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When It Is Time to See a Periodontist | Chicago Dentist

While you have a great chance of developing gum disease at some point in your life, there are times when you need to seek out the help of a specialist. A periodontist is a dentist specializing in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infections and diseases in the soft tissues surrounding the teeth, and the jawbone. If you experience any of these signs and symptoms, it is important that you schedule an appointment with a periodontist without delay:

  • Bleeding while eating or brushing
  • Bad breath
  • Loose teeth and gum recession
  • Gangrene in the tissues
  • Related health conditions

Before initiating any dental treatment, the periodontist will conduct an examination of the gums, jawbone and general condition of the teeth. Once diagnosed, the periodontist has a number of surgical and non-surgical options available to treat the underlying infection, and together you will come up with a treatment plan to repair any damage that has or may happen in the future.

Gingivitis/mild periodontal disease. When the gum pockets are large, the periodontist or hygienist may perform scaling and root planing to remove debris from the pockets and allow them to heal

Moderate periodontal disease. Larger gum pockets require a more extensive scaling and root planning cleaning might be required and will be performed under local anesthetic.

Advanced periodontal disease. When gum pockets are accompanied by bone loss and gum recession, scaling and root planning will always be performed as the initial nonsurgical treatment and may require surgical treatment to reduce pocket depth.

Tooth loss. Where one or several teeth are missing due to periodontal disease, dental implants are an effective option if the bone is strong enough. However, bone grafts may be performed by the periodontist to provide a suitable anchor for the new tooth/teeth.

If you would like more information about gum disease, call Dr. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Peter O. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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When It’s Time for a Gum Graft | Chicago Dentist

There is little more deflating to your smile than receding gums. Not only does it change the look of your smile, but it can also cause your overall demeanor to change as well. But for many of us, it can’t be helped – gum recession often goes hand-in-hand with the aging process or genetics. It’s really disheartening as we love to show off our smiles. Worry not – the dental industry has addressed this issue and it doesn’t have to be as invasive as it once was.

The goal of correcting gum recession is to rebuild the lost tissues and, where possible, cover the roots. It is important to fix this dental issue before more extreme dental issues develop. One of the earliest treatments published was the connective tissue graft introduced in the early 1990’s and can be seen in an article published by Dr. Cabrera in The Journal of the American Dental Association in 1995.

But what does this treatment option entail? This procedure is essentially plastic surgery in the mouth. A very small opening is created either on the roof of the mouth or behind the last upper teeth. The tissue is then secured to the area of recession with small (slightly bigger than a human hair) sutures (stitches). In most cases, recovery is uneventful, requiring no more than over-the-counter medication.

This approach has been refined over the years. Today, we also employ a number of procedures classified as tunnels, which use very small incisions to accomplish the surgery. So, as you can see, there is no reason to hide your smile from the world because of receding gums – visiting your dental professional can easily repair the look of your smile and the health of your gums.

If you would like more information about gum grafting, call Dr. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Peter O. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Stop Receding Gums with a Tissue Graft | Chicago Dentist

There is little more deflating to your smile than receding gums. Not only does it change the look of your smile, but it can also cause your overall demeanor to change as well. We all want a great smile to show off. Unfortunately, it is a fact of life as we age. Worry not – there is a solution.

The goal of correcting gum recession is to rebuild the lost tissues, and where possible, cover the roots. It is important to fix this dental issue before more extreme issues, like infection or gum disease, arise. One of the earliest treatments published was the connective tissue graft introduced in the early 1990’s and can be seen in an article published by Dr. Cabrera in The Journal of the American Dental Association in 1995 titled The Connective Tissue Graft, and later reprinted in The Canadian Dental Journal.

But what does this treatment option entail? This procedure is essentially plastic surgery in the mouth. A very small opening is created either on the roof of the mouth or behind the last upper teeth. The tissue is then secured to the area of recession with small (slightly bigger than a human hair) sutures (stitches). In most cases, recovery is uneventful, requiring no more than over-the-counter medication.

This approach has been refined over the years. Today, we also employ a number of procedures classified as tunnels, which use very small incisions to accomplish the surgery. So, as you can see, there is no reason to hide your smile with receding gums – just need to consult with your dentist.

