Surprising as it may sound, many smokers need to be made more aware of the dangers of tobacco use. In fact, just 29 percent of smokers say they believe themselves to be at an above-average risk for heart attack compared with their nonsmoking peers, according to a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association in March of 1999.
Obviously, while information about the medical problems associated with smoking – such as lung disease, cancer, heart disease and low-birth-weight infants – is widely available, many smokers seem to have tuned out.
If you are a smoker who is concerned about the effects smoking can have on your health, congratulations! By accessing information about the negative impacts of tobacco use, you are taking the first step toward quitting.
To increase awareness of the dangers of smoking, the American Cancer Society sponsors the Great American Smokeout every year in November. Americans are encouraged to quit smoking for a day or to encourage someone else to quite for a day. The idea is to help someone be smoke-free for a day in hopes of motivating that person to quit forever
Recent studies have shown that tobacco use may be one of the most significant risk factors in the development and progression of periodontal disease Long Island. In addition, following periodontal treatment or any type of oral surgery, the chemicals in tobacco can slow down the healing process and make the treatment results less predictable.
How does smoking increase your risk for periodontal disease? As a smoker, you are more likely than nonsmokers to have the following problems:
* Calculus – plaque that hardens on your teeth and can only be removed during a professional cleaning
* Deep pockets between your teeth and gums
* Loss of the bone and tissue that support your teeth
If the calculus is not removed during a professional cleaning, and it remains below your gum line, the bacteria in the calculus can destroy your gum tissue and cause your gums to pull away from your teeth. When this happens, periodontal pockets form and fill with disease-causing bacteria.
If left untreated, periodontal disease will progress. The pockets between your teeth and gums can grow deeper, allowing in more bacteria that destroy tissue and supporting bone. As a result, the gums may shrink away from the teeth making them look longer. Without treatment, your teeth may become loose, painful and even fall out.
Save Your Smile
Research shows that smokers loose more teeth than nonsmokers do. In fact, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about 20 percent of people over age 65 who have never smoked are toothless, while a whopping 41.3 percent of daily smokers over age 65 are toothless.
In addition, research shows that current smokers don’t heal as well after periodontal treatment as former smokers or nonsmokers. But these effects are reversible if the smokers kick the habit before beginning treatment.
Not Just Cigarettes
Other tobacco products are also harmful to your periodontal health. Smokeless tobacco also can cause gums to recede and increase the chance of losing the bone and fibers that hold your teeth in place.
And, a study of cigar and pipe smokers published in the January 1999 issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association revealed that cigar smokers experience tooth loss and alveolar bone loss at rates equivalent to those of cigarette smokers. Pipe smokers experience tooth loss at a rate similar to cigarette smokers.
Other Oral Problems
Researches also have found that the following problems occur more often in people who use tobacco products:
* Oral cancer
* Bad breath
* Stained teeth
* Tooth loss
* Bone loss
* Loss of taste
* Less success with periodontal treatment
* Less success with dental implants
* Gum recession
* Mouth sores
* Facial wrinkling
if you have been thinking about sstopping smoking now is the time. Good luck
Gum Disease and Heart Disease | Periodontist Long Island | Gum Laser
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
In last week's New York Times Jane Brody wrote an article entitled "New Thinking on How to Protect the Heart." In it she mentions how elevated levels of a marker called C reactive protein is a significant risk factor for heart attack. She also discusses the effect of periodontal or gum inflammation has on health. Studies in the periodontal literature have shown over and over again that if you take a patient with periodontal disease and high levels of C reactive protein and treat their periodontal disease the levels of C reactive protein reduce. Wow. The mouth really is attached to the rest of the body. The old thinking was that neglecting the teeth only resulted in a loss of teeth. The new reality is that neglecting the mouth may result in loss of days of your life!! I have copied the whole article below for you. Stay warm and Happy New Year. To learn about laser periodontal therapy visit us on the web. To learn about Periodontal disease visit us. If you are looking for a Long Island Periodontist you can click to learn about Dr. Scharf
Here is the link to the NY Times article
Here is the link to the NY Times article
Periodontist Long Island Treating Gum Disease With A Laser
Friday, January 16, 2009
Call Dr. David Scharf at (631)661-6633 to see if the Periodontal Laser is right for you.
