GINGIVAL GRAFTS
When you have gum recession or thin tissue, sometimes it is necessary to graft tissue over the particular area to support the teeth and prevent further dental bone loss or tooth loss. Often times the tissue is taken from the roof of your mouth, and grafted to the particular area it is needed, often the lower anterior region.
CROWN LENGTHENING
Surgery done to expose more tooth. Say your tooth BREAKS OFF at the GUMLINE…
HOW IS YOUR DENTIST SUPPOSED TO FIX THAT? Think of buying an ice cream cone at your favorite ice cream parlor. They hand you the cone wrapped in paper, right? After you eat the ice cream down to the cone, you have to UNWRAP the paper to eat more cone, right? CROWN LENTHENING surgery is like unwrapping the paper (gums) from the ICE CREAM CONE (tooth), to EXPOSE more TOOTH. After more tooth is exposed, THAT can be RESTORED.
FRENECTOMIES
The lingual frenum is that flap of tissue that attaches underneath your tongue to the floor of your mouth. Sometimes it is attached closer to the tip of the tongue, or even up on the gums behind the lower front teeth. Depending on where it is, it can severely limit the action of the tongue, and may need to be cut surgically. This is called a lingual frenectomy. It is a relatively minor procedure, but will allow the tongue much greater movement to aid in speaking, eating, and other activities.
Sometimes a frenectomy is needed at the midline of the upper or lower lips as well. On the upper lip, sometimes it cause a gap (diastema) between the two front teeth.
DON’T LIKE THAT GUMMY SMILE?
Periodontal surgery can be done to fix that. The gums can be lifted to expose more teeth, and show less gums.
Another Reason to Stay in Shape: Healthy Teeth and Gums
CHICAGO—August 2, 2010—The health complications of being overweight, such as increased risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, have long been reported. Health care professionals often urge patients to manage their weight and strive to get physical exercise each day to achieve and maintain overall health. And now, researchers have now uncovered another benefit of maintaining a fit lifestyle: healthy teeth and gums.
In a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Periodontology, researchers found that subjects who maintained a healthy weight and had high levels of physical fitness had a lower incidence of severe periodontitis. Using body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat as a measure of weight control, and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) as a measure of physical fitness, researchers compared subjects’ weight and fitness variables with the results of a periodontal examination. Those with the lowest BMI and highest levels of fitness had significantly lower rates of severe periodontitis.
Periodontitis, or gum disease, is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the supporting bone and tissues around the teeth. Gum disease is a major cause of tooth loss in adults, and research has suggested gum disease is associated with other diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Samuel Low, DDS, MS, Associate Dean and professor of periodontology at the University of Florida College of Dentistry, and President of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), says that research connecting overall health and periodontal health should motivate people to maintain a healthy weight and get enough physical fitness.
“Research continues to demonstrate that our overall health and oral health are connected,” says Dr. Low. “Weight management and physical fitness both contribute to overall health; and now we believe staying in shape may help lower your risk of developing gum disease. Since gum disease is related to other diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” continues Dr. Low, “There is even more reason to take care of yourself through diet and exercise.”
Dr. Low also encourages comprehensive periodontal care through daily tooth brushing and flossing, and routine visits to a dental professional, such as a periodontist, a specialist in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of gum disease.
Source: Perio.org
Turn that Frown Upside Down—Healthy Gums are Something to Smile About
CHICAGO—March 19, 2008—A smile is one of the most universally recognizable facial expressions, helping to depict an individual’s happiness, confidence, attractiveness, sociability and sincerity. According to a study published in the Journal of Periodontology (JOP), the official publication of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), a smile may also help convey healthy teeth and gums. Researchers found evidence that periodontal, or gum, disease may negatively affect an individual’s smiling patterns and deter someone from displaying positive emotions through a smile.
The study, conducted at the University of Michigan, evaluated the smiling patterns of 21 periodontal patients while viewing a segment of a comedy program. At predetermined measurement points throughout the segment, the researchers assessed three dimensions of each patient’s smile: the horizontal width of the mouth in millimeters, the open width of the mouth in millimeters, and the number of teeth shown. In addition, the researchers also noted the number of times the patient covered his or her mouth while watching the segment. Individual perceptions of how the patient’s quality of life is affected by oral health were also considered. The data were then evaluated along with a clinical exam of the patient’s periodontal health.
“Since periodontal disease is prevalent in such a large number of adults, we sought to investigate if the disease affects a person’s smiling behavior,” said study author Dr. Marita R. Inglehart. “Smiling plays a significant and essential role in overall well-being. Previous findings suggest that smiling can affect social interactions, self-confidence and can influence how people perceive one another.”
The study findings indicated that periodontal disease can certainly impact how a person smiles. The more symptoms of gum disease found in a patient’s mouth, such as periodontal pockets between four to six millimeters deep or loose, moving teeth, the more likely the patient was to cover his or her mouth when smiling or to limit how widely the mouth opened during the smile. In addition, the more gum recession seen in the patient, the fewer teeth he or she showed when smiling. The way patients perceived their quality of life as a result of their oral health was also significantly correlated with the number of teeth affected by periodontal disease.
“It is already widely known that periodontal disease is connected to systemic health,” said Dr. Susan Karabin, DDS, President of the AAP. “These results help demonstrate that periodontal disease may affect more than just overall health. It can also impact actual quality of life, making caring for one’s teeth and gums all the more important.”
