Perfect Teeth Versus Perfect Bone

What makes for a perfect smile? For most of us we look at the shape and alignment of the teeth and view that as making a perfect smile, but we forget that the tissue surrounding the teeth actually frame the teeth and that all would be lost if not for the bone supporting the whole thing.

“Bone is more important than most of us know,” says Dr. Denine Rice of Rice Periodontal Surgery and Implants in Riverside, California. “To keep your smile engaging, it is important to keep the gum tissue healthy and reduce your chances of gum disease progressing to the stage where it begins to erode the bone.”

The infection known as periodontal disease is actually caused by bacteria that destroys bone.  Once bone is lost to infection the teeth will become unstable. When a tooth is lost to injury or bone loss the best solution will be to restore bone with a graft and to place an implant in the socket site. “This means that the tooth can be restored, but also that additional bone loss may be averted,” adds Dr. Rice.

To learn more about the process of bone grafting, visit www.Riceperidontics.com

Dental Insurance and Your Second Opinion

Many patients feel the need to get a second opinion and that is good. Here are some things for you to know before you head to your 2^nd opinion.

1.     Dental Insurance Providers: If you are seeing a dentist who is contracted with your insurance, the insurance company determines the fee that can be charged for each procedure. “That means that the fees will only be different if materials or procedures recommended are changed,” says Dr.Denine Rice from her Riverside California Periodontal practice. “If the treatment and products are identical, there should be no difference in the fees.”

2.     According to most dental insurance contracts with dentists, the dentist is not supposed to waive a patient’s copay. This could be considered insurance fraud and while it may seem nice, if the dentist is investigated, the patient with knowledge of what was done, could also be charged.

3.     Your dental office is considered a third party. The contract you have with your insurance company is between you and your insurance. While your dentist will assist you by filing claims and calling to check eligibility, they have limited access to information. “If we are contracted with an insurance, they will give us a fee schedule to use and ask that we submit claims for patients, but they do not guarantee any benefits,” adds Lydia, the insurance coordinator at Rice Periodontics. “That’s why, as a patient, it is in your best interest to contact your insurance company to learn more about your dental benefits.”

LBR – hand in hand with perio therapy

Laser Bacterial Reduction goes hand-in-hand with your periodontal therapy. At the office of Dr. Denine Rice in RiversideCalifornia, patients will soon discover that technology is in use.

“We’ve found great results from using lasers in all aspects of periodontal therapy. Patients love that it is painless and that there is no need for sutures or cutting,” says Dr. Rice.

Not only have patients found that can experience periodontal surgery without cutting and sewing, but also that the simple routine visit can be enhanced by the use of Laser Bacterial Reduction.

“Our hygienist every visit uses a laser in the mouth before beginning any treatment. This means that we can reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth and obtain better results even during a routine perio maintenance appointment,” adds Dr. Rice.

And the results are improved. To learn more visit our website at: RicePeriodontics.com

LANAP vs. laser therapy

“Not all periodontal laser therapy is the same,” says Dr. Denine Rice. “Often patients come into the office and let us know they have had laser therapy done before, but while lasers have been used for a number of years in the dental office, not all treatment is the same.”

Even at Rice Periodontics, they use different lasers and use them differently.

“Our hygienist uses a laser to perform what is called Laser Bacterial Reduction. This is done by moving the laser around the mouth prior to scaling to help reduce the bacteria count,” adds Dr. Rice. “This means better results during maintenance appointments.”

When Root Planing and Scaling is recommended, a laser will also be used. The tip is inserted into the pockets to reduce again the bacteria and improve healing.

Finally, as an alternative to cutting and sewing during periodontal surgery, Dr. Rice provides LANAP periodontal therapy. “LANAP therapy is the only FDA approved laser therapy.” LANAP uses a special laser and combines a protocol that has been proven to reduce bacteria and improve healing in areas where significant bone loss has occurred.

Call us today and discover how laser therapy could improve your smile.

Is Laser Periodontal Therapy Painful? Will I be numb?

Now that more and more patients are learning of the amazing results using LANAP Periodontal Therapy, they are coming prepared with questions:

Is laser therapy painful?

“No the laser treatment is painless,” says Dr. Denine Rice of Rice Periodontics in Riverside, California, “that is one of the best benefits of the procedure.”

Will I be numb?

“Because the treatment is painless, there is no need to anesthetize. So patients that have a fear of needles can rest easy,” adds Dr. Rice.

Will I have sutures? Will I have to be cut?

“Again, no, because the laser gently removes diseased tissue, the remaining tissue easily begins the healing process almost immediately.”

