Plaque vs. Tartar: What’s The Difference?

WE OFTEN GET THE QUESTION from our patients, “What’s the difference between plaque and tartar?” Many people think they are the same thing. There is an important difference between the two, however, and it can help explain just why a daily oral hygiene routine is so crucial, as well as twice-yearly visits to your dentist.

What Is Plaque?

Dental plaque is that soft, sticky film that builds up on your teeth and under your gums throughout the day. And guess what? It contains millions of bacteria! When you eat—especially carbohydrates or sugar—you’re not the only one getting a meal, so are the bacteria on your teeth. After “eating,” these bacteria produce acids that erode your tooth enamel and cause cavities.

That’s why good daily oral hygiene is essential to preventing tooth decay and protecting your smile from the bacteria in plaque. To prevent plaque buildup, remember to brush at least twice a day and floss once a day. Drinking water and chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks can also help!

ADA Dental Plaque

What Is Tartar?

So if that’s plaque, what’s tartar? Tartar is what accumulates on your teeth when plaque is not removed. If plaque is left on your teeth for too long, it will harden into tartar and is much more difficult to remove. In fact, tartar can only be removed by a dental professional–you can’t get rid of it with regular brushing and flossing. Tartar removal is one of the reasons that visiting your dentist every six months is so important!

Plaque buildup that hardens into tartar can cause more than just cavities. It can cause tooth discoloration and sensitivity as well as gum recession and periodontal disease. To reduce plaque buildup and tartar from forming, make sure you are brushing and flossing daily.

Come And See Us Every Six Months

No matter how great your oral hygiene is, plaque and tartar formation are inevitable. So come in to see us every six months! Our job is to help you maintain a beautiful, healthy smile that’s plaque- and tarter-free!

Thank you for your trust and loyalty.

Don’t Let Gingivitis Keep You From Smiling

YOU’RE SITTING IN THE DENTAL CHAIR, everything going as planned at your checkup, until your dentist tells you that you have gingivitis. If you haven’t heard of gingivitis before you’re probably thinking, “What is gingivitis? Is it serious? Is it treatable?”

We’ve compiled all the information you need to know about gingivitis so you can keep your smile healthy!

What Is Gingivitis?
Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums characterized by gum irritation, redness, swelling and sometimes bleeding. Symptoms of gingivitis are fairly mild and can even be painless. Visiting your dentist regularly is important so gingivitis can be diagnosed, especially if symptoms are not obvious.

Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal, or gum disease, and should be taken seriously. If left untreated, gingivitis will progress to full-blown gum disease, which can lead to receding and damaged gums as well as bone and tooth loss.

What Causes Gingivitis?
Gingivitis is usually the result of poor oral hygiene. When plaque is not removed by proper brushing and flossing, bacteria-filled plaque hardens and turns into what is called tartar. Plaque and tartar buildup around the gum line cause gum irritation and inflammation or, in other words, gingivitis.

Other factors may contribute to the development of gingivitis such as hormonal changes (especially during pregnancy), smoking, certain medications or illnesses and genetic predisposition.

Is Gingivitis Reversible?
Finding out you have gingivitis can be worrisome but here’s the good news: good oral hygiene habits and professional dental cleanings can, in most cases, rid you of gingivitis.

Proper oral hygiene not only prevents gingivitis, but treats it as well. Professional cleanings as recommended by your dentist, daily brushing and flossing, and regular use of an antibacterial mouthwash can keep bacteria found in plaque at bay, effectively preventing and treating gingivitis.

So, yes, gingivitis is reversible! By treating it early and following the instructions of your dental care provider, you can treat gingivitis and smile on!

Keep Your Smile Healthy
A smile shouldn’t only be happy, it should be healthy too! Your oral health is the gateway to your overall health and wellness. So if you’ve been diagnosed with gingivitis, practice proper oral hygiene care and you’ll have your healthy smile back in no time.

If you have any questions regarding your oral health, call us today or leave us a Facebook message. We’re always glad to address your concerns!

Diabetes And Your Oral Health

DIABETES IS ONE OF THE MOST prevalent chronic diseases today. In fact, 29.1 million people in the U.S. have diabetes and millions more living with the condition don’t even know they have it.
You may know that diabetes can result in other health complications such as vision loss, heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. But many are surprised to learn of the impact diabetes can have on your mouth.

Diabetes Is Linked To Oral Infection And Disease
Periodontal, or gum, disease affects 22 percent of people diagnosed with diabetes. What’s more, one in five cases of total tooth loss is linked to diabetes. These statistics can be distressing, but a proper understanding of the association between these two diseases is the first step in preventing complications.

So, first and foremost, why does diabetes affect oral health?
We have billions of bacteria living in our mouths. If that bacteria is allowed to build up, it can lead to gum disease–swollen, bleeding gums as well as bone and tooth loss. Because people with diabetes have a decreased ability to fight off harmful bacteria, they are more susceptible to gum disease. Poor blood glucose control also increases the likelihood of gum problems.

The relationship between diabetes and gum disease, however, is two-way. Because infected gums are an easy access point for bacteria to enter the bloodstream, bacteria from the mouth can cause blood sugar spike and fluctuate, making diabetes harder to manage.

Beyond gum disease, there are other oral infections and problems associated with diabetes including thrush, dry mouth, cavities and ulcers.

Keep Your Dentist Involved
Keeping us involved is the most important thing you can do to prevent gum disease and other oral complications linked to diabetes. If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or if there are changes in your condition, let us know. Keep us informed of your medications and your doctor’s recommended treatment plan. Come in to see us regularly–every six months or more if deemed necessary.

Other things you can do to manage your oral health and diabetes include:

Develop good oral hygiene habits
Quit smoking
Control your blood sugar
Your Health Matters To Us
Every aspect of your health is important to us, not just your the health of your mouth. If you have questions about how your dentist can help you manage your diabetes, contact us. We are your partners in ensuring both your oral and overall health.

