OPEN WIDE!   You may think you have a preconception plan all figured out:  take vitamins, no alcohol or sushi, are vaccinations up to date?, and of course go to as many  movies as possible while you still can!   But are you planning to schedule an appointment with your dentist too? 

Getting a complete dental examination, including an evaluation of your gum health, before you conceive is as important as an overall medical check-up.  Mounting research has indicated a link between poor oral health and pre-term birth, low birth weight, and possibly pre-eclampsia.

The Journal of the American Dental Association found that pregnant women with chronic gum disease were four to seven times more likely to deliver prematurely (before 37 weeks) than those with healthy gums; women in the group with more severe periodontal disease delivered even earlier (before 32 weeks)

Another study shows that women with gingivitis who received periodontal therapy before 28 weeks gestation had a significantly lower incidence of perterm low-birthweight babies than women who did not receive periodontal therapy. (American Academy of Periodontology)

Symptoms of gum disease:

Red, tender, or swollen gums.

Gums that bleed when you brush or floss (no, this is not “normal”!!!)

Dark red, or receeding gums

Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth

Loose teeth

Some people have no symptoms at all

If you have a family history of gum disease, you may be at a greater risk.

Dr. Hughes at Boulder Valley Dental in Louisivlle, Colorado

303-666-8820

HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS

After Laser (LANAP) Treatment

• Vitamins, dietary supplements, or medications may be prescribed to improve your overall health. Take any prescribed medication according to directions.
• Dental laser procedures result in little or no discomfort following surgery.  Take prescribed pain medications according to instructions if needed.
• Carefully avoid chewing food in the areas of the mouth where the laser has been used.  One of the most important results of laser surgery is the healing that occurs following the initial procedure.  It is extremely important not to dislodge the tiny clots (scabs) that form in the gums.
• Daily Care: 

Only brush the chewing surfaces of the treated teeth gently for the first two weeks following surgery.  Do not brush along the gums on the surgical side.  Rinse with ½ oz. Peridex for 60 seconds twice daily (in the morning after breakfast and at bedtime). 

Use Peridex until bottle is empty.  

During the first three days drink liquids only. A liquid dietary supplement may be recommended.  Gradually increase to soft foods diet for the next two weeks.  After that, you may then add back your regular diet choices.

Do not floss for 2 weeks.  When you begin flossing after this time frame, carefully place the floss between the teeth and avoid pushing the floss under the gums until instructed to do so.

The length of time it takes for the gums to heal depends upon the severity of the disease.  Most healing in the surface areas takes 2 – 4 weeks. Deeper pocket areas may take from 6-9 months to completely heal.

Oral Hygiene Timeline

1. Liquid Diet for 3 days
2. Mushy consistency Diet for 2-3 weeks
3. Manual extra soft toothbrush for 2-3 weeks
4. Resume normal diet after 2-4 weeks
5. Resume flossing above the gumline after 4 weeks healing
6. Electric TB usage after 6 weeks healing
7. Oral Irrigator ie. Waterpik usage after 6 months of healing

Dr. Tracey Hughes

Boulder Valley Dental

303-666-8820

LANAP, Laser Gum Therapy, Osseous surgery, Periodontal surgery

Recently our new team member Stephanie and I were having a quick conversation about the effects of periodontal disease on our systemic health. Stephanie, being new to the dental scene has been doing some  in-depth research on our laser gum treatments (LANAP) and was shocked to hear that periodontal disease can cause pre-term labor in pregnant women. I, being in the dentistry field for the past 12 years, realized that I forget that not all people have access to my dental hygiene journals and multiple sources of periodontal information. And, unless you have been diagnosed with periodontal disease, it is hard to find a platform to speak on this subject.  I realized that most of the population probably isn’t aware of the effects periodontal disease can have on our systemic health. It made me ponder “how can I get this information to the public?” I figure this is a start. Here is some information on the devastating effects periodontal disease can have on pregnant women. Research has shown that having an active periodontal disease can increase the risk for preterm births and low term birth weight in babies by seven times.  Pre-term pregnancy is defined as a gestation of less than 37 weeks and low birth weight is defined as less than 5lbs. 8 oz.  The American Academy of Periodontology strongly recommends that any woman considering pregnancy have a periodontal evaluation before conceiving.  The reason for this is when disease there is significantly more bacteria present in the oral cavity. Subsequently,  during pregnancy your immune response is lowered so as to not harm the fetus. With a lower immune response comes an increased opportunity for bacteria to grow, therefore increasing the bacteria load exponentially. When disease is present in the oral cavity it increases you chances of bleeding gums upon daily homecare routines (brushing and flossing). When this happens bacteria can enter your blood stream and travel to the placenta triggering biological fluids that induce labor and/or prevent the fetus from maturing at a healthy rate .

