Cosmetics

Dental Implants

Air Abrasion Technology

Many cavities can now be treated without the use of the so-called “drill”. This innovation allows decay to be cleaned out of a tooth by use of a fine stream of air mixed with microscopic particles. In most cases, anesthetic is not necessary, and this technique is ideal for the placement of cosmetic composite fillings, which are tooth-colored. We have found that patients especially appreciate the relative lack of noise, and this works wonderfully with childen.

Lasers

While lasers have certainly garnered considerable media attention, their broad use in Dentistry is, at present, somewhat limited. The reason for this fact is that they work very slowly. Additionally, the very high equipment and time costs will effect a substantial increase for the cost of fillings. In our opinion, however, the major advantage of the use of lasers in the preparation of cavities in teeth is still psychological. Lasers are ideal for other purposes in the mouth, most notably for soft-tissue surgery or possibly for fast-curing of composite fillings.

Gum Disease and Prevention

We have long known that bacteria cause gum disease, but the use of long term antimicrobials/antibiotics has been discouraged, because of the possibility of bacteria developing resistance, and other factors such as tooth discoloration.

There are now several recently introduced products which have passed FDA scrutiny, which are designed to help control periodontal disease. They are all designed to be used as adjunct to standard therapeutic root planing (deep cleaning).

One product is a dissolvable chip (Perio-Chip), saturated with the antimicrobial agent used in surgical hand soap, chlorhexidine gluconate, which is placed under the gumline. This agent has proven to work well as an antimicrobial mouth rinse, however its chief disadvantage as a rinse has been that long term use often results in heavy staining of the teeth.

Another similar product is an antibiotic-impregnated gel (Atridox) which is squirted under the gumline, where it hardens and also gradually dissolves.

Both of these products gradually release the antibacterial medication over a period of several weeks.

Also, now there is a pill (Periostat), which can be taken daily which studies have indicated may slow the progress of periodontal disease. It uses a subtherapeutic dosage of the antibiotic doxycycline, which in higher doses is commonly used to treat oral infections. Although this is a commonly prescribed drug, it has been awarded FDA approval not because of its antibacterial action, but because some studies have indicated that it inhibits the breakdown of some of the connective tissue components of gum tissue.