Thank you for being our valued patients and friends!

LANAP Dentistry in Monterey, CA: Why You Need It

Technology is continuing to improve dentistry and as an LANAP dentistry in Monterey, CA, we are using the best of it. As a patient, you need to consider what the value of using technology has been in your life. For example, if you could have an iPhone that has all the touch screen options, can help you to find information, get directions, instantly call people, use your social media, and more. While the idea of using a flip phone becomes incredibly strange. Well, the same is true when it comes to dentistry.

Why visit a dentist with old technology that can be more irritating when you could visit one that can keep you comfortable during your entire appointment? In most cases, we find that the only reason patients do not take advantage of options like LANAP Dentistry is because they are simply unaware of it. With that in mind, here is information about LANAP dentistry in Monterey, CA. We also recommend calling us or visiting our office if you have any other questions.

What is LANAP Dentistry?

LANAP dentistry stands for Laser-assisted new attachment procedure and is a gum disease treatment with FDA approval. A form of laser therapy, LANAP dentistry is a minimally invasive solution that can help to regrow gum tissue and fight against bone loss due to gum disease. Using a laser, we are able to remove the bacteria that causes gum disease to begin with. Since the laser fiber is as small as a few human hairs, it does not irritate the gum tissue while removing the bacteria. By comparison, traditional gum treatments require the use of metal dental tools to scrape the bacteria off of the teeth after the gums have been pulled away. A traditional procedure can be painful and uncomfortable due to how invasive it is.

Our process works incredibly well because we are targeting the cause of the swelling and irritation, while also working to restore your health to what it was before the gum disease. Since we can use this procedure to decrease the amount with which your gums recede, we can restore your gums and cover more of your tooth structure without the need for a gum grafting procedure. We can treat your entire mouth in only two visits, around two hours for each. A traditional deep cleaning and gum grafting procedure can take far longer.

LANAP Dentistry in Monterey, CA: Why It's Better
There are several benefits to LANAP dentistry over traditional methods, including:

• The LANAP procedure is less painful
• You will have minimal sensitivity after the treatment
• The recovery process is quick and there is little downtime, meaning you can get back to work
• You will experience little to no gum recession

Visit Us for LANAP Dentistry in Monterey, CA

Our LANAP treatment focuses on healing and regeneration. Rather than simply focusing on removing the bacteria that is causing the disease, we also seek to restore your health regenerate both your gum and bone; the restoration promotes new gum and bone growth. This treatment is an all-encompassing treatment rather than a narrow one, which improves your health dramatically.
Learn more by calling our office today.

Periodontist  >  Gum Recession

Common Causes of Gum Recession

Gum recession can be extremely scary and painful to experience. However, there is really no need to worry if you're willing to seek out the treatment you need to stop the gum recession immediately. In the meantime, there are several steps you can take while you are still at home that may serve as an effective way to stop the gum recession or at least limit it until you have the ability to visit our clinic. If you do have gum recession. you should schedule an appointment as soon as possible to discuss our non-invasive solutions. Coming in to consult with us will allow us to address any oral health matters and find out what other health measures need to be taken in order to stop and reverse your gum recession. Gum recession is a relatively common occurrence and can happen to anybody for any number of reasons. Gingival recession, also known as gum recession, is the process by which the gum tissue is recessed and lowers its position on the tooth. When this happens, the roots of the teeth can become exposed. Life habits, genetics, and tooth positioning can all influence gingival recession.

Causes of Gum Recession 

Overly aggressive brushing and flossing of your teeth can actually lead to gum recession. According to the Journal of Periodontology, you need to make sure you are brushing and not scrubbing your teeth. It is a common myth that you need to use an extremely hard bristle toothbrush to get your teeth properly clean. As a matter of fact, the American Dental Association highly recommends using a medium to soft toothbrush, because an overly hard toothbrush can damage your teeth and gums.

One of the most common causes of gum recession comes from your genetics. Your gums' characteristics are determined by your DNA, and if one or more of your parents have gum recession, you stand an extremely high chance of also having the condition. In addition to your genetics, you may have abnormal tooth positioning, which can also lead to gum recession because the teeth are not in proper alignment with each other. Naturally, good oral health habits, having a dental relationship that involves coming into the clinic at least once every six months, and keeping an eye on your gums can help offset and even restrict this condition from occurring.

Did you know that grinding your teeth in the night, a condition commonly known as bruxism, can actually lead to gum recession as well? If you find that you often wake up in the morning with a headache, or have been told by a significant other that you grind your teeth in your sleep, you will want to consult with your dentist. Bruxism is actually an extremely common condition and can be easily and comfortably treated with the help of a mouth guard or using one of many other options available.

Trauma to your gums as a result of an accident can result in the gums receding, but by far the most common reason why people tend to experience this condition is as a result of poor oral health.  Fortunately, we can improve your oral health and treat your gum recession in our clinic.  Call our office to schedule your treatment today.

Periodontist  >  Laser Dentistry

Dental Implants in Monterey Are the Best Way to Replace Teeth: Compare Your Options

Dental implants in Monterey are the best way to replace teeth that have been lost because they allow you to have a solution that looks, feels, and acts exactly the same as your natural teeth. There was a time, not so long ago, when people who lost their teeth had very limited options for replacing them. Most people would choose to replace the teeth with dentures. While dentures as a solution were very good for the time period, dental implants in Monterey have long since surpassed them by way of being more convenient and a better option for people to replace their lost teeth.

