Who Is at Risk for Gum Recession?

Gum recession is a common problem that affects the dental structure of many people. Most patients do not even know they have receding gums because it occurs over an extended period of time. Gum recession is a long process in which the edge of the gum tissue that attaches to the tooth's surface begins to wear and pull back, revealing more of your tooth and the structures that support it. As gum recession occurs, pockets in the gums can form, leaving them more vulnerable to bacteria buildup and severe gum disease. The first signs you may have gum recession are tooth sensitivity, gum redness, gum irritation, or teeth that appear long. If not treated, gum recession can lead to tooth root exposure, tooth loss, and the damage of the supporting bone structure.

Signs of High-Risk Gum Recession Candidates

Gum recession can occur for many reasons. Commonly, gum recession is a genetic problem. Other contributors to gum recession are gum disease, poor oral hygiene, tobacco use, pregnancy, menopause, teeth grinding, aggressive teeth brushing, and crooked teeth.

Gum Disease: Gum disease as a result of poor oral hygiene is the main cause of receding gums. Gum disease, or the more severe version, periodontal disease, is a bacterial gum infection that causes chronic inflammation, tissue deterioration, gum bleeding, discomfort, and potentially tooth loss. Since gum disease causes so much inflammation and tissue deterioration in the gums, gum recession is one of the most prevalent symptoms. Gum disease can be prevented by visiting the dentist regularly and employing proper at-home oral hygiene care.

Poor Oral Hygiene: Poor oral hygiene quickly leads to an overproduction of bacteria and plaque in the mouth. When plaque is not removed by regular brushing and dentist visits, it develops into a harder form called tartar that can only be removed professionally. Tartar and bacteria growth lead to inflamed gums and gum disease, which have the symptom of gum recession.

Tobacco Use: The toxins in tobacco irritate the soft gum tissues, leading to inflammation. Chronic inflammation can cause tissue depletion and recession.

Pregnancy and Menopause: Pregnancy, menopause, and other hormonal changes contribute to gum recession. The hormone fluctuation makes gums more sensitive to everyday use, leading to gum recession.

Teeth Grinding: Vast amounts of unnecessary pressure caused by teeth grinding and other bad habits, like nail biting, lead to gum recession.

Aggressive Teeth Brushing: If you are brushing your teeth too hard, your gums will gradually get pushed further back, resulting in gum recession and exposed tooth roots. When brushing, use a firm, but gentle circular motion to thoroughly cleanse each tooth and the gums. No excessive pressure is needed.

Crooked Teeth: When your teeth are crooked, different areas receive more pressure during chewing and speaking. This can lead to heavy use and pressure on certain areas of your gums, which will then cause gum recession. If you have one or two teeth that continually irritate an area of your gums, you may notice gum recession in this localized area. Crooked teeth also make it harder to reach every inch of your gums during flossing, which can lead to bacteria buildup and gum recession.

These are just a few reasons why some patients are at more of a risk of developing gum recession. We can help stop your gum recession, remove damaged tissue and bacteria, and improve the structure of your gums when you visit our office. If you have questions about how you can prevent gum recession, we can also answer those inquiries.

Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation  >  Oral Surgery

Change Your Smile With Help From a Cosmetic Dentist

Imagine if your cosmetic dentist could have a direct impact on the way people view you, improving your social interactions and making it so you always make a perfect first impression. In a sense, that is exactly what a cosmetic dentist intends to do by improving your smile in a number of different ways. Why is a smile so important? The smile is probably the most used of all our facial features. We use it to portray interest, friendliness, competence, and a range of other emotions. We sometimes even smile when we need to pause to think about something before we speak. As such, the smile is an important part of our non-verbal language, especially when it comes to first impressions.

We have found that people make first critical judgments very quickly. In fact, first impressions are usually made within the first 15 seconds, sometimes as quickly as seven seconds, after meeting someone new. In this brief interlude, there is not much for a person to go on, and so the smile becomes of paramount importance. Fifty-three percent of people who were polled in a recent study stated that the first thing they notice about a person is their smile. Eighty-nine percent of the participants reported that a great smile is one of the key elements that makes a person more attractive to them. When you consider how important a first impression is in a situation like a job interview, it becomes imperative that you have a great smile that only your cosmetic dentist can help you achieve.

