General Dentistry
Helping our patients maintain a healthy mouth and smile is the main goal of general dentistry. We prefer to provide more minor, preventive care than to see patients suffer with more intensive treatments from a problem that was not managed in time. We want to ensure that your oral health is in its optimal state and positively contributing to the health of your entire body. We are here to brighten your smile and pave the way for a brighter life.
Preventative Dentistry
It is important to brush your teeth at least twice daily to help remove plaque and food particles that get stuck to your teeth. It is recommended that you brush your teeth for two minutes (or longer), though most people rush through this time. You need to make sure that you reach every side of each tooth, including the inside and outside. To help keep your breath fresh, you should also brush your tongue. Then, you can begin flossing.
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Cleanings And Exams
Having a dental practice perform a checkup and regular cleaning gives a preventive approach to dental care. These general dentistry treatments help prevent problems with your teeth, gums and jaw bones, or they catch and manage problems before they worsen. During your visit, our doctors will take a picture of the current standing of your dental health and what would be needed to keep your oral hygiene in its best state.
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Sealants
When we apply a dental sealant, we paint a plastic coating on top of your teeth. This makes your teeth smooth getting rid of the rough edges, depressions, and grooves that are commonly found on teeth. It is essentially a protective coating against tooth decay and cavities.
The most common place to paint sealants is on back teeth since they are often irregular. They can also be very hard to reach, even if you brush your teeth regularly. We use it more on children though we do perform sealants on adults too!
Chao Pinhole Gum Surgery
Receding gum tissue can be unsightly as well as uncomfortable, exposing yellow tooth roots which make a person look older, and leading to tooth sensitivity and even tooth loss.
Treatment for receding gums used to be limited to painful oral surgery, where gum tissue was harvested from the palate and sutured into place. Only one tooth could be treated at a time, and recovery was slow and uncomfortable.
However, a minimally invasive surgery for receding gums has recently been developed by Los Angeles dentist Dr. John Chao. The Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique™, also known as Chao Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation™, involves no cutting, no suturing and no downtime.
HOW DOES PINHOLE GUM SURGERY WORK?
Using a local anesthetic, your dentist numbs the area of the gums to be treated. Then one or two tiny “pinholes” are made in the gum tissue. Using a special instrument designed by Dr. Chao, the gums are gently loosened and adjusted to cover the tooth roots. Tiny collagen strips are inserted through the pinholes to hold the gum tissue in place while it heals.
Depending on how many teeth need to be treated, the procedure takes from 20 minutes to an hour. The pinholes close up on their own with no need for downtime, and the result is more normal, healthy-looking gums.
BENEFITS OF PINHOLE GUM REJUVENATION
The benefits of pinhole gum surgery for gum recession include:
- A healthier, younger-looking smile
- Less tooth sensitivity due to tooth root exposure
- Protection from further damage, including tooth loss
- Fewer visits since multiple teeth can be treated in one sitting
- No cutting, stitches or downtime
- Low risk of complications (some patients experience mild swelling for a few days following treatment)
Dr. Singh is one of the few area dentists to be trained in this revolutionary technique. If you are experiencing gum recession due to gingivitis (gum disease), age or improper tooth brushing techniques, schedule your consultation today.
Arestin
Periodontal disease is a serious infection under your gum line.
ARESTIN®(minocycline hydrochloride) is an antibiotic that kills the bacteria that causes the infection.
- It’s placed directly in the infected areas—or “pockets”—in your gums.
- It’s applied right after scaling and root planing, the dental procedure that disrupts stubborn plaque and bacteria below your gum line—where brushing and flossing can’t reach.
ARESTIN® starts working quickly, right at the source of infection, and keeps fighting bacteria long after you leave the dental office.
- Oringer RJ, Al-Shammari KF, Aldredge WA, et al. Effect of locally administered minocycline microspheres on markers of bone resorption. J Periodontol 2002;73:835-842.
- Goodson JM, Gunsollwy JC, Grossi SG, et al. Minocycline HCl microspheres reduce red-complex bacteria in periodontal disease therapy. J Periodontol 2007;78(8):1568-1579.
- Williams RC, Paquette DW, Offenbacher S, et al. Treatment of periodontitis by local administration of minocycline microspheres: a controlled trial. J Periodontol 2001;72:1535-1544.
Gum Laser Therapy
Our team is proud to offer the latest technology available for periodontal therapy: laser treatment. There are numerous advantages to using laser therapy as opposed to the traditional methods requiring a scalpel and sutures.
USES OF DENTAL LASERS:
Our doctors can perform a variety of procedures using laser technology, such as a frenectomy, osseous surgery, and gum grafting. They are also able to use laser technology as a way to regenerate healthy gums and remove diseases areas in a virtually painless way. This method also encourages healthy gum to regenerate and attach to the teeth. There is a much lower chance of gum disease returning when laser therapy is used as opposed to traditional surgery.