Comparing Solutions 

When you stop to examine dental implants in Monterey vs. dentures you will immediately realize the advantages that dental implants in Monterey provide you with. The first and most obvious advantage is that, unlike dentures, dental implants are a permanent solution that cannot be removed and do not need to be removed in order to be cleaned.  Dentures have to be removed on a regular basis for cleaning which means that you are taking your teeth out of your mouth, cleaning them, putting them in a solution, and then replacing them hoping that the adhesive you use will hold them in place. You have none of these challenges with dental implants.

Understanding the Solution

There is a common misconception that the tooth you see is actually the dental implant. Dental implants in Monterey are actually the tiny post which is underneath the tooth that you see on top of the gum. The visible tooth is actually called a dental crown and is a perfect replica of the tooth we are replacing. Dental crowns can be placed even if you do not have a dental implant. The dental implant itself is a tiny titanium screw which is directly placed into the jaw bone. This tiny screw acts in lieu of your tooth root and provides the jaw bone with the stimulus necessary for growth and development. In addition, because the dental implant is placed directly into the jaw bone it provides an extraordinarily safe and secure way for your dental crown to be attached. What this means in layman's terms is that when you get dental implants, you are getting a product that is an identical man-made replica of your naturally occurring teeth, complete with the root structure.
As we mentioned earlier, dental implants are a permanent solution. Once the tooth has been placed, it is not going to need to be taken out, replaced, or specially cleaned for the duration of its life cycle. From the perspective of oral hygiene, this also gives you a leg up over dentures. With dental implants, all you need to do is brush your teeth, and the dental implants will be clean just like your natural teeth will. So for people who want a convenient, secure, long-lasting solution to tooth loss, dental implants are definitely the way to go. If you have thought about getting dental implants, have questions about them, or want to find out if you will be a great candidate for dental implants in Monterey you should call us to schedule a consultation today.

Cosmetic Dentist  >  Implant Dentistry

Why Visiting a Cosmetic Dentist Can Improve Your Outlook on Life

If you are looking for a reason to visit a cosmetic dentist and improve your smile, keep reading. There is scientific evidence to show that smiling can actually improve your life, or at least how you feel about it.

It's all about the science.
Yes, improving your smile is something that can make you feel better about yourself. Improving your self-esteem should not be underrated since this can influence how you interact with others. However, there is much more going on from a scientific perspective every time you smile.
Smiling releases the molecules that allow your neurons to communicate with each other. Called neuropeptides, they allow you to feel happy and excited or sad and depressed. Smiling releases positive neuropeptides, also known as dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. There are serious emotional, mental, and physical benefits associated with doing so. The list is long and includes:

• A reduction in stress.
• The ability to lower your blood pressure and reduce your heart rate.
• Reduction in any pain you are experiencing, just like if you were taking medication.
• Increased feelings of happiness and overall well-being.
• Improvement to your mood.

As a cosmetic dentist, we know that when you smile, you also look more attractive and friendly to everyone you encounter. This can naturally lead to benefits in your social and professional life. This is because when you see a smiling face, it activates your orbitofrontal cortex, and you can actually feel happier or rewarded because you saw someone smile. When you combine the fact that smiles are contagious, every time you smile, you are helping others feel better as their brain releases endorphins.
Scientifically, smiling can actually make your life and your world a better place.

Visit Our Office If You Don't Like Your Smile

If the appearance of your smile is preventing you from wanting to show off your pearly whites, visit our cosmetic dentist office. When you smile, the world around you improves and so does your mood. However, many people are afraid to smile because they don't like having missing teeth, gaps in between them, stains, etc. We can correct all of these things and more using modern cosmetic dentistry solutions, from dental veneers to crowns, dental implants, and even teeth whitening. We can:

• Close gaps in between your teeth. This can be done using dental bonding or by placing dental veneers or crowns on your teeth.
• Replace missing teeth. We can use dental implants or dental bridges as a secure way to replace missing teeth that are more durable and natural-looking than dentures.
• Remove stains. If your teeth are stained or discolored, we can remove the stains and whiten them using our advanced teeth whitening solution. Gentle yet effective, this is an excellent way to improve your smile and also make you look younger.
• Create a uniform smile. If you have teeth that are longer than each other or your smile does not look symmetrical, we can help correct it.

Find out which of these solutions would work best for your smile; visit our office today.

Implant Dentistry  >  Dental Implants

Learn How Oral Surgery Can Benefit You

Oral surgery can be used to fix a number of conditions. Some of these conditions include tooth loss, impacted teeth, and any number of other conditions that specifically require us to perform surgery in order to correct the problem. It is important to note that an oral surgery is a surgery, just like any other operation you may need to have on the body. There will be a required time that you spend in our practice or hospital, you will need to take time for recovery and for healing, there will be a level of discomfort, and in most cases, we use local or general anesthesia to ensure your comfort during the oral surgery itself. The reason why we make sure people understand these elements of surgery is because it is easy to confuse a general dentist visit with an oral surgery procedure before you come in. You will need to be prepared for surgery and all of the steps that come after it, in order to ensure that it is successful and that you recover quickly.

We Can Surgically Remove Your Wisdom Teeth

One of the most common oral surgery procedures performed is done on the wisdom teeth. Most people are familiar with the term, impacted wisdom teeth. Your wisdom teeth are also called your third molars and are typically the last set of teeth to develop in your mouth. Very often, these teeth emerge from the gum line, and the jaw is simply not large enough to make room for them. When this happens, they fail to emerge properly or emerge in an improper alignment, which results in them being trapped or impacted between the jawbone and the gum tissue. This condition can lead to infection of the gum tissue around the wisdom tooth, swelling, pain, and permanent damage to the nearby teeth, bone, and gums. It can also lead to the formation of cysts and tumors that destroy part of the jawbone. It is highly recommended that if you have impacted wisdom teeth, you have the oral surgery necessary to remove them. It is not just wisdom teeth that can become impacted, but other teeth, such as the cuspids and bicuspids, can also become impacted and will need oral surgery to be removed.

