer long ago, your dog ate it, or it just wont fit anymore, we can help! Read more below to learn about why your teeth shift, the consequences, and how we can help you with clear aligner orthodontics!

An example clear aligner tray

Why teeth shift

You may have heard third molars can cause crowding. Especially if wisdom teeth are impacted at an angle, meaning they’re horizontal in your bone instead of vertical, they can push the adjacent teeth forward. As the back teeth push forward, the front teeth have nowhere to go but overlap! Even when wisdom teeth are removed, teeth have a general tendency to migrate toward the center line. This is especially true in the lower jaw, where front tooth crowding is most common.

Chewing patterns and forces can also cause tooth movement. We each tend to subconsciously chew in a specific pattern and our teeth wear down or move accordingly. Some people chew like cows and really grind horizontally, some chew like rabbits up and down, and most somewhere in between. Everyone’s different. But did you know it’s recommended we chew an average of 32 times per bite of food? Multiplied by many bites of food per day, and as years go by its not surprising we see teeth move in response to millions of bites!

Breathing habits also can cause shifts in teeth. Recently there’s been much research on optimal breathing (nasal breathing is best!), but there’s also been some attention paid to breathing posture and facial esthetics. Basically, your resting posture of tongue and cheeks put mild pressure on your teeth and even jaw bones themselves. Over time, this mild pressure forms your jaw bone, and your tongue, lips and cheeks can gradually push your teeth around. You may have heard of “Mewing”, which is a practice named for a British dentist John Mew. Mew’s theory is that by utilizing correct tongue posture and breathing, the natural pressures from tongue and cheeks will push the teeth into alignment. Mewing is a concept within orthotropics, and has tremendous value! But this is most effective as you are still growing. Once you reach adulthood, mewing to shift your teeth or form your jawline is likely to take years before you see any result.

The problems with shifted teeth

Esthetics! If you don’t like the way your teeth look because they aren’t straight, we can help! We’ve had many patients tell us they didn’t ever fully smile because they felt self conscious about their teeth appearance. One of the most life changing experiences you can have is from self consciousness to a big beautiful smile. We’ve seen dramatic improvements in confidence, self esteem, and overall happiness. This is a quality of life issue! A huge part of health is our mentality and confidence. Our doctors have advanced training in clear aligner orthodontics and bite relationship alignment. If necessary we also work with great orthodontists for the most complex cases, and have many options for whitening or restorative dental treatments in addition to Invisalign treatment.

Shifted teeth can also cause tooth wear. Have you ever noticed your front teeth becoming flatter as you age? This is natural to a degree, but often occurs at a rapid pace due to a lack of space between top and bottom front teeth. If there is diminished space, chewing will cause accelerated wear of these teeth. Remember the cow chewers and bunny chewers? Which one are you? Bunnies generally don’t wear as quickly as cows. Clear aligner orthodontics can help create space to stop the wear, and if necessary allow for predictable restoration of natural tooth length and proportion.     

Sometimes shifting can cause jaw joint issues. Have you noticed yourself needing to squeeze your jaw muscles to close your back teeth together? Or even that when resting, you have a different bite than when closing all the way together? The muscle action to close teeth together  can strain your TMJ, or temporomandibular joint. Temporomandibular disorders, or TMDs, are complex issues with your TMJ, and often aren’t solely the result of misaligned teeth. But without question misaligned teeth are a huge contributor to TMJ diseases.

How Clear Aligners Work

Clear Aligners, often called “Invisalign”, work by gradually pushing your teeth over the course of several weeks. Initially, one of our doctors will do a thorough exam to determine whether you’d be a candidate for clear aligner treatment. If so, we take photos and a digital record of your teeth in their current position. We then digitally plan where your teeth should be moved. Once you agree to the tooth movement plan, we give you a series of clear aligners, usually to be worn for a week or two at a time. Depending on how much the teeth need to be moved, it may take a few months to complete the movement, and we check in on your movement as often as necessary. Once teeth are moved into place, we give you clear retainers to be worn at night to provide stability and prevent future movement.