As a cosmetic dentist, we have a broad range of tools and procedures at our disposal to help you achieve your smile goals. Typically, we will start our relationship with a detailed consultation that will examine the goals you have, do a full examination of your mouth, and set a plan in motion to get you to your perfect smile. It is important to have questions and an idea of where you want to go with your smile as we talk. This allows us to pick procedures, set a timeline, and have a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish. For some things that need correcting, the procedures may take a little longer. An example of this is malocclusion, also known as crooked teeth, which could require braces or even oral surgery to correct, treatments that can last for months to a year or longer. Other treatments tend to be shorter in nature and work faster towards a better-looking smile. Of these, teeth whitening has become increasingly popular, so much so these days, it has spawned a multibillion-dollar, do-it-yourself industry that allows you to even do teeth whitening in the comfort of your own home. Another very popular tool a cosmetic dentist uses to correct stubborn stains, discoloration, damaged enamel, and even small chips and cracks are dental veneers. These ultra-thin pieces of porcelain are quick fixes to a number of issues and can be placed to give you a better-looking smile in one or two visits.

Implant Dentist  >  Oral Surgery

Dental Implants Have Revolutionized The Process of Replacing Teeth

Dental implants have done a great deal towards changing how people view tooth loss. For too many years losing a tooth meant that you would have to deal with wires, dental cement, and gooey adhesives to hold your false teeth in place. Today dental implants have created a system that not only gives you a new fake tooth, which is known in dentistry as the crown, but also replaces the root of the tooth that has been lost as well. This makes dental implants the most sophisticated, and the most stable, way to replace your teeth when they have been lost to diseases, age, or accident. Since this is a new technology for many people, there is often a number of questions that patients have regarding dental implants. Mostly this springs from wanting to understand how the technology works, what is the process for getting dental implants placed, and if you as a patient are eligible for receiving dental implants. For the last question, it is a little bit more involved than a simple yes or no answer. Simply put virtually anyone can get a dental implant if they are able to meet certain physical requirements.

It is important to remember that dental implants are placed by an oral surgeon or a periodontist because it is a surgical procedure to place the dental implant directly into the jawbone. In addition, there are a few conditions that may preclude you from getting dental implants. Some of these include people who have untreated periodontal diseases, patients who are undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, and people who have a heavy addiction to cigarettes or alcohol.

From a success perspective, dental implants are among the most highly rated devices available for tooth loss. While conservative estimates place the success rate of dental implants between 92% and 94%, there are other studies that show a national trend of 98% success ratios. For us, we know that percentages are good but also like to look at success from the perspective of how many decades our patients are able to use their dental implants without any problems. To achieve these high set goals we are very diligent about the process and take a painstakingly careful approach to the preparation. As such your journey to get dental implant will begin with a two-step consultation.

First we will talk about dental implants, your goals, and what is involved, and then you will have an extremely comprehensive oral examination. The oral examination tells us how healthy your mouth is while dental imaging technology is used to determine the health and density of your jawbone. Using x-rays and a CT scan we can tell if your jawbone has the required density to support and provide stability to a dental implant. In many cases, patients have experienced a loss in jawbone mass due to resorption, which we can correct using an alveolar bone graft. Using an onlay bone graft, we can create a dense block of bone that can sustain a dental implant. Healing takes around 6 months, following which we will be able to place the implant successfully.

Oral Surgery  >  Cosmetic Dentist

How Laser Dentistry is Used During Oral Surgery

Oral surgery is easier than ever with our laser dentistry technology. You will experience a less invasive surgery with fewer possible side effects and a faster recovery time. Our lasers use an intense beam of light and heat to perform detailed procedures without harming the surrounding teeth and oral tissues. Since the beginning of laser use in the late 1980’s, the laser dentistry technology has become more powerful than ever, providing trusted and long-lasting results.

Benefits of Laser Therapy, aka Laser Dentistry

Like mentioned above, laser dentistry allows for a fast recovery time and a less invasive surgery for patients. This provides convenience and less chair time for each patient. Many of our laser treatments do not require anesthesia which allows patients to leave our office directly following surgery without feeling hesitant or nervous about driving with an anesthetic in their system. Even though they leave your system quickly following a procedure and are completely safe, many people are still wary of the option. Also, because our laser treatments are so precise, there is a lower chance of bacterial infection developing. There is also less possibility of scar tissue developing or bleeding and swelling following surgery. With all of these benefits, our patients go into their oral surgery comfortably with their minds at complete ease.

Types of Laser Dentistry

There are two main types of laser dentistry that branch out into multiple types of procedures. There is hard tissue laser dentistry and soft tissue laser dentistry. Hard tissue laser therapy includes treatment of cavity detection and removal, as well as the application of dental fillings. This type of laser dentistry is used to improve sensitivities in teeth and to perform an alternative root canal therapy to the classic methods.