We Can Replace Your Missing Teeth

Another frequent use for oral surgery is to replace missing teeth.  Dental implants can be surgically placed and this is the most secure, durable, and natural way to replace missing teeth because it gives you a new root along with a new tooth.  As such, you can eat your favorite foods, smile with confidence and not worry about your new teeth becoming loose. Dental implants look so natural that you will not be able to tell the difference between your new teeth and your old ones. Since they are taken care of the exact same way, there is no additional effort required either.
Call today to learn more about the types of surgical procedures available to you from our clinic.

Implant Dentist  >  Cosmetic Dentist

Tips From a Sleep Dentist On How To Ease Anxiety at Your Dental Appointment

If you have dental anxiety, also known as dental phobia, you should only see a sleep dentist. When you have dental anxiety, you know it is more than just a childlike fear of visiting the dentist. It is an intense, unreasonable, and unhealthy fear that can lead you to take any measures possible to avoid visiting the dentist. When your anxiety comes to this level, we, as a sleep dentist, can provide you with a calming environment where you won’t feel as apprehensive. Avoiding the dentist for any prolonged period of time is harmful to your teeth and your overall health. It could result in painful cavities, gum disease, tooth loss, and even the need for oral surgery. Instead of taking the risk of skipping the dentist altogether, you can try these tips in addition to visiting our office for dental sedation.
When you prepared for a dentist appointment in the past, you may have noticed that your nerves were on edge, you felt irritable or depressed, and you felt like you could not muster enough courage to step out the door. However, this time, it will be a little easier because you will know you are headed to see a sleep dentist. A sleep dentist, also known as a sedation dentist, features a relaxing environment during appointments and procedures by providing you with varying levels of sedatives. Although they are called sleep dentistry practices, they actually typically do not put you all the way to sleep. The differing levels of sedation that may be considered are:

• Minimal sedation.  You are in a relaxed stage, but you are also aware of your surroundings.
• Moderate sedation.  You feel heavy and sleepy and may slur when you talk, but you can still follow verbal orders from the dentist. In this stage, you may or may not remember your entire appointment.
• Deep sedation.  You are barely on the edge of consciousness, but you can be woken up if needed.
• General anesthesia.  You are completely unresponsive and asleep. This form of sedation is typically reserved for oral surgeries.

As your dentist, we will talk to you about your concerns and assess your level of dental anxiety to determine what scale of sedation is best for you.
In the meantime, you can prepare for your appointment by:

• Making a list of all the things you are anxious about to share with your dentist.
• Setting your appointment early in the morning so you are not required to wait. This will limit how long you agonize over the appointment.
• Bringing a friend or loved one to calm you.
• Bringing along your favorite reading materials or music to distract yourself while you wait to be sedated.
• Requesting oral sedatives that can be taken before your appointment and arrange for a driver to bring you in.

In addition to these tips, it is best to get to know our office and staff before your appointment so you will know you are with people you can trust and relax around. As a sleep dentist, we will help you conquer your fears and provide you with an environment you won’t be scared to come back to.

Options Available from an Implant Dentist

For an implant dentist, it is easy to understand how dental implants have made such a huge impact on all different forms and techniques of replacing teeth. In the modern world of dentistry, we use dental implants to support a variety of other techniques, including dentures. Dental implants have literally changed the way we look at replacing teeth, vastly improving the stability and security of devices like dentures and dental crowns.

Dentures Have Limitations 

Dentures have been around for a very long time; however, they have severe limitations. Dentures are placed on top of the gums, where the fake teeth have to be secured with the help of wires or messy adhesives. As a result, unsecured dentures tend to fall out very easily or don't feel secure when you are chewing harder substances. All these limitations have been addressed by the invention of implant-supported dentures.

Dental Implants Behave Like Natural Teeth

As your implant dentist, we will tell you that dental implants are so effective because they mimic, virtually perfectly, the natural order that teeth are supposed to exist in your mouth. The dentures, or the dental crowns, act as your teeth that you see above the gum line. The dental implant acts as the root securing the tooth to the jawbone and also providing the jawbone with necessary stimulation.

Implant-Supported Dentures

There are two distinct types of dentures that typically use dental implants. The first is a ball-retained denture, also known as a stud-attachment denture, where each of the implants placed by your implant dentist has a metal attachment that fits into another attachment on the denture itself. Attachments on the implants are typically ball-shaped, known as male attachments, and they fit into sockets, known as female attachments, on the denture itself. The second kind of dentures that can be placed with the help of dental implants are bar-retained dentures. In the case of bar-retained dentures, a thin metal bar, designed to follow the curve of your jaw, will be attached to between two and five dental implants that have been pre-planted by your implant dentist into your jawbone. The bar is attached to the denture with a series of clips. The denture fits snugly over the bar for additional stability, while also hiding the bar for better aesthetics.
Regardless of the type of dental implant-supported dentures you will be getting, the one thing you can rest easy knowing is that the dentures fitted on the implants placed by your implant dentist will be far more secure than traditional dentures. With the help of your implant dentist, you will have the ability to smile easily, chew on any food you want, and have the safety and security of having teeth that are fully attached, just as nature intended them to be.

Traditional Dental Implants

As an implant dentist, we can also replace your teeth on an individual basis by implanting a small titanium post under your gums in each position where your missing teeth once were.  Once the process of osseointegration has taken place, we will secure a new tooth to the abutment attached to your implant.  This completes the process and is the most natural and durable way to replace missing teeth because we will have effectively replaced your roots and teeth.
To learn more about your options, call our office and schedule an appointment with an implant dentist.