Source: Perio.org
Researchers Uncover Higher Prevalence of Periodontal Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
CHICAGO—June 5, 2008—Over 1.3 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic, inflammatory disease of the joints. RA is a disabling condition, and can lead to long-term joint damage resulting in persistent pain and loss of function in affected areas. A study published in the June 2008 issue of the Journal of Periodontology, the official publication of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), uncovered yet another potential side effect of RA. Researchers in Berlin, Germany discovered that patients with RA have a higher incidence of periodontal disease compared to healthy controls.
For some patients, adverse RA symptoms may affect manual dexterity, which can make one’s daily routine quite difficult. One area that may be affected is oral hygiene which can ultimately lead to periodontal disease. However, these research findings indicate that poor oral hygiene alone did not account for the association between RA and gum disease, suggesting that other factors may play a role as well.
The study examined the oral health of 57 RA patients and 52 healthy controls. To determine oral hygiene status, each participant underwent a comprehensive oral examination including an assessment of plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation, both indicators of oral hygiene. Probing pocket depth and clinical attachment loss, two markers of periodontal disease, were also measured. Researchers used questionnaires to gauge the subjects’ risk factors for periodontal disease.
The study findings indicated that RA patients were nearly eight times more likely to have periodontal disease compared to the control subjects. These findings accounted for demographic and lifestyle characteristics such as age, gender, education and tobacco use. Researchers then examined the extent to which poor oral hygiene was connected to the increased occurrence of gum disease in RA patients. The results showed that while oral hygiene was markedly a factor, it did not fully explain the association between the two diseases, suggesting that there may be other parameters responsible for the increased prevalence of gum disease in RA sufferers.
“With results suggesting that rheumatoid arthritis is associated with periodontal disease, it is easy to assume that an RA sufferer is perhaps unable to properly care for his or her teeth and gums due to the debilitating nature of the disease,” says Dr. Kenneth Kornman, editor of the Journal of the Periodontology. “However, this study implies that there are other potential factors involved. For instance, both RA and gum disease are systemic inflammatory disorders which may explain the connection between the two. Inflammation is already thought to link periodontal disease with other conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. We look forward to future research that may reveal the biological mechanisms that link these two important diseases.”
In an effort to best maintain oral health, RA patients are encouraged to brush and floss on a regular basis and see a dental professional twice a year. If gum disease develops, consulting a periodontist is an effective way to determine the most appropriate course of treatment.
According to Dr. Susan Karabin, President of the AAP, maintaining the complete health of RA patients should be a collaborative effort. “It is critical that dental professionals and medical professionals work together when treating a patient living with rheumatoid arthritis. This partnership will assure that both the oral and overall health of these patients is paramount.”
Source: Perio.org
Study links periodontal disease to pre-diabetes
Taking care of your gums could mean staving off diabetes.
According to a study in a recent issue of the Journal of Periodontology, periodontal disease may contribute to the progression of pre-diabetes, a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not enough to be classified as diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association estimates that more than 54 million Americans suffer from pre-diabetes. Of those, many will develop type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.
A team of Denmark researchers conducted a study with animal models known to exhibit pre-diabetes characteristics and concluded that having periodontal disease such as gingivitis or aggressive periodontitis can cause patients to develop pre-diabetic characteristics. They also found that periodontal disease can disturb glucose regulation and may ultimately contribute to the progression of Type 2 diabetes.
“We have known that people with diabetes are more susceptible to periodontal diseases and have more severe disease,” said Dr. Preston D. Miller, Jr., president of the American Academy of Periodontology. “This breakthrough research shows having periodontal disease may aggravate pre-diabetes which is a precursor for diabetes. These findings underscore the importance of taking good care of your teeth and gums: it may be a simple way to prevent diabetes, or to prevent the progression of diabetes.”
Signs of pre-diabetes include: elevated blood sugar levels, obesity, inactivity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a family history of diabetes. Also, mothers who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy are at risk to develop the disease later on in life.
Fortunately, periodontal disease can be reversible—if caught in the early stages. Advanced stages of the disease can lead to bone and tooth loss. Talk to your dentist about your gums and find out what you can do to keep them healthy.
Source: Colgate.com
Causal Link Between Periodontal Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease
The recent study by a team of doctors at NYU led by Dr Angela Kramer found fresh evidence that gingivitis could lead to neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s disease. The team examined 20 years of data which supposts the hypothesis of a possible causal link between periodontal disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Dr Kramer said that:” The research suggests that cognitively normal subjects with periodontal inflammation are at an increased risk of lower cognitive function compared to cognitively normal subjects with little or no periodontal inflammation”
The study found that subjects with Alzheimer’s disease has unusually higher levels of inflammatory cytokines and antibodies associated with periodontal disease as compare to healthy subjects. The research team compared the cognitive function at age 50 and 70 using a Digital Symbol Test which is used to measure the adult IQ. The resuls showed that the subjects with periodontal inflammation had nine times more likely to test in the lower range of DST score as compared to subjects with little or no periodontal inflammation. The finding were presented at the recently concluded IADR meeting in Spain.
Source: Perio-Talk.com
Dental Abcess
A dental abscess is a collection of pus that can form in the teeth or gums as a result of a bacterial infection. Bacteria are found in plaque (a byproduct of food, saliva and bacteria in the mouth). Plaque damages teeth and gums and can eventually infect the soft tissue inside a tooth or gums, forming an abscess. There are two types of dental abscess: periapical abscess (the most common type), when bacteria infect the inside of the tooth as a result of dental decay periodontal abscess, when bacteria infect the gums. Dental abscesses can be very painful and tender and can make a person feel unwell. Outlook Without dental treatment, a dental abscess will get worse and may lead to the destruction of surrounding bone and other serious health problems.
Source: Perio-talk.com