Vancouver Periodontal Blog

Cosmetic Gum Contouring

Also known as gum reshaping, gum contouring is a cosmetic dental procedure employed to improve a patient’s smile. The most common treatment is for what is commonly known as a ‘gummy smile’, a condition in which gums cover more of the front teeth than is desired. The teeth appear too short. This often causes the person to avoid smiling and can give rise to self confidence issues. A gummy smile can be caused by genetics, health circumstances and some high blood pressure prescriptions.

Gum contouring is a procedure that has been commonly done with a scalpel. In recent years laser devices are often used to trim away excesive gum overlying the teeth. The laser provides the added benefit of sealing blood vessels during the procedure.

Gum contouring is a painless dental treatment and is able solve the ‘gummy smile’ problem in a single visit.

Clinical Crown Lengthening

Crown lengthening is a surgical procedure that often preceeds other restorative work. Re-contouring of the gum ensures that the new restorations are constructed to the highest standard. Restorations constructed with this advance preparation will usually last many longer than those which aren’t.

Consult a Vancouver periodontist about gum surgery

Where the disease has not advanced too far, a non-surgical approach, root planing is generally used in treatment. The bacteria can be cleaned away without reflecting the gum.

In more severe cases it must be treated with periodontal flap surgery. The periodontal flap procedure involves the reflection of the gum from the infected teeth to provide direct access and visibility. This facilitates thorough cleaning of the infected root surfaces. A local anesthetic is administered for this procedure and several small sutures will remain in place for about a week thereafter. Some discomfort can be expected during that period.

After periodontal flap surgery it is very important to keep the treated area(s) spotlessly clean. Your periodontist will demonstrate brushing techniques and you will receive additional instructions and treatment following surgery. In most cases they will schedule an appointment about a month after surgery to check on the healing process and follow up on your hygiene and brushing technique.

Part 1: What is Periodontitis

Visit your Vancouver periodontist

Choosing a Vancouver periodontist goes beyond the basic health of your teeth. Tooth loss and gum disease are the root of many dental problems. When the gums become diseased, they no longer provide a healthy base for the teeth and this can lead to other problems like tooth loss. The good news is that many periodontic problems can be easily treated.

A periodontist may be a doctor who specializes in this field of dentistry or a dentist who incorporates this area into his/her regular practice. When you are choosing a dental practitioner, it is important to ask how much experience he/she has working with gum health. Find out if the periodontist is board certified and ask about his/her level of specialized education.

It is also important to find out if a particular periodontist is covered by your insurance plan. If not, you will want to know what type of payment plan the office provides to ensure you can pay your dental bills in a timely manner. Most periodontal specialists will offer some type of financing options for their patients.

Another factor to consider is how well the periodontists you’re considering in Vancouver keep up with the latest procedures. For example, dental implants have become a popular treatment for tooth loss today. Instead of dentures that can come loose or cause problems with eating or speaking, dental implants look and feel like your natural teeth. If this is a treatment you are considering, you will want to find out if the particular Vancouver periodontal specialist you are considering has ample experience in the procedure.

Periodontal treatment is an important component in good oral hygiene and health. If you are experiencing bleeding gums, pain while chewing or loose or missing teeth, speak with your dentist or periodontist.

Schedule an appointment with a Vancouver periodontist

There are four standard treatment options for the loss of a single tooth.

Partial

1) Single Tooth Partial Denture

A single tooth denture is temporarily fastened between the neighboring teeth. The downside of a single tooth partial denture is the accompanying bone loss that results from the absence of the natural tooth root. Biting forces will also cause the partial to move and shift. Discomfort and gum irritation often result from the movement of the partial.

2) Resin Bonded Bridge

A high speed drill is used to cut into the back of the neighboring teeth in order to prepare them for the bridge. A prothesis is cemented into place, attached to the backs of the neighboring teeth. Bone loss soon occurs as a result of the missing root. Plaque buildup at the edges of the bond often result, which can lead to tooth decay. Over time the cement bonds are likely to loosen due to day to day pressures of biting.

3) Fixed Bridge

A high speed drill removes a large percentage of the structure of the neighboring teeth, creating two mounting posts. A fabricated three unit bridge is then cemented into place. Again, bone loss will occur because the tooth root is missing. Plaque buildup under the margins of the crowns is also common. The neighboring teeth lack sufficient tooth structure, weakening them and leaving them more susceptible to tooth decay. Tooth decay leads to root canals and eventual additional tooth loss. In many cases the three unit bridge may fail due to decay of the neighboring teeth, necessitating a four unit bridge.

Single Tooth Dental Implant

4) Dental Implant

A dental implant replaces your natural tooth root with an implant. The implant is inserted into the bone in place of the natural root. The process of osseointegration causes the bone to heal around the implant, securing it as tightly as the natural root. An abutment is secured to the implant and the crown is then attached to the abutment. Unlike bridges, dental implants look and feel just like your natural teeth. They are stable under the pressures of biting and chewing and will outlast the other three options.

Vancouver dental implants

Dental Implants

Dental implants replace missing teeth with fabricated replacements designed after your natural teeth. Your natural tooth has two parts. The crown is visible above the gums and the root secures it to the jawbone. Dental implants may have several components, but they also have two primary parts, just like your natural teeth. The restoration is custom fabricated to match the shape and coloration of your natural tooth crown. The titanium implant replaces the function of your natural tooth root, securing the restoration to your jawbone. Implants are made of titanium or titanium alloy because our bodies normally accept titanium without infection.

In the first phase of treatment, an opening in the jawbone is created in preparation. The implant is inserted followed by a healing cover. In some cases the gums are sutured. Through the process of osseointegration, healing begins. Bone molecules from your jawbone begin to attach themselves to the titanium of the implant. In the two to four month period following the placement of your implant the bone securely bonds to the implant, securing it permanently in place.

In the second phase of treatment, the custom restoration is securely fitted to the implant. The completed restoration looks and feels like your natural tooth.

Vancouver periodontal services, dental implants