What is a dental implant?
Implants are tooth replacements which look, feel, and function like natural teeth. They can be used to replace a single tooth or multiple teeth. Implants are often a more conservative option for tooth replacement, as they do not rely on the adjacent teeth at all (unlike a bridge, which must alter at least 2 neighboring teeth). When placed at the appropriate time, they can help preserve the jawbone.
A dental implant is a small titanium screw that acts like the root of a tooth – a custom crown is then placed on the screw to be an esthetic tooth replacement in harmony with your smile.
A thorough consultation is key, and allows us to discuss your specific wants and needs. As always, we aim to provide you with a healthy, long-lasting, beautiful smile.
Why replace a missing tooth?
Your body is smart, but not always in the way that we want. When a tooth is lost, your body knows it no longer needs to put in the resources to keep the bone there – after all, there is no longer a tooth to support. The jawbone shrinks. Placing an implant at the ideal time can prevent this shrinkage and helps stimulate the jawbone to stay.
The mouth is a dynamic place. When a tooth is lost, the biting forces on the rest of your teeth change, potentially leading to tipping and shifting of those teeth next to the space. When a tooth above/below the space no longer has its partner, it also tends to shift to try to meet something to bite against. All of this shifting can cause troublesome spots to clean; that bacteria may lead to future decay or gum disease issues.
What is Periodontal Disease?
Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal disease. It causes the gums to become red, swollen, and bleed easily. There is usually little or no discomfort at this stage. Gingivitis is reversible with professional treatment and good oral home care.
Periodontitis can result from untreated gingivitis. When bacteria in plaque spread and begin to collect under the gum line they begin to irritate the gums around your teeth. The body creates inflammation in response to this bacteria, and bone and gum tissue are lost in the fight. Gums separate from the teeth and form deeper pocket spaces along the teeth. If left untreated, the disease process continues, and more bone and gum tissue is destroyed. Eventually, teeth can become loose.
Many factors contribute to periodontal disease. As part of your thorough consult, we will consider your individual risks and discuss ways to lower your risk for further bone loss. Some risks include diabetes, smoking, aging, genetic predisposition, systemic conditions, stress, nutrition factors, hormonal changes, and certain medications.
Treatment recommendations are based on your individual needs, and will be based on our thorough consult with you. Whatever the recommendations, it is important to note that periodontitis is a chronic condition. Much like diabetes and other chronic conditions, the disease is not curable – the goal is to manage the disease and prevent it from progressing further. Ongoing maintenance therapy is what will help you to sustain your periodontal health.
Mouth-Body Connection
More and more, current research is highlighting the mouth-body connection. Periodontal disease is showing associations with several other diseases. For a long time, it was thought that bacteria was the linking factor between periodontal disease and other diseases in the body; however, it is becoming clearer that the inflammation may be responsible for the association. Treating inflammation may not only help manage periodontal diseases but may also help with the management of other chronic inflammatory conditions.
Diabetes: Diabetic patients are more likely to develop periodontal disease which, in turn, can increase blood sugar and diabetic complications. Periodontal disease is often considered a complication of diabetes – those who do not have their diabetes under control are especially at risk. Research suggests the relationship goes both ways: controlling one helps to control the other, and lack of control leads to progression of the other. Severe periodontal disease can increase blood sugar, contributing to times when the body functions with a high blood sugar, and placing the individual at increased risk for diabetic complications. Treating your periodontal disease and helping to maintain inflammation at a minimum helps to gain better control of your blood sugar.
Heart Disease and Stroke: Several studies have shown an association between periodontal disease and heart disease. As with other conditions, it is now believed that inflammation is the real culprit. The inflammatory state of periodontal disease exacerbates existing heart and vessel conditions.
Treating your periodontal disease and helping to maintain minimal inflammation helps to lower your risk for these serious health complications.
Deep Cleaning
A deep cleaning – “scaling and root planing” – is a careful cleaning of the root surfaces to remove plaque, calculus, and toxins from deep periodontal pockets. Cleaning in this manner allows your body to use its own healing capacity to improve the attachment of the gum to the tooth.
