2701 Crow Canyon Rd., Suite F
San Ramon, CA 94538
San Ramon area Invisalign® dentist Karl Muzikar, D.D.S. is happy to provide your new clear braces. At Karl J. Muzikar, D.D.S, we want you to have the straight teeth and beautiful smile you desire.
We're happy to assess your needs create your individual treatment plan for braces. You may be able to have your new Invisalign® aligners sooner than you think!
Karl Muzikar, D.D.S. is proud to be a trusted San Ramon area Zoom!® teeth whitening dentist. Our patients love the short amount of time the tooth whitening treatment takes as much as they love the results.
You'll be able to relax in our comfortable surroundings. In just about an hour, you'll have a sparkling white smile!
For natural-looking prosthodontics, San Ramon area dentures dentist Karl Muzikar, D.D.S. has extensive experience. Our team uses quality materials and current techniques to deliver the results you want.
We'll assess your situation and design a treatment plan to replace your missing teeth. You'll be able to smile again with confidence and ease.
San Ramon area periodontics dentist, Dr. Muzikar offers extensive experience. Gingivitis and bleeding gums can be risk factors for more serious health problems if not treated promptly.
Our friendly and highly-trained team will assess your needs and design an individual treatment plan. We're here to help you maintain healthy gums and teeth for life.
If you're looking for dentures that look great and last, look no further than Karl J. Muzikar, D.D.S located in the San Ramon, CA area. Karl Muzikar, D.D.S. will assess your needs and fit you with durable, comfortable, natural-looking dentures - at a price you can afford.
485 34th Street
Oakland, CA 94609
One of the first things people notice is your smile. All it takes is a single appointment or two with Oakland area dentist Cynthia Cox, D.D.S., and you, too, can have the winning, healthy-looking smile you've always wanted. The beautiful cosmetic results you'll get from Pacific Dental Group can be immediate and dramatic!
Cynthia Cox, D.D.S., provides general dentistry for people of all ages. Dental health is important during your entire life. When your teeth are healthy, it follows that you will be healthier, and your quality of life increases. No matter what your age, Pacific Dental Group is here to serve your dental needs in the Oakland, California area.
In order to maintain your oral health, it's important to schedule regular dental check-ups. Don't wait until something is wrong to make an appointment with Oakland area dentist Dr. Cynthia Cox. At Pacific Dental Group, we provide comfortable and thorough checkups. By catching and correcting a potential dental problem early, Dr. Cox can save you vast amounts of time, discomfort, and expense.
If you are missing one or more teeth, you'll want to talk with Oakland area dental implant dentist Dr. Cynthia Cox about replacements that look and feel as natural as your own teeth. If dentures are causing you problems, you may consider dental implants. Unlike dentures, which can be removed, Dr. Cox offers dental implants that are permanently anchored into the jaw itself.
Dr. Cynthia Cox at her Oakland area dental implants practice offers extensive experience restoring your dental implant crown.
Our dedicated team uses state-of-the-art materials and techniques for stability and longevity. You'll enjoy the comfort and confidence of natural-looking teeth.
1257 Oakmead Parkway, Suite A
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
Dr. Seid has extensive experience providing gingivitis treatments in the Sunnyvale area. Bleeding gums can lead to more serious health problems if not treated promptly.
Our friendly, professional team will evaluate your needs and design a personal treatment plan. We'll help you have healthy gums and teeth for life.
Gary Seid, D.D.S. is happy to be an experienced Sunnyvale area Britesmile® teeth whitening dentist. Our patients appreciate the short amount of time the tooth whitening treatment takes. They also love the stunning results.
You can relax in our comfortable atmosphere. In just about an hour, your bright white smile will be ready to show off!
Gary Seid, D.D.S. is proud to be a popular Sunnyvale area Lumineers® dentist. If you have sensitive teeth and want pain-free dental veneers, we can help.
Our highly trained team has extensive experience with this quick and easy procedure. We'll help you transform from feeling self-conscious to feeling confident about your bright new smile.
Sunnyvale area dentist Dr. Gary Seid specializes in second opinions. Dr. Seid views second opinions as an educational experience, and highly encourages your questions about any procedure recommended to you by another dentist.
Second opinions will likely increase your overall comfort level as you gather and compare the necessary pieces of information and are able to make an informed decision.
Dr. Gary Seid at his Sunnyvale area dental implants practice offers extensive experience restoring your dental implant crown.
Our dedicated team uses state-of-the-art materials and techniques for stability and longevity. You'll enjoy the comfort and confidence of natural-looking teeth.
Ng, Frank L D.D.S.
931 San Bruno Ave W # 8
San Bruno, CA, 94066-3435
Wong, Randal P D.D.S.
560 Jenevein Ave
San Bruno, CA, 94066-4408
Villafuerte, Ernesto D.D.S.
1001 Sneath Ln # 307
San Bruno, CA, 94066-2349
Thodas, D.D.S.
1001 Sneath Lane Ste. 211
San Bruno, CA, 34066
As the bacteria that cause periodontal disease release toxic substances, they trigger the breakdown of gum and bone. The gum then separates from the teeth, forming gaps that are called periodontal pockets. Bacteria settle in these pockets and because they cannot be removed by the patient's daily oral hygiene, they continue to accumulate and reproduce. Without proper treatment, the bacteria will continue to populate these pockets, creating further gum and bone destruction.
The first step in the treatment of periodontal disease involves the removal of the bacteria that inhabit the periodontal pockets in the form of plaque and tartar. The removal of the pocket irritants, scaling and root planing is combined with oral hygiene instructions that are aimed at improving the patient's ability to control plaque and avoid bacteria from re-infecting the periodontal pockets. Several weeks after completion of scaling and root planing, a periodontal re-evaluation should be completed to assess the healing response. If the periodontal pockets do not reduce to below 4 mm and the gums are still unhealthy, surgical treatment may be indicated.
