Scaling and root planning is frequently referred to as deep cleaning, deep cleaning is the treatment of choice for an infectious disease called Periodontal Disease.
So, what is Periodontal Disease? Periodontal Disease mainly starts with the formation of plaque around the teeth, this plaque is the yellow film on your teeth caused by food and bacteria in your mouth. When plaque buildup mixes with the saliva it hardens over time, and turns into tartar, tartar containing bacteria will irritate the gums around the teeth by attaching to the outer surface of the teeth and roots and releases poisonous toxins.
These toxins cause an infection and an inflammation of the gums, which worsens if left untreated. This can ultimately cause bone loss and eventually tooth loss. Keep in mind, the lost bone will never grow back, fortunately, deep cleaning can help as a procedure that treats the infected area by meticulously cleaning the tartar and bacteria from the teeth and their roots.
Deep cleaning scaling and root planning is normally performed by your dentist or dental hygienist in a couple of visits, the exact number of visits, however, depends on your dentist and the amount of tartar buildup. Often your dentist will choose to administer a local anesthetic to make the procedure virtually painless, the deep cleaning is either done manually or with an ultrasonic instrument called a Cavitron. Sometimes, a combination of both of the techniques loosen and remove plaque and tartar buildup.
In addition, an antibacterial irrigant or local antibiotics such as Actisite may be used in conjunction with the cleaning procedure to further reduce the number of bacteria around the gums. Keep in mind although rare one or more of the following symptoms can occur after treatment bleeding of the gum, inadvertent removal, or irritation of the gum, tooth discomfort such as sensitivity to hot and cold, or sweets, swelling, and inflammation of the gum, and finally allergies to some of the materials used during the procedure.
You may ask yourself, can I get a regular cleaning instead? The answer is no, as the name “deep cleaning” implies, the main difference is that deep cleaning goes below the gum to remove plaque or tartar buildup from the tooth root where the bone is affected by the infection.
Whereas regular cleaning only removes the plaque or tartar above the gum. Periodontal Disease cannot currently be cured, it can only be controlled so, it’s important to follow your dentist’s recommendations for follow-up maintenance and treatment. In addition to routine checkups, performing proper dental hygiene at home is of course also important to help prevent the recurrence of this destructive disease.
please check with Dr. Lieu, Dr. Styles or Oriana Lieu if you have any additional questions
What is Malocclusion and Can I get Help with Aligners?
After the checkup part of your visit, it’s time to have your teeth cleaned. Your dentist or a certified staff member will use what’s called a rotating toothbrush to clean the plaque from your teeth after your teeth have been brushed and the dentist may floss to remove any and all remaining plaque between your teeth. If necessary to help Harden your teeth and help fight future cavities, your dentist or dental staff member may apply a fluoride foam solution or paint. Obviously, you can’t go to the dentist every day to have your teeth cleaned so here are some tips on how you can keep your teeth strong and healthy at home.
First, you should start by flossing your teeth to remove any food particles and plaque that may get stuck between them the right way to floss is to wind the floss around both of your index fingers and gently push it in between each of your teeth in your mouth make sure you freely move the floss upwards downwards and even sideways to get out any food that might be stuck.
After flossing you should then brush your teeth you should put a small amount of toothpaste on a soft toothbrush and hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth then gently rotate the bristles across your teeth and under your gums with a backward and forward circular motion. Be sure to also get the top surfaces of your teeth where you chew. Lastly, it’s important to brush the inside surfaces of your teeth with the same rotating motion if you have any additional questions please consult Dr. Lieu or Dr. Styles.
This may be your first visit to the dentist, or just your first visit in a while either way, you may not know what to expect and you may even be a little nervous but sit back, relax, and let us explain to you what we will be doing during this visit.
The first thing we will check during the exam is your face and neck. Checking visually, we will look for any abnormalities such as lumps, bumps, or swelling.
Checking inside your mouth is next on the agenda during this part of the checkup. We will be looking for any abnormalities in the soft tissue, such as discolorations or ulcers on your lips, gums, tongue, palate, and cheeks.
We will also perform an oral cancer screening and will check your bite and your jaw joint for any problems.
Next, we will check your gums and jaw bone as they are the foundation for your teeth. We will check them for any signs of gingivitis, gum disease, and bone disease.
Checking your teeth comes next. We will be checking your teeth for any cavities or other problems.
