I have very healthy teeth. (No Cavities) But I have advanced Pereodontal disease. I was told that I will have to have my healthy teeth pulled. Does this treatment increase my chances of keeping my teeth and how will it increase the chance of new bone growth? Also are there other cities where this procedure is performed

I assume that you are asking about the laser periodontal procedures for periodontal patients. The new LANAP procedure is an excellent alternative for periodontal treatment. There are certainly situations that are beyond any type of treatment, but this conservative perio treatment has a place as a treatment option for you. You will have to have a comprehensive dental exam with radiographs and periodontal pocket depth probing to be able to give you an opinion as to what your situation is.

To answer your question, there are several doctors around the country that have the Nd:YAG laser that allows for this treatment. It was developed originally in California.

Please communicate with us and we will try to help you understand your options.

Chuck Campbell, DDS
713-795-5905

Labels: Pereodontal, Pereodontal Disease, Pereodontal Gum Disease, Pereodontal Treatment

Great question -- I’m not sure how long you have been in the process of learning about dental implants, but you will find that they are an extremely valuable tool in dentistry. There are situations that are simple that cost less, and there are situations that are very complicated that cost more. We don’t quote specific prices here because the situations are so variable and individual needs and time requirements vary so widely. We feel that the only way you can get a fair evaluation is to have a complete examination that includes photography, x-rays and a direct, visual examination and conversation with a doctor who is well-versed in the subject.

Again, the cost of dental implant treatment varies widely. It will all depend on the complexity of your dental needs. Dental implants are simply one tool that we use in dental restorations. In patients with advanced needs that need complex restorative dentistry, implants are sometimes the key element that allows us to achieve good results in difficult situations. The additional strength that implants add to the foundation of dental restorations is amazing. The use of implants has revolutionized modern restorative dentistry. In assessing the cost of treatment, we take into consideration the time requirements for each phase of treatment & implant procedures, the health status of the patient, and the difficulty to achieve what that patient needs and wants…. and whether we can provide what they would like to obtain. Even diagnosing and organizing treatment is a time-consuming process that is important to your understanding of options.

We will be happy to discuss the cost of what we feel are the appropriate options for you. Please come and have an exam that will teach you all the facts that you want to know. We will try to fairly give you a proper understanding of your situation and your options.

Labels: cosmetic dental implants, dental implant procedures, dental tooth implants, houston dental implants, titanium dental implants

Ask the Dental ExpertsOur philosophy is to help our patients achieve and maintain exceptional dental health. We work hard to make sure that our level of care is deserving of our patients’ respect and confidence. Our tradition of preventive dentistry is the basis for all service and care in our practice. We welcome all questions and comments regarding dentistry in the hope that we increase your dental "IQ" and help you make better dental health decisions.

What is the number scale that hygienists use to measure the amount of recession going on? Does it have a name and is it universally used in the USA?

Dentistry uses the metric system for measurement. In assessing periodontal bone and/or soft tissue loss, the measurements would be in millimeters. The most common measurement is the depth of the periodontal pocket, in which we use a periodontal probe to measure the distance from the base of the gingival pocket to the gingival crest. The norm is approximately 2-3 mm, and deeper than this basically reflects periodontal bone loss.

When there is also recession of tissue, the facial root surface is exposed. Measurement of tissue loss and recession would be from the cervical line (where the enamel ends) to the height of the exposed root.

Adding these 2 numbers together would show total loss – bone lost in pocket + facial soft tissue lost.

There are a variety of ways to gather records, but these are the parameters that we are trying to assess. Individual clinicians would have different techniques and methods.

Labels: gum recession, periodontal treatment, soft tissue grafts

Ask the Dental Experts
Our philosophy is to help our patients achieve and maintain exceptional dental health. We work hard to make sure that our level of care is deserving of our patients’ respect and confidence. Our tradition of preventive dentistry is the basis for all service and care in our practice. We welcome all questions and comments regarding dentistry in the hope that we increase your dental "IQ" and help you make better dental health decisions.

