Lincoln Park Periodontal and Dental Implant Group Blog

If your dentist uses a cone beam CT scanner for dental imaging, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. After all, can it really be that much better than traditional imaging like X-rays? Here’s the lowdown on this amazing technology, and how it can help make your dental implant treatment more accurate than ever before!

A person’s third molars, also called their wisdom teeth, typically begin to emerge in their late teens or early twenties, and they can cause many problems if they don’t erupt properly. While it’s not uncommon for young adults to have their wisdom teeth removed, many people can keep these molars for decades without any problems. However, it may be necessary to remove the wisdom teeth at a later age due to wear and tear or oral infections. Here’s why wisdom teeth extraction is safe and possible at any age.

If you’ve recently had a tooth extracted or are preparing for one, you may have heard about a post-surgical complication called dry socket. Just the name sounds uncomfortable, and unfortunately, it can be. But should you be worried? While dry socket isn’t extremely common, it is something to be aware of so you can take steps to avoid it and recognize the symptoms early if it does happen. Here’s what you need to know.

How much gum tissue is visible when you smile? If the answer is anything more than a few millimeters, you have what is known as a “gummy smile.” If the less-than-ideal proportions of your smile bother you, you might consider visiting a specialist to undergo a procedure known as gum recontouring or gingivoplasty.  But are the benefits of gum recontouring really worth it? This blog post may help you decide.

Gingivitis, the earliest form of gum disease, can often be reversed by improving your at-home dental hygiene routine or scheduling more consistent checkups with your oral healthcare provider. However, it’s notoriously hard to catch in the beginning stages, so it frequently progresses to more advanced periodontal problems.

As your condition worsens, your connective tissues eventually retract from your enamel to try to escape the infection. They don’t grow back independently, but your periodontist can provide a gum graft to preserve your oral health. Continue reading to learn more about 3 procedures they might suggest to improve your condition!

Gaps in your grin can detract from your daily quality of life because tasks you once considered second nature, like eating, speaking, and smiling, suddenly become much more challenging. That means not only might you develop anxiety over fear of judgment for the changes to your appearance, but the changes in your abilities can also contribute to reduced self-esteem.

Fortunately, your periodontist can rebuild your smile with dental implants, often considered the ideal way to replace missing teeth. However, many patients don’t realize they might need a jawbone graft before proceeding with this treatment. Keep reading to learn more about it!

Have you ever wondered what specific drugs dentists use for IV sedation? While many different chemicals can relieve anxiety and dull pain, no two solutions are exactly the same. Each can affect your body differently and have varying windows of effectiveness.

If you’d like to learn more about your options for IV sedation, just keep reading!

Did you know that gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss? The earliest form, gingivitis, can often be reversed. However, it’s notoriously difficult to catch, and if it goes unaddressed, it progresses to more advanced stages. If your gums have already begun to recede, your oral health care provider might recommend a gum graft procedure to restore them.

This surgery rebuilds your connective tissues to prevent potential harm, but you might avoid scheduling it if you’re afraid it will hurt. Continue reading to learn more about what you can expect from your gum graft so you can move forward confidently.

If you are living with missing teeth, you’ve probably thought about how you can replace them. Dental implants are amazingly durable and lifelike prosthetic appliances that look, work, and feel just like real teeth because they are surgically placed directly into the jawbone. However, a patient with low bone density may need to reinforce their jaw with bone grafts before a dental implant can be placed. Here’s a brief guide to recovering after bone grafts as well as a few tips for staying comfortable.

With the opioid epidemic still affecting millions of people and FDA recalls of medications, it makes sense if you’re a little apprehensive to receive a drug you’re not familiar with. You want to know what’s going into your body and about its risks and side effects to have the peace of mind that it’s safe.

When you get more advanced oral work done with a periodontist, they may recommend taking advantage of dental sedation to help you relax and have a more comfortable experience in the chair, but is nitrous oxide considered a safe drug? Learning more about it can help put your concerns to rest.