Finally, we’ll be sure to look specifically at any areas where you may have symptoms or concerns. In most cases, a clinical exam by itself is not sufficient to completely diagnose all potential problems with your mouth. In fact, the majority of problems with your teeth in the jaw bone, are not visible to the naked eye and that’s why X Ray’s play a key role in allowing a better and more accurate look at what is really going on inside your mouth, below your teeth and gums.
A good example of this would be the use of X Ray’s to better diagnose the destructive periodontal disease by using X Ray’s, your dentist can check for any bone loss and determine the severity of the gum disease.
Based on the diagnosis from the x-ray, your dentist can then determine the proper cleaning or treatment you may require. In addition to revealing any problems that were not visible during the clinical exam, these initial X Rays will also provide your dentist with a benchmark with which to compare against during your future visits. If you have any additional questions please consult Dr. Lieu or Dr. Styles.
What are some alternatives to having a root canal dental procedure?
Have you lost your teeth due to severe tooth decay, gum disease, trauma, or even a failed root canal? If so, you may qualify for implant treatment, dental implants are used to replace one or more missing teeth in your mouth. Implants, are made of titanium or similar materials, that are well suited to the human body. They are, artificial replacements for teeth roots that support restoration, or a dental appliance. Besides, it’s cosmetic advantage replacing the missing teeth will restore your ability to properly chew and speak.
In addition, the space caused by the missing teeth may allow the surrounding teeth to shift into that space. This shifting could cause a misalignment in your bite, that can result in problems with your jaw joint, these shifted teeth are harder to clean making them more susceptible to gum disease, decay, or even additional tooth loss. Before we start, it’s important that you notify your dentist of your medical condition. Whether you have any artificial joints, diabetes, or a history of heart, and valve conditions you should also inform your dentist of any medications you are currently or have previously taken. Such as redux or Fen Fen blood thinners, more importantly medications that contain bisphosphonates, like fosa Max.
It normally takes a few phases, and several months for your dentist to complete the treatment. In the first phase, your dentist will place the implants in your jaw bone, it requires 3 to 6 months for the bone to fuse to the implants. In the second phase. your dentist will place an extension, or opposed to extend the implants above the gumline this process can also be performed during the first phase, depending on the technique chosen by your dentist. After, your gums are healed it is time for an impression to be made, and a final restoration or appliance to be fabricated by the dental laboratory.
In most cases, on your final visit the restoration of the dental appliances are made than placed and adjusted to ensure proper fit, and function. While every effort is made to place a successful, and functioning implant, it sometimes fails. This is mainly due to lack of proper attachment between the implant, and the jawbone, during the bone fusing phase. Other problems, such as breakage of the implants, loosening of its restoration of dental appliance, or infection of the surrounding gums are also rare possibilities.
Finally, due to differences in the shapes of the jaws and the bone density, the back area of upper jaw may require an additional procedure such as a sinus lifting, to increase the predictability and long term success. Please, keep in mind that the longevity of your implant, and its restoration depends in large part on your oral hygiene diet and the health of the supporting bones and gums. Please ask your dentist for proper brushing and flossing techniques if you have any additional questions please consult your dentist.
Should I get a porcelain, ceramic or composite dental inlay?
When you look in the mirror what color are your teeth white, yellow, or Brown? You may or may not be aware, that overtime teeth naturally become darker and stained In addition, to natural aging there are some other factors like cigarette smoking, in certain types of foods and drinks such as coffee and tea also darken your teeth.
Some prescription and over-the-counter drugs can have the same effect as well, a bright white smile can be achieved by bleaching your teeth. Home whitening involves wearing a custom fit mouth tray that contains a concentrated hydrogen peroxide gel, which will bleach your teeth to A brighter whiter smile. So how does it work? During the first visit, your dentist will take an impression of your teeth, after making sure your teeth are free of plaque and tartar from this impression a custom mouth tray is made specifically for your mouth.
On your second visit, your dentist will show you how to apply the gel to the tray and place it into your mouth, as well as tell you the amount of time you must wear your mouthguard. The amount of time depends on how badly your teeth are stained, as well as the concentration of the gel used. It can vary from a few minutes to a few hours, as an example, many brands are applied twice a day for one to 2 hours, over a time period of two weeks. Home whitening can last anywhere from a few months to a few years and the degree of whitening changes from one person to another. This in part, depends on the original condition of your teeth specifically how stained they were as well as the strength of the bleaching gel used also. In large part, it depends on your eating, drinking, and smoking habits as no teeth whitening solution will result in a permanent color change of your teeth, and it won’t prevent future staining.
