TREATMENTS
EVALUATION
/ CONSULTATION
At your initial appointment, Dr. Rubinoff will provide a complete
dental and periodontal examination. He will check the condition
of your teeth, gums and other related oral structures; including
an oral cancer screening examination. Using a device called
a Periodontal Probe he will evaluate the depth of the breakdown
of your gums around your teeth (periodontal pockets) as well
as areas where the gums may have receded. Dr. Rubinoff will
discuss with you his findings, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment
recommendations. Although this is all usually done at your
initial visit, there may be times due to the complexity of
your condition or necessity to consult with you referring
dentist, that you may be asked to return for a separate treatment
planning consultation.
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ROOT
PLANING
Root Planing along with meticulous oral hygiene lays the foundation
for the treatment of Periodontitis. The bacterium in the dental
plaque and calculus (tartar) under the gums is what causes
the gum infection and ultimate breakdown of the gum and bone.
Root Planing is a non-surgical treatment in which the gums
are numbed and the root surface above and below the gum line
is scraped and smoothed to remove the calculus and plaque.
Ultrasonic scalers and hand curettes are used. Several weeks
after the root planing is completed, a re-evaluation appointment
is scheduled to check the health of the gums and determine
which areas require further treatment.
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PERIODONTAL
FLAP SURGERY, BONE GRAFTS & GUIDED TISSUE REGENERATION
If, after root planing, deep pockets and evidence of calculus
under the gums persist then Periodontal Flap Surgery may be
recommended. During this procedure, Dr. Rubinoff folds back
the gum tissue to remove the residual calculus and infected
gum tissue. The roots of the teeth are planed and smoothed.
In some cases, the irregular surfaces of the damaged bone
may be smoothed to allow for better adaptation of the gum
tissue. In selected areas, a Bone Graft (either tissue bank
derived demineralized bone or synthetic bone graft material)
may be placed to stimulate the regeneration (regrowth) of
the lost bone structure around the teeth. In areas of particularly
advanced bone loss, a barrier membrane is placed over the
bone graft before the gum is sutured closed. This prevents
the gum tissue from growing down into the bone defect faster
than the new bone tissue can begin to grow and is called Guided
Tissue Regeneration (GTR).
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CROWN
LENGTHENING
If a broken tooth, crack or decay extends below the gumline,
your dentist might not be able to restore the tooth. A Crown
Lengthening procedure may be necessary. This is a periodontal
flap surgical procedure in which healthy tooth structure is
uncovered by pushing back the gumline and smoothing down some
of the bone around the neck of the tooth. The gum is sutured
to place and after several weeks of healing, the tooth is
generally ready to be restored.
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SOFT
TISSUE GRAFTS - Click
on the link to view Before & After Photos
In areas where the gums have receded the result is exposed
tooth roots. The exposed roots may cause your teeth to look
too long or cause your teeth to be sensitive to cold or hot
foods or liquids. A Soft Tissue Graft can help cover these
exposed root surfaces. There are various grafting techniques
utilized depending upon the nature of the gingival recession,
however, they generally involve making a pouch on the palate
to remove the donor soft tissue and then placing it at the
prepared recipient site. Both the donor and recipient sites
are sutured closed. Please click on the link to view some
before and after photos.
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DENTAL
IMPLANTS
- Click on the link to learn more
about Dental Implants
Dental Implants are artificial titanium tooth roots that are
placed into your jawbone to take the place of one or more
missing natural teeth. Dental implants may be used to replace
a single missing tooth or an entire dentition. The number
of dental implants required will vary depending on the number
of teeth being replaced, remaining jaw structure and type
of replacement teeth being planned (fixed or detachable).
Dr. Rubinoff can evaluate your particular concerns and needs
and determine if you will be a favorable candidate for dental
implants. He works closely with your restorative dentist in
a team approach to ensure best results for you.
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PERIODONTAL
MAINTENANCE
The key to long term success following periodontal treatment
is your oral hygiene home care and professional Periodontal
Maintenance. This procedure involves a periodontal pocket
charting and scaling of the teeth above and below the gums
to help control and remove the bacterial plaque and calculus
that can cause recurrent periodontal infections. If we detect
a particular problem, we can then prescribe an appropriate
course of treatment. Depending upon your condition, this is
generally done three to four times yearly usually alternating
between our office and your general dentist's office. We send
regular reports to your dentist updating him/her on your periodontal
condition.
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