Ideally you should come in for a professional tooth cleaning twice a year. We understand life can get in the way of keeping a regular cleaning schedule, but when you put it off too long your gums suffer. When the gums and bone that support the teeth begin to break down due to a long span between preventative cleanings, a more thorough cleaning and sterilization of the supporting (periodontal) tissues is needed.

The most conservative means of accomplishing this is through scaling and root planning, commonly called a “deep cleaning.” This procedure involves extra instrumentation and commonly localized antibiotic treatment, which allows the roots to be thoroughly cleaned, and the periodontal tissues to be sterilized by our hygienists.

A special tool is used to scale and plane the teeth below the gum line removing tartar, plaque, and debris. Once your teeth are thoroughly cleaned an antibiotic is applied. This prevents infection and encourage gum growth. Your teeth are then polished leaving you with perfectly clean teeth which look and feel great.

When enough of the bone and/or gums have receded due to numerous factors, they can be replaced with grafting by our periodontist. Grafting is a safe and effective way to regain tooth support and ensure that you keep your teeth. This can also be performed following extraction of a tooth to replace the bone that is lost and prepare the site for a bridge or dental implant.

Your periodontist may take bone from another place in your body, or they may use a special bone graft material and graft it onto your jawbone. After several months, your jawbone will heal and create a new strong bone able to stand the procedure you need. For example, if your jawbone is thin or damaged your periodontist will perform a bone graft to create a strong secure foundation for dental implants.

Commonly performed for “gummy smiles” and/or “short teeth,” crown lengthening is a procedure that can effectively lengthen the appearance of the teeth while maintaining heathy gum support. This is often performed in combination with veneers or crowns to achieve an ideal smile.

Excess gum and bone tissue are reshaped so that more of the natural tooth is exposed making room for cosmetic measures such as dental veneers. Crown lengthening may be performed on just one tooth, several teeth, or your entire gum line to enhance your smile.

Crown lengthening is also used in restorative and cosmetic dentistry. Your teeth may be decayed, have insufficient tooth structure for a restoration such as a bridge or crown, or be broken below the gum line. Your doctor may use crown lengthening to adjust the bone and gum level before restorative dental procedures.