Our Goal

Our goal is to provide you with the highest quality of care in a compassionate and safe environment. In order to do this, we use the most current periodontal procedures, instruments, medications, and sterilization techniques.

We want you to be completely informed of your condition and encourage you to ask any questions you may have regarding your treatment and care.

Sterilization

We know that preventing the spread of infectious diseases such as AIDS, herpes, hepatitis and even the cold virus is critical and our team takes sterilization very seriously. We use extensive sterilization procedures, going well beyond the guidelines recommended by the American Dental Association and Centers for Disease Control.

We use barrier techniques such as disposable masks and gloves and we replace them with every new patient. Each piece of fixed operatory equipment is wiped-down with antibacterial solution prior to every clinical procedure. Sterile water delivery systems are utilized. We use autoclave sterilization for all instruments prior to dental examination and treatment. You can be assured that our staff has been specifically trained on sterilization procedures and their importance.

Patient Comfort

While no dental procedure is 100% comfortable, we go to great lengths to minimize any discomfort you might feel. We use some of the latest techniques to provide you with the most comfortable experience possible. To help make your experience pleasant, we provide shoulder pads on the chairs in the operatory and headphones that play classical music.

Many of our patients comment after treatment that it was surprisingly comfortable with little after-procedure discomfort.

Pre-medication

Patient comfort is one of the most important aspects of care. Different patients have different needs for pain and anxiety control medication. Depending upon the procedure and your wishes, there are many medications we can prescribe.

Injections of Anesthesia

In the past, injections of dental anesthesia by others may have been uncomfortable. We recognize this and take extra care when preparing a patient for anesthetic. We use a topical ointment on your gums first and then administer the injection very slowly and precisely to reduce the burning sensation that can be experienced. These techniques ensure our patients have minimal, if any, discomfort during this portion of care.

Conscious Sedation & Nitrous Oxide

For those patients who feel more comfortable with conscious sedation, we offer both oral sedation and nitrous oxide analgesia. Either one of these techniques will make you feel relaxed and at ease. Although you will be awake, you will not be aware of your surroundings. 

Conscious Sedation

For those patients that feel more comfortable with conscious sedation, we are pleased to offer nitrous oxide.  Nitrous oxide is an odorless gas which makes you feel relaxed and at ease.  Although you will be awake, you will not be aware of your surroundings.  Conscious sedation will calm you during dental procedures without the risk of general anesthesia.

General Anesthesia

Our facility is approved for general anesthesia (deep sleep) sedation.  For more involved surgical procedures, we offer general anesthesia which is administered by a certified anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist will stay throughout the procedure and until you are completely awake afterwards.

Special Equipment & Treatments

We strive to use only the latest and most advanced periodontal techniques. In order to do this, we take a great deal of continuing education. We also utilize advanced equipment in our office. This includes:

• Advanced Dental Microscopes
  Dental microscopes are used to perform dental microsurgery. Microsurgical procedures are more comfortable, less invasive, and heal faster. Generally, the results are also better and more aesthetically pleasing.

• Platelet Rich Protein
  Platelet Rich Protein, also known as “PRP”, is one of the healing components of blood cells. When it is placed into a periodontal pocket, it has many benefits including: reduction of bleeding, swelling and healing time. It can also enhance bone re-growth and overall comfort. Many consider it to be the “new frontier” of periodontal therapy

• Panoramic Radiography
  Panoramic Radiography (Panarex) is an advanced full-mouth x-ray that allows a full “panoramic” view of your teeth. This type of x-ray is often necessary in the diagnosis of dental implant placement and comprehensive periodontal therapy.

Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment

Periodontal disease is an infection that gets under the gums and causes inflammation. It then starts dissolving the jawbone which supports your teeth. Periodontal inflammation leads to tooth loss and contributes to other medical conditions. This infection must be removed and the area given a chance to heal.

Maintenance Therapy

Maintenance or supportive periodontal therapy is an ongoing program designed to prevent periodontal diseases from recurring in patients who have undergone periodontal treatment. This ongoing phase of treatment allows your periodontist to assess your periodontal health and ensure your infection stays under control. During maintenance therapy, you will receive an oral examination and accumulations of new infection will be removed. If necessary, your teeth are polished and your bite is checked. Your dentist or periodontist will recommend a schedule that is best tailored to protect your periodontal health. Periodontal maintenance is provided at intervals ranging from every few weeks to four times per year.