There are some minor risks associated with home whitening, the most common side effect is tooth sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity is generally mild and will subside most of the time once the treatment is completed. If you feel severe sensitivity, you should wear a mouth tray for shorter periods of time or consider stopping treatment entirely. Brushing your teeth with a highly concentrated fluoride toothpaste, or desensitizing toothpaste such as Sensodyne, will also help to reduce the discomfort. Your dentist can also prescribe a fluoride gel that can be used in your bleaching tray, which also should help reduce the sensitivity. gum irritation. or discoloration of the gum is another possible side effect of the home whitening procedure, this is mainly due to over loading the mouth tray. Simply stopping the process for a few days should help your gums feel and look normal again.
If you have any additional questions please consult with Dr. Lieu or Dr. Styles.
Veneers are custom made tooth-colored shells that are bonded to your teeth with dental cement or bonding adhesive, they cover the front surfaces of your teeth and can help improve your appearance and smile by covering up a tooth that is discolored, misshaped, or worn down. Veneers, can also close gaps between teeth or repair a chipped tooth, veneers can be made from several different types of materials generally, your dentist will help you decide which type is best for you.
Veneers can be porcelain, composite or Lumineers. Porcelain are the most common type of veneers, porcelain has a very shiny surface that closely resembles your enamel, and will give you a more natural and translucent appearance. In addition, porcelain is stain resistant and it is also very friendly to your gums. It normally takes 2 visits for your dentist to complete your veneer.s In preparation it is necessary on the first visit for your dentist to use a dental hand-piece to shape and prepare the teeth so the veneers will properly fit over them.
Next, an impression of your teeth is taken and temporary veneers may be placed to protect the prepared teeth, the impression of your teeth is then sent to a dental laboratory where custom-fit veneers are made. During this first visit, your dentist will also help you choose the proper shade for the color of your veneers in most cases, on your second visit the veneers are placed, and if necessary adjusted to create a proper fit. If the fit, shape, and color of the veneers are satisfactory your dentist will proceed with permanently cementing them into place. Keep in mind, in some instances the veneer received back from the laboratory may not fit as expected in these cases your dentist may have to take a second impression or readjust the tooth in order to fabricate a veneer that fits just right and creates the beautiful smile you want.
Though rare, during the first few days with your new veneers you may feel some discomfort or sensitivity to temperature changes, as advised by your dentist you can take over-the-counter pain medicine to alleviate the discomfort. If your symptoms persist more than a few days, visit your dentist sometimes your newly cemented veneers may feel too tall in this case, you should also contact your dentist for further adjustment of the veneers porcelain veneers, are usually not repairable should they chip or crack so you should attempt to avoid biting directly on small hard items such as hard candies, your fingernails, or pens.
You should never chew on anything cold or hard such as ice, if you grind your teeth during the day or night your dentist may recommend a nightguard to protect your veneers from these grinding forces, a nightguard is a plastic cover that fits over your teeth to deflect hard forces. Nightguards will also increase the longevity of your veneers finally, it is important to keep up with your daily brushing and flossing to avoid getting cavities in your teeth with veneers as well as your other teeth.
If you have any additional questions please consult with Dr. Lieu or Dr. Styles.
Can you show me how to get my young child off to a good start with oral hygiene and health?
After the checkup part of your visit, it’s time to have your teeth cleaned. Your dentist or a certified staff member will use what’s called a rotating toothbrush to clean the plaque from your teeth after your teeth have been brushed and the dentist may floss to remove any and all remaining plaque between your teeth. If necessary to help Harden your teeth and help fight future cavities, your dentist or dental staff member may apply a fluoride foam solution or paint. Obviously, you can’t go to the dentist every day to have your teeth cleaned so here are some tips on how you can keep your teeth strong and healthy at home.
First, you should start by flossing your teeth to remove any food particles and plaque that may get stuck between them the right way to floss is to wind the floss around both of your index fingers and gently push it in between each of your teeth in your mouth make sure you freely move the floss upwards downwards and even sideways to get out any food that might be stuck.
