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What is a dental implant? Dental implants are artificial roots, placed under the gum line, that are designed to replace a missing tooth or teeth. They are a good option for those individuals that have lost one or more teeth and desire a secure, long lasting replacement.

Why? When replacing a single tooth, dental implants are often the most natural tooth replacement option, both in function and ability to clean. They have the advantage over obtaining a bridge in that they require no drilling of the neighboring teeth. This helps to limit the potential for future cavities and possible damage to adjacent teeth. Additionally, since dental implants are made of titanium, there is no potential for cavity development.

How? A small “pilot” hole is made in the bone. Once the direction indicator is placed to make sure the implant will be exactly where Dr. Politis and your general dentist want it, the hole is slowly expanded to the appropriate implant size. The implant is then placed directly into the bone and a healing cap is placed on top of it to allow the gum tissue to grow around the implant.

Implants are only considered the “root” of the tooth; once we place the titanium root, you must see your general dentist for the chewing portion of the restoration (the implant crown) We do not do restorative dentistry at Politis Periodontics.

Why? A crown lengthening procedure is done as to expose more of the natural tooth so that your new crown can be placed upon a stable foundation. This procedure is also done if the margin for your crown would be too far below the gum line to allow for a fit that would not irritate your tissues.

How? Once you are completely numb, the gum tissues are flapped open, excess tissues are removed and some bone will need to be reduced to lower the gum line to the desired height. The change is quite small (1-3 mm usually) but it can make a significant different in the appearance and stability of your new crown.

Why: Soft tissue grafting is done to help provide a tougher band of tissue in areas where your gum is naturally thin or recessed. Although complete coverage of the exposed root of your tooth may not be obtained, the ultimate goal is to thicken your gum tissues, thereby preventing further recession.

How:Once you are completely numb, Dr. Politis will clean and polish the teeth that will receive the graft. A small piece of tissue is then taken from the roof of the mouth and placed into the treatment area.  You will leave with stitches that will separately protect the area the graft was take from and secure the new graft in place.

Why? A frenectomy is done when the “muscle” pull under the lip on either the upper or lower teeth ( usually found between the two front teeth ) is too low, wide or tight. This can cause either spacing between the teeth or can contribute to gum recession in these areas.

How?  Once you are completely numb, Dr. Politis will gently release the “muscle” from the lip and then place biodegradable stitches to assure that you are comfortable after surgery. This procedure is relatively quick and is usually done for orthodontic purposes or when tissue grafting the lower front teeth.

Why? If the tooth has broken down beyond repair or has cracked, it is best to remove and replace the tooth. This will help alleviate pain, infection and further damage to adjacent teeth. The bone grafting is placed to help restore bone height and width appropriate for later placement of an implant.

How? The tooth is removed from the mouth as gently as possible, as to not affect the surrounding bone walls. A series of hand instruments and an ultrasonic hand piece are used to achieve this. The socket is then cleaned out of all infected tissue. Once the socket is clean, a sterilized bone material is placed into the socket. Your body absorbs the bone grafting and replaces it with your own natural bone. After about 4 months of healing time, an x-ray is taken to make sure the area has healed properly enough for implant placement. We can then schedule your dental implant.

Why? A soft tissue biopsy is done to check any area of suspicion, whether it be a growth or a deterioration.

How? Once you are numbed, a small piece of surface tissue is removed and placed in a sterile container. You most likely will not have stitches afterwards. The sample is then sent to a laboratory for testing. We usually have your results in about 2 weeks.

Why? An acrylic night guard helps to redirect the forces on your teeth where they are hitting each other while clenching or grinding; putting less stress on certain areas in your mouth. The use of a night guard helps to maintain your bite.

How? A night guard is fabricated after making impressions of your upper and lower teeth. These impressions are sent to the dental laboratory for the construction of your customized appliance. Once we receive the appliance, typically in 3-4 weeks, you return to our office for the fitting and adjustment of the night guard.

Sometimes after orthodontic treatment, the patient may be left with overgrown, thickened tissue. This can cause the teeth to look shortened or gummy, and can also cause soreness in the gums. This makes it hard for the patient to brush and floss as they should and sometimes causes insecurity with your smile.

With the latest technology, we can minimize discomfort associated with excess tissue growth and make the gums more esthetically pleasing around your newly straightened teeth!

This procedure is non-invasively done with the WaterLase laser to make for quick results and quick recovery.