The second type of laser dentistry is soft tissue laser therapy. When your gums need reshaping, redirecting, or general gum surgery, we can use soft tissue laser dentistry as a less invasive option to those performed using traditional dental tools. We can also provide you with a muscle attachment improvement, oral lesion or tumor removal, biopsies, periodontal disease treatment, removal of bacteria from below your gum line, and sleep apnea treatment with the use of laser dentistry. These are all considered soft tissue laser dentistry.

Where Laser Dentistry Cannot Be Used

Although there are many areas of oral surgery and general non-invasive procedures in which laser dentistry can be used, there are a few areas in which it cannot. The additional use of polishing tools may be needed to finish off fillings in order to create a smooth surface. Shaping tools may also be employed. Laser dentistry may not be used around some already placed fillings and crowns.
Our office has found that laser dentistry is more useful and versatile than many realize. For those suffering from anxiety when faced with traditional tools, laser dentistry is a safe and viable option that may produce less fear in patients. Our laser dentistry technology is advanced and can perform smooth and successful oral surgery. Contact our office to learn more about this state-of-the-art technology.

Learn How to Prevent Gum Recession

Having gum recession can be frustrating, aesthetically unpleasant, and detrimental to your oral health. If you have started noticing signs of gum recession, or you just want to ensure that it never develops, we have some tips that might be helpful for you to begin utilizing.

•    Visit the dentist.
It may sound like an obvious solution, but many people avoid visiting the dentist on a regular basis. This prevents them from realizing when they may be at risk for gum recession. When you visit a dentist for an appointment, we can notify you if we notice any signs of recession or gum disease. We can also direct you to changes that need to be made to your oral hygiene regimen. This can be invaluable information when you are trying to prevent detrimental and unsightly gum recession.

•    Adjust your brushing habits.
When you use a toothbrush that is too hard or puts too much pressure on your teeth and gums when you brush, you are weakening your oral tissues. Aggressive brushing habits may seem like a good idea to deter plaque from developing, but they are actually making your teeth and gums more vulnerable to other problems like gum recession and tooth loss. Brush your teeth with a firm, but gentle pressure and circular motion. If you have been using a toothbrush with hard bristles, you may also consider getting medium or soft grade bristles.

•    Over flossing may be the culprit.
Flossing is a wonderful habit to have, but when you over floss, you could be weakening your gums. Flossing removes plaque, but once you have flossed once or twice a day, you should avoid doing so anymore unless you have something stuck in your teeth. Flossing too much puts unnecessary pressure on your gums and may encourage them to recede.

•    It may be in your genes.
Unfortunately, you may just have an inherited predisposition for thin gums and gum recession. If this is the case, you should definitely be brushing more gently, and you should consider having a gum graft before your gum recession becomes severe.

•    Biting your nails, pencils, or any other foreign objects.
If you have the habit of putting objects into your mouth to chew on, you may also be scratching your gums without noticing. You should already be trying to stop these biting habits as they are bad for your dental enamel, but they can also lead to gum recession.

•    Periodontal disease could be to blame.
Periodontal disease, a severe form of gum disease, is the main culprit of gum recession. To avoid developing periodontal disease, practice proper oral hygiene and visit a dentist at least twice a year for check-ups and cleanings.
Once you form these habits, you should be on the road to better oral health and less likelihood of developing gum recession. Also, keep in mind that you should visit your dentist every 3-6 months if you think your gums may already be receding. A dentist will be able to keep an eye on the amount of gum tissue you are losing. We can also perform a gum graft as needed and help with extreme cases of gum recession.

Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation vs. Tissue Grafting

Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation is a relatively new, minimally invasive method used to treat receding gums. This innovative, ground-breaking technology is so new that it is only offered by a very few dentists across the country. Invented and patented by a dentist in Southern California, Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation offers a relatively painless, incision-free alternative to painful and long drawn out tissue grafting which, until very recently, was the only way to treat receding gums.