If you would like more information about connective tissue graft, call Dr. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Peter O. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Reasons You May Have Gum Disease | Chicago Dentist

Gum disease is an infection of the tissues that surround your teeth. It is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Because gum disease is typically painless, you may not even know you have it. But what causes gum disease? Plaque is the primary cause of gum disease. However, other factors can contribute to periodontal disease, including:

  • Hormonal changes, such as those occurring during pregnancy, puberty, menopause, and monthly menstruation, make gums more sensitive, which makes it easier for gingivitis to develop.
  • Various illnesses may affect the condition of your gums. This includes diseases such as cancer or HIV, because they interfere with the immune system. Diabetes’ effects on the body’s ability to use blood sugar makes patients with this disease at a higher risk of developing infections, including periodontal disease and cavities.
  • Medications can affect oral health, because some lessen the flow of saliva, which has a protective effect on teeth and gums.
  • Bad habits such as smoking make it harder for gum tissue to repair itself.
  • Poor oral hygiene habits such as not brushing and flossing on a daily basis, make it easier for gingivitis to develop.
  • Family history of dental disease can be a contributing factor for the development of gingivitis.

Gum disease may progress without producing obvious signs, even in the late stages of the disease. Although the symptoms of periodontal disease can often be subtle, it can present some warning signs. But even if you don’t notice any symptoms, you may still have some degree of gum disease. In some people, gum disease may affect only certain teeth, such as the molars. Only a dentist or a periodontist can recognize and determine the progression of gum disease.

If you would like more information about gum disease, call Dr. Peter O. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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What Are Gums Anyway? | Chicago Dentist

We all know our smile is basically composed of lips, teeth and gums. A set of bright white teeth and a pouty lip, and you’ve got yourself a great smile. But what are our gums? Today we will discuss the basics of what our gums do and how we can keep them nice and healthy our entire lives.

Gum tissue serves two main purposes: it provides a seal around teeth, keeping bacteria away from the tooth root, and it provides physical support for the tooth, helping keep the tooth firmly in its socket. One of the most significant risks of periodontal disease is loss of gum tissue – as bacteria from plaque and tartar spreads beneath the gums, it damages bone and gum tissue, leading to a number of problems.

Dentists and periodontists will advise patients to have professional cleanings to help minimize the likelihood of developing periodontal disease. If they determine that periodontal disease is becoming a problem, they’ll likely advise corrective action such as scaling and root planning, where plaque and tartar is physically removed from the roots of the teeth beneath the gum-line, removing the damaging bacteria and giving the gums an opportunity to heal. In some cases, however, the gum tissue will recede, exposing the roots of the teeth. In these cases, periodontists will recommend a procedure to replace gum tissue over the tooth root (such as gum grafting) to help restore the barrier around the tooth root and protecting the tooth’s long-term health.

If you’re experiencing bleeding, sore, inflamed gums, be sure to speak to a dentist or periodontist soon, so that you can minimize the risk of damage to gum tissue.

If you would like more information about gum recession, call Dr. Peter O. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Pinhole Surgical Technique: What You Need to Know | Chicago Dentist

No one wants receding gums, but unfortunately, it’s a fact of life. Fortunately, there is a way to repair the issue without having to use painful gum grafting. Pioneered by Dr. Chao, the Pinhole® Surgical Technique is a new way to repair gum recession through a pinhole-sized incision, rather than having to cut. This new technique will not only reduce discomfort grafting surgery can do, but also cut down recovery time. Here are some of the common questions asked:

Is gum recession something that you see often? If it isn’t a painful result, chances are patients won’t address the issue. Before the Pinhole Surgical Technique, a lot of people are put in a dilemma of whether they should fix it with a very painful, drawn out gum grafting procedure, try to ignore it, or try a temporary fix by placing a filling on the exposed root.

How long does the standard gum grafting procedure take? The standard procedure requires cutting out a graft of the gum from the palate and grafting it to where it’s needed. To delicately cut and remove the graft tissue and attach it with sutures takes about an hour to an hour and a half for just one or two teeth. But what is more drawn out is the recovery time, which could two or three weeks. With Pinhole Surgical Technique, there is no gum grafting anymore. A pinhole is made by a needle, so there’s no scalpel or cutting at all. Then we shift the tissue down with very little trauma to the tissue.

Will I have to do this often? This is expected to be permanent and lasts as long as any other procedure. Maintenance will keep the procedure intact.

If you would like more information about Pinhole Surgical Technique, call Dr. Peter O. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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What Is Gum Disease? | Chicago Dentist

We all want a healthy smile, but for many of us, this is not the case. And gum disease is the main culprit in the realm of dental issues. Gum disease is an infection of the tissues that surround your teeth and is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Because gum disease is typically painless, you may not even know you have it. But what causes gum disease? Plaque is the primary cause of gum disease. However, other factors can contribute to periodontal disease, including:

  • Hormonal changes, such as those occurring during pregnancy, puberty, menopause, and monthly menstruation make gums more sensitive.
  • Various illnesses, such as cancer or HIV, because they interfere with the immune system. Diabetes’ effects on the body’s ability to use blood sugar makes patients with this disease at a higher risk of developing infections.
  • Medications can affect oral health, because some lessen the flow of saliva, which has a protective effect on teeth and gums.
  • Bad habits such as smoking
  • Poor oral hygiene habits
  • Family history