If diagnosed with periodontal disease it is encouraging to know that we can treat the disease with laser gum treatments. Based on the severity of the disease we now have options to treat the disease in a very comfortable manor. The LANAP procedure which is the first FDA approved laser treatment for gum disease is highly effective in not only removing the bacteria present, but only removing the diseased tissue and leaves behind the healthy tissue to regenerate. Due to minimal post-op sensitivity, faster healing time, minimal post-op recession, and overall patient satisfaction, I feel the LANAP (laser assisted new attachment procedure) treatment is far superior than the cut-and-sew procedure periodontist have done in the past.  Thank goodness dentisty has progressed to a more comfortable and effective way of treating gum disease. I think this will help the population conquer their fears of dentistry and start taking care of their oral health which directly impacts their systemic health.

For people suffering from gum disease, aka. periodontal disease, there is an alternative treatment to traditional gum surgery.  LANAP, laser assisted new attachment procedure, is a minimally invasive procedure, performed with a laser.  There is minimal to no discomfort during and after the procedure.  There is fast healing, and exceptional results.  Also known as laser gum surgery, LANAP kills bacteria that can be potentially harmful to your body as a whole. 

For those of you who know what “pockets” are when you go to the dentist, Dr. Tracey Hughes has taken patient’s with 9mm pockets, treated them with LANAP, and the 9mm pockets heals to 3mm within 6 months.   The treatment is extremely successful in non-smoking patients and patient’s are very satisfied with the experience.

So, if someone has recommended gum surgery to treat your gum disease, call Dr. Tracey Hughes for a consultation regarding LANAP as an alternative therapy.  303-666-8820

Sedation available for LANAP procedures!

Louisville, Colorado laser gum therapy

Laser gum surgery Denver, Colorado.  LANAP Colorado.  LANAP Denver.  LANAP Louisville, CO.   Laser gum surgery Colorado.  Laser gum surgery Louisville, CO.

“Hidden” Gum Infections Can Lead to a Stroke or Heart Disease!  Find Out How Comfortable and Quick our Gum Therapies Can Be With Conscious Sedation.

New studies link gum disease to stroke, heart disease, diabetes, low birth-weight babies and more.  The truth is, if you haven’t been to a dentist in over 5 years, chances are you have gum disease right now and don’t even know it.  Conscious sedation dentistry can help you reverse years of dental neglect in just a few hours.

So what does gum disease have to do with your health?  For starters, gum disease is an infection of the tissues that support the teeth, including the bone.  As with any infection, bacteria can travel through the bloodstream and affect other areas of the body.  Gum disease is usually caused by dental neglect.

The early stages of gum disease, called gingivitis, affects only the gums.  Without treatment, the condition progresses into advanced periodontitis, which eventually destroyes gum tissues, ligaments and bone that holds your teeth in place.  You healthy teeth can acutally start falling out of your unhealthy gums.

But that’s not the only loss that can occur.  As the infection spreads, there is a greater chance that it can reach your heart and other vital organs with serious, sometimes fatal consequences.  Studies have made a connection between plaque build-up in the gums and plaque build-up in the arteries.

Some form of gum disease affects as many as 50% of the population.  You do not have to be in pain or have symptoms to have gum disease.  You could have this serious condition right now and not even know it.

The accumulation of calculus, the hardened plaque that forms around the teeth and under the gum line, leads to gum disease.  Calculus deposits form “pockets” in the gums.  These deep pockets open the door to spreading infection. 