Scaling and Root Planing

Scaling and root planing are non-surgical procedures in which the periodontist removes periodontal infection from below the gum line. Tooth root surfaces are cleaned and smoothed with specially designed instruments. It is important to remove the infectious plaque from pockets around your teeth because bacteria easily grows on it and releases toxins that irritate the gums. Scaling and root planning are done under local anesthesia and are quite different from the dental cleaning or “deep cleaning” that is traditionally done in the general dentist’s office.

Antibacterial Therapy

Some localized antibiotics can enhance your periodontal treatment and reduce inflammation. Localized antibiotics are placed in isolated areas after the area is scaled and root planed to improve healing. Systemic antibiotics can also be taken, and in some cases, local and systemic antibiotics can control or eliminate certain types of gum disease.

Occlusal (Bite) Adjustment

This procedure makes corrections to your bite associated with loose, shifting teeth or teeth that are biting together too hard. Balancing and evenly distributing your biting and chewing forces reduces tooth looseness and relieves excessive pressures on the supporting gum and bone structures.

Periodontal surgery is necessary when your periodontist determines that the tissue around your teeth is unhealthy and cannot be repaired with non-surgical treatment. All surgical treatment is done with your comfort in mind, and we endeavor to minimize any discomfort you may feel. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your treatment, please do not hesitate to ask us and we will address your concerns.

Surgical Periodontal Treatment

Periodontal surgery is necessary when your periodontist determines that the tissue around your teeth is unhealthy and cannot be repaired with non-surgical treatment. All surgical treatment is done with your comfort in mind, and we go to great lengths to minimize any discomfort you may feel. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your treatment, please do not hesitate to ask us and we will address your concerns.

Pocket Depth Reduction

Your bone and gum tissue should fit snugly around your teeth like a turtleneck around your neck. When you have periodontal disease, your supporting tissue and bone are destroyed, forming “pockets’ around the teeth.

Over time, these pockets become deeper, providing a larger space for bacteria to live and grow. As bacteria grow around the teeth, they accumulate and advance under the gums, into the pockets. These deep pockets collect even more bacteria, resulting in further bone and tissue loss. Eventually, if too much bone is lost, the teeth will be lost.

Your periodontist will measure the depth of your periodontal pocket(s). A pocket reduction procedure will be recommended if you have pockets that are too deep to clean through daily home care.

Procedure: Your periodontist gently folds back the gum tissue and removes the disease-causing bacteria before securing the tissue into place. In some cases, irregular surfaces of the damaged tooth root are smoothed to limit areas where disease-causing bacteria can grow. This allows the gum tissue to better reattach to health tooth roots.

What are the benefits of this procedure?

Reducing pocket depth and eliminating existing bacteria are important to prevent damage caused by the progression of periodontal disease and to maintain a healthy smile. Periodontal treatment alone may not be sufficient to prevent the disease from coming back. A combination of daily oral hygiene along with professional maintenance care increases your chances of keeping your natural teeth and decreases the chance of serious health problems such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes associated with periodontal disease.

Regenerative Procedures (“Bone Grafting” or “Guided Bone Regeneration”)

Your jawbone is what supports your teeth and gums. Unfortunately, periodontal disease dissolves parts of your jawbone. This bone loss can eventually lead to the loss of your teeth. The first step is to halt the bone loss by removing the periodontal inflammation. Then we can repair the damage that has occurred.

Your periodontist may recommend a regenerative procedure to repair the damage that has already occurred. These regenerative procedures can reverse some of the damage by regenerating lost bone and tissue.

Procedure: The periodontist administers a local anesthetic and gently opens the area. The doctor then removes any infections material, repairs the bone damage and finally fills in the damaged area with bone grafting material. Bone grafts, or tissue-stimulating proteins, encourages your body’s natural ability to regenerate bone and tissue. Over the next few weeks or months, this bone grafting material stimulates your bone to grow back.

Gums separate from teeth, forming a periodontal pocket

Periodontal pocket cleaned out and tooth prepared for bone grafting matieral.

Bone grafting material in place

Healing is complete. Periodontal pocket is reduced, and new healthy tissue supports tooth.