Gum disease may progress without producing obvious signs, even in the late stages of the disease. Although the symptoms of periodontal disease can often be subtle, it can present some warning signs. Certain symptoms may point to some form of the disease. The symptoms of gum disease include:

  • Gums that bleed during and after tooth brushing
  • Red, swollen, or tender gums
  • Persistent bad breath or bad taste in the mouth
  • Receding gums
  • Formation of deep pockets between teeth and gums
  • Loose or shifting teeth
  • Changes in the way teeth fit together upon biting down, or in the fit of partial dentures

If you would like more information about gum disease, call Dr. Peter O. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Minimally Invasive Procedure in Soft Tissue Grafting | Chicago Dentist

It is important as a dental professional to give our patients the best experience we can, even when it requires a dental procedure that typically doesn’t have the best reputation – gum recession treatment. We are always looking for minimally invasive approaches for the correction of gum recession to ease the comfort of our patients.

Tunneling procedures have been around in periodontics for decades. These procedures are advantageous because small incisions, similar to the ones used in arthroscopic surgery, are also used to complete these procedures.

I had been working on this particular approach to this procedure for several years. In fact, it was featured at the 2015 meeting of the American Academy of Periodontology. The procedure is carried out by way of a few small incisions above the area of recession.

One of the reasons this procedure is an advancement to the treatment of gum recession is because of the recovery time. Typically, gum recession treatment takes a long time to heal and requires additional visits to the dentist for follow-up treatment. With this variation, dissolvable sutures are used to stabilize the area, allowing the patient to return to their daily practices, such as brushing, very quickly. In addition to a speedy recovery time, the ability to place sutures that will dissolve at different rates is beneficial because there is typically no need to have them removed, making additional dental visits required only in the case of complications arising.

Gum recession is just a fact of life. It is nice to know that treatment doesn’t need to be an unpleasant one.

If you would like more information about soft tissue grafting, call Dr. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Soft Tissue Grafting When There Are No Teeth? | Chicago Dentist

Although most people concentrate on the teeth for an attractive, healthy smile, the appearance of the gums cannot be ignored. It has been said that the gums are the frame of the picture. You can have a nice picture, but an ugly frame will destroy the appearance. We will often use soft tissue to enhance the appearance of the tissue in conjunction with new restorations. The following case demonstrates one such example:

This case illustrates a 35-year old physician who was missing two teeth in the front and had a bridge placed many years ago. She did not like the appearance of the bridge and wanted to replace it. The before photos illustrate how an unsightly indentation in the gum tissue compromised the appearance of the bridge. In addition to replacing the bridge, we wanted to improve the appearance of the tissue in order to improve her “picture frame”. Utilizing minimally invasive tunneling procedures, a collagen graft was placed to build out the tissue and create an appearance that a tooth was present, but in actuality, it is missing. The improvement was seen immediately at the time of surgery, and after several weeks in a new temporary bridge, the result is even more apparent. As you can see, we have created the illusion that there are teeth present by simply reconstructing the tissue.

 

If you find that you have gums that are affecting your smile and self-confidence, soft tissue grafting may just be the solution you’ve been looking for. Not only will it improve the look of your gums, but will also give you a discreet way to bring back a reason to smile.

If you would like more information about soft tissue grafting, call Dr. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.

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Recession and Permanent Orthodontic Retainers | Chicago Dentist

An important component of orthodontic therapy is retaining the teeth in their final position to prevent relapse. This retention is either in the form of a removable retainer or a fixed, permanent retainer. The latter is typically Used on the inside part of the lower front teeth by bonding a wire to the six front teeth. However, not all wires are passive. In some cases, the wire retains tension and will force the teeth out of the bone over time.

We have seen an increased number of cases over the past few years.

The first case (fig 4) shows the recession and the wire along the tongue side. The second case (5-8) shows severe localized recession due to the torqueing motion of the wire.

This patient reported that she had a failed graft done several months before. In reality, the position of the tooth made it virtually impossible for any graft to succeed. This highlights that the most Important part of any treatment is an accurate diagnosis. The third case reflects the same problem.

If you see recession it is time to visit a periodontist. As part of the comprehensive exam, Dr. Cabrera will check all factors that may be contributing to the recession. If a fixed retainer is contributing to the problem, Dr. Cabrera will inform you and make the appropriate recommendation.

If you would like more information about gum recession, call Dr. Cabrera in Chicago, IL at 312-994-7939 or visit www.perioimplantchicago.com.

Dr. Cabrera proudly serves Chicago and all surrounding areas.