Over 80% of adults will experience some form of gum disease in their lifetime.  That means that our section in this publication should be of direct interest to the majority of readers.  Periodontal (gum) diseases, including gingivitis and periodontitis, are serious infections and are the major cause of tooth loss.  The practice of periodontics involves the diagnosis and treatment of all forms of gum disease.  As I always like to say, “We are in the tooth-saving business.”  However, when teeth are lost, periodontics provides surgical solutions for replacement of these missing teeth with dental implants.

Over the coming issues of The Women’s Journal, we will be covering a variety of interesting topics, demonstrating the new advances in our field.  These new technologies mean more options, and better solutions for our patients.  In addition, these new advances have a common theme of allowing surgical goals to be accomplished with minimally invasive approaches.  Shorter surgical appointments, accurate surgical planning, minimal post-operative swelling and discomfort, and speedier recovery times are of great benefit to our patients.

Periodontal Laser Surgery

Gum disease (periodontal disease) is caused by plaque deposits on the teeth that harbor bacteria which infect the gums.  The gums may become swollen and bleed while brushing.  As the disease progresses, the infection becomes more serious causing a separation of the teeth and gums which is termed a “pocket”.  The infection can become severe causing dramatic bone loss and ultimately, loss of the teeth.  Gum surgery is the conventional form of treatment, and has evolved over the past fifty years.  All traditional forms of gum surgery have required incisions and suturing of the gums.

Lasers have now been developed to specifically target the underlying causes of gum disease.  This patient-friendly, minimally-invasive procedure offers patients a new option in treating gum disease.  A tiny laser fiber (about the thickness of three hairs) is inserted between the tooth and the gum, and the infection is cleared away. New studies have demonstrated the benefits of laser periodontal therapy, and the ability of this treatment to restore health to the gums.  Laser therapy is helping many patients who have avoided treatment due to apprehension about the surgical process.  Laser therapy is not the appropriate choice for every patient with gum disease, so it is important to have a proper diagnosis before determining the best form of treatment.  We will explore these indications in a future issue.

Dental Implants:  “Teeth In A Day”

Dental implants have transformed the practice of dentistry over the past 25 years.  Most individuals now know someone who has had teeth replaced with a dental implant.  Titanium implants act as a new root foundation and provide many options for patients, allowing the replacement of a single tooth, or a full arch of teeth.  Traditional implant procedures in the past, have required treatment times approaching one year in length.  Advances in implant technology have resulted in faster healing times and broader applications of this science.  In fact, contemporary implant surgery seeks to be as minimally invasive as possible.  The goal is to reduce the disturbance of the soft and hard tissues during the surgical procedures, in order to preserve the natural architecture of these tissues.  In many situations, teeth/crowns may be placed on the implants the same day as the surgery.  This approach allows patients to have an immediate tooth replacement and is termed “teeth in a day”.  This type of treatment approach requires careful diagnosis and planning, as well as close communication and teamwork between the implant surgeon and the restorative doctor.  We will explore immediate restoration of implants in an upcoming issue.

Computer Guided Implant Surgery

Dental implants require careful planning for optimizing the outcome of the case and maximizing patient satisfaction with the results.  The development of computer guided technology has facilitated maximum preparation of the surgical procedure.  Once a scan of the bone has been obtained, the implants can be virtually placed into the patients jaw by the use of software.  Many factors can be evaluated at this planning stage in ways never before possible.  Complications can be foreseen and avoided at the time of actual surgery.  The result is the opportunity for incision-free surgery, immediate restoration of the implants, esthetic implant positioning, and dramatically reduced surgical time.  This leads to faster recovery time and incredible results.

This article first appeared in the 2009 March / April edition of the The New London Women’s Journal