Periodontal Disease

Soft Tissue Management

Gum Surgery

Most people experience some form of periodontal disease, often without realizing it. Periodontal disease is chiefly responsible for adult tooth loss, bleeding gums, bad breath, and receding gums. Gum disease starts in between the teeth. Regular toothbrushes can’t reach these areas and most people don’t, don’t know how, or can’t floss effectively. Periodontal disease first manifests as gingivitis, which is a bacterial infection of the gums. Gingivitis is reversible. It’s caused by certain types of bacteria in plaque; the sticky, colorless film of bacteria that constantly form on teeth. These bacteria create toxins, which irritate the gums and result in a break down of the attachment of gum tissues to teeth. If the process is not interrupted, the infection progresses to bone loss. This stage of periodontal disease is not reversible, but can be controlled, if detected early enough. We provide a complete Soft Tissue Management Program. That’s shoptalk for a non-surgical approach to taking care of your gum tissue and giving you the tools and knowledge to continue this process at home, everyday.

Here are the warning signs of gum disease:

• Gums that bleed easily.
• Red, swollen or tender gums.
• Gums that have pulled away from the teeth (receded).
• Pus between the teeth and gums, when the gums are pressed.
• Persistent bad breath or bad taste.
• Permanent teeth that are loose or separating.
• Any change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite.

• Any changes in the fit of partial dentures.

Schedule regular dental visits to include a professional evaluation and cleaning by one of our hygienists so we can help you keep your teeth healthy and beautiful for life.

Surgery may be required, when deeper pockets (5 mm or greater) are not resolved by our Soft Tissue Management Program. It is difficult enough for the hygienist to thoroughly remove plaque and calculus from deep pockets. Patients can seldom, if ever, keep them clean and free of plaque. Allowing pockets to remain may invite infection and more bone loss. Just in case you do need gum surgery, we have a periodontist in-house, so we can provide a full range of periodontal services.

Sealants

Amalgam fillings

Composite fillings

A sealant is a clear plastic resin coating that forms a physical barrier to oxygen, thus rendering the bacteria that cause tooth decay ineffective. We apply sealants where there are pits on the biting surface in an otherwise decay free permanent tooth.

Amalgam fillings, otherwise known as silver fillings, are an alloy of metals (silver, zinc, tin, copper) and liquid mercury. Once mixed, they make up dental amalgam. They are often referred to as silver fillings because of their color.

There has been much discussion of the safety of amalgam fillings because of the liquid mercury used in these fillings. Proposition 65 has put mercury on the list of chemicals known to the state of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. The American Dental Association has determined that dental amalgam can be used safely on most individuals. Amalgam has been the standard filling material for over a century, wearing well and holding up to the forces of chewing.

However, liquid mercury is an environmental hazard. We live in an environmentally sensitive area near San Francisco Bay, so we must be proactive in limiting the use of dental amalgam.

Dental technology has taken mega steps in the development of ceramic and plastic compounds that mimic the appearance of natural teeth. Advances in modern dental materials and techniques increasingly offer new ways to restore and improve our smiles. Today, they have become the material of choice for fillings, inlays, veneers, crowns and anterior bridgework

Composite fillings are a mixture of acrylic resin and finely ground glasslike particles that produce a tooth-colored restoration. We prefer composite fillings for a number of reasons. We can conserve tooth structure. The tooth is prepared to just remove the decay without creating the undercuts that amalgam requires. Those undercuts weaken the tooth over time. Composites are bonded to the tooth structure itself, so a maximum amount of tooth is preserved. Composites are strong and durable, and they hold up well to the forces of chewing and biting. They are stable and will not expand and contract with temperature as amalgam does. They can be matched closely to the color of your teeth, thus creating a completely natural look for your smile.

Endodontics is the area of dentistry concerned with diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the dental pulp (the tooth’s core). Years ago, badly diseased or infected teeth were extracted. Today the majority of these teeth can be saved by a procedure call root canal therapy.

For your convenience, we have an endodontist at our office three mornings a week.

At the initial consultation, our specialist will determine the treatment necessary to address any problem you may be having with the pulp of the tooth. If indicated, treatment usually requires one to two visits. During these treatments, our specialist, Dr. Chan, removes the diseased pulp. The pulp chamber and root canal(s) of the tooth are then cleaned, shaped, filled and sealed to prevent recontamination of the root canal system. Root canal therapy usually is a relatively painless procedure.

An alternative to root canal therapy is extraction, but at Olympic Plaza Dental Center this is only a last resort, as there are many disadvantages to extraction.