For those with early or mild forms of periodontal disease, a stable and healthy state can often be achieved through non-surgical periodontal treatment. It also helps to improve bad breath. However, it does have its limitations. When periodontal health is not achieved, pocket-reduction surgery may be indicated to restore periodontal health.
Pocket-Reduction Surgery
When non-surgical periodontal treatment (deep cleaning “scaling and root planing”) is unable to achieve periodontal health by itself, periodontal surgery may be recommended. This involves folding back the gum tissue and, in some cases, smoothing irregular surfaces of damaged bone to limit areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide. The gums are then secured into place against the teeth. This allows a healthy thickness of gum tissue to better reattach to healthy bone and teeth.
Reducing pockets, along with a combination of daily oral hygiene and professional maintenance care, increases your chances of keeping your natural teeth. It also decreases the risk of other health problems associated with periodontal disease.
Regenerative Procedures
When non-surgical periodontal treatment (deep cleaning “scaling and root planing”) is unable to achieve periodontal health by itself, periodontal surgery may be recommended. In some areas, a regenerative procedure may be recommended in order to regenerate lost bone and gum tissue support. This involves folding back the gum tissue and using bone grafts or tissue-stimulating proteins to encourage your body’s natural ability to regenerate bone. The gums are then secured into place against the teeth.
Reducing pockets, along with a combination of daily oral hygiene and professional maintenance care, increases your chances of keeping your natural teeth. It also decreases the risk of other health problems associated with periodontal disease.
LANAP® Treatment
The world’s first and only laser protocol FDA cleared to regenerate bone and tissues lost to gum disease.
Our practice offers a minimally-invasive periodontal surgery procedure called LANAP®. Our doctors receive intensive training in the protocol by the Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry. The LANAP® protocol is the only laser periodontitis treatment scientifically and clinically proven to regenerate both soft tissue and bone.
Treatment Steps:
- Pocket measurement indicates excessive unhealthy pocket depth.
- Laser light removes bacteria and diseased gum tissue.
- Specialized instruments are used to remove bacterial plaque and calculus barnacles from the root surface.
- Laser light finishes cleaning the pocket and aids in sealing the pocket closed so new germs cannot enter during the healing process.
- A sticky clot made naturally with the laser light allows the remaining healthy gum tissue to stick to the clean root surface, often without sutures.
- The bite is evaluated and adjusted wherever trauma is found.
- The gum attachment to the tooth heals.
What this means for you, the patient:
For most patients, this procedure means less pain, less bleeding, less swelling, less tissue removal, less down time, and less recovery time. The LANAP® protocol allows the selective removal of diseased tissue while leaving the healthy tissue behind to reattach to the tooth surface. The laser light stimulates your own cells and healing capacity to kick in and heal your gums naturally.
Gum recession is where the root of the tooth is exposed. Gum graft surgery helps repair the defect, and helps to prevent additional recession and bone loss. During gum graft surgery, your periodontist may take gum tissue from your palate or another source and use it to cover the exposed root. This can be done for one tooth or several teeth. The treatment can improve the esthetics of your smile, reduce sensitivity, reduce your risk for developing a cavity on the exposed root, and prevent further recession. Whether you have a gum graft to improve function or esthetics, patients often receive both benefits: a beautiful smile with improved periodontal health.
Botox® and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) can offer powerful benefits for both comfort and healing in dental care. Botox works by temporarily relaxing overactive facial and jaw muscles, which can reduce tension, pain, and movement that might interfere with recovery after certain dental or periodontal procedures. By easing muscle activity in targeted areas, Botox can create a more relaxed environment for tissues to heal. Botox can limit clenching, gritting, and/or grinding forces and can be helpful for those with TMJ-related disorders. For esthetic goals, it is able to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles where desired.
PRF is a natural product created from a small sample of your own blood. It is processed chairside to concentrate growth factors and healing proteins, which are then applied to surgical or treatment areas. This concentrated fibrin matrix is intended to support tissue regeneration, reduce inflammation, and accelerate recovery. PRF is 100% natural and autologous – made only from your own body – with no additional synthetic or animal-derived products.
The approach is minimally invasive, performed entirely in-office, and tailored to each patient’s needs. Most patients experience little downtime and begin noticing improvements in comfort within days, while PRF works continuously behind the scenes to promote optimal recovery.