DR Campbell:
My dentist wants me to have periodontal laser treatment. My gums have always been red at the gum line. The spaces are only 3mm and I have no bleeding. I have all veneers and crowns in my mouth. The hygienist will be performing the procedure and has only been doing it for 8 months. Does it sound like I need this procedure?
Thanking you in advance,
Ellen

Thanks for the question, Ellen. It is hard to tell you what we would recommend without seeing you, but let me tell you that laser treatment for periodontal issues is very conservative and current therapy. Red gum lines that you describe are not what we want – we try to achieve pink, non-bleeding tissue as our ideal. We use the Millenium Laser in our office to perform LANAP, an FDA-approved procedure with a lot of science behind it. Again, it is a very conservative and minimally-invasive procedure for periodontal problems, whether those problems be early or advanced.

There is some discussion on our website that might help you with your understanding of what a laser does.

http://www.cosmetic-dentistry-center.com/lanap-t-48.html


Thanks for the question. Feel free to contact our office if you would like to discuss it further.

Chuck Campbell, DDS

Labels: LANAP, laser assisted new attachment procedure, laser periodontal therapy

There was a man we will refer to as Cooper who came to us. Years before, he had lost several teeth in the lower arch of his mouth. He lacked the funding at the time to pay for dental implants, and not knowing much about tooth replacement to begin with, had chosen to take the economical route of removable, partial dentures. He found that they worked to a degree, but caused him to experience difficulty chewing certain foods he liked to eat.

This situation is common for people who wear partial dentures. While they are cheaper than titanium dental implants, they come with a price of their own. Partials are by nature softer than titanium and porcelain (the materials used to make dental implants), and consequently limit what a person can and cannot comfortably chew.

Partial dentures are also a source of embarrassment for many people. Almost no one who dentures has not been caught at some point in time by a child or close relative with his or her teeth in a glass, so to speak. The clicking sound made by dentures while chewing is also embarrassing, because everyone at the table knows where that sound is coming from, and who has false teeth and who does not.

Dental implants, on the other hand, can fool even the most critical of self-styled smile experts. They look identical to natural teeth, and they work even better in some cases due to their rugged constitution. They can also be made very affordable to patients like Cooper through financial plans that allow for payments to be spread out over a period of time. This is a common courtesy we offer to all intake patients like here at the Houston Cosmetic Dentistry Center of the Medical Center Dental Group.

Once Cooper qualified for one of our many financial plans, we scheduled an appointment to make a thorough examination of his mouth. We took x-rays first to assess the condition of his jaw bone. This is standard protocol in implant dentistry, and almost universally the first step we take in replacing missing teeth. The reason for this is because bones begin to recede when teeth fall out or become decayed to the point they must be extracted. Without tooth roots to form around, bone mass deteriorates and flattens.

The degree of bone loss determines just how many cosmetic dental implants we can actually place in the jaw. The lesser the bone loss, the more implants the jaw will support. However, very few people have come to us with an ideal jawbone just waiting to be filled with implants. Most people like Cooper have already experienced severe bone deterioration. These patients, like Cooper, must be treated with a combination of dental implants and fixed bridgework.

In Coopers case, we were able to successfully place four implants at key locations around the bottom of his mouth. We then used these implants as anchors for fixed bridges. The cosmetic dental bridges that we use in full mouth reconstructions are different than the standard bridges used in general family dentistry. Unlike standard bridges, they rarely are affixed to natural teeth, but are made instead to attach directly to the porcelain crowns that cover the titanium implant base. This avoids damaging healthy teeth which can actually lose enamel when bridges are anchored to them.

When we removed the acrylic roof to the partials and replaced the dentures he wore with dental implants and bridges, Cooper was now able to enjoy total freedom of diet for the first time in years. He immediately called us back to thank us not only for expanding his menu, but also for making it possible for him to smile securely knowing that only he knew the true origin of the bright healthy looking teeth that gave him a new face to the world.