<
YouTube, Metacafe, Google, DailyMotion and Veoh
<
YouTube, Metacafe, Google, DailyMotion and Veoh
Periodontist Long Island | Gum surgery | Conservative Gum Treatment | Suffolk County
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Long Island Laser Periodontal Therapy can be used to treat gum disease conservatively. Watch this video and call (631)661-6633 for an appointment.
Periodontal Disease and Heart Disease
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
In yesterday's New York Times Jane Brody wrote an article entitled "New Thinking on How to Protect the Heart." In it she mentions how elevated levels of a marker called C reactive protein is a significant risk factor for heart attack. She also discusses the effect of periodontal or gum inflammation has on health. Studies in the periodontal literature have shown over and over again that if you take a patient with periodontal disease and high levels of C reactive protein and treat their periodontal disease the levels of C reactive protein reduce. Wow. The mouth really is attached to the rest of the body. The old thinking was that neglecting the teeth only resulted in a loss of teeth. The new reality is that neglecting the mouth may result in loss of days of your life!! I have copied the whole article below for you. Stay warm and Happy New Year. To learn about laser periodontal therapy visit LILASERPERIO.COM
Personal HealthNew Thinking on How to Protect the Heart
The New York Times
By JANE E. BRODY
Published: January 12, 2009
If last week’s column convinced you that surgery may not be the best way to avoid a heart attack or sudden cardiac death, the next step is finding out what can work as well or better to protect your heart.
Many measures are probably familiar: not smoking, controlling cholesterol and blood pressure, exercising regularly and staying at a healthy weight. But some newer suggestions may surprise you.
It is not that the old advice, like eating a low-fat diet or exercising vigorously, was bad advice; it was based on the best available evidence of the time and can still be very helpful. But as researchers unravel the biochemical reasons for most heart attacks, the advice for avoiding them is changing.
And, you’ll be happy to know, the new suggestions for both diet and exercise are less rigid. The food is tasty, easy to prepare and relatively inexpensive, and you don’t have to sweat for an hour a day to reap the benefits of exercise.
The well-established risk factors for heart disease remain intact: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, abdominal obesity and sedentary living. But behind them a relatively new factor has emerged that may be even more important as a cause of heart attacks than, say, high blood levels of artery-damaging cholesterol.
That factor is C-reactive protein, or CRP, a blood-borne marker of inflammation that, along with coagulation factors, is now increasingly recognized as the driving force behind clots that block blood flow to the heart. Yet patients are rarely tested for CRP, even if they already have heart problems.
Even in people with normal cholesterol, if CRP is elevated, the risk of heart attack is too, said Dr. Michael Ozner, medical director of the Cardiovascular Prevention Institute of South Florida. He thinks that when people have their cholesterol checked, they should also be tested for high-sensitivity CRP.
Diet Revisited
The new dietary advice is actually based on a rather old finding that predates the mantra to eat a low-fat diet. In the Seven Countries Study started in 1958 and first published in 1970, Dr. Ancel Keys of the University of Minnesota and co-authors found that heart disease was rare in the Mediterranean and Asian regions where vegetables, grains, fruits, beans and fish were the dietary mainstays. But in countries like Finland and the United States where plates were typically filled with red meat, cheese and other foods rich in saturated fats, heart disease and cardiac deaths were epidemic.
The finding resulted in the well-known advice to reduce dietary fat and especially saturated fats (those that are firm at room temperature), and to replace these harmful fats with unsaturated ones like vegetable oils. What was missed at the time and has now become increasingly apparent is that the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet is not really low in fat, but its main sources of fat — olive oil and oily fish as well as nuts, seeds and certain vegetables — help to prevent heart disease by improving cholesterol ratios and reducing inflammation.