Tooth whitening is a safe, quick, at-home process that whitens your teeth. As we age, the enamel surface of our teeth thins, revealing more of the yellowish dentin underneath. In addition, we subject our teeth to materials that stain our teeth such as tobacco, tea, coffee or foods. Some stains are more stubborn to remove or whiten, but almost every patient can whiten and brighten their teeth through bleaching.

There are many ways to bleach teeth, but we have found that bleaching over a few weeks at home with custom made bleaching trays, have produced the best results for most people. We also will bleach in-office for one hour at higher % bleach for people with more stubborn stains.

Bleaching is one of the most cost effective ways to improve your smile and give your self-confidence a boost.

We want your smile to be one of your best assets. That’s why, when your teeth are cracked, stained or damaged we may recommend a porcelain crown or a porcelain veneer to correct these conditions.

A crown is a restoration that covers or caps a tooth to restore it to it’s normal shape and size. It’s purpose is to strengthen or improve the appearance of a tooth, and may be made from porcelain, porcelain over metal or wholly from metal depending on the tooth’s position in the mouth, and other factors such as opposing forces in neighboring teeth that might dictate one crown over another.

We might recommend a crown: to support a tooth with a large filling then there isn’t enough tooth remaining, to restore a fractured tooth, to protect a weak tooth from fracturing or to restore cosmetically, badly shaped or discolored teeth.

If you have one or more missing teeth we might recommend a bridge to recover both lost form and function. Without it, even a single missing tooth undermines your health and vigor overtime. Your teeth work together to help you chew, speak, sing and smile. Missing teeth can affect the way you chew and speak. A bridge will restore the architecture of the mouth so your tongue moves naturally as you speak. It helps to maintain the natural shape of your face and may help support your lips and cheeks. The loss of a back tooth may cause your mouth to sink and your face to look older. More importantly, though, your dental health may suffer when teeth are not replaced. When a tooth is lost, the nearby teeth may tilt toward the empty space creating malocclusion. This places unusual stress on both the teeth and tissues in your mouth. In addition, the gum tissues and the bone that hold teeth in place can break down, increasing the risk of gum disease.

One of the many advantages of fixed bridgework is that it is permanently cemented into your mouth so you never have to remove it for cleaning.

If you have healthy teeth and gums, but you’re not satisfied with the way your smile looks, we might recommend porcelain veneers or cosmetic reshaping. A veneer is a very thin shell of porcelain that can replace or cover part of the enamel of the tooth. All-porcelain restorations are particularly desirable because their color and translucency mimic tooth enamel.

Porcelain veneers are a very aesthetic means of creating a more pleasing and beautiful smile. They can help brighten front teeth that have permanent stains or discoloration that can’t be whitened. They can correct small gaps between front teeth, or cover chipped, worn or eroded teeth. Veneers allow us to alter tooth position, shape, size and color. They are not the only alternative for all aesthetic abnormalities, but the result can be remarkable when they are the treatment of choice.

If you have uneven or chipped front teeth we might recommend cosmetic reshaping as a cost effective means to give you the great smile you’re looking for. Reshaping smoothes away rough edges making teeth even in height and is performed without any major restorative dentistry.

Partial dentures

Full dentures

Night guards

If you are missing more than a few teeth we might recommend a removable partial denture or dental implants to restore your mouth. A removable partial denture helps you to properly chew your food, something that is often difficult when teeth are missing. A removable partial denture can help improve your speech and prevent your face from sagging by giving support to your lips and cheeks.

A removable partial denture consists of a metal framework… or a newer option is a flexible, soft framework…with one or more porcelain or plastic replacement teeth. Unlike a fixed bridge, a partial denture can be taken out.

Sometimes the best way to restore and support facial structures is with a full denture. A complete denture, also called a full denture, replaces all the natural teeth and provides support for cheeks and lips. Dentures can be made to closely resemble your natural teeth. Dentures may even improve the look of your smile. If we recommend a full denture to replace missing, decayed or periodontally involved teeth, be sure to ask our treatment coordinator any questions you might have, because getting used to a full denture may take a little time and require a little practice to feel comfortable eating and speaking. Of course, our goal is for you to keep your teeth for life, and we are here to help you in any way possible.

Night guards are a valuable tool for relieving symptoms of bruxing and tooth grinding. They are removable appliances made to fit over either the upper teeth or the lower teeth, and are either made of a hard plastic material (durable) or a soft, more pliable plastic material (less durable, more comfortable). So, if you are suffering from the effects of bruxing or grinding, rest assured we can help.