Bruxism
Bruxism is often called teeth grinding. Though many people grind their teeth occasionally, other people seem to grind their teeth on a regular basis. This can damage your teeth and cause many other dental problems.
People who grind their teeth usually do it when they are sleeping. It can be caused by dental problems like an abnormal bite or missing teeth. Teeth grinding is also seen a lot with patients who suffer from sleep apnea. Stress and anxiety can also cause teeth grinding, both during the day and at night.
Since most people grind their teeth at night, they might not even realize they do it. However, patients who wake up constantly with a headache or a sore jaw may suffer from bruxism.
Crown Lengthening
Many people suffer from a condition that is often called “gummy mouth.” This means that their gums have grown up over their teeth so their teeth look smaller than they should!
For people who suffer from a “gummy mouth,” crown lengthening can really help. We actually reshape the extra gum and bone tissue that is covering your teeth so that your teeth are more visible. This can be done to just one or two teeth or your entire mouth!
Crown lengthening can also be done at the same time as other dental procedures. We not only reshape your gum and bone tissue but also repair any bad teeth that you may have due to decay or other damage.
Oral Cancer Exams
Nobody wants to hear that they may have oral cancer. Although it can be fatal, it is easier to treat the earlier it is caught. For this reason, we are proud to assist our patients with an oral cancer screening. We want to help our patients survive this often fatal disease.
Oral cancer will typically show up as white or red patches or lesions inside of your mouth. You may even notice the lesions on your tongue or on the floor of your mouth. Many people experience a hard time swallowing, bleeding in the mouth, or even swelling in your face or neck.
Since this specific cancer can look like a burn inside of your mouth, dentists will typically wait to see if it goes away. If not, we will perform a biopsy so that we can receive a proper diagnosis. In order to perform an oral cancer screening, we may use sedation or general anesthesia. This allows us to remove a sample of the lesion so that the pathologist is able to look at it under a microscope and come up with a diagnosis.
Periodontal Scaling And Root Planing
Periodontal scaling and root planing is done to remove tartar that has built up on your gum roots. Often your gums will start to pull away from your teeth, leaving a pocket that bacteria and food particles are able to fill.
Periodontal scaling and root planing is the most effective way to get rid of gum disease. There are times when we use a local anesthetic to numb the area before performing the procedure. Be sure to tell your dentist if you would prefer local anesthesia before we start the procedure!
Periodontal scaling and root planing cleans off tartar and other buildup on your teeth. We also clean between your gums and your teeth. We can use a standard scraping tool, but we also have an ultrasonic tool if needed. There are times when an antibiotic needs to be placed between your teeth and gums to help with the infection.
Pocket Irrigation
Periodontal disease is treatable. Prompt treatment is necessary because the disease will only get worse if left untreated. There are many different treatments and procedures available for you. One of the most common is pocket irrigation.
The main goal of pocket irrigation is to cleanse plaque from in between as well as underneath the gums. This helps to prevent the colonization of harmful oral bacteria.
Pocket irrigation is also known as oral irrigation. It has a few different purposes. Pocket irrigation can be performed as part of your regular cleaning or even at home with a different machine.
Pocket irrigation is very beneficial. It can blast plaque and food particles out from in between the teeth and remove harmful materials from the gum pockets. It helps with bad breath and eliminates the risk of tissue damage from the disease. It is also used to help prevent and eliminate strains of oral bacteria.
Pocket Reduction Surgery
When you have periodontal disease, the tissue and bones in your mouth can be destroyed. Pocket reduction surgery is specifically for people who have experienced this. Your bone and gum tissue are supposed to fit snugly around your teeth. If you are like many out there whose gum tissue has become loose and fallen away, pocket reduction surgery could be the answer for you.
Your dentist will recommend pocket reduction surgery if your pockets are too deep to clean during your regular daily oral care routine and professional cleaning. You do not want to leave any spots of your mouth unclean because bacteria will get inside and cause further problems.
While receiving this procedure, we will fold back your gum tissue and remove the disease-causing bacteria prior to securing your tissue. This surgery is important so that you can maintain a beautiful, healthy smile.
Simply eliminating bacteria alone is not sufficient to prevent periodontal disease permanently. Reducing your pockets as well as a maintaining a daily oral routine will help your chances of having healthy gums and teeth.
Prophylaxis(Teeth Cleaning)
We recommend routine dental cleanings for several reasons. When we perform professional cleaning, we remove the buildup of plaque and tartar. We also clean the parts of your teeth that are hard to reach such as underneath your gums.
After a cleaning, we will polish your teeth so that they shine! If needed, we will apply fluoride to your teeth. We will also preserve any artificial teeth (or teeth that have been restored).
After your cleaning, we will do a thorough examination so that we can see how your teeth are doing. We will look around to make sure you don’t have any problems that need to be taken care of. It is our goal to catch any problems and fix them before they become bigger ones. We will also go over home care if you need to change anything you are doing.