For fearful patients who may have had periodontal surgery in the past, this is a revelation. No cutting, no sewing, to numbing and little, if any, bleeding make this a procedure that takes the fear out of treating periodontal disease.

“And the best news? It’s FDA approved with results that are amazing. No longer should patients fear treatment,” adds Dr.Rice.

Young Patients with Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease is the term given to the infection in the tissue surrounding the teeth. While the vast majority of adults have some form – it is generally estimated that more than 90% of adults have periodontal disease – it is generally seen in patients more frequently when they are 30 years old or older.  That being said, young people can also be affected by certain rare forms of the disease.

“In general bone loss in young people is uncommon, but the risk seems to increase between the ages of 12 and 17,” says Dr. Denine Rice from her Riverside, California Periodontal and Implant surgery center. “Too often we see young people with signs of disease and early bone loss. This is why the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has recommended that young people beginning at age 12 should have regular periodontal evaluations to determine if there are any early signs of bone loss.”

Aggressive periodontal disease in young people means that bone loss occurs that much earlier and can result in tooth loss also at an earlier age.

“Most often the loss of attachment is seen in the molar areas first,” Dr. Rice adds.  “This means that as a parent, you should be asking your pediatric dentist or general dentist to evaluate your child for signs of the disease and certainly they should be evaluated before any orthodontic treatment begins.”

To help keep your child’s mouth healthy and happy, remember regular visits to the dentist are a must.

What to Look for When Getting a 2nd opinion

“For many patients the road to dental health is confusing,” says Dr. Denine Rice, “there may be several options for treatment that all seem the same, but usually are not.”

In any second opinion there should be a few things you are looking for and ask about.

“When you arrive at your appointment for your second opinion, make sure that you have a detailed report of what your 1^st opinion is recommending – that way you will be sure to compare the two plans equally if the recommendation is the same,” adds Dr. Rice of Rice Periodontics. But many times, your 2^nd opinion will also give you a 2^nd option.

“Discuss thoroughly with your dentist your desires and fears regarding the recommended treatment,” says Dr. Rice, “including the types of materials and technology that will be used and why.”

For example: many dentists place implants, be sure to find one that is also recommending an ICAT and not just a regular x-ray to determine if there is sufficient bone. “Implants are an investment that can last and be highly successful, or not. When determining if you wish to proceed, make sure you are doing what you can to improve the outcome.”

Also when discussing treatment with your dentist, ask about the number of procedures that have been completed successfully. “This should always be part of the discussion,” adds Dr. Rice.

Use your second opinion to find someone you feel comfortable with, someone who is knowledgeable, uses proven technology and has completed the procedures a number of times before. Call Rice Periodontics today to schedule your 2^nd opinion.

How does taste work?

Your sense of smell and taste work together to enhance your enjoyment of food.

The four basic tastes that you will recognize are:

Sour    Bitter    Sweet   Salty

 

The nerve receptors in your nose will be the first to signal the brain about what you are about to eat, but it is the sense of taste that most of us focus on.

The majority of the taste buds in your mouth are located on the edges and tip of the tongue, although there are a few on the roof of your mouth and throat. When you eat, the nerve receptors in your mouth send the message to your brain about the taste while at the same time your nose reports on the smell.

When you are a denture wearer, the taste buds located on the roof of your mouth are covered by the plastic palate of your upper denture. This can reduce the amount of pleasure you experience with meals. If you have discovered a decrease in taste with your new denture, contact your dentist. It may be possible to modify your denture to reduce the amount of plastic on the palate of your mouth.

For some, the only choice to regain their sense of taste may be a palate-less denture affixed to implants. 

How Can a Palate-less Denture Change Your Life?

The decision to extract teeth and wear a denture is not one easily made for most patients, but sometimes there is no other choice when teeth fail due to trauma, disease, or decay.

Wearing conventional dentures requires some getting used to. First they are removable so depending upon the level of bone remaining, especially with lower dentures, they will have a varying degree of stability. Also, a conventional upper denture covers the palate of the mouth. Which means speech may change initially and the sense of taste will be affected.

“The good news is Palate-less dentures that are implant-supported can create both the stability needed for the lower jaw along with the open palate that provides for more enjoyment of food,” says Dr. DenineRice from her Periodontal and Implant Surgery practice located in Riverside, California.

While most of a person’s taste buds are located on the tongue, a few are located on the roof of the mouth, which with a conventional denture, will be covered. “An implant supported denture is really more like one long bridge unit that restores all the teeth missing in an arch,” adds Dr.Rice.

If you are struggling with dentures that are unruly or if you are having difficulty speaking and enjoying food, perhaps you should consider an implant supported denture today.