JiaYLeeDDS

Most of us know that there are a right way and a wrong way to do things. What you may not know is that this rule applies to oral hygiene practices as well as everyday life choices. Dr. Jia Y. Lee, DDS is almost certain that his patients know the wrong way to brush their teeth, but he is here to provide you with the right technique. Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums. Move the brush back and forth gently in short (tooth-wide) strokes. Brush the outer tooth surfaces, the inner tooth surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth. Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, using a gentle up-and-down stroke. Brush your tongue to remove bacteria. If you have questions or concerns regarding preventive dentistry or oral care, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at our practice, visit  www.myranchocucamongadentist.com  for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jia Y. Lee, DDS in Rancho Cucamonga, CA,...

Our dental office wants you and your family to be aware of oral cancer and we encourage you to ask about a screening with every checkup.  Of course, heavy smoking and drinking increase the risk of oral cancer but oral cancer can still occur if someone never smokes. Recently, the human papilloma virus (HPV) was found to be responsible for most oral cancers that originated in the back of the mouth. To screen for oral cancer, our doctors perform a visual exam and uses an ultraviolet light device to detect any cancerous irregularities in tissue.  This exam can be done in a short length of time and in addition to any dental appointment.  Regular screenings are the best way to protect you and your family, but always contact us if you notice any inexplicable pain, swelling, or numbness in your throat or jaw. To learn more about oral cancer and all the services provided at the practice, visit Myranchocucamongadentist.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jia Y. Lee, DD...

There are many reasons why a tooth may need to be extracted.  After a tooth is removed, the extraction site will require stitches and the patient will need to follow strict instructions that Dr. Jia Y. Lee, DDS will provide. After the procedure is complete, the patient will need plenty of rest and a change in diet. Here a few things to remember during post-operative care. If the extraction site is bleeding for longer than 24 hours the patient should call our office immediately. Once the patient returns home, he or she should rest, but do not lie flat because doing so could prolong the bleeding. Dr. Jia Y. Lee, DDS will prescribe pain medication, as well as a cleaning solution for the extraction site, so if the patient becomes sore it should be taken as directed. It’s important to eat soft foods such as gelatin, pudding, yogurt, mashed potatoes, etc. so that the stitches are not punctured. When drinking, make sure you do not use a straw, because the sucking motion can loosen your suture...

This may sound a little extreme, but it’s the truth, if we didn’t practice proper oral hygiene habits, our teeth will eventually fall out. If you want to keep your permanent teeth for a lifetime, you have to brush at least twice a day for two minutes to eliminate food particles that can cause bad breath and periodontal disease. Dr. Jia Y. Lee, DDS wants patients to know that there is a proper way to brush the teeth, and he would like to share it with you. Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums. Move the brush back and forth gently in short (tooth-wide) strokes. Brush the outer tooth surfaces, the inner tooth surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth. Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, using a gentle up-and-down stroke. Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and don’t forget to floss! If you have questions or concerns regarding dental health or oral hygiene, please give us a call. To learn more...

Each of us has a joint that acts like a sliding hinge and connects the jawbone to the skull. This joint is called the temporomandibular and it helps us chew, speak, swallow, and yawn. Each TMJ has a disc between the ball and the socket. Any problem that prevents these muscles from moving can result in a painful TMJ disorder. Fortunately, when this happens, Dr. Jia Y. Lee, DDS can suggest treatment options. Diagnosis is an important part of the treatment process. Dr. Lee may check the jaw for tenderness, clicking, popping, or difficulty moving. A common symptom of TMJ disorder, aside from jaw pain, is a clicking or a popping sound that often occurs as you chew. Eating soft foods may solve the problem, and applying hot or cold packs may reduce pain, but Dr. Lee will most likely suggest a nightguard or a mouthguard for the patient to wear to alleviate pressure on the jaw. If you have questions or concerns regarding TMJ disorder, please give us a call. To learn more about the services prov...

At Dr. Jia Lee’s Rancho Cucamonga practice, patients receive high-quality restorations made in-house with our CEREC milling machine. That’s great news for people needing replacement crowns, who otherwise might have to wait weeks after getting their teeth reshaped for restorative devices to be made and delivered. But what about for people whose teeth are only partially damaged? For them, we make inlays and onlays. Inlays and onlays are partial crowns. They are meant to replace damaged enamel when a filling would be insufficient but a full crown is unnecessary. An inlay is used to replace the indented portion of one of the chewing teeth. It can be thought of like a permanent sealant. Onlays are larger and replace a tooth’s raised, pointy bit, called a cusp. Typically, after the decayed material has been removed, a patient would have to wait about two weeks for a dental restoration to be completed and wear a temporary crown in the meantime. But with our CEREC technology, a scan can be mad...

One of the most dangerous trends in oral health recently is the popularity of do-it-yourself orthodontics. Promoted as a means of reducing time and cost, these techniques actually imperil the well-being of the person using them. As a dental and orthodontic professional, Dr. Jia Y. Lee wants his patients to understand why amateur short-cuts will cost more in the long run. People who have studied invisible aligners know that they are manufactured a few at a time and are switched out every few weeks. Recently, a story circulated on the internet of somebody who 3D-printed his own aligners so he could move his teeth faster. This is a dangerous error because teeth and jawbones are alive, and moving teeth is essentially pushing one set of living bones through another. The jawbones need time to rebuild after the teeth have migrated, or else the teeth will be left in weak, unstable bone. This often allows them to fall out or return to their previous position. Trying to force aligners to work fa...