For more information on dental implants and new forms of dentures, read the following articles on our main site:

Dental Implants
Cosmetic Tooth Implants
Dental Implant Procedure
Dental Implant Surgery
Denture Implants

Labels: cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic dental procedures, dental implant, dental implant procedures, retained dentures

A soft tissue graft is a procedure that involves taking tissue from either your palate or your gumline and connecting it to receding gums. In most instances, gums recede because of periodontal disease. In other cases, they can recede as a result of physical trauma, crooked teeth, or age. It is important that you take this condition seriously. It affects more than just your looks. If left untreated, it can expose tooth roots, which will in turn result in tooth sensitivity and possible tooth loss in the future.

The good news is that soft tissue grafts will stop gum recession in its tracks, protect exposed tooth roots, and make the appearance of the smile more aesthetic and natural looking. One noticeable benefit that you will immediately become aware of is a decreased sensitivity to hot and cold and a greater comfort eating a wide range of foods.

There are three types of soft tissue grafts, briefly described as follows:

1. Free gingival graft- The dentist cuts a small strip of tissue from the palate and stitches it to the receding gum line. This method is used mostly for people with naturally thin gums who can benefit aesthetically from the addition of new tissue.
2. Connective-tissue graft- The dentists takes subepithelial connective tissue from under the palate. This tissue is very similar to the type that surrounds tooth roots, and it is ideal for covering roots that have been exposed. .
3. Pedicle graft- This type of graft is used when an exposed root is located adjacent to a tooth with healthy, abundant gum tissue. A flap of healthy gum tissue is partially cut away, flipped over, and stitched to the damaged area. This procedure offers the benefits of connecting existing blood vessels as well as tissue to the area being treated.

There will be a certain amount of discomfort after any of the above procedures are performed. Most dentists will use a soft, clay-like periodontal dressing to protect the grafted tissue while it heals. Prescription pain medication will be used in most cases as well. You should follow all post-operative instructions, the foremost of which is to keep his or her mouth clean during the healing process.

For more information on this and related topics, read the following articles on our main website:
Cosmetic Dental Teeth Procedures
Periodontal Surgery
Root Canal Therapy
Tooth Decay
Tooth Pain and Sensitivity

If you are experiencing pain or tooth sensitivity any time you eat or drink something hot or cold, then you need to call our office for an appointment. Your condition may or may not be related to gum recession, but regardless, it is something we need to look at and address because no doubt it will lead to future complications if left untreated.

Labels: cosmetic dental procedures, Gum Disease, intermittent toothache, pain in tooth, pain while chewing, soft tissue grafts, tooth sensitivity

Ask the Dental Experts
Our philosophy is to help our patients achieve and maintain exceptional dental health. We work hard to make sure that our level of care is deserving of our patients’ respect and confidence. Our tradition of preventive dentistry is the basis for all service and care in our practice. We welcome all questions and comments regarding dentistry in the hope that we increase your dental "IQ" and help you make better dental health decisions.


I would like to close the gap in my two front teeth. I would like to discuss the options that I have for that procedure.
-Krystal


Hi, Krystal – good question. If there are no surprises (underlying pathology, surprise decay, old trauma, close bite,etc..etc..), there are a couple of ways to do this:

Labels: cosmetic dental veneers, porcelain veneers, Veneers

Hi doctor,

Is it possible for a teeth's nerve to die off after putting braces?
I have my ceramic braces on for about 2 months now. Recently, I have been experiencing sharp pain on two of my teeth after drinking cold drinks for a week. I understand that the movement of the teeth would cause sensitivity issue. However, the pain which I was experiencing was somehow different. I went back to see my dentist and was told that this was an unusual encounter that the worse scenario is that my nerve may have possibility died off. Nevertheless, he give me some anti-swelling oral medication and ensure me that the problem will be resolve in a few days time.

However, 2 weeks later the same symptom happen again, but this time it lasted for 5 hrs. I went back to the dentist again and I was told that the nerve is going to died off soon. I was so shocked and disappointed after hearing that. He said that I have exceptionally sensitive tooth and that the force he applied to tighten the braces was generally acceptable by all his patients. He told me that the only solution now is to undergo root canal treatment. I was so shocked to hear that. How can a set of teeth that was previously healthy become bad teeth after putting these braces? Is this true? How can it happen and is the root canal treatment the only solution? Kindly reply to me. Thank you for your time.