Virtues Confirmed
It was not until 1999 that the value of a traditional Mediterranean diet was confirmed, when the Lyon Diet Heart Study compared the effects of a Mediterranean-style diet with one that the American Heart Association recommended for patients who had survived a first heart attack.
The study found that within four years, the Mediterranean approach reduced the rates of heart disease recurrence and cardiac death by 50 to 70 percent when compared with the heart association diet.
Several subsequent studies have confirmed the virtues of the Mediterranean approach. For example, a study among more than 3,000 men and women in Greece, published in 2004 by Dr. Christina Chrysohoou of the University of Athens, found that adhering to a Mediterranean diet improved six markers of inflammation and coagulation, including CRP, white blood cell count and fibrinogen.
The same year Kim T. B. Knoops, a nutritionist at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and co-authors published a study showing that among men and women ages 70 to 90, those who followed a Mediterranean diet and other healthful practices, like not smoking, had a 50 percent lower rate of deaths from heart disease and all causes.
“The Mediterranean diet is one people can stick to,” said Dr. Ozner, author of “The Miami Mediterranean Diet” and “The Great American Heart Hoax” (BenBella, 2008). “The food is delicious, and the ingredients can be found in any grocery store.
“You should make most of the food yourself,” Dr. Ozner added. “When the diet is stripped of lots of processed foods, you ratchet down inflammation. Among my patients, the compliance rate — those who adopt the diet and stick with it — is greater than 90 percent.”
Among foods that help to reduce the inflammatory marker CRP are cold-water fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel; flax seed; walnuts; and canola oil and margarine based on canola oil. Fish oil capsules are also effective. Dr. Ozner recommends cooking with canola oil and using more expensive and aromatic olive oil for salads.
Other aspects of the Mediterranean diet — vegetables, fruits and red wine (or purple grape juice) — are helpful as well. Their antioxidant properties help prevent the formation of artery-damaging LDL cholesterol.
Other Steps
Several recent studies have linked periodontal disease to an increased risk of heart disease, most likely because gum disease causes low-grade chronic inflammation. So good dental hygiene, with regular periodontal cleanings, can help protect your heart as well as your teeth.
Reducing chronic stress is another important factor. The Interheart study, which examined the effects of stress in more than 27,000 people, found that stress more than doubled the risk of heart attacks.
Dr. Joel Okner, a cardiologist in Chicago, and Jeremy Clorfene, a cardiac psychologist, the authors of “The No Bull Book on Heart Disease” (Sterling, 2009), note that getting enough sleep improves the ability to manage stress.
Practicing the relaxation response once or twice a day by breathing deeply and rhythmically in a quiet place with eyes closed and muscles relaxed can help cool the hottest blood. Other techniques Dr. Ozner recommends include meditation, prayer, yoga, self-hypnosis, laughter, taking a midday nap, getting a dog or cat, taking up a hobby and exercising regularly.
He noted that in a 1996 study, just 15 minutes of exercise five days a week decreased the risk of cardiac death by 46 percent.
Even very brief bouts of exercise can be helpful. A British study published in the current American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that accumulating short bouts — just three minutes each — of brisk walking for a total of 30 minutes a day improved several measures of cardiac risk as effectively as one continuous 30-minute session.
Perioodntal Disease and Alzheimers | Periodontist Long Island
Friday, January 9, 2009
INFLAMMATION LINKED TO ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
Exposure to inflammation early in life quadruples one’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, said researchers in a presentation on June 19 at the first Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Prevention of Dementia in Washington.
A research team led by Margaret Gatz, Ph.D. (a professor of psychology at the University of Southern California) and including researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, sifted through data on the 20,000 participants in the Swedish Twin Registry and found 109 "discordant" pairs of twins in which only one twin had been diagnosed with dementia.
