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Procedures

Our Steps to Make You Comfortable

Sterilization
We know that preventing the spread of infectious diseases such as AIDS, herpes, hepatitis and even the cold virus is critical and take sterilization very seriously.  For this reason we use extensive sterilization procedures, going well beyond those recommended by the American Dental Association and Centers for Disease Control.

We use barrier techniques such as disposable masks and gloves and change them for every patient.  Every piece of equipment is wiped-down with antibacterial solution prior to every operatory procedure at our clinic in Pasadena.  Water lines and evacuation hoses are cleaned per the guidelines of the American Dental Association.  We use autoclave sterilization for all instruments prior to dental examination and treatment.  You can be assured that our staff have been specifically trained on sterilization procedures and their importance.

Patient Comfort
Whether it is gum grafting, gum surgery, teeth whitening or implant, no dental procedure is 100% comfortable. Our periodontist goes to great lengths to minimize any discomfort you might feel. Many of our patients remark, "This was not even painful? How did you do that?" The following are some of the latest techniques we use to provide you with as comfortable an experience as possible.

Pre-medication
Patient comfort is one of the most important aspects of care.  Different patients have different needs for pain-control medication. Depending upon the procedure and your wishes, there are many medications we can prescribe.

Injections of Anesthesia
Injections of dental anesthesia can become more painful if not precisely done or if the injection is done at too rapid a rate. Our periodontist recognizes this and take extra care when giving injections.

Conscious Sedation
For those patients that would feel more comfortable with conscious sedation, we are pleased to offer Oral Sedation which makes you feel relaxed and at ease.  Although you might be awake, you will not be aware of your surroundings.  Conscious sedation will calm you during dental procedures without the risk of general anesthesia.

 

Basic Periodontal Treatment

Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that gets under the gums and into the bone around your teeth.  This infectious material must be removed and the area given a chance to heal. There are two generally accepted treatments for this - depending upon the severity of your infection.

Upper Level Infection Removal

Bacterial infection which is in the upper levels of the pockets around your teeth can be removed using specialized instruments.  This procedure is called tooth scaling and root planing. It is done under local anesthesia and is quite different from routine, or deep, cleaning.
 

Lower Level Infection Removal

If your infection has gotten into the bone which supports your teeth, and is below the level that can be reached with specialized instruments, then a surgical procedure must be done to fold back the gum tissue and remove the disease-causing bacteria before securing the tissue back into place.  In some cases, irregular surfaces of the damaged bone are smoothed to limit areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide.  This allows the gum tissue to better reattach to healthy bone.

Periodontal Maintenance

Patients having received surgical and non-surgical treatment often need more frequent maintenance visits than other patients. The periodontist in Pasadena recommends periodontal maintenance treatment every three months or more often.

Other Procedures

Crown Lengthening and Gingival Contourging

Perhaps your tooth is decayed, broken below the gum line, or has insufficient tooth structure for a restoration, such as a crown or bridge.  Crown lengthening adjusts the gum and bone levels to expose more of the tooth so it can be restored.
To improve a gummy smile because your teeth appear short, excess gum and bone tissue is reshaped to expose more of the natural tooth.

Procedure: The periodontist gives you a local anesthetic and gently removes excess gum and bone tissue to expose more tooth structure.

Bone Grafting

Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that replaces missing bone with a material called a bone graft.  This material not only replaces missing bone, but also helps your body regrow lost bone.  This new bone growth strengthens the grafted area by forming a bridge between your existing bone and the graft.  Over time the newly formed bone will replace much of the grafted material.

Procedure: The periodontist gives you a local anesthetic and gently opens the area filling in the missing section with bone grafting material to encourage your body's natural ability to regenerate bone and tissue.

Ridge Augmentation

A Ridge Augmentation is a special application of bone grafting.  After an extraction there will be a sunken area in the gum line which can look unsightly.  If a bridge is to be placed in this site, the defective area will be more noticeable and can lead to food entrapment and periodontal issues.  Bone grafting material is inserted to fill out this depression in preparation for a bridge or implant reconstruction.

Procedure:  Dr. Cooper gives you a local anesthetic and gently opens the area - filling the sunken area with bone grafting material.

Gingival Soft Tissue Grafting

Longer teeth or exposed tooth roots can look unsightly.  They can also increase your sensitivity to heat, cold or sweets. Tissue grafts can be used to cover roots or develop gum tissue which is absent due to excessive gingival recession.
A soft tissue gum graft can reduce further recession and bone loss. In some cases, it can cover exposed roots to protect them from decay; this will improve the aesthetics of your smile.

Procedure: During this procedure, Dr. Cooper gives you a local anesthetic and takes gum tissue from your palate or another donor source to cover the exposed root. This can be done for one tooth or several teeth to even your gum line and reduce sensitivity.

Frenectomy

Sometimes, the lips or tongue have limited mobility due to an abnormally strong or high muscle. Also, these muscles can pull the gum tissue away from the tooth causing recession.

Procedure: Dr. Cooper provides a local anesthetic and excises the aberrant muscle and overlying gum tissue.

 

Sinus Life

Dental implants have gained popularity for replacing missing teeth.  Some patients develop jaw atrophy, which leaves insufficient bone for implants. To treat these patients, the sinus lift procedure, which augments bone, was developed.  Unfortunately, after a prolonged period of being without teeth, the upper bone ridge that once supported the teeth becomes defective and sufficient bone may not be present for implants. To increase the amount of bone in this ridge, the sinus lift procedure has been developed.

Procedure: Dr. Cooper places bone-graft material in the maxillary sinus to increase the height and width of the upper bone ridge. After the bone graft integrates, dental implants can be placed.

Tissue Biopsies

Patients that have suspicious lesions or cysts that could be cancerous require removal of a sample of tissue, which is then examined under a microscope to check for cancer cells.

Procedure: Dr. Cooper surgically removes suspect tissue and send this sample to a pathology laboratory.  When the results are completed, Dr. Cooper meets with the patient to discuss the findings.

Oral Surgery

Dr. Cooper performs the other gum graft surgery such as:
  • Teeth extraction
  • Reduction of excess bone from certain areas (tuberosity, tori)
  • Periodontal Plastic Surgery (smile enhancement)
    Dr. Cooper provides several plastic surgery procedures that can improve the appearance of your smile. Gum tissue can be added, reduced, or re-shaped as your needs require. The result can be dramatic and will improve your self esteem about your teeth and your smile.
Pasadena, CA Dentist
Pasadena Dental Implants
175 S. El Molino, Suite 4
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 796-1241
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