What You Can Expect from Laser Dentistry

We use laser dentistry to perform procedures in a more comfortable way. Laser dentistry has been around since 1994 and has been used to cure any number of dental problems. The FDA has approved many of the procedures done using laser dental technology.  This has resulted in a us being able to cure a number of different conditions with the help of modern technology. Virtually all lasers work the same way. They are designed to deliver energy, in the form of light, to a very specific area with pinpoint precision. When a laser is used in dental procedures, and particularly in surgical procedures, the laser acts like a cutting instrument replacing things like the scalpel and the drill. Instantly, what you have is a situation where there is significantly less trauma to the tissue that we are working on and even the tissue surrounding the area that the dentist is trying to remedy.  As a result, the American Dental Association states that it is cautiously optimistic about the role that laser technology will have in the field of dentistry for centuries to come.

Being that laser dentistry is not new, we find that it is now being used to treat a number of different dental problems from the mild to the cosmetic to the more severe dental maladies. However, most dentists still do not use lasers.  We do and are now able to treat things like tooth decay with lasers by removing the decay within the tooth and preparing the surrounding tooth structure to receive a filling without having to use things like a dental drill.  For patients who suffer from dental anxiety, the ability for us to do all of this with the help of an energy-producing light, instead of the dental drill, allows them to come in with a sense of confidence and not having to worry about the tools that need to be placed in their mouth. We also treat things like gum disease with laser dentistry. Lasers can be used to reshape the gums and even remove bacteria which is taken out during the standard root canal therapy.  In other words, you can come in for a root canal procedure and never have to deal with the drill or some of the other tools that caused so much anxiety. This has allowed us to truly advance root canal therapy and other necessary treatment options for patients who have an extreme fear of dental procedures. In fact, laser dentistry is also being used for biopsies and lesion removal. Lasers can remove an extremely small piece of tissue, called a biopsy so that it can be examined for oral cancer. At the same time, dental laser technology is also being used to remove lesions from the mouth and relieve the pain of common problems like canker sores.

Whether you were using laser dentistry to have your teeth whitened or you are using laser dentistry to have a cavity removed, you can come in assured that we are going to preserve the health of the tooth itself, the teeth around it, minimize bleeding and swelling, protect the soft tissue, and all while reducing the anxiety that occurs with use of regular dental tools. In fact, it has been found that laser dentistry causes less discomfort in many instances, and so reduces the need for using anesthesia. Call our office today to enjoy more comfortable dental treatments.

What You Can Learn from a Periodontist Office

A periodontist is a special kind of dentist who specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating periodontal disease and also in the placement of dental implants. As a periodontist office, we are experts in the treatment of all forms of gum inflammation, bleeding gums, and other problems often associated with or found before the advent of, gum disease or periodontal disease.  While many things can lead to periodontal disease,  we find that there are some basic steps that people can take that can help them prevent periodontal disease and a milder form of gum disease known as gingivitis. In order for people to be able to prevent these kinds of occurrences, they need to be on the lookout for certain signs and symptoms that may indicate the need for specialized treatment.

You might not always need to seek out a periodontist because you are experiencing some bleeding in your gums. Bleeding gums tend to be an early warning sign that something may be more seriously wrong with your teeth. About 90% of the population occasionally experiences bleeding gums. Typically this happens when a person is brushing or flossing and can lead to a little bit of inflammation.  If you are experiencing inflammation in your gums more often than not, it is definitely a sign that you need to see your dentist. Bleeding gums, and inflamed gums can definitely be a sign of a disease called gingivitis, which is quite a common occurrence. In between 10% and 15% of cases of gingivitis, people tend to develop a more serious form of the disease called periodontitis.

Being a periodontist office means that we come in contact with people who have had severe repercussions from having periodontal disease. If you have gingivitis, even if it in its early stages, you need to seek out your dentist so that you can find solutions to your gingivitis before evolves into periodontitis. If periodontal disease is left untreated it will continue to get worse and eventually will lead to things like gum recession, bone loss, and eventually the loss of your teeth. In order to avoid this, the best thing to do is let your dentist or dental hygienist know that you are having bleeding of the gums, or inflammation of the gums on a regular basis so that they can examine your teeth to check the spaces between your teeth and your gums. As soon as you let your dentist or dental hygienist know that you are experiencing inflammation of the gums or bleeding of the gums, they will use a small hand-held instrument called a periodontal probe to check the spaces between your teeth and your gums with let them know if you have gum disease, gingivitis, or are on the way to having periodontal disease and need to be referred to a periodontist.

We note that are several factors that can influence the actual health of your gums. While there is always the possibility of the presence of gum disease including the formation of pus in deep pockets under the gums, this is typically caused when the gum tissue has been separated from the teeth. These deep pockets, where the gum has separated from the teeth, can have a harmful bacteria and will need to be treated as soon as possible. What you need to remember is that effective brushing and flossing has the most impact on the health of your gums.

If You Hate Surgery, Try Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation for Your Gums

We offer patients the innovative Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation therapy because this is the best modern way to treat receding gums. We understand that most people do not want surgery on their gums or anywhere else. It is uncomfortable, to say the least, and can be downright painful. Even when anesthesia is used during the procedure, there is the recovery to worry about and the complications that come with it. With traditional gum surgery, for example, there are incisions and sutures. Given how completely sensitive gum tissue is, this can be problematic and lead to a recovery time that is far from pleasant. For this reason, many people put off having their receding gums treated for far too long. The good news is that you don’t have to.

Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation Is the Better Way

Regardless of whether you can’t stand the idea of surgery, have dental anxiety, or simply want a better way to correct your gums, Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation is the answer. In spite of the name, this is not traditional surgery, so to speak — far from it. Your gums will not be cut open, and there will be no need for sutures. This is because we only make a small hole in the gum tissue. We can then insert an instrument and gently nudge the gums back into place. The process must be done by a highly trained dentist in our office, but the procedure itself is rather simple by comparison to traditional surgery. As a patient, you will experience significant benefit from choosing this option, including:

• Comfortable procedure
• No to very little swelling
• No bleeding
• Fast recovery time
• Gums that look better right away
• No need to take days off work
• Get back to eating quickly
• No significant restrictions

For anyone who has a busy schedule and is worried about needing to take time off work, this is certainly the best solution. Traditional gum surgery takes time to complete, but that is not the real challenge, the recovery is. Your gums will look quite swollen, and your discomfort may preclude you from being able to return to work right away. This is why most people take a few days off. With our procedure, this is unnecessary because while you may have slight irritation for a couple of days, it will be incredibly minor and nothing that would warrant changing your schedule. This means you can keep up with your plans and not have to put off improving your health.

Why Treating Your Gums Is Necessary

Receding gums must be taken seriously because they can expose your teeth and jawbone to the risk of infection, decay, and erosion. Gum disease is such a serious issue, the majority of adults suffering from tooth loss due so because of gum disease. We can treat this condition right away so your gums can return to good health and can begin protecting your teeth again. Given how convenient Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation is, there is no need to delay.

LANAP Dentistry: A Better Way to Treat Your Gums

If you are suffering from gum disease, LANAP dentistry is an excellent way to treat the condition. As a dentist, we use modern and innovative solutions to treat our patients and to solve their oral health problems. You could continue visiting a dentist that only uses traditional dental tools but that would be like typing a letter on an old typewriter instead of sending an email. Technology makes things better and easier.  It’s that simple.

LANAP Dentistry is the Solution You Have Been Looking for

If you have gum disease but also have dental anxiety or are fearful of having your gums cut open, you are like many people that simply avoid treating their teeth and gums for fear of how it may feel or how the treatment will go. We understand. The gums are sensitive and no one wants to have them cut into or pulled back for a cleaning. Essentially any treatment that irritates the gums will be uncomfortable, regardless of how good your dentist is. With that reality in mind, it is equally important to acknowledge that there is a solution.

With LANAP there is –

    No Cutting
    No Sutures
    More Comfort
    Fast Recovery Times

Old vs. New – The Process

If you have gum disease, you can schedule an appointment for a deep cleaning or root planing procedure with your family dentist. Using traditional dental tools, your gums will need to be pulled back so that the plaque and tartar under them can be scraped away. Naturally, this is going to be incredibly uncomfortable and while you will be under anesthesia for the actual procedure, you will feel the results of the deep cleaning for days. The good news is that you do not have to experience any discomfort by simply switching to a modern solution. With LANAP dentistry, we are using lasers to remove the built up plaque and tartar. This subtle and gentle approach allows us to eliminate the irritants without irritating your infected gums even further. In fact, you may feel nothing at all.

Signs That You Could Benefit From LANAP

It is important to watch for signs of gum disease because this is a leading cause of adult tooth loss. The early stages of gum disease (Gingivitis) can be somewhat uncomfortable but not severely so. This leads many people to simply ignore the problem and to avoid visiting the dentist. Unfortunately, regardless of how inconvenient it seemed, life does catch up with you and so does gum disease. As the condition worsens you could experience additional decay, loose teeth, bleeding and swollen gums, painfully irritated gums and even gum recession.  All of these are common issues and easy to detect. If you do, call our office and schedule an appointment so that we can examine you right away and provide the treatment you need to get on the road to better oral health. In this situation, time is of the essence to ensure that your teeth do not become infected, so call right away.

Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation: Why You Want this Procedure

We provide patients with Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation, a modern way to treat gum disease. If you are suffering from gum disease or gum recession, you should visit our dental office right away so we can examine and treat you. The health of your gums is critical to the overall health of your mouth, so once they become diseased, you are likely to suffer additional infections, more tooth decay, and discomfort in general. If left untreated, gum recession can also lead to infected roots, loose teeth, and even tooth loss. In general, this is problematic, but few realize how significantly gum disease can impact their teeth. Studies have found that the majority of those suffering from adult tooth loss also suffered from gum disease, so the two are very much connected.

Start With a Deep Cleaning

If you have gum disease, you need to begin your treatment course by removing what is causing the disease in the first place: plaque and tartar. When it becomes trapped under your gums, plaque will irritate them to the point of causing your gums to bleed, become swollen and inflamed, and even recede. Removing the plaque with a deep cleaning will allow your gums to begin to heal. Traditional dentist offices do this using metal dental tools. We, however, find this to be uncomfortable and invasive, so we use laser dentistry instead. This is a far more comfortable and convenient way to eliminate the built-up plaque.

Restore Your Gum Tissue Using Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation

Once clean, it will be time to restore your gum tissue. If it has already begun to recede or pockets have been created in the gum tissue, you may need to take drastic measures. Typically, this is done by suturing tissue from the roof of your mouth or a separate tissue donor to your existing gums. Once the gums are augmented, they can be secured back around the tooth or teeth so they are protected once more. This process is important for protecting your roots and the base of the tooth, but it is uncomfortable, even painful. During the procedure, you will be given anesthesia, but you will be incredibly sore afterward and for several days.

We leverage technology to provide you with a better way to restore your gums. Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation is the best way to do so because we do not need to do any cutting or suturing. This is a non-invasive, non-surgical procedure that allows you to receive the results you need without pain or discomfort — a true win/win. The procedure works by making small pinhole size holes in the gum tissue and then inserting a special tool that is so small and tiny, you will barely feel anything. We can then stimulate the gums and nudge them back in the right position. The gum tissue responds incredibly well to the procedure and will start to protect your teeth and roots like it should. The results are dramatic when you consider that your gums can be restored without the use of surgery. To learn more about the process, call our office and schedule a consultation.

