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.

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