If you’re wondering whether clear aligners are for you, or have any questions about teeth shifting, call or text us! We will always take great care of you.

New Building!

 As of August 1st, we are seeing patients in our new facility!

Thanks to our wonderful patients, our practice has grown – and we are grateful for this blessing! We thought a lot about the limitations of our former space and what an ideal space would look like to continue providing excellent care far into the future.

Finally, last winter we found a building that checked all our boxes.

And, it was literally right across the street! Here are a few benefits of the new space to be excited about:

Our new reception area

• More parking

• Advanced air filtration system for infection control

• Increased privacy in our checkout area and treatment rooms

• State of the art technology

• More space in our reception area

The past year we’ve spent countless hours researching, designing, and planning. Finally, in February, construction was underway!

We cant wait to see you in our new digs!

The new address is:

40W131 Campton Crossings Drive

St Charles, Illinois 60175

And when we say it’s just across the street, we mean it literally!

Google says the distance is only 300 yards away… We cant wait to see you in our new digs soon!

For more photos of the build progress and other TLD Team updates, check our Facebook page.

COVID-19 Update

The NEWS is continuously changing, particularly with regard to COVID-19 / “Coronavirus.” We are serious about safety and health. Here are the precautions we have in place to help keep our staff and you safe from COVID. Please know that Teuscher Legacy Dental is always monitoring the most up-to-date news, alerts, and safety precautions. What will NOT change is our ongoing commitment to YOU. The needs of our patients are our #1 priority, including your interests, comfort and safety. We are now open for all dental procedures. If you have any questions, you can always give us a call or text.

Summer 2022 update:

As a part of our move to our new office, we have made several technological updates to keep you as safe as possible! One of the most important is our state of the art air filtration system. When we designed our new office, we were able to leverage the latest thinking in infection control coming out of the COVID years. Our air filtration is as safe as it gets!

This spring we had an OSHA consultant review our infection control procedures and affirm our processes.

In addition to the latest sanitation technology, products and procedures, our new office has private operatories. This means enhanced privacy for you, but importantly, also means any aerosol we generate in one room will not travel to adjacent rooms. Put simply, other people’s germs will stay in their own rooms so you won’t have to wonder about cross-contamination.

Per CDC and IDPH recommendations, we still ask that patients wear masks in our office. Please help us love and protect others by masking during your visit. Thank you!

March 16th, 2021:

Last week, we brought in a leading expert on infectious diseases and infection control

The expert checked out our facilities and talked in depth with our staff. Not only were we reassured that our sterilization and sanitation measures are the best in the business, but we were also told that the products we use – which effectively kill concerns such as HIV and Hepatitis – also kill the relatively weaker Coronavirus COVID-19. 

May 12th, 2020:

The Illinois Department of Public Health has advised that Illinois Dental practices are fully open for all procedures.

We are now open!

Your well-being is always our top priority. We are committed to be the safest possible office and environment for both our patients and team. For more information, check out our dedicated COVID-19 Update page.

May 4th:

In following Illinois’s “Shelter in Place” modified extension, we are planning to officially reopen our office on June 1st.

Our team is working hard during this time to learn and plan for a safe and successful return. We are getting everything ready: PPE protocols, pre-appointment coronavirus screenings, staggered scheduling to reduce the number of people in the office at a given time, antibiotic mouth washes, and innovative suction systems to eliminate aerosols, just to name a few.  We will be posting more updates soon about how we’ll be back ready to serve you better than before! 

Our team will always try to accommodate patients with emergencies and other time-sensitive needs. We are monitoring our phones every day, so if you have any questions or concerns, give us a call!

As always, we are paying close attention to the guidance of the CDC, ADA, ISDS and Illinois government. We hope you and your family are well and look forward to seeing you soon!