What are the benefits of this procedure?

Eliminating existing bacteria and regenerating bone and tissue helps to reduce pocket depth and repair damage caused by the progression of periodontal disease. With a combination of daily oral hygiene and professional maintenance care, you’ll increase the chance of keeping your natural teeth and decrease the chances of serious health problems associated with periodontal disease.

Crown Lengthening

Periodontal procedures are available to lay the groundwork for restorative and cosmetic dentistry and/or to improve the esthetics of your gum line.

You may have asked your periodontist about procedures to improve a “gummy” smile because your teeth appear short. Your teeth may actually be the proper lengths, but they’re covered with too much gum tissue. To correct this, your periodontist performs crown lengthening.

Your dentist or periodontist may also recommend crown lengthening to make a restorative or cosmetic dental procedure (like a crown or bridge) possible. When getting a new crown, the general dentist must prepare your tooth to receive the crown. Sometimes there is not enough tooth structure above the gum line to accept a new crown. “Crown lengthening” provides more tooth structure for your crown. This ensures a more stable crown with less resulting gum irritation.

Procedure: The periodontist administers a local anesthetic and gently recontours excess gum and bone tissue to expose more of your natural teeth. This can be done to one tooth to even your gum line, or to several teeth to expose a natural, broad smile.

What are the benefits of this procedure?

Crown lengthening can enhance the esthetics of your smile. It can also make some dental procedures, like crowns and bridges, possible by providing more tooth structure for the crown or bridge to rest upon. Crown lengthening can also make the crown or bridge more stable and result in less gum irritation.

Soft Tissue Grafts

Periodontal plastic surgery is available to stop further dental problems, gum recession, and/or to improve the esthetics of your gum line.

Exposed tooth roots are the result of gum recession. Your gums may have receded for a variety of reasons, including aggressive tooth brushing or periodontal disease. You may not be in control of what caused the recession, but your periodontist can help you identify the factors contributing to the problem. Once these contributing factors are controlled, a soft tissue graft procedure can repair the defect and help to prevent additional recession and bone loss.

Soft tissue grafts can also be used to cover roots or develop gum tissue where the gum has receded.

Procedure: The periodontist administers a local anesthetic, gently prepares the area, and then places a gum tissue graft. This can be done for one tooth, several teeth and even your gum line and reduce sensitivity.

What are the benefits of this procedure?

A soft tissue graft can reduce further recession and bone loss. In some cases, it can cover exposed roots to protect them from decay. This may reduce tooth sensitivity and improve the esthetics of your smile.

 

Ridge Augmentation

Sometimes when you lose one or more teeth, an indentation can occur in your gums and jawbone where the tooth used to be. This happens because the jawbone recedes when it no longer is holding a tooth in place.

Not only is this indentation unnatural looking, it can cause the replacement tooth to look long compared with the adjacent teeth.

A periodontist can fill in this “defect” with a procedure called ridge augmentation, recapturing the natural contour of your gums and jaw. A new tooth can be then created that is natural looking, easy-to-clean, and beautiful.

Procedure: The periodontist administers a local anesthetic and gently removes any disease-causing bacteria. He then fills the sunken area with grafting material and secures the tissue into place. In some cases, irregular surfaces of the damaged bone are smoothed to limit areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide. This allows the gum tissue to better reattach to healthy bone.

Depigmentation of Gums

Dark pigmented gum tissue comes from several causes. These causes include: physiological pigmentation, amalgam “tattoo” (discoloration from silver fillings), and poor crown and margin restorations. This dark pigmentation can be permanently removed using a surgical procedure.

The end result is a healthy smile that looks natural and radiates confidence. Depigmentation of gums is a procedure that can be performed on individuals of all ages, whether they have their natural teeth, dentures, a partial or dental implants.

Procedure: Depigmentation of gums is a simple surgical procedure that can be performed in a minimal amount of time under local anesthesia. The dark pigmented areas are removed to expose the naturally pink tissue underneath. A surgical dressing is applied to assist in the healing process, which should be quick and problem free if post-surgical care instructions are followed.

In Conclusion

Every procedure is done with your comfort and safety in mind. We work closely with your general dentist to ensure you get the best possible care. Please feel free to ask questions before, during, or after any of these procedures.