With the news of the recent Hepatitis B,C and HIV exposure of 40,000 patients at the Endoscopy Center of Las Vegas, our office has received a few calls from patients concerned about our health and safety because of their possible exposure. Over the past 20 years our office has maintained universal precautions. Every treatment room is cleaned and all surfaces are treated with agents that have been proven to kill potential pathogens. All instruments cleaned and sterilized in our Steri-Center utilizing the latest in sterilization techniques. If you ever have questions about our techniques and protocols please don’t hesitate to ask, we’d be happy to give you a tour!
Recently, our practice has added a CO2 soft tissue laser to our practice. This is very exciting news because of what it means to patient care.
The CO2 laser is:
• Non-Invasive Surgery
• Minimal Pain
• Better Treatment
• Optimal Results
• Less Anesthesia
• Complete Sterilization
The above photos demonstrate the use of the CO2 laser in removing a irritation fibroma, the image on the right hand side is 4 days after removal of the Fibroma.
What are the Advantages of Lasers?
This technology assures a more patient friendly treatment with considerably less post-operative pain, discomfort, and swelling. In many cases, sutures are not required. All laser procedures assure a totally sterile environment of the surgical site, which in turn decreases potential for post-operative infections.
Are Lasers Safe?
The latest generation of dental lasers is absolutely safe for all patients. This technology enables us to use it also on patients with pre-existing conditions such as Pregnancy, Pace-Makers, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Parkinson’s, Hemophilia, and many more.
On your next visit Ask about the Laser Use in conjunction with:
• Smile Design
• Implants
• Periodontal Pocket Therapy
• Veneers and Crowns
34000 people on average will be diagnosed with Oral Cancer this year and 8000 will die from Oral Cancer, killing roughly 1 person per hour, 24 hours per day. The death rate for oral cancer is higher than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkins disease, cancer of the brain, liver, testes, kidney, or skin cancer (malignant melanoma). The death rate from oral cancer is so high because often times it has often metastasized to another location.(Data courtesy:http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/) Fortunately, researchers from the British Columbia Cancer Agency and the MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a unique tool that allows us to better determine whether or not an oral lesion is potentially dangerous or not. The Velscope is a special light that causes the tissues in the mouth to fluoresce… Normal healthy tissues fluoresce and those that are potentially dangerous do not, they appear as dark shadows. Our office is now proud to offer the Velscope as part of the oral cancer screening process!
Updating your health history at every appoinment lets us know of any changes going on with your general health. When we know that you are now taking blood thinners we understand to expect the possibility of slightly more bleeding during your cleaning appointment. If you have recently had an artificial heart valve or joint placed, we know that you will need to premedicate with antibiotics before any dental treatment can be done. If you happen to be taking any of the oral osteoporosis medications we know that it is imperative that your periodontal is carefully monitored as these medications have been known to disrupt the healing potential of the bone that holds the teeth in place. There are all sorts of medical conditions that help us understand your dental health and to treat you in the most appropriate way.
Periodontal (gum) disease can occur at any age, with over half of all people over the age of 18 having some form of the disease. Periodontal charting (probing) is an essential tool to help diagnose gum disease problems and to follow the success of gum therapies. A periodontal probe, with ruled millimeter markings, is used to measure the depth of the space between the teeth and gums. Ideally, normal measurements range between 1 and 3 millimeters deep, depths greater than this may signify the presence of periodontal pockets and associated gum disease. 
Image Courtesy Perio.org
My gums bleed when I brush and floss. Isn’t that normal?
No. The gums that surround and support the teeth are very durable and when healthy can withstand normal brushing and flossing. Bleeding gums are one of the signs of gum disease. Think of gum tissue as the skin on your hand. If your hands bled every time you washed them, you would know something was wrong. There are a number of other warning signs of gum disease.
What is Periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is a serious chronic bacterial infection that attacks and destroys the gums and bone that hold your teeth in place. The word periodontal literally means “around the tooth.” Periodontal disease can affect one tooth or many teeth.
Infection occurs when dental plaque, a sticky sometimes colorless film, accumulates on the surfaces of teeth. The bacteria in the plaque produce chemicals that can affect the gums, causing them to swell and bleed.
In the early stage of periodontal disease, called gingivitis, the gums can become red, swollen and bleed easily. At this stage, the disease is still reversible and can usually be eliminated by routine dental cleanings and daily brushing and flossing.
If left untreated, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis. Over time, plaque can spread below the gum line. The toxins produced by the bacteria in the plaque irritate the gums and stimulate a chronic inflammatory response in which the body essentially breaks down and destroys the bone and gum that surround the teeth. When this supporting tissue and bone is destroyed, pockets form around the teeth. As the disease advances, these pockets become deeper, providing ever-growing spaces in which plaque accumulates and bacteria can spread, making the disease a major cause of tooth and bone loss. Periodontitis is a chronic, but treatable disease. With proper treatment, patients have a better chance of saving their teeth and prohibiting further disease progression.
In addition to complications from potential tooth loss and surgery, recent studies suggest that oral diseases may have significant effects on general health. These studies show that there is a possible relationship between periodontal infection and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and increased incidence of pre-term, low-birth weight babies.
What are pockets?
Your bone and gum tissue should fit snugly around your teeth like a turtleneck around your neck. When you have periodontal disease, this supporting tissue and bone is destroyed, forming “pockets” around the teeth. Over time, these pockets become deeper, providing a larger space in which bacteria can live. As bacteria develop around the teeth, they can accumulate and advance under the gum tissue. These deep pockets collect even more bacteria, resulting in further bone and tissue loss. Eventually, if too much bone is lost, the teeth will need to be extracted.
What are the warning signs of Gum Disease?
Many of the patients that have early to moderate periodontal disease have not reported any of of the signs listed above. Periodontal disease in the early stages is virtually undetectable. Routine visits and hygiene appointments can keep this devastating disease in check.
Tooth pain can occur in many forms, it can be isolated to one tooth, or many, it can be instigated by temperature(hot or cold) or when chewing. Let’s take a look at the most common instances of tooth pain.
There are two basic types of tooth pain.
• Sharp and Dull
Sharp tooth pain is caused by many factors.
• A broken cusp of a tooth
• Decay at the gumline
• A space between a crown/filling at the gumline
• A filling or crown that is too high when chewing
• Grinding and our clenching.
• Cold temperatures
Sharp tooth pain rarely lingers, it is short duration and often instigated by the factors listed above. Sharp tooth pain relief is usually accomplished by repairing fractured cusp with a crown or onlay, adjusting the crown/filling that is too high when biting, checking for and removing any decay or faulty crowns/fillings at the gumline. Sharp tooth pain should always be evaluated because Sharp tooth pain can lead to Dull pain, which is discussed below.
Dull tooth pain is often more serious, and usually means the nerve inside the tooth has been irreveribly damaged.
Dull tooth pain is usually initiated with Hot temperatures, Hot coffee or soup.
It will tend to ache for a significant period of time.
It can wake you up in the middle of the night or just start to ache spontaneously.
It can also be initiated by tapping on the tooth.
Dull tooth pain originates from the nerve/pulp of the tooth. Dull tooth pain usually requires root canal therapy to relieve the problem.
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