The only way to remove calculus is through regular in-office, professional dental cleanings.  The truth is, without frequent cleaning (two to three times per year) gum disease is inevitable.

Perhaps you’re feeling uneasy or anxious about having an oral exam and teeth cleaning.   You are not alone, I see guests in our office weekly who have similar anxieties and fears.   We acknowledge your fears and can help you experience dentistry unlike you have in the past.   I invite you to contact us.  Dont let dental anxiety rob you of your enjoyment, your youthful smiles and a healthy life.

Compassionately,

Dr. Tracey Hughes

Dr. Tracey Hughes has been providing patients in our practice with moderate to severe gum disease (periodontitis) “LANAP treatment.  Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure”.

The procedure is a less invasive, less painful alternative to traditional gum surgery to treat periodontal infections.

If you have been to a dentist and had your “pockets” measured, you know that 1-3mm in the absence of bleeing is considered healthy.  We have patients in our practice that have presented with 7-9m infected pockets.  6 months after Laser treatment, the pockets have healed and reattached to 3-4mm.

LANAP is a patient friendly alternative to traditional gum surgery as LASIK is to eye surgery.  There is minimal to no pain, less swelling, less “down time”, if any. 

If you have been told you need your teeth extracted due to gum disease or you have had gum surgery recommendations, please visit our office for a consultation first.  www.BoulderValleyDental.com 303-666-8820

Call today for information regarding the LANAP procedure and Sedation Dentistry.  Any one of our compassionate team members can answer your questions!

Staying updated on the latest and most advanced techniques and technology is what we are all about at Boulder Valley Dental Center! 

We incorporate the following advanced technology in our practice:

Millenium’s PerioLase (1064nm Nd:Yag Laser)  LANAP (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure, is the first FDA Cleared procedure using a laser to treat moderate to advanced periodontitis)

HOYA ConBios DioDent Micro (980nm Diode Laser) used by our laser certified tissue therapist, Kimberly, to treat early to moderate periodontitis.  This technology is also used to Dr. Hughes for Cosmetic Dentistry Gum Recontouring and doing frenectomies (releasing tongue tie)

Isolite Dryfield Illuminator increases your comfort and safety during restorative dentistry and cosmetic dentistry.  Soft bite block, suction and illumination for more efficient dentistry appointments.

Diagnodent, a laser cavity detection system.

Digital Intraoral Photography using a Cannon 10D Digital Camera for patient viewing

J-5 Myomonitor (low frequency TENS)

Smile Reminder patient e-mail and texting appointment confirmations.

Dentsply Cavitron Jet Plus for comfortable microsonic dental cleanings.

CariFree Caries Maintenance Prevention.  Be cavity free, for life!

AED (automated electronic defibrillator)  is becoming the standard of care in the event of a medical emergencies.  These are seen in airports, shopping malls and other public areas, why not a dental office?  Dr. Hughes is trained in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and knows how to treat medical emergencies.

Dental Laboratory- Las Vegas Esthetics Master Ceramist providing exceptional porcelain/ceramic dental restorations of natural beauty.  We do not ship your impressions out of the country or to cheap production laboratories.

Up and coming this year in 2009… Digital X-ray system and K-7 Electromyograph (EMG) for diagnosing and treating TMJ dysfunction, headaches and neuromuscular dysfunction.

Questions and Answers about Gum Disease and Treatment Options

What is Gum Disease?

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), 75 percent of adult Americans have some form of the disease. 

Traditionally, patients diagnosed with moderate to severe gum disease have undergone scalpel and suture periodontal surgery, a highly invasive and often painful procedure. During the surgery, gums are actually cut in order to scrape tartar off the roots. Drills are then used to reshape bone. Once this is complete, the gums are repositioned to the tooth with stitches, sometimes along with placement of bone grafts to fill in the defects. The process is long, often requiring eight to ten sessions, and is irreversible. Surgery is followed by a lengthy recovery period where repositioned gum tissue and exposed roots can be sensitive, painful and subject to cavities. Since these treatments are perceived as extreme and painful, patients often delay or refuse treatment.