BENEFITS OF LASER DENTISTRY:
- Comfort: With laser treatment, there is reduced or no bleeding, minimized swelling, no charring, and no drill noise or vibration. The stress and anxiety often associated with dental work is therefore eliminated when you experience quick, effective, and essentially pain-free laser procedures. Also, postoperative sensitivity is greatly limited by laser dentistry, and recovery time is much quicker than with traditional methods. In fact, due to the less-invasive nature of the laser technique, the mouth begins to heal immediately after work is completed!
- Reduced Risk of Infection: The laser’s high-energy light beam acts as a sterilizer on the area it is working, thereby reducing the risk of bacterial infections and relapses.
- Anesthesia Limited or Eliminated: Because laser dentistry is virtually painless, no longer will you suffer with fear of injections and numbness. Often, only a light anesthetic spray is required. Laser treatment eliminates the complications and cost associated with anesthesia.
Deep Teeth Cleaning
The initial stage of treatment for periodontal disease is usually a thorough cleaning that may include scaling or root planing. The objective of these non-surgical procedures is to remove etiologic agents such as dental plaque and tartar, or calculus, which cause gingival inflammation and disease. Scaling and root planing can be used as a stand-alone treatment, or a preventative measure. They are commonly performed on cases of gingivitis and moderate to severe periodontal disease.
WHAT DO THE PROCEDURES ENTAIL?
Our team will only perform scaling and root planing after a thorough examination of the mouth, which may include taking x-rays and visually examining the mouth. Depending on the condition of the gums, the amount of tartar present, the depth of the pockets, and the progression of periodontitis, our team may recommend scaling and root planing. In some cases, a local anesthesia may be used during the procedure.
Scaling:When scaling is performed, calculus and plaque that attaches to the tooth surfaces is removed. The process especially targets the area below the gum line, along the root. Scaling is performed with a special dental tool called an ultrasonic scaling tool. The scaling tool usually includes an irrigation process that can be used to deliver an antimicrobial agent below the gums to help reduce oral bacteria.
Root Planing:Root planing is performed in order to remove cementum and surface dentin that is embedded with unwanted microorganisms, toxins and tartar. The root of the tooth is literally smoothed, which promotes healing, and also helps prevent bacteria from easily colonizing in the future.
Antibiotics or irrigation with anti-microbials (chemical agents or mouth rinses) may be recommended to help control the growth of bacteria that create toxins and cause periodontitis. In some cases, our hygienists may place antibiotic fibers in the periodontal pockets after scaling and planing. This may be done to control infection and to encourage normal healing.
When deep pockets between teeth and gums are present, it is difficult for us to thoroughly remove plaque and tartar. Patients can seldom, if ever, keep these pockets clean and free of plaque. Consequently, surgery may be needed to restore periodontal health.
BENEFITS OF TREATMENT
If treatment is successful, scaling and planing may have many periodontal benefits. One is that it can help prevent disease. Research has proven that bacteria from periodontal infections can travel through the blood stream and affect other areas of the body, sometimes causing heart and respiratory diseases. Scaling and root planing remove bacteria that cause these conditions.
Another benefit of treatment is protecting teeth against tooth loss. When gum pockets exceed 3mm in depth, the risk for periodontal disease increases. As pockets deepen, more bacteria are able to colonize, eventually causing a chronic inflammatory response by the body to destroy gingival and bone tissue. This leads to tooth loss.
Finally, scaling and root planing may make the mouth more aesthetically pleasing, and should reduce bad breath caused from food particles and bacteria in the oral cavity. Superficial stains on the teeth will be removed during scaling and planing, adding an extra bonus to the procedures.
Periodontal Maintenance
Periodontal diseases are infections of the gums, which gradually destroy the support of your natural teeth. There are numerous disease entities requiring different treatment approaches. Dental plaque is the primary cause of gum disease in genetically susceptible individuals. Daily brushing and flossing will prevent most periodontal conditions.
WHY IS ORAL HYGIENE SO IMPORTANT?
Adults over 35 lose more teeth to gum diseases, (periodontal disease) than from cavities. Three out of four adults are affected at some time in their life. The best way to prevent cavities and periodontal disease is by good tooth brushing and flossing techniques, performed daily.
Periodontal diseases can be accelerated by a number of different factors. However, it is mainly caused by the bacteria found in dental plaque, a sticky colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. If not carefully removed by daily brushing and flossing, plaque hardens into a rough, porous substance known as calculus (or tartar).
OTHER IMPORTANT FACTORS AFFECTING THE HEALTH OF YOUR GUMS INCLUDE:
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Stress
- Clenching and grinding teeth
- Medication
- Poor nutrition
PERIODONTAL DISEASE
Bacteria found in plaque produces toxins or poisons that irritate the gums, which may cause them to turn red, swell and bleed easily. If this irritation is prolonged, the gums separate from the teeth, causing pockets (spaces) to form. As periodontal diseases progress, the supporting gum tissue and bone that holds teeth in place deteriorate. If left untreated, this leads to tooth loss.
PREVENTING GUM DISEASE
The best way to prevent gum disease is effective daily brushing and flossing as well as regular professional examinations and cleanings. Unfortunately, even with the most diligent home dental care, people still can develop some form of periodontal disease. Once this disease starts, professional intervention is necessary to prevent its progress.
Learn more about periodontal maintenance through our ADA Patient Education library.