Pocket depth reduction is a term used for a series of different surgical procedures (gingivectomy, flap surgery, osseous surgery). The purpose of these procedures is to gain access to the root surface to effectively remove calculus and to reduce the size of the pockets to help prevent bacteria from settling in.
What to Expect
Pocket depth reduction is done in the dentist's office with local anesthesia (lidocaine). After lifting the gum back, the bacterial plaque and tartar are removed from the root surfaces. It also may be necessary to remove the infected gum tissue and to smooth the bone surface. Stitches (sutures) are placed to aid in healing. The stitches are usually removed five to ten days after the surgery. Follow-up appointments are scheduled as necessary to evaluate healing and plaque control.
Post-surgical discomfort may last a few days and is usually minimal. It can be easily managed with commonly available over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. Patients can expect to follow their normal routine the day after surgery. A dentist will provide special instructions related to diet, exercise, and medications.
After pocket depth reduction, patients may experience heightened tooth sensitivity. This is temporary and usually resolves within a few weeks. There are chemical aids available that help reduce sensitivity.
Some people also may experience looser teeth after periodontal surgery. This also is a transient finding that occurs as part of the normal healing process. With proper plaque control and bite adjustment, the teeth usually tighten up in a few weeks.
Another concern after pocket depth reduction is that the teeth may appear longer and that there are spaces in between the teeth. Actually, longer teeth are the result of periodontal disease, not of periodontal surgery. As periodontal disease infects and destroys the bone that encases the roots, the root surfaces become exposed. They do not appear exposed because they are covered by the inflamed, swollen gums that form the periodontal pocket. Without proper treatment, the periodontal pockets continue to deepen, giving way to more infection, bone loss, and eventually tooth loss and systemic complications.
There are treatments that can help improve esthetics after periodontal treatment. In addition to periodontal plastic surgery procedures, orthodontic tooth movement (braces) or restorative treatment (crown and bridges) can help create a more pleasing smile line.
Benefits
If periodontal pockets do not resolve after scaling and root planing, a dentist may recommend pocket depth reduction. Whether a dentist performs a gingivectomy, periodontal flap surgery, or osseous surgery, the patient will benefit from the reduction in pocket depth and the reattachment of the gums to the root surface. Pocket depth reduction, when followed by supportive periodontal treatment, is a predictable procedure that can help keep teeth healthy and reduce the risk of serious health problems related to periodontal disease. If a general dentist does not frequently do surgeries, he or she may refer the individual to a periodontist that specializes in this technique.
By Laura Minsk, DMD
+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.
The systemic risks of tobacco use are well known. Tobacco use can increase the risk for cancer, lung disease, and heart disease. But whether you smoke, dip, or chew tobacco, it also affects the oral cavity in a variety of ways. It contributes to oral cancer, stains the teeth, and contributes to tartar deposits, bad breath, and a loss of taste and smell.
Tobacco use causes inflammation of the soft tissues of the mouth, ulcers, recession, and other oral lesions. Tobacco users are two times more likely to develop periodontitis, and ten times more likely to develop acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG). They also are more likely to lose teeth than those who don't smoke. Smoking is the number one most significant risk factor in the development and progression of periodontal disease.
Tobacco smoking causes periodontal bone loss that is not related to the amount of gum inflammation or plaque accumulation. Although the periodontal disease may be advanced, the classical signs of gum inflammation (redness, bleeding gums, etc.) are not usually as evident in tobacco smokers. Thus, prevention and early detection are more difficult.
Tobacco smoking has a direct effect on the oral tissues and it can alter the immune response. Although smokers do benefit from periodontal treatment, the healing is often delayed and the results are less predictable. In addition, the success rates of periodontal and implant treatment are reduced in people who use tobacco products. The amount of complications is related to the amount of daily tobacco exposure, and the number of years the person has been exposed.
The use of tobacco products can increase the risk of periodontal disease:
1. It weakens the immune system: Tobacco products suppress the body's ability to fight infection. Carbon monoxide (a major byproduct of cigarette smoke) reduces oxygen concentration and inhibits the movement of white blood cells. This reduces the capacity of the white blood cells to fight bacteria (including the bacteria that cause periodontal disease), and delays healing.
2. It masks signs of infection: Tobacco reduces the ability of blood vessels to carry infection fighting cells, nutrients, and oxygen to the tissues. As a result, the typical signs of periodontal disease (redness, swelling, and bleeding of the gums) are masked. People who smoke may have periodontal disease that is harder to diagnose.
3. It increases calculus formation: Smoking can cause more calculus (tartar) accumulation that if not removed promptly can lead to more plaque build-up and periodontal disease.
4. It reduces healing: Nicotine and other chemicals can be absorbed directly by the root surfaces of the teeth and reduce the ability of cells to reattach to the root surface during healing.
Besides the obvious health benefits of discontinuing tobacco use, quitting can also reduce the risk of oral cancer and the detrimental effects of tobacco on the gums and bone that support the teeth. In addition, another incentive to stop smoking is that former smokers respond similarly to never smokers to periodontal treatment.
Because there is a physical and psychological addiction to tobacco, quitting can be very difficult. But millions of Americans quit smoking every year. There are aids available that reduce the craving for tobacco. These include the use of systemic medications, the nicotine patch, the nicotine gum, the nicotine inhaler, and the nasal spray. See your dentist or physician for aid in stopping tobacco use.
By Laura Minsk, DMD
