PerioChip
What is periodontal disease?
More than 75 percent of Americans over the age of 35 suffer
from periodontal disease, a bacterial infection of the
gums, teeth, and bone that surrounds the teeth. As the
disease progresses, your immune system produces white
blood cells to fight the infection. Unfortunately, the
white blood cells release enzymes that destroy the soft
tissue and bone that hold your teeth in place, and as
a result, your teeth may become loose. If left untreated,
this destruction of supporting bone will eventually lead
to tooth loss.
How PerioChip works
Fortunately, we now have an effective treatment called
PerioChip that we apply directly to the infected area.
PerioChip fights periodontal disease and its tissue-destroying
effects by reducing the number of harmful bacteria in
your gums.
A PerioChip is a biodegradable gelatin chip that's about
the size of a baby's fingernail. It contains the antiseptic
chlorhexidine, a medication that's placed directly on
the infected gum tissue. As the chip disintegrates, it
releases the medication into the periodontal pocket, first
at a high concentration, then at a controlled rate for
the duration of the treatment. The antiseptic greatly
reduces the number of bacteria in the infected pocket
and speeds the healing process. Unlike antibiotics, PerioChip
does not produce bacterial resistance; it works by destroying
the bacteria's cell walls.
Depending on your needs, we can place up to 8 PerioChips
in a single visit. We typically recommend PerioChip treatment
after we perform a procedure called scaling and root planing,
and then again about every 3 to 6 months for as long as
periodontal pockets are 5 millimeters deep or more. Unlike
some other treatments that contain antibiotics, PerioChip
can be administered every 3 months for up to 24 months.
PerioChip is not a cure for periodontal disease and cannot
replace supportive bone that may have been lost if the
disease was left untreated. You'll still need to be meticulous
about your daily oral hygiene and come to see us every
3 to 4 months for exams and professional cleanings. However,
when it's used as part of your comprehensive periodontal
therapy, PerioChip can help prevent further destruction
of bone and connective tissue.
Ultrasonic Scaling
What is periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease, an infection of the teeth, gums,
and bone that surrounds the teeth, is the number-one cause
of adult tooth loss. It begins when plaque, a sticky film
of food and bacteria, builds up on your teeth. If plaque
isn’t removed, it hardens into calculus, also
called tartar. The buildup of plaque and tartar dramatically
increases the number of harmful bacteria in your mouth
and can result in
deepening spaces between the teeth and gums, called pockets.
Bacteria trigger the body’s immune system to produce
enzymes. These enzymes destroy the bone surrounding the
teeth, which ultimately leads to tooth loss.
What is an ultrasonic scaler?
To fight periodontal disease, we need to reduce plaque,
tartar, and the number of bacteria in the pockets in your
mouth. One device we use to remove calculus from teeth
is an ultrasonic scaler. It consists of a wand with a
small scaling tip that produces a soft ultrasonic vibration.
The small, quick vibrations in combination with a water
flow give us a whole new level of effectiveness in calculus
removal. The benefits of ultrasonic scaling include:
• Increased efficiency of calculus removal
• Less need for hand scaling of stubborn deposits
• More comfortable access to the root surfaces, thanks
to the small tip Ultrasonic scaling removes calculus and
reduces the number of harmful bacteria below the gum line.
It is an important tool in the prevention and treatment
of periodontal disease.
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| Early periodontal disease |
Tooth loss |
The ultrasonic scaler |
Crown Lengthening
What is a crown?
A crown (cap) is an excellent way to cover and protect
a tooth that has fractured or been damaged by decay or
injury. To place a crown, we first take an impression
of your teeth, and use this impression to create precise
working models of your mouth. On these models, your custom
crown will be fabricated. However, sometimes, the damage
to a tooth can be so extensive that there simply isn t
enough support for a crown.
A new option
Previously, such extensive damage would mean that we would
need to extract (remove) the tooth. But today, by performing
a procedure called crown lengthening, we can build up
the tooth structure so it can support a crown, and save
the tooth.
What happens during a crown lengthening
procedure?
First, we thoroughly numb the entire area so you will
be comfortable throughout the procedure. We then make
small incisions and gently pull back the gum tissue to
expose the surface of the bone. We sculpt and reshape
the area, and then carefully replace the gum tissue and
place a few stitches to speed the healing process.
We may further build up the tooth using a post or pins
and a build-up material. The final step is placing a crown
to cover and protect the tooth. The crown restores your
damaged tooth to normal health, appearance and chewing
function. Crown lengthening is a minor surgical procedure
that is a predictable and effective way to save a tooth
that might otherwise be lost.
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| The tooth is built up |
A minor surgical procedure |
Stitches speed the healing
process |