Preventing Further Gum Recession

Gum recession also referred to as gingival recession, is an aesthetically unpleasing condition in which the gum lines begin to recede and pull away from the teeth, resulting in root exposure and an elongated tooth surface. It is an embarrassing condition for most patients who feel it affects their overall appearance negatively, and it can also cause discomfort and sensitivity. In some cases, untreated gum recession can lead to dental caries in the root area if it is not already present. Receding gums can also eventually cause tooth loss. If you currently have receding gums that are not infected or currently inflamed due to gum disease, you may be able to prevent further recession with gentle care and a few tips.

First, you should know what the exact causes of gum recession are. Some causes are preventable while others, sadly, are not. One that cannot be avoided is age. Over 85% of adults over 65 years of age presently have gum recession, while only about 50% of adults between the ages of 18 and 65 are currently affected. Gingival tissue weakens with age so you should brush more gently and continue to seek out regular dental care as you age. Another unavoidable cause of gingival recession is the inherited disposition for it. Outside of these cases, gum recession usually develops due to poor or overzealous dental care. Failing to brush and floss regularly can result in gum disease and recession while brushing too hard can also cause your gums to recede.

If you currently have malpositioned teeth and gum recession as a side effect, it is never too late to receive orthodontic treatment that could be beneficial to your dental health. Having your teeth straightened will take extra stress off of delicate soft tissues and allow you to clean your teeth and gums better without harming them. If your teeth are generally straight, these other tips may help you avoid further gum recession:

Proper brushing and flossing habits including cleaning with a gentle yet firm circular motion and flossing twice daily without pushing the floss too roughly against your gums.

Get fitted for a night guard that may decrease pressure and abrasion on your gums while you sleep. Many people grind their teeth and clench their jaws while they sleep which results in excessive wear on the gum tissues.

Avoid biting your nails or chewing on pens and pencils. This can be abrasive to your gums, causing recession, and it introduces germs into your mouth that could lead to infection.

Invest in a soft bristle toothbrush.

Consider treatments that will help replace missing gum tissue like gum grafts. Added gum tissue may help protect your tooth roots, decreasing the chance for infection and discomfort, and it could improve your overall appearance.

In addition to these simple tips, don’t forget to keep up with regular visits to your dentist. The better we get to know your individual situation, the more confidently we can recommend helpful strategies to reduce the progression of gum recession.

Oral Surgery and Correcting Your Jaw

Corrective jaw oral surgery is a common procedure used to address problems or irregularities with the jaw or teeth. Performed by an oral surgeon, it can be an effective way to improve both your health and your appearance. Not all dentists perform the procedure, so if you have any of the symptoms below, we encourage you to schedule an exam and consultation with our dental office.

Corrective jaw surgery is often performed when these signs are present:

• Difficulty chewing
• Facial imbalance
• Injury to the face or jaw
• An open or severely misaligned jaw
• Soreness or pain in the jaw, face, or neck
• Unnatural wear on the teeth
• Birth defects
• Sleep apnea
• Chronic mouth breathing

If you have any of these issues, you may need oral surgery to correct them. Whether or not you do will depend on how uncomfortable they make you and what we find during your examination. We use modern solutions and advanced dental technology to promote minimally invasive procedures, so if you qualify for any of them, we will let you know. Our goal is to provide you with the solution you need, in the least invasive manner possible.

Working With Your Dentist

As an oral surgeon, many of our patients come to us from other local dentists or orthodontists. While they do a wonderful job keeping teeth healthy or straightening them, they are typically not an expert in surgery where we are. Visiting our office for a surgical procedure does not mean that you will no longer see your favorite dentist. They will continue to spearhead your overall treatment, while we will focus on this narrow aspect of it. The same is true when working with local orthodontist offices. They continue to straighten teeth using braces or aligners, but patients come to us at some point during the total treatment to have surgery complete. We take the team approach because that is what will give you the best possible results.

Recovering From Oral Surgery

Jaw surgery is a surgery just like any other. There will be a set recovery period where you will need to be careful. What you eat, how you eat, and even how you move your jaw will be impacted for several days. Give yourself time to heal by taking a few days off work or planning your surgery around a holiday or preset vacation. You will want to take it easy physically, eat soft foods, and not yell or aggressively move your jaw. We will keep an eye on you during your recovery period by having you come in for checkups. Slowly, you will be able to eat everything again, and then you can benefit from improved health and appearance. If you are working with an orthodontist, once the jaw surgery is complete, they are likely to want to put the braces back on so they can continue forward with your treatment plan.

To find out if you are a candidate for oral surgery or to learn more about the process, call and schedule a consultation.

High-Tech and Beauty Merge in Dental Implants

Dental implants are considered to be the most scientifically modern and essentially natural way of replacing teeth that have been lost. Many people of all ages suffer from tooth loss. In younger folks, this lost tooth typically happens because of an accident, during sports, or some other activity. For older folks, tooth loss is a more gradual process as age and often, disease take their toll on the mouth, eventually costing the person their teeth. The challenge is that nobody should have to live with lost teeth, and with dental implants, nobody will. Losing your teeth may sound more innocuous than it actually is. When you lose your teeth, the very first thing you lose with them is your sense of self. Lost teeth make people more self-conscious and unwilling to smile as much. Then you discover how hard it is to eat all but the softest of foods without teeth. Sooner or later, your gums will harden and you can gum all kinds of food, but it is not quite the same. Finally, language enunciation and pronunciation depends on teeth. These are drastically affected by tooth loss as well. Dental implants are the solution to this kind of tooth loss; here is more information about them.

