6 Reasons for a Tooth Extraction
Undergoing a tooth extraction — or “having a tooth pulled” — isn’t something that anyone hopes to deal with. However, some experts estimate that over 20 million teeth are extracted every single year in the United States — making a tooth extraction an extremely common procedure. Once all baby teeth are gone and wisdom teeth have […]
Energy Drink Information
Many people don’t realize how much caffeine and other stimulants are in energy drinks (Red Bull, etc). And the labels usually don’t help either. In fact, the labels often add to the confusion or misconceptions. Guarana often appears on labels, but explain that it’s just another source of caffeine…like coffee beans, cola nuts, and tea […]
Sinus Lift
The head has many sinuses, which are cavities within the head which clean and warm air. The cavities have a very thin lining. Think of the cavity as a thick balloon and the lining as a thin balloon within the cavity. In the upper jaw, above the molars and sometimes premolars there is a sinus, […]
Stem Cells for Bone Grafts
Prior to placing an implant, it is often necessary to regenerate bone in the jaw. There are many bone regeneration options including a bone graft. If a bone graft is used to regenerate bone, it should display three key characteristics: Osteoconductive – provides a scaffold for bone formation Osteoinductive – provide factors that induce bone […]
3D CBCT Digital Imaging – Cone Beam
Recent advances in imaging now allow for more predictable treatment outcomes. The 3D CBCT (three-dimensional cone beam computed tomography) scanner allows for accurate visualization of anatomical structures such as the structure of the jaw bone, and nerve location which is critical for proper diagnosis and rendering treatment in a safe manner. Traditional dental X-rays are […]
Alloderm Results – Part 2
Lecturers and clinicians are recommending Alloderm as the graft of first choice. I see no evidence to support Alloderm over SECTG. They claim Alloderm is easier to use, can treat many teeth at once and results in less discomfort because a palatal graft is not necessary. Using Alloderm will result in an easier procedure, but […]
Alloderm Results
I would like to highlight a recent article in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, entitled; *Acellular dermal matrix allograft (Alloderm) versus subepithelial connective tissue graft in the treatment of gingival recessions: a 5 yr. randomized clinical study by Neda Moslemi. There were 16 patients with Miller class I /II gingival recession (recession to the mucogingival […]
Abutment Surface
Recently, an article entitled Effect of Surface Topography of Implant Abutments on Retention of Cemented Single-tooth Crowns, by Tomie Nakakuki de Campos et al., for the International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry, investigated whether surface topography affects the retentive strength of cemented full crowns, comparing the effects of standard machined, sandblasted (80µm aluminum oxide), and grooved implant […]
Lasers For Periodontal Treatments
In the last decades, laser therapy has been proposed as an alternative to therapy, due to its capability to obtain tissue ablation, hemostatic, bactericidal and detoxification effects against periodontal pathogens. Lasers have been approved by the FDA but not endorsed by the American Academy of Periodontology. Among the different types of laser, Er:YAG (erbium-doped: yttrium-aluminum-garnet) […]
