Periodontics on the Upper West Side

While brushing and flossing are the first line of defense against tooth decay and gum disease, regular professional cleanings are also required. When these cleanings are skipped, it is common for gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums, to occur. This is the first stage of gum disease. Scaling and root planing, a form of deeper professional cleaning, can clean out the pockets that develop between the teeth and gums, allowing gingivitis to heal.

As gum disease progresses to periodontitis, however, deeper pockets develop. At this point, surgical intervention is required. Laser periodontal surgery allows us to avoid traditional surgery and sutures, removing the bacteria and diseased tissue and sealing the pockets with minimal trauma. It is far less uncomfortable than traditional gum surgery, and healing time is significantly reduced.

Scaling and root planing is a non-surgical procedure used to treat gum disease. During the scaling process, specialized dental instruments are used to remove dental plaque and calculus from beneath the gums. Planing is the procedure used to smooth the tooth’s root after the scaling process. Root planing helps the gums heal and reattach themselves to a cleaner and smoother root surface.

Home care is an extremely important part of maintaining healthy teeth and gums, but even excellent home care cannot prevent bacteria and plaque. If the plaque is not removed, it can harden, becoming calculus. We will recommend a periodontal maintenance program that is best for you based on how quickly you develop calculus and your past and current periodontal health. During your maintenance visits, we will perform an oral examination as well as a dental cleaning.

During an oral examination, a visual inspection is performed to detect normal and abnormal structures of the entire mouth, head and neck. Along with radiographs, an examination detects cavities, abnormalities in existing dental restorations, gum and bone recession, and any other abnormal findings within the mouth, head, and neck

A dental cleaning, also known as an oral prophylaxis, is the removal of dental plaque and tartar (calculus) from the teeth. Specialized instruments are used to gently remove these deposits without harming the teeth. First, an ultrasonic device that emits vibrations and is cooled by water is used to loosen larger pieces of tartar. Next, hand tools are used to manually remove smaller deposits and smooth the tooth surfaces.

Laser bacterial reduction is a gentle, non-invasive dental therapy designed to eliminate harmful bacteria that reside below the gum line. Using advanced laser technology, this procedure targets and neutralizes the pathogens responsible for inflammation and gum disease without damaging the surrounding healthy tissue.

Gum grafting treats root exposure resulting from receded gum tissue. Tissue is removed from the roof of the mouth or from gum tissue near the tooth and stitched into the area needing gingival repair.

When a tooth is lost or extracted, the jawbone begins to resorb into the body. This natural process can eventually create a sunken, hollow look. It can also make it difficult to place dental implants. Bone grafting can reverse bone loss, allowing proper support for dental implants and filling out the face to promote a younger appearance. Bone can be harvested from elsewhere in the body, or a synthetic material may be used.

Bone regeneration is a periodontal surgical procedure that regenerates jaw bone and surrounding tissue. This procedure is often performed to protect your existing teeth and the tissues that keep them in place from bacterial plaque. The gingival tissue is folded back to remove the disease-causing bacteria. Membranes, bone grafts, or tissue-stimulating proteins can be used to encourage the body’s natural ability to regenerate bone and tissue.

Ridge preservation involves placing a regenerative bone grafting material into empty tooth sockets to rebuild bone where an extraction has left an empty, weakened area. This process encourages your body’s natural capacity to regenerate bone.

Crown lengthening is commonly used to expose more tooth structure, crown lengthening involves the removal of gum tissue and/or bone to expose more of a tooth’s structure.