Regards,
John

Good question – Your story is not unusual. The nerves of the teeth can respond negatively to trauma, whether the trauma is from a blow, a fall, grinding your teeth, deep decay, deep fillings, fractured root, gingival recession, orthodontic movement – sometimes it just seems to be nothing in particular, the simplest thing, that triggers nerve sensitivity. Nerve sensitivity can be reversible and slowly go away, or it can respond to treatments for sensitivity such as topical fluoride, topical fluoride varnish, Sensodyne tooth paste, bite adjustment, etc. Or, sensitivity can be irreversible – such that nothing that is done will make it better… and in this case, root canal treatment is the most common treatment.

Tooth sensitivity is our most common complaint in general dentistry. It is sometimes obvious as to the cause, but it is also common to have the cause very vague and hard to figure out. Your dentist is doing appropriate conservative treatments, trying to allow some time to pass, since sometimes the problem goes away without treatment. He is also correct in telling you that sometimes these problems will only resolve with root canal treatment…true. Nothing has been done wrong, it is just that some people have very sensitive teeth – if you look around your mouth, you will probably find other signs that predispose you to tooth sensitivity:

Ø Large, deep fillings
Ø Muscular grinding / clenching habits
Ø Gingival recession
Ø Gingival abfractions
Ø Fractures in teeth
Ø Old trauma – falls, etc.

This is all difficult to predict and very different from person to person. Sit down and have a discussion with your dentist about your situation relative to other teeth that might have similar potential problems. It is much more complicated than you are assuming.

Labels: dental abfraction, dental fillings, gingival recession, tooth fractures, tooth sensitivity

Two years ago we treated a woman named Susanna, who was in her early sixties. Over forty years ago, she had lost all but 6 of her lower front teeth. At that time, a removable upper denture seemed her most workable and convenient option. True, she did not like having to take it out and clean it in front of her husband and children, and she was embarrassed at times by the sounds it made when she chewed certain foods.

After she retired, however she decided to look into implant dentistry. She called our office and asked if we could help with some kind of payment plan. We told her it is routine for a good majority of our patients to pay for dental implants over a period of time. Susanna was more than happy to come in upon hearing this news, excited to hear that an alternative to dentures had finally presented itself within reach.

It is unfortunate that so many people like Susanna assume that implant dentistry is beyond their budget, and that they must settle for a lifetime of removable dentures. Nothing could be farther from the truth. While it is true that this treatment is certainly much more expensive than other forms of tooth replacement, implant dentistry does not have to be paid for all at once. A full list of financial options can be explored by visiting this link on our main website. Any number of these can be within the realm of possibility for a gainfully employed or comfortably retired person to qualify for. She had very good credit and a comfortable income from her savings and retirement plans, and her credit immediately qualified her for one of our plans.

Susanna was a unique case in that she had lived without her natural teeth for over 40 years. However, she had not experienced the severe bone loss that often ensues after teeth remain missing for a period of time. In most cases like hers, there is seldom enough bone mass to place more than a few implants. The remainder of a full-mouth reconstruction has to be done with fixed bridgework attached to implants that are used as anchor points. In fact, we were a bit shocked at this remarkable condition after looking at the x-rays of her mouth. Susanna simply told us that she took good care of herself by eating healthy and taking daily supplements.

We never complain when a patient is this proactive in self-care. Over the next 18 months, we placed a total of 15 dental implants in Susannas upper jaw. In the few gaps between these implants, we placed porcelain cosmetic dental bridges to completely rebuild her smile.

Susanna reports today that she loves the new freedom she has to eat anything she wants (although she still eats only healthy foods). She also remarked that it is a genuine pleasure to finally be able to brush her upper teeth—something she has not been able to do since her early twenties. Again, it makes us feel good as dentists to hear a patient so passionate about dental hygiene.

For more information, visit the following articles on our main website:
Dental Implant Procedures
Dentures Dental Implants
Dental Tooth Implants
Dental Implant Surgery

Labels: cosmetic dental implants, cosmetic dental procedures, dental imlplants, dental implant, dental implant procedures, Dental Implants, implant dentistry