Honest & Caring Periodontal Services
Periodontist Consultation
Personalized oral health consultation
We take the time to understand your unique oral health circumstances and our periodontist advises you on the best ways to achieve and maintain a healthy smile.
Medical and dental team consultation
Our periodontist consults with your team of medical professionals to ensure that our treatment will interact positively with your existing medical care. Every time you are seen in our office for treatment, a descriptive letter is sent to your general dentist.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Gingivectomy (gummy smile) đź”—
The gingivectomy procedure is designed to correct a gummy smile where excess gum tissue has grown onto the front surface of the teeth, making them look too short. During a gingivectomy procedure, we first numb all of the involved areas, and then our periodontist removes the excess gum tissue to reveal a more beautiful smile.
Pre-orthodontic treatment
Pre-orthodontic procedures are designed to improve the health of the gums and teeth before orthodontic treatment begins. In addition to treatments for periodontal disease, we also perform procedures such as frenectomy and fiberotomy that can help your orthodontist achieve the best possible results.
Cosmetic soft tissue graft (cosmetic gum graft)
The cosmetic gum graft procedure is used in order to create a more beautiful smile in situations where a patient’s gumline is too high, exposing unsightly tooth root surfaces. By grafting nearby soft tissue to cover the exposed root surfaces, our periodontist can hide the look of gum recession and build a more ideal aesthetic appearance.
Periodontal Procedures & LANAP
LANAP laser dentistry đź”—
LANAP (laser-assisted new attachment procedure) uses laser technology to remove the bacteria and damaged tissue below the gumline that is associated with periodontal disease. LANAP laser dentistry is unique because it does not involve any cutting or sewing of the gum tissue. At Sacramento Periodontics, our periodontist uses the Periolase® MVP-7 laser, the only FDA-approved laser treatment proven to regenerate soft tissue and bone. Dental lasers are not created equal, and we use the most advanced laser technology available.
Soft tissue graft (gum graft)
The gum graft procedure is designed to control the tooth decay and bone loss that often accompanies gum tissue recession. The grafting procedure uses soft tissue, either obtained from the roof of your own mouth or from a donor, to cover the exposed roots of the tooth. This treatment seeks to rebuild and regrow the lost gum tissue (keratinized gingiva), thereby covering and protecting the exposed roots and underlying bone from further damage.
Tooth extraction
Tooth extraction may be necessary for a variety of reasons, including advanced periodontal disease, tooth decay, trauma, or impacted teeth. After our periodontist performs the extraction, we will follow through with the treatment plan to help restore your smile and get you back to enjoying life.
Laser-assisted periodontal surgery
We have found that in certain cases, periodontal disease is best controlled by using a combination of LANAP laser treatment and traditional periodontal surgery. In these situations, our periodontist uses LANAP laser technology wherever possible and employs traditional periodontal techniques (i.e. bone grafting) when necessary. Both treatments are designed to remove bacteria and damaged tissue below the gumline and treat the area in order to heal the remaining tissue by stimulating blood flow and bone growth in the affected area.
Sinus lift đź”—
A sinus lift is often performed prior to the placement of a dental implant when there is not enough bone below the sinus to support the implant. To start the sinus lift procedure, our periodontist creates a small space in the upper jawbone just below the sinus. The sinus is carefully lifted, and dental bone graft material is injected into the space between the sinus and the bone. During the healing process, the bone graft material will harden and fuse with the existing bone, thereby creating enough new bone to place and support the dental implant.
Root planing
Periodontal disease is an infection that causes the gum tissue to become inflamed and pull away from the teeth, creating a larger than normal space between the teeth and gums called a “deep pocket.” If left untreated, deep pockets trap calculus and bacterial byproducts below the gumline, making the infection worse. Our periodontist treats deep pockets with a procedure called root planing, in which the roots of the teeth are planed to make them smooth and to slow future bacterial colonization. Root planing allows the gums to reattach to the teeth, thereby making the deep pockets smaller and reversing the progression of gum disease.
Periodontal maintenance (Periodontal Cleaning)
Periodontal disease is a chronic disease. While it is not currently possible to permanently cure gum disease, it can be managed with the use of periodontal procedures and periodontal maintenance. Our periodontist employs procedures to stop the progression of the disease and to achieve a state of oral health. Once achieved, we use frequent periodontal cleanings called periodontal maintenance to sustain your state of oral health. Without consistent periodontal cleaning, the periodontal infection will return.
Occlusion (bite problems)
Together with your team of dental professionals, we correct bite problems and limit the periodontal damage that can result from occlusion trauma.
Ridge augmentation
A ridge augmentation is performed when a patient has lost a tooth or requires a tooth extraction and does not have enough bone to support a dental implant. During the procedure, our periodontist places dental bone graft material on top of the existing bone. Over time, the material is absorbed and helps to stimulate new bone growth. If enough bone growth occurs, the patient will have sufficient bone to support a dental implant.
Crown lengthening đź”—
Typically, the crown lengthening procedure is performed after a tooth has suffered damage (either from trauma or decay) that extends beneath the gumline. The crown lengthening procedure involves repositioning the gumline to reveal the damaged section of the tooth that was hidden by the gum tissue so that your general dentist can restore the tooth. The gumline is repositioned lower for a bottom tooth or higher for an upper tooth. In other scenarios, the gumline is repositioned because a tooth is too small for your general dentist to place a crown. By repositioning the gumline, our periodontist extends the surface area of the tooth so that it can support the new crown.