Previous studies by Dr. Gatz and colleagues have shown that Alzheimer’s disease is strongly genetic; if one twin has the disease, his or her identical twin has a 60 percent chance of developing it.
Information about participants’ education, activities and health histories came from surveys they completed in the 1960s, when the registry was created, as well as from hospital discharge records. The surveys included questions about loose or missing teeth. Researchers used the answers to the dental-related questions to build a crude indicator of periodontal disease.
They concluded that an inflammatory burden early in life, as represented by chronic periodontal disease, might have severe consequences later. "If what we’re indexing with periodontal disease is some kind of inflammatory burden, then it is probably speaking to general health conditions," said Dr. Gatz.
If the link between inflammation and periodontal disease is confirmed, researchers said it would add inflammatory burden to the short list of preventable risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.To learn how to treat gum disease long Island without surgery learn about laser periodontal therapy on Long Island
Non Laser Treatments for Gum Disease
Monday, January 5, 2009
If you want information on non laser methods for treating gum disease it is listed below.
We can use modern techniques to help rebuild lost bone support. The emphasis in Dr. Scharf's practice is conservative periodontal therapy. Many times, early stages of periodontal disease is best treated with nonsurgical periodontal therapy. This usually consists of placing a fine ultrasonic tip in between the tooth and gum tissue to remove any plaque and calculus below the gum line. This procedure is called root planing. Four to six weeks later, periodontal pockets are eliminated due to gum shrinkage. Then the patient can personally maintain these areas with routine brushing and flossing.
Even in most severe cases of periodontal disease, nonsurgical periodontal therapy most often precedes surgical therapy. This is done so that the overall tissue quality is improved prior to surgery and also limits the areas of required surgery.
1. Non Surgical Treatments
2. Surgical Services
3. Soft Tissue Reconstruction
4. Hard Tissue Reconstruction
Non-Surgical Treatments
Treatment methods depend upon the type of disease and how far the condition has progressed. The first step is usually a thorough cleaning that may include scaling to remove plaque and tartar deposits beneath the gumline. The tooth roots may also be planed to smooth the root surface allowing the gum tissue to heal and reattach to the tooth. In some cases, the occlusion (bite) may require adjustment.
Dental Implant Long Island, Periodontist Babylon, Long Island Tooth Cleaning, New York Periscopy, Scharf DMD
Cleaning The Tooth Below The Gum.
Antibiotics or irrigation with antimicrobials (chemical agents or mouthrinses) may be recommended to help control the growth of bacteria that create toxins and cause periodontitis. In some cases, Dr. Scharf may place antibiotic fibers in the periodontal pockets after scaling and planing. This may be done to control infection and to encourage normal healing.
When deep pockets between teeth and gums are present, it is difficult for Dr. Scharf to thoroughly remove plaque and tarter. Patients can seldom, if ever, keep these pockets clean and free of plaque. Consequently, surgery may be needed to restore periodontal health.
Surgical Services
Dr. Scharf's practice provides a variety of surgical services. He prides himself on the fact that he is very conservative in his treatment recommendations and limits surgery to the areas where it is absolutely necessary. Periodontal procedures are available to regenerate the bone and gum tissue to it's original function and cosmetic appearance.
These procedures are a predictable way to cover unsightly, sensitive or exposed root surfaces and to prevent future gum recession. If you are unhappy with the apperance of short unsightly teeth this can be greatly improved by a combination of peridontal procedures by Dr. Scharf and cosmetic dentistry by your dentist.
Gum Grafting (Gingival Grafting):
When recession of the gingiva occurs, the body loses a natural defense against both bacterial penetration and trauma. When gum recession is a problem, gum reconstruction using gingival grafting techniques is an option.
When there is only minor recession, some healthy gingiva often remains and protects the tooth, so that no treatment other than modifying home care practices is necessary. However, when recession reaches the mucosa, the first line of defense against bacterial penetration is lost.