“Periodontal Gum Disease FAQ,” American Dental Association:

http://www.dent.ucla.edu/bio/bio.asp?id=277

experience with good clinical results. By removing their fear, the dental community has the opportunity to bring patients back to seek treatment for their gum disease.

The Laser Periodontal Therapy technique is the first and only specific periodontal protocol to receive FDA clearance and has been in widespread use by the dental community for many years.  LANAP is typically performed in a dentist’s office under local anesthesia to eliminate any possible discomfort. Prior to the procedure, the dentist does a periodontal charting and takes Xrays to make a definitive diagnosis and determine the extent of the infection. A tiny laser fiber (about the thickness of three hairs) is inserted between the tooth and the gum, and the infection is cleared away without cutting or stitching of the gums. The tooth roots are then thoroughly cleaned of tartar and plaque, and the laser is used again with a different setting to create a stable, firm blood clot to seal the pocket. The dentist treats one half of the patient’s mouth at each session and most patients are able to drive themselves back to work or home following the procedure. Dentists typically recommend a soft diet for several days, but in most cases, patients feel well enough to eat their typical diet soon after the procedure.

The International Journal of Periodontics & Restorative Dentistry

Less post-operative pain

Fewer sessions

Quicker recovery time

http://www.quintpub.com/journals/prd/gp.php?journal_name=PRD&name_abbr=IJPRD

http://www.quintpub.com/journals/prd/gp.php?journal_name=PRD&name_abbr=IJPRD

during which patients can experience considerable pain and swelling and may be restricted to liquid or soft diets.

Millennium Dental Technologies estimates that LANAP-licensed practitioners are currently treating more than 14,000 patients nationwide on an annual basis. 

 How many dentists are certified to perform the Laser Periodontal Therapy technique in the U.S.?

More than 600 periodontists and general practitioners in the U.S. are currently treating more than 14,000 patients suffering from gum disease with this laser-based technique each year. This number continues to grow as more General Practioners and Periodontists become clinically certified to treat patients with LANAP.

Only dentists can perform LPT. LPT/LANAP is a doctor-dedicated surgical treatment protocol.  As a requirement for shipment of the PerioLase MVP-7, Millennium Dental Technologies dentist customers must complete three days of lecture and live patient training with the Institute for

Advanced laser Dentistry (IALD). The IALD is an independent, non-profit training corporation contracted by Millennium Dental Technologies. This assures that doctors are skilled and competent to perform the LANAP protocol on live patients upon return to their clinical practice offices.  Included in the training package are two additional days of live patient treatment and instruction with IALD. This is done at six and 12 months following the initial three days of training. This continuing education further refines and adds to the skills and expertise of Millennium Dental Technologies dentist customers. The IALD is an ADA CERP and AGD PACE recognized national continuing education (CE) provider.

Millennium Dental Technologies

Periodontal disease is a chronic infection of the gums caused by bacteria.  It begins when certain bacteria in plaque (the sticky, white film that constantly forms on the teeth and tissues of the mouth) produce toxins and enzymes that irritate the gums.  This causes inflammation if plaque is not removed daily.

Plaque that remains on teeth can irritate the gums, making them red, tender and likely to bleed.  This condition, called gingivitis, can lead to more serious types of periodontal disease.  Gingivitis can be reversed and gums kept heatlhy by removing plaque every day with a good oral hygiene routine and by having your teeth professionally cleaned.

However, if gingivitis is allowed to persist, it can progress to periodontitis, a chronic infection inthe pockets around the teeth.  The resulting inflammation, which may be painless, can damage the attachment of the gums and bone to the teeth.  At this stage, treatment by Dr. Tracey Hughes or Kim Anderson, RDH is needed.  Left untreated, teeth may eventually become loose, fall out or require removal. 

If you notice any of these signs, call us for a consultation:

• Gums that bleed during brushing and flossing
• Red, swollen or tender gums
• Persistent bad breath
• Pus between your teeth and gums
• Loose or shifting teeth
• A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
• A change in the fit of partial dentures.