Surgical Dentistry

The mention of surgical dentistry can often cause a blood pressure spike for most dental patients. However, modern technology has advanced in such a way that many dental surgeries are less invasive and painful than they were in the past.

LANAP

LANAP stands for Laser Assisted New Attachment Protocol. It is a state-of-the-art protocol for treating moderate to severe periodontal disease (gum disease) and is a great alternative to traditional gum surgery. Periodontal disease is caused by a combination of bacterial infection and excess force from an unbalanced bite or habits like clenching and/or grinding. With the LANAP protocol, a dental laser is first used to clear inflammation, disinfect, and seal the gum tissue around each tooth. Afterward, your dentist will check your bite and make minor modifications to the tooth structure to help balance out your bite. When both surgical appointments are completed, a custom-made night guard is imperative to the healing and long-term management of your periodontal disease. Discomfort after the procedure is minimal.

Extractions

When restorative procedures such as root canal therapy, crowns or fillings are not enough to save a tooth, it may need to be extracted. These procedures today are far less painful than ever before. In many cases, a patient who has a tooth extracted experiences little or no discomfort, and only minor bleeding. We also recommend going a step further and taking steps to preserve the site of the removed tooth. This helps to potentially stave off bone loss in this area, if the tooth is not replaced, and can help to prepare the bone and tissue for an implant in the future. We will almost always recommend to replace a missing tooth. It might not need to be done immediately, but in most cases the longer it is put off the more difficult it can make it to replace the tooth down the road. We often find that losing an adult tooth can become a domino effect if not properly managed an maintained, as your teeth both above and surrounding the extraction site will begin to shift and move, trying to fill in the space. This can either make it impossible to restore later on or require the added expense of orthodontic work down the road.

Dental Implants

Dental implants can be one of the most predictable and long term tooth replacement options available. Implants are so well designed that they mimic the look and feel of natural teeth. Dental implants can often be used to help secure dentures or partials. An implant is a small metal screw that is placed into the bone to replace the root structure of an individual tooth. A crown is secured to the top of this implant and all you see is a beautiful, natural-looking tooth. Not everyone is a candidate for a dental implant, however. Ask our doctors to evaluate you for this procedure.