In addition, gum recession often results in root sensitivity to hot and cold foods as well as an unsightly appearance to the gum and tooth. Also, gum recession, when significant, can predispose to worsening recession and expose the root surface, which is softer than enamel, leading to root caries and root gouging.
A gingival graft is designed to solve these problems. A thin piece of tissue is taken from the roof of the mouth, or gently moved over from adjacent areas, to provide a stable band of attached gingiva around the tooth. The gingival graft may be placed in such a way as to cover the exposed portion of the root.
The gingival graft procedure is highly predictable and results in a stable healthy band of attached tissue around the tooth.
Case Studies in Gingival Grafting::
Gingival Grafting
Gingival Grafting for Root Coverage Gingival Grafting to Rejuvenate Crowns
Crown Lengthening
When tooth decay occurs below the gum line, or if a tooth fractures below the gum line, crown lengthening may be needed. With this procedure, more of the tooth structure is exposed from under the gum. This will allow your dentist adequate room to place a quality final restoration.
Crown lengthening is also done to create symmetry and harmony of the gums and improve one’s smile. Crown lengthening can correct a "gummy smile" as well.
Crown Lengthening and Gingival Reshaping
Crown Lengthening to Improve a "Gummy Smile" Crown Lengthening and Gingival Reshaping
Ridge Enhancement
Over a period of time, the jaw bone associated with missing teeth atrophies or is reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not candidates for placement of dental implants.
We now have the ability to grow bone where needed. This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, it also gives us a chance to restore the esthetic appearance and functionality better.
Careful management of extraction sockets after tooth extraction prevents unsightly bone loss and a better cosmetic outcome of tooth replacement.
Soft Tissue Graft
Enhancing the zone of attached gingiva is particularly important when gingival recession is progressing or restorative dentistry is planned. Increasing the amount of keratinized tissue enables the restorative dentist to more accurately and easily capture the impression of a subcrevicular preparation margin. The restorative dentist can feel confident that the margin will not recede further following insertion of the final restoration.
Frenectomy and Gingival Fiber Resection
When orthodontic treatment is planned or initiated, the removal of an aberrant frenum can increase stability of the final orthodontic result. Gingival fiber resection has been shown to reduce post-orthodontic relapse from 17 percent to 5 percent if performed after the leveling phase of tooth movement has ended.
Gingivectomy/Gingivoplasty
The discriminate use of these procedures to create symmetry compatible with the incisal edge and lip position can enhance the ability of the restorative dentist to achieve esthetic restorative objectives within the smile zone.
Hard Tissue Reconstruction
Advancing toward the next millennium, periodontal science has developed new technologies that provide confidence and predictability in the restoration of the diseased periodontium or residual ridge. These advancements enable a patient to retain a healthy, stable periodontium or develop a permanent implant- supported restoration, returning teeth to natural optimal function.
Periodontal Regeneration
The implementation of the concept of guided tissue regeneration has enabled the dental team to reconstruct the dentogingival attachment while increasing bone support for the tooth. This highly predictable procedure excludes epithelium and connective tissue from the surgical wound site while encouraging bone and periodontal ligament cells to proliferate.
Bone Augmentation
Traditionally, gum disease is treated by eliminating the gum pockets. This is achieved by trimming away the infected gum tissue and by recontouring the uneven bone tissue. Although this is still an effective way of treating gum disease, new and more sophisticated procedures are used routinely today.
Bone Regeneration
This surgical procedure "regenerates" the previously lost gum and bone tissue. Most techniques utilize membranes which are inserted over the bone defects. Some of these membranes are bioabsorbable and some require removal. Other regenerative procedures involve the use of bioactive gels.