When you get a dental implant placed, you are getting a two-part system. The first part is what you see on top of the tooth. This is also called a dental crown. Dental crowns are often placed without a dental implant to replace damaged or broken enamel on natural teeth. This is because dental crowns look and feel like a natural tooth, so they blend in with your other teeth. Made of porcelain, they are extremely long-lasting, so you do not have to keep getting replacements. The dental crown is placed on the dental implant and attached to it using an abutment. The dental implants themselves are tiny cone-shaped objects screwed directly into your jawbone for maximum stability. The flat surface is where the abutment is used to attach the dental crown. With dental implants, once they are placed, you no longer have to worry about them falling out, having to clean them some special way, or using attachment devices to replace them. Just like your natural teeth, they are there to stay.

The most important thing about dental implants, other than their permanence, is the fact that you do not have to worry about taking them out or other hassles associated with dentures and bridges. Cleaning them is a breeze, too. All you have to do is clean your teeth and mouth the same way you would clean your natural teeth. Brushing twice per day, rinsing after meals, using mouthwash, and flossing are all ways to make sure the dental crown on the top of your dental implants looks great and that the gums are also kept healthy. Remember, the porcelain crown and the titanium dental implants cannot sustain diseases or decay, but the mouth around them can.

Implant Dentist  >  Oral Surgery

We Specialize in Placing Dental Implants

As a dental implants specialist, we are extremely proud to be part of a technological advancement that is changing the conversation in regard to tooth loss.

With dental implants we can give you new teeth that:

#1 Look Natural

#2 Act Like Your Old Teeth

#3 Remain Securely in Place

For too long tooth loss led to wires, dental cement, and gooey adhesives, all of which were used to hold their new fake teeth in place. With the introduction of dental implants, we can give you the option to replace the lost tooth with one that looks, feels, and functions exactly like the original. Even more impressively, dental implants replace the lost root of the tooth in addition to the visible surface, known as the crown. For many people, this revolutionary new way of replacing teeth has led to questions. Our patients want to know how long dental implants typically last, the procedures involved in placing a dental implant, and whether or not they are eligible to take advantage of implants.

Schedule a Consultation

All of this and more are discussed during our initial consultations. For anyone considering dental implants, you should know that almost anyone can get them. There are a few restrictions that you should be aware of since dental implantation requires oral surgery and is performed by an oral surgeon or periodontist. In order to get dental implants, you will need to be healthy enough to get oral surgery. There are also a few conditions and habits that preclude you from getting dental implants, something you will discuss at length with your dental implant specialist. It is imperative that you tell your dentist all of your medical conditions, any medications you may be taking (including herbal or other non-traditional medication), and habits that you may have, like smoking or consuming alcohol.

Our Success Rates

Success for a dental implant specialist is measured in the number of decades you successfully use your dental implant, not years. Typically, dental implants have a very high success rate, with some national statistics placing the success rate around 98%. Even with more conservative estimates of 92% - 94%, you have a very good chance that the prosthetics placed by your dental implant specialist will last 20 or more years. Achieving this is not an accident -  we carefully prepare you for the process, taking every precaution to ensure that there are no hindrances that may cause the implant to fail. While this is often time-consuming, it is necessary for success. Your journey toward having implants will begin with an extremely comprehensive examination to determine the overall health of your mouth. We will use dental imaging like X-rays and CT scans to make sure that your jawbone has enough density to withstand and support the implant.

For some patients, we can proceed directly to the implant stage directly after the exam, which is known as an immediate implant placement. If we discover that your jawbone does not have the density it requires, we may need to perform an alveolar bone graft, which targets the upper portion of the jawbone where the teeth are usually found. This onlay bone graft can create a block of jawbone that is dense enough to successfully place the implant, and it only requires around six months of healing before we can proceed to the next stage.

Cosmetic Dentist: Common Questions

As a cosmetic dentist, we specialize in restorations and complex procedures.  We also work with general dentists that send patients to us for additional services.  In general, people want to know several things when they come to see us. Typically, this includes knowing how long before their teeth look perfect, how much it is going to cost, and what we can do to speed this process along. While these are great questions and we will be happy to answer them in person, there are other questions we also love getting from our patients. These are often patients who are not sure about getting their teeth straightened or whitened, patients who have trouble with the idea of braces at an older age or just cannot understand why cosmetic dentistry is such a fundamental part of dentistry as a whole these days.

What is the correct age to get my teeth straightened?

From the perspective of a cosmetic dentist, the answer to that question is whatever age you want. There was a time when people were more concerned about social norms and would not straighten their teeth at adults. Those days are long gone. Today, the majority of patients a cosmetic dentist sees are adults. That is because when you are an adult, you truly realize the worth of a cosmetic dentist and understand how important it is to have straight, beautiful, perfectly white teeth. This made it so we had to change and the industry to adapt. We are literally best placed to serve adults who want to improve their smile, as well as their kids' early in life.

Should I be concerned about teeth whitening harming my teeth?

We prefer if you visit a cosmetic dentist, to do your teeth whitening. This is not because the teeth whitening that you can buy in a box over the counter has anything wrong with it, but because when you are in our dentist chair, it is a carefully controlled environment that allows us to do a perfect job. To be clear, as a cosmetic dentist, we know that teeth whitening will never ruin your teeth. However, overuse of over-the-counter products can, and often will, make your teeth far more sensitive, which could result in needing other dental services. The best and most effective way to get your teeth whitened is to come in and see a cosmetic dentist.

Isn’t cosmetic dentistry expensive?

Like many things in life, the answer to that question is, it depends. There are much cheaper and innovative solutions that are now used extensively to reduce costs and still give you the same effects. Things like dental veneers have become a staple in the tools your cosmetic dentist uses to give you straighter, whiter, and better-looking teeth. There are expensive procedures in cosmetic dentistry, there is no denying that. The point is this: you have complete control over how much you spend and how much work you have done at any one time. We are very happy to work out a long-term plan based on your budget and objectives. At the end of the day, a perfect smile doesn’t really have a cost - it’s priceless.