After flossing you should then brush your teeth you should put a small amount of toothpaste on a soft toothbrush and hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth then gently rotate the bristles across your teeth and under your gums with a backward and forward circular motion. Be sure to also get the top surfaces of your teeth where you chew. Lastly, it’s important to brush the inside surfaces of your teeth with the same rotating motion if you have any additional questions please consult Dr. Lieu or Dr. Styles.
No treatment will be effective unless you follow it up with routine and proper home care. This means you should brush and floss regularly after every meal, and at a minimum of twice a day.
The key is not only to do it regularly but also to do it right, here is how to properly floss.
You should wind the floss around both of your index fingers, and push it between each of the teeth in your mouth, make sure to freely move the floss upwards, downwards, and even sideways to remove any food particles or plaque that may be lodged between your teeth or under the gums.
Many people these days use an electric toothbrush such as Sonic care, whether you use an electric brush or still prefer a manual brush, you should hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth.
Gently, but thoroughly rotate the bristles across your teeth and under your gums with a backward and forward motion. Be sure to also get the top surfaces of your teeth, where you bite or chew on food.
Your tongue can also be cleaned with your toothbrush, which will help reduce bad breath. It is important to clean the inside surfaces of your teeth with the same rotating motion.
When brushing it’s also important to use toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride helps Harden the outer layer of the tooth called enamel, which will prevent cavities and also reduce bacteria in the mouth. It can also reverse the formation of smaller cavities.
Lastly, antibacterial mouth rinses can also help reduce bacteria in the mouth.
Please check with your dentist or dental hygienist if you have any additional questions.
Can Blue Apple Dental Group help me with a professional teeth whitening in the office?
When you look in the mirror what color are your teeth white, yellow, or Brown? You may or may not be aware that overtime teeth naturally become darker and stained. In addition, to natural aging, there are some other factors like cigarette smoking, certain types of foods, and drinks such as coffee and tea that also darken your teeth. Some prescription and over-the-counter drugs can also have the same effect as well, a bright white smile can be achieved by bleaching your teeth, there are several ways in which this can be done but the most commonly recommended technique by dentists is an in-office bleaching.
Hands down, this is the quickest and most effective way to whiten your teeth, here’s how it works in-office whitening uses a concentrated hydrogen peroxide gel to bleach your teeth to A brighter whiter smile. To help accelerate the process for better results a special light or with some bleaching systems our laser is used in conjunction with the gel, what’s great is that the whitening procedure generally takes only one office visit.
The first step is to make sure the teeth are free of any plaque or tartar.
The next step is to apply a protective layer of cream to your lips, so they stay moist during the process.
Next, your dentist will place a protection on your gums, now that the lips and gums have been protected your dentist will apply the bleaching gel to your teeth.
Finally, the entire process is accelerated by shining a special light on your teeth, the entire process takes roughly 1 to 2 hours, and unlike other whitening techniques that may take weeks to show results, you will see results almost instantly. In-office whitening can last anywhere from a few months to a few years and the degree of whitening changes from one person to another. This in part depends on the original condition of your teeth, specifically how stained they were, as well as the strength of the bleaching gel used.
In large part, it depends on your eating, drinking, and smoking habits as no teeth whitening solution will result in a permanent color change of your teeth, and it won’t prevent future staining. However, you can maintain this whitening effect with the use of a home whitening kit, home whitening involves wearing a custom-fit mouthguard, that contains a less concentrated hydrogen peroxide gel to help preserve your new brighter and whiter smile.
There are some minor risks associated with whitening, the most common side effect is tooth sensitivity, tooth sensitivity is generally mild and often subsides in a few days. Brushing your teeth with a highly concentrated fluoride toothpaste or desensitizing toothpaste such as Sensodyne will also help reduce the discomfort. Dr. Lieu or Dr. Styles can also prescribe you a fluoride gel to use, which will also help reduce the sensitivity, gum irritation, or discoloration, side effects such as these will subside and the gum will go back to normal condition in about a few days.
If you have any additional questions please consult with Dr. Lieu or Dr. Styles.
Introducing Virtual Visits
With TeleDentistry, a new HIPAA-compliant virtual visit, you can quickly arrange a video call with Dr. Lieu or Dr. Styles to deliver remote consultation in real-time.
Fill in the appointment form below and add “Virtual Visit” to the appointment in the “Notes for the Doctor” section.
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