Bony deformities caused by periodontal disease, acute trauma, periapical pathology, or tissue atrophy can be reconstructed. Autogenous bone grafting (Patient’s Bone) or freeze dried allogeneic grafting can act as the source of donor material. Employing proven methods like bone induction or recruitment, bone grafting can be enhanced to encourage maximal bone growth. The mandibular tori, maxillary tuberosity, or retromolar areas often serve as the source for autogenous bone.
Sinus Lift
The raising of the sinus floor can often be accomplished without ever entering the sinus. An arthroscopic-like technique commonly referred to as osteotome site development can be performed. This method is the least invasive and most predictable approach for locally increasing bone within the maxillary sinus. Augmentation of larger areas requires corticocancellous bone grafting.
We can use modern techniques to help rebuild lost bone support. The emphasis in Dr. Scharf's practice is conservative periodontal therapy. Many times, early stages of periodontal disease is best treated with nonsurgical periodontal therapy. This usually consists of placing a fine ultrasonic tip in between the tooth and gum tissue to remove any plaque and calculus below the gum line. This procedure is called root planing. Four to six weeks later, periodontal pockets are eliminated due to gum shrinkage. Then the patient can personally maintain these areas with routine brushing and flossing.
Even in most severe cases of periodontal disease, nonsurgical periodontal therapy most often precedes surgical therapy. This is done so that the overall tissue quality is improved prior to surgery and also limits the areas of required surgery.
1. Non Surgical Treatments
2. Surgical Services
3. Soft Tissue Reconstruction
4. Hard Tissue Reconstruction
Non-Surgical Treatments
Treatment methods depend upon the type of disease and how far the condition has progressed. The first step is usually a thorough cleaning that may include scaling to remove plaque and tartar deposits beneath the gumline. The tooth roots may also be planed to smooth the root surface allowing the gum tissue to heal and reattach to the tooth. In some cases, the occlusion (bite) may require adjustment.
Dental Implant Long Island, Periodontist Babylon, Long Island Tooth Cleaning, New York Periscopy, Scharf DMD
Cleaning The Tooth Below The Gum.
Antibiotics or irrigation with antimicrobials (chemical agents or mouthrinses) may be recommended to help control the growth of bacteria that create toxins and cause periodontitis. In some cases, Dr. Scharf may place antibiotic fibers in the periodontal pockets after scaling and planing. This may be done to control infection and to encourage normal healing.
When deep pockets between teeth and gums are present, it is difficult for Dr. Scharf to thoroughly remove plaque and tarter. Patients can seldom, if ever, keep these pockets clean and free of plaque. Consequently, surgery may be needed to restore periodontal health.
Surgical Services
Dr. Scharf's practice provides a variety of surgical services. He prides himself on the fact that he is very conservative in his treatment recommendations and limits surgery to the areas where it is absolutely necessary. Periodontal procedures are available to regenerate the bone and gum tissue to it's original function and cosmetic appearance.
These procedures are a predictable way to cover unsightly, sensitive or exposed root surfaces and to prevent future gum recession. If you are unhappy with the apperance of short unsightly teeth this can be greatly improved by a combination of peridontal procedures by Dr. Scharf and cosmetic dentistry by your dentist.
Gum Grafting (Gingival Grafting):
When recession of the gingiva occurs, the body loses a natural defense against both bacterial penetration and trauma. When gum recession is a problem, gum reconstruction using gingival grafting techniques is an option.
When there is only minor recession, some healthy gingiva often remains and protects the tooth, so that no treatment other than modifying home care practices is necessary. However, when recession reaches the mucosa, the first line of defense against bacterial penetration is lost.
In addition, gum recession often results in root sensitivity to hot and cold foods as well as an unsightly appearance to the gum and tooth. Also, gum recession, when significant, can predispose to worsening recession and expose the root surface, which is softer than enamel, leading to root caries and root gouging.
A gingival graft is designed to solve these problems. A thin piece of tissue is taken from the roof of the mouth, or gently moved over from adjacent areas, to provide a stable band of attached gingiva around the tooth. The gingival graft may be placed in such a way as to cover the exposed portion of the root.
