| Why,
all of a sudden, is my dentist sending me to a periodontist?
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Periodontists
have advanced training in the treatment of periodontal
disease and dental implants.
Patients with periodontal infection
have lower resistance to periodontal bacteria. This
causes a continuing gum infection that can grow in
bursts of activity. Some factors that can cause a
dramatic speed-up of your periodontal disease are:
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Poor
Oral Hygiene |
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Dental
Plaque |
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Smoking |
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Genetic
Factors |
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Stress |
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Diet |
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Age |
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Illness |
Two other important factors are:
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Lack
of regular dental checkups. |
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Lack
of regular dental cleanings. |
When your infection has a "burst"
of growth, or when there are signs that this is may
occur, periodontal treatment may be recommended.
Back
to the Questions
|
| How
is periodontal disease treated? |
| |
Periodontal disease is
an infection in the gums and jawbone. The goal of
treatment is to remove this infection and prevent
it from coming back. For more information see Procedures.
After your initial examination, we will
completely explain the treatment you will need.
Back
to the Questions
|
| Does
periodontal treatment hurt? |
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One
of our primary concerns is that you have a comfortable
experience during treatment. Towards this end, we
offer an extensive array of the latest techniques
to minimize discomfort. When using
the PerioLase Laser in periodontal surgery, patients
have had significantly less discomfort, and many have
not used any pain medication other than Tylenol or
Advil.
Back
to the Questions
|
What is going to happen on my first visit?
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On your first
visit to our office, you will receive a periodontal examination.
You should experience little, if any, discomfort during
this examination. If necessary, x-rays will be taken to
further evaluate any loss of bone around your teeth.
Afterwards, your findings and options for treatment
will be thoroughly explained. At that time the doctor will
answer any questions you may have.
Our goal is that you leave with a complete
understanding of your condition and the treatment needed
to restore you to optimum oral health.
Back to the
Questions |
| How
much will treatment cost and will my insurance cover it? |
| |
Everyone deserves
to keep their natural teeth for a lifetime. While periodontal
treatment is not as costly as replacing natural teeth due
to tooth loss, its cost can vary greatly depending upon
your needs.
If you have dental insurance, this may provide
full or partial coverage. Our office will contact your insurance
company to learn what they will cover. We do accept assignment
of most insurance benefits and your responsibility will
only be to cover the remainder.
We feel that finances should never be
an obstacle to treatment. For your convenience, we offer
several payment options. We also have payment plans to suit
your individual needs. Our insurance coordinator will be
happy to answer any of your financial or insurance questions.
Back to the
Questions
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| Why
must I have my periodontal infection treated? |
| |
Periodontal infection
grows in "bursts of activity".
It is likely that you have been referred to
us because your general dentist has noticed an increase
in infection activity.
This infection eats away at the bone that
supports your teeth (leading to tooth loss). If not treated,
there can be a number of consequences. Please see the Dental
& Medical Consequences section for a list of these.
Back to the
Questions
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| What
are the medical consequences, if I delay treatment? |
| |
When periodontal
infection gets into the bone around your teeth, it can then
enter your blood stream. From there it travels to other
parts of the body and can contribute to medical problems.
Recent research has found that patients with
periodontal disease are more than twice as likely to have
heart disease and stroke.
Please read the section entitled "Dental
& Medical Consequences"
to see an overview of recent research correlating periodontal
disease with serious medical problems.
Back to the
Questions
|
| Do
you work with my general dentist regarding my periodontal
care? |
| |
Your general dentist
knows your entire dental history, the condition of your
teeth, and your future dental needs. He is in charge of
your overall dental care. We work closely with him or her
to ensure you will receive the best possible dental care.
In many cases, your general dentist may do
your preliminary periodontal treatment and a portion of
your periodontal maintenance afterwards.
Back to the
Questions
|
| What
are implants? |
| |
Implants are natural
looking replacements for missing teeth. The implant itself
is a post that is attached to your jawbone. This post provides
an anchor for your general dentist to place crowns, bridges
or other restorations.
We are experts in the placement of dental
implant posts. Dental implants begin with an evaluation
by your general dentist who will decide if you are a good
candidate for this procedure.
For more detailed information, please see
the Section entitled "Dental
Implants".
Back to the
Questions
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| Do
you use the latest equipment and techniques? |
| |
We keep ourselves
up to date regarding equipment and periodontal procedures.
You can be sure you will receive state-of-the-art care in
our office.
Regarding sterilization, we believe
that all procedures should be safe as well as comfortable.
We use only the latest sterilization techniques. For more
information on treatment techniques and sterilization see
the Section entitled "Procedures".
Back to the
Questions
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| What is so good about surgical treatment by a laser?
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Many patients have returned after surgery
commenting on how little pain and swelling they had.
Many had little or no bleeding, and they felt that
their healing had progressed at a rapid rate.
For more information on laser periodontal therapy, please see the Section
entitled "Dental Lasers ".
Back to the
Questions
|
| What
other treatments do you provide? |
| |
Besides periodontal
treatment and dental implants, we can perform a number of
procedures, including:
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Crown
Lengthening |
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Cosmetic
Gingival (gum) Grafting |
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Gingival
(gum) Contouring |
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Bone
Grafting |
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Frenectomy |
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Ridge
Augmentation |
For more information on these procedures, please see the Section
entitled "Procedures".
Back to the
Questions
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