10 Questions You Have Always Wanted To Ask

You may not have visited a periodontist lately but there may be burning questions you want to know the answers to. Here are 10 of the most common questions that Dr. Rice and her team get asked.

1.     Why is flossing important?

Flossing is critical in order to remove food particles from between the teeth. Without it, food builds up between the teeth, goes below the gum line, and can cause decay and periodontal disease.

2.     Are bleeding gums normal?

No, this is never normal and it can be an early sign of periodontal disease.

3.     Does Periodontal disease really cause heart disease?

Research shows there is a correlation between heart disease and periodontal disease.

4.     Do I really need to floss 2x a day?

                       

                       Flossing after consuming foods, especially carbohydrates, is important to keep your smile      

                       healthy. Flossing at least 1x a day can keep problems from arising, but more is better.

5.     Does a laser periodontal procedure hurt?

No, the laser goes below the gum line to clean out bacteria. There is no cutting or sutures for periodontal laser surgery or for laser curettage.

6.     Is a laser periodontal procedure safe?

Yes, it is very safe. The laser is a high precision laser that works to remove bacteria but does not damage healthy gum tissue.

For more information contact, Dr. Rice & her team!

3 Reasons To Get A Periodontal Cosmetic Procedure

There is still time for you to get the healthy gums you want. While the countdown to the Holidays is occurring, and you may be in the full swing of shopping, don't forget to give yourself the gift of a healthy smile. Dr. Denine Rice says, "it can be easy when you're shopping for everyone around you to forget to take care of you." Don't put off your dental needs any longer. As the year comes to a close you could lose out on dental insurance benefits you have already paid for. This is the perfect time to get the smile you have always wanted. 

During this season, you can take advantage of laser surgery to decrease symptoms of periodontal disease. The longer you put off this necessary procedure the worse the long-term impact can be. While disease starts in your gums, left on its own it can enter your blood stream and impact your heart, liver and overall health.
 

Current research suggests that only 13.5% of people get help with their periodontal disease, (Perio.org). Now there is no reason to wait because once the new year begins dental insurance benefits you've already paid for are gone. Today you can take charge and make the choice to love your gums & achieve a lifetime of smiles. Millions of Americans are negatively impacted by gingivitis and periodontal disease. You don't have to be one of the millions.  

Contact Dr. Rice & her team today for more information.

4 Simple Steps To Improving Your Oral Health

Do your gums bleed when you brush? Are your gums swollen or appear to be pulling away from the teeth? You may have the start of gingivitis or periodontal disease. It is important to make changes to your dental health routine as soon as you notice the problem. Waiting will only compound the issues and cause you the potential of severe bone loss later on. Here are four ways to immediately improve your dental health.

1.     Brush regularly. Periodontal disease is caused by the buildup of plaque on your teeth. As the plaque gets thicker, it can move below the gum line. This causes red, swollen and puffy gums that may bleed. Plaque is usually thick and yellow in color.

2.     Flossing is the only way to remove food from between the teeth. As you enjoy the steak dinner, the meat can become lodged between the teeth. As the food stays on the teeth, it turns to sugar, and then the sugar can eat at the enamel on your teeth.

3.     Avoid or limit high sugar foods and soda. This is not new, but a very necessary step to improve your smile and decrease the chance of dental and periodontal disease.

4.     Take care of periodontal disease. It is easy to want to leave the problem and ignore it. “However, over time,” Dr. Rice says, “periodontal disease left untreated gets worse not better.”

It takes only a few short minutes a day to increase the overall health of your smile. Call today if you are struggling with periodontal disease.

Periodontist and Cosmetic Dentistry

While you may not think of cosmetic dentistry and a periodontist in the same sentence, both have the ability to save your smile after the negative effects of periodontal disease has impacted it, or to increase the beauty in a natural smile. There are multiple options to support your smile or get it back to normal.

 If your gums have receded due to periodontal disease, placing gum tissue into that area of the gums can help restore your smile to a beautiful radiant look. Many times, gum tissue can be grafted using excess tissue from your other teeth.  If there is not enough tissue, Dr. Rice may be able to use tissue from the roof of the mouth to help even out the gums in the front.

Bone loss can cause a smile you are not proud of. While you may have fixed the periodontal disease, you may now be left with missing teeth and bone loss. , To restore your natural look, a bone grafting procedure may be needed  prior to implant surgery. Once your implant restoration is completed, you’ll once again have the smile you’ve always loved.

Periodontist, Dr. Denine Rice can also help change your smile by completing depigmentation of the gums using a laser. This process can remove the color of the gums or to even out the color. By utilizing a laser, this safe and effective procedure that can give you the look you’ve always wanted.

If you are faced with any of these and are looking to restore your smile, contact Dr. Rice and her team.

Is Laser Surgery A Good Option For Me

            Laser surgery is a viable option for most individuals who have periodontal disease. While some periodontists may use traditional methods for treating periodontal disease, laser treatment is the newest technology that can ensure the health of your mouth. Laser surgery is no cut and no sew - this is an advantage for those who fear the knife. Dr. Denine Rice says, “If you want fast healing then laser surgery is the way to go.”

            Laser surgery allows you can get back to your life quickly. When using a laser instead of traditional surgery, the laser penetrates the gums without doing damage to the soft tissue. This also means that patients do not typically experience swelling and pain after laser surgery. 

            Periodontal disease leads to bone loss, which leads to tooth loss. Laser surgery can treat the disease and get you back to being healthy quickly.  The worse part of periodontal disease is that it can impact your overall health, as the disease spreads to your other organs. By cleaning the debris from under your gums and taking care of the disease you can get back to your lifestyle.

            There are a variety of options for getting your gums back to a healthy state. Talk to Dr. Denine Rice and her team today to make sure you have all the facts. Laser surgery can be the option you’ve been waiting for.

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.