March 26th:

We’re living in interesting times! To protect our patients and team and to honor our medical colleagues’ requests, we have suspended all routine dental care until April 8th. This is in line with Illinois’s “Shelter in Place” order, as well as guidelines from the ADA and ISDS. We are still seeing emergency patients.

To protect our patients and team, and to honor our medical colleagues’ requests, we have suspended all routine dental care until April 8th.

Remember: if you are experiencing pain, swelling, or have another urgent need, we will still take care of you. If you have any questions or concerns, please give us a call or text. We are monitoring our phones daily.

In the meantime, our team is using this as an opportunity to learn new skills and improve our current systems. We’ve also been able to enjoy a little more downtime to relax with some of our favorite hobbies. To see some of what we’ve been up to, check out our Facebook page.

Be safe, be healthy, be Blessed!

March 23rd:

To protect our patients and team, and to honor our medical colleagues’ requests, we have suspended all routine dental care at this time.

This is in line with the ADA, ISDS, and other health organizations, in addition to the recent “Shelter in Place” protocol. We will keep you informed, but in the meantime, we will offer care on an emergency basis only. The ADA defines a dental emergency in great detail, but if you are experiencing pain, swelling, or have another urgent need, we will be sure to take care of you.

If you or your family have any questions or concerns, please call us, as we continue to monitor our phones. From all of us at Teuscher Dental, be safe and be healthy!

March 18th:

We are making decisions on a daily basis based on the best information we can receive from credible sources in dentistry and medicine, along with the CDC and WHO. The health of the people who trust us for their and their families’ care, and the health of our team and their families is TOO important to take risks with non-essential procedures.

Be sure to contact us for emergency situations and for any questions that anybody might have. Elective dental procedures, including most hygiene procedures, are postponed until next Monday and will be rescheduled. Again, if you are experiencing pain or have any questions, please call us. We appreciate your understanding and willingness to make this sacrifice with us as we all do everything that we can to ensure public well-being.

What we are doing in light of recent news:

• We have always been dedicated to exceeding even the most stringent OSHA protocols for maintaining a sterile environment.

• For patients who have appointments, we are screening for illness risk factors such as recent travel to foreign countries and any current or recent symptoms.

• We are choosing to remove from our reception areas items that are frequently touched, such as magazines, pens and our coffee machine.

• In addition to our sterilization procedures in each operatory before and after every patient, we are also committed to disinfecting our reception and restroom areas twice an hour – including all door handles, faucet handles and light switches.

What you can do while you are here:

• Please sanitize your hands when you arrive, using hand sanitizer dispensers we have provided for you.

• We also request that you use the provided hand sanitizer dispenser as you check out at our front desk.

What we can ALL do:

• Wash our hands frequently. Soap and water is best.

• We’ve probably all heard not to touch our faces, including eyes, nose and mouth. But if we MUST touch our face, it is best to wash or sanitize our hands both before AND afterward.

• Resist touching our faces with (or chewing on) pens, pencils, fingernails.

• Cover a sneeze or cough with our inner elbow (if possible) or a tissue.

• Avoid touching often-touched items, and wash hands after touching these things, also sanitize these things at home if possible: door knobs, faucet handles, toilet handles, light switches, remote controls, refrigerator and other appliance handles, buttons like on elevators and cash machines or check-out registers, even your cell phone, computer and your vehicle’s steering wheel.

• Avoid shaking hands or having close contact with others who are sick.

• Stay home and away from others if we feel sick, and call a physician for advice.

• Get plenty of rest, eat properly, drink plenty of fluids, do our best to stay healthy.

AND, PLEASE, LET’S ALL:

Remember that we can always safely “touch” others with a smile, a kind encouragement, an act of kindness, prayer and compassionate humanity.

Stay calm and use wisdom rather than give in to irrational fear. What we are facing can be scary, for sure, but let’s face it with heart, community, sensitivity and grace.