What Causes a Receding Gum Line?
Receding gums, a fairly common dental problem, expose the lower part of the tooth. Unfortunately, gums recede so gradually that most people do not notice it in the early stages. Usually, the first signs are a sensitive tooth or, a tooth that looks longer than it once did. While genes do sometimes play a part, the most common cause of gum recession is periodontal disease, a bacterial gum infection that infects and destroys gum tissue along with the supporting bone structure. Inadequate oral hygiene causes plaque to build up on and in between your teeth. This sticky substance eventually turns to a much harder substance called tartar that causes gum recession. Once formed, tartar can only be removed professionally.  Too aggressive tooth brushing can also wear away tooth enamel that causes the gums to recede, as does clenching or grinding your teeth. Fluctuating hormone levels such as occur during pregnancy, puberty or menopause, also causes gums to become more sensitive to disease. Poor blood sugar control in diabetics render them more susceptible to gum disease.

Because gum tissue is the only barrier between bacteria and the bones and tissue that support your teeth, if the recession is left untreated, these bones are likely to be damaged which will ultimately lead to tooth loss. The right amount of protection and treatment is, therefore, essential.

Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation Vs. Tissue Grafting
Tissue Grafting
If the pockets in your gums are too deep to be restored by a cleaning, then the traditional treatment is a soft tissue graft taken from the patient's palate, or from a donor. This tissue is then sutured on the receding gum covering the previously exposed root. However, as you can imagine, cutting tissue from the roof of the mouth and stitching it onto the gum line is not only uncomfortable, but takes several days to heal. Besides which, the sutures have to be so small that they usually take a long time to do, which means only a couple or so teeth can be treated at one time.

Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation
PSL requires no incisions and, therefore, no sutures. After giving you a local anesthetic, we will use a needle to make a small entry point in the gum. A specially designed instrument, inserted through this hole, gently loosens the gum tissue and slides it over the receded part of the gum. This new position is held by several strips of collagen that are inserted through the original pinhole, with the help of a small angled instrument.

And that, quite literally, is all there is to it.

The entire procedure is done in far less time than traditional grafting, which means that several teeth can be treated in one sitting, and the downtime is virtually non-existent.  Although we cut no flaps in your mouth, remove no tissue, make no incisions, and use no sutures, you have a new re-built gum line that is not only much healthier and protects your teeth far more adequately, but also vastly improves your smile.  To learn more about Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation, call and schedule a consultation.

Gum Recession  >  Periodontist

Laser Dentistry is the Way of the Future

Imagining laser dentistry as the wave of the future is not hard. After all, laser technology is growing by leaps and bound, becoming a part of everyday life in fields like medicine. While it is true that we are early adopters, meaning many other clinics are going to be playing catch up, laser dentistry is not a new thing. In fact, laser dentistry has been around for at least two decades, with many dentists adopting parts of the technology as early as the 1990's. The difference between the broadly accepted use of lasers, and what is now being done by 5% of US dentists, is the location of the treatments. We are using lasers, very successfully, to treat all areas of oral health.

Traditionally lasers were only used for oral surgery, something we continue to use them for in our office. Additionally, treatment of the gums and teeth is now a reality, and it is successful upward of 95% of the time. Laser dentistry, for use on oral health challenges like cavities or to remove decay, may sound very futuristic. In reality, we are doing it now, using a technology that is head and shoulders above the competition.

As a laser dentistry practitioner, one of the most frequent questions we are asked is why lasers are considered to be superior to some of the traditional tools used by dentists. We believe in evolution, and dentistry is an evolving practice, with lasers being the up and coming technology. This alone makes them better, but there is much more. For starters, lasers help people who have a profound fear of the dentist chair. We have found that statistically over 20% of all patients, in keeping with the national average, experience a great deal of anxiety when visiting the dentist. An additional 5% to 8% will not even visit the dentist because their fear is so great. A lot of this fear comes from the use of tools like an electric drill inside of the mouth. The drill and other metal dental tools were used on a frequent basis until the advent of laser dentistry. Using a completely soundless laser, we can perform the same procedures in a fraction of the time. For people with fears this means we are not only lessening the time you need to spend in the chair but are also removing the most traumatic part of dentistry, the drill.

Laser dentistry even takes things to the next level in pain management. For procedures like treating gum disease, traditional dentists would need to use anesthesia, either local or general. However, a 2002 Japanese study found that laser dentistry could complete the same procedure without needing any anesthesia at all. In the patients who were treated, 65% experienced no discomfort at all, despite the lack of anesthesia. An additional 22% experienced very mild discomfort while a further 4% experienced tolerable discomfort. In total, 91% of the patients were treated without anesthesia for a very common dental ailment.  We have also found that the use of lasers allows our patients to remain more comfortable during their treatment while also decreasing the overall recovery time.  To learn more, we invite you to call and schedule a consultation.

Periodontist  >  Gum Recession