General Dentistry Periodontics - 2006.

Changing periodontal attitudes have caught me by surprise.

I didn't foresee recent expansion of "general dentistry periodontics" where patients are treated by hygienist scalings and local antibiotics in the general office. This trend will surely continue.

Most patients readily agree to periodontal treatment in their general dentists' office. They prefer familiar surroundings. Scalings and local antibiotics can improve the periodontal condition. Inflammation and probing depths often decrease. If hygienists and their dentists do not advocate referrals to periodontists, patients have no motivation to go elsewhere for periodontal therapy.

Our practice has learned to adapt to "general dentistry periodontics". We do more clinical crown lengthening and gingival grafting. Those patients referred with periodontitis tend to be the very advanced cases.

I feel that something is missing here. It's just not that simple. Scalings and antibiotics don't go far enough to remove the source of periodontitis. To a large extent, the disease is being managed rather than treated effectively. Maybe that's okay with most patients. They'll take their chances. But I have to think that some patients are genuinely interested in treatment that actually restores good periodontal health.

Our practice is based on three essentials. Remove all root deposits. Improve patient compliance. Maintain the healthy condition. I want you to look closely at the first of these, removing root deposits.

A contaminated surface is the source of periodontitis. Plaque, calculus, toxins, surface roughness, restorative materials, and tobacco residue cause periodontal tissues to detach. They clog and penetrate root irregularities, cementoenamel junctions, bifurcations, and grooves. Nobody can consistently remove root contaminants by scaling and antibiotics alone. Yet, periodontal tissues heal completely against a clean root surface.

The therapeutic goals of our practice are to eliminate root deposits and produce a smooth, clean root surface. Fiberoptic lights and magnifying lenses are used for optimal visibility. Tissue flaps are often required to see and to instrument effectively. We use fine, sharp hand instruments and a variety of rotating burs designed to reach every root surface. Eliminating root deposits is exceedingly difficult. We continually strive to perfect these techniques, one tooth at a time.

When it all comes together - smooth roots, patient compliance, and effective maintenance - a lifetime of periodontal health is restored. For us, there is nothing more gratifying.

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Effective Teeth Cleaning

Tooth repair and replacement are a multibillion dollar industry. Total human cost in time, money, and pain is immeasurable. And you can avoid it.

Follow this advice:

understand why teeth need repair.

believe you can make a difference.

be determined to succeed.

learn necessary skills.

develop a life-long habit.

choose your hygienist carefully.

Why teeth need repair. A dirty tooth promotes foul odor, dental decay, bleeding gums, receding gums, loosening, and loss. A clean tooth looks good, is odor free, and doesn't decay. Around a clean tooth, gums won't bleed, loosen, or recede.

Believe you can make a difference. It's your dirty teeth that are causing problems. Only you can change that.

Determine to succeed. Be determined to learn effective skills and habits.

Learn necessary skills. 50% of teeth surfaces are right in the open, easy to clean. The other 50% - between teeth, under gums, in narrow grooves - are difficult. Patients, even hygienists, don't clean them thoroughly. Disease happens. But you can learn to clean all surfaces of your teeth.

Develop an effective habit. With expert skills and determination, effective cleaning evolves into a life-long habit.

Choose your hygienist carefully. Our hygiene practice goals are:

assemble a team of competent professionals.

give them all the time they need.

develop treatment partnerships with patients.

remove as many deposits as possible.

motivate patients to clean thoroughly.

Effective professional cleanings require a genuine caring attitude, consistently high skill levels, and sufficient appointment time. These technically demanding procedures form the cornerstone of our periodontal practice. Our patients enjoy superior oral health because of effective professional cleanings. Healthy natural teeth are clearly better than costly repairs or prosthetic replacements.

Referring dentists have come to expect excellent periodontal health maintained by our patients. This consistency helps them plan and provide needed dental restorations and replacements. As professionals, we continually strive to master the science and art of effective teeth cleanings. Perfecting this difficult discipline provides us with a meaningful, satisfying career-long endeavor.

It makes the journey worthwhile.