Do the muscles in your cheeks and jaw often feel sore and tender, seemingly for no reason? Are your teeth sensitive when you bite down or consume hot or cold food and drink? Does your jaw pop regularly? Do you have difficulty opening your mouth as wide as you used to? If you answer yes to any of these questions, you are probably suffering from oral myofascial pain syndrome, typically the result of “bruxism,” which is the clenching and grinding of the teeth.
Always eager to bring the best technology and innovation to our practice to better serve our patients, North Raleigh Periodontics is excited to incorporate the Florida Probe System into appointments in our office! You may wonder, “just what is the Florida Probe,” and “how will it benefit me?” Keep reading to find out . . .
Dr. Singletary is a guest speaker on WPTF 680 AM “Heart Health” program. To listen to one of his interviews, click on the video below.
For more information on this topic, listen to the Gum Guru Podcast by clicking the link below:
At North Raleigh Periodontics, we believe that the most beneficial investments we can make are those that help us bring the best treatment available to our patients, including the most cutting-edge technology. With this goal in mind, we are excited to utilize cone beam three-dimensional imaging to help better diagnose and treat our patients.
It is common knowledge that poor dental habits are a major contributor to poor oral health, including bacterial gum tissue diseases like periodontal disease. To put it simply, periodontal disease is the infection of the structures surrounding the teeth caused by oral plaque forming bacteria. Although it is obvious that periodontal disease wreaks havoc on one’s oral health, many patients are unaware of the surprising ripple effect that oral problems like periodontitis can have not only on the mouth, but also on the body. There is a crucial connection between oral health and systemic (whole body) health that, unfortunately, most individuals and even some doctors are unaware. However, research has consistently and increasingly demonstrated the link between periodontal and systemic health. This connection attests to the increased need for collaboration and coordination of care between periodontal and medical professionals.
I use the gingivectomy procedure to treat periodontal disease and the overgrowth of gum tissue. Patients undergoing orthodontic treatment, i.e. braces, experience a higher risk of this overgrown gum tissue as a result of chronic gum inflammation. Medically deemed “gingival hyperplasia,” this inflammation can be attributed to their bodies’ reaction to fixed oral appliances and decreased oral hygiene. This lack of oral hygiene compliance, or decreased ability to successfully clean the teeth and gums resulting from braces, perpetuates contamination of the root surface due to plaque and calculus and results in swollen gum tissue.
Currently, two types of lasers dominate the oral healthcare field — the Biolase laser and the LANAP (laser-assisted new attachment procedure). Although practitioners may achieve successful results using either type, there are differences between the Biolase laser and the LANAP that make one more beneficial than the other, depending on the type of patient and the practitioner.
Periodontal disease is the infection of the oral anatomical structures that surround and support the teeth and gums. These structures are called “periodontium,” with “perio” meaning “around,” and “odont,” meaning “tooth.” When the infection begins to affect the bone and supporting tissue, it is termed periodontal disease, A.K.A. periodontitis.
Once an oral health professional has established that a patient has periodontal disease, the next step is initial treatment: usually, scaling and root planing, along with more involved treatment protocols if necessary. But when the periodontal disease is under control and a treatment plan established, there are some critical components necessary to keep the periodontal disease at bay and maintain stable oral health. For example, a patient should understand what stable periodontal disease really means, how to keep the periodontal disease in a stabilized condition, and what not to do once the impending danger associated with rampant periodontal disease has been averted.
Parts 1 of this article discussed the type of implant and varying reliability of implant manufacturers that individuals should be aware of when deciding to get an implant. Part 2 discussed relevant considerations for patients to consider when deciding who should place the implant itself. This final part of the article analyzes the unique qualifications possessed by periodontists that equip them to both successfully perform implant procedures and oversee the success of the implant in the long-term.
Why are periodontists specially equipped to place implants?
The ideal implant candidate is someone with strong, healthy gum tissue. However, this ideal situation is rare; the very reason that many people require implants in the first place is that they have unhealthy gum tissue that has caused their teeth to loosen and fall out.
Periodontists are dental experts who specialize in treating diseased gums; they are exceptionally equipped in treating the area where the implant will be placed. Furthermore, dental implants are closely connected with the mouth’s bone and gum tissue, and the health of the bone and tissue weighs heavily in determining the longevity of the implant. Since periodontists specialize in treating precisely these areas, they are ideal members of your dental implant team.