The gingival graft procedure is highly predictable and results in a stable healthy band of attached tissue around the tooth.
Case Studies in Gingival Grafting::
Gingival Grafting
Gingival Grafting for Root Coverage Gingival Grafting to Rejuvenate Crowns
Crown Lengthening
When tooth decay occurs below the gum line, or if a tooth fractures below the gum line, crown lengthening may be needed. With this procedure, more of the tooth structure is exposed from under the gum. This will allow your dentist adequate room to place a quality final restoration.
Crown lengthening is also done to create symmetry and harmony of the gums and improve one’s smile. Crown lengthening can correct a "gummy smile" as well.
Crown Lengthening and Gingival Reshaping
Crown Lengthening to Improve a "Gummy Smile" Crown Lengthening and Gingival Reshaping
Ridge Enhancement
Over a period of time, the jaw bone associated with missing teeth atrophies or is reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not candidates for placement of dental implants.
We now have the ability to grow bone where needed. This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, it also gives us a chance to restore the esthetic appearance and functionality better.
Careful management of extraction sockets after tooth extraction prevents unsightly bone loss and a better cosmetic outcome of tooth replacement.
Soft Tissue Graft
Enhancing the zone of attached gingiva is particularly important when gingival recession is progressing or restorative dentistry is planned. Increasing the amount of keratinized tissue enables the restorative dentist to more accurately and easily capture the impression of a subcrevicular preparation margin. The restorative dentist can feel confident that the margin will not recede further following insertion of the final restoration.
Frenectomy and Gingival Fiber Resection
When orthodontic treatment is planned or initiated, the removal of an aberrant frenum can increase stability of the final orthodontic result. Gingival fiber resection has been shown to reduce post-orthodontic relapse from 17 percent to 5 percent if performed after the leveling phase of tooth movement has ended.
Gingivectomy/Gingivoplasty
The discriminate use of these procedures to create symmetry compatible with the incisal edge and lip position can enhance the ability of the restorative dentist to achieve esthetic restorative objectives within the smile zone.
Hard Tissue Reconstruction
Advancing toward the next millennium, periodontal science has developed new technologies that provide confidence and predictability in the restoration of the diseased periodontium or residual ridge. These advancements enable a patient to retain a healthy, stable periodontium or develop a permanent implant- supported restoration, returning teeth to natural optimal function.
Periodontal Regeneration
The implementation of the concept of guided tissue regeneration has enabled the dental team to reconstruct the dentogingival attachment while increasing bone support for the tooth. This highly predictable procedure excludes epithelium and connective tissue from the surgical wound site while encouraging bone and periodontal ligament cells to proliferate.
Bone Augmentation
Traditionally, gum disease is treated by eliminating the gum pockets. This is achieved by trimming away the infected gum tissue and by recontouring the uneven bone tissue. Although this is still an effective way of treating gum disease, new and more sophisticated procedures are used routinely today.
Bone Regeneration
This surgical procedure "regenerates" the previously lost gum and bone tissue. Most techniques utilize membranes which are inserted over the bone defects. Some of these membranes are bioabsorbable and some require removal. Other regenerative procedures involve the use of bioactive gels.
Bony deformities caused by periodontal disease, acute trauma, periapical pathology, or tissue atrophy can be reconstructed. Autogenous bone grafting (Patient’s Bone) or freeze dried allogeneic grafting can act as the source of donor material. Employing proven methods like bone induction or recruitment, bone grafting can be enhanced to encourage maximal bone growth. The mandibular tori, maxillary tuberosity, or retromolar areas often serve as the source for autogenous bone.
Sinus Lift
The raising of the sinus floor can often be accomplished without ever entering the sinus. An arthroscopic-like technique commonly referred to as osteotome site development can be performed. This method is the least invasive and most predictable approach for locally increasing bone within the maxillary sinus. Augmentation of larger areas requires corticocancellous bone grafting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)