As people lose teeth or suffer from periodontal disease, they typically lose bone along with the lost teeth. This situation can often make it impossible to make a denture, place dental implants, or have a cosmetically pleasing smile. Thus, we can do several types of bone grafting procedures in order to prevent this problem. The most common type of bone graft is done when teeth are extracted. Bone is placed into the empty socket in order to reduce the amount of bone loss. There are also other types of bone grafts in order to replace larger amounts of bone. Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com
Posts Tagged ‘periodontal disease’
Why would I need a dental bone graft?
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010What can lasers do in dentistry?
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010There are many different types of lasers. Some are used to treat soft tissue, like the gums (gingiva), and others can treat hard tissue such as the teeth. On soft tissue, lasers are much kinder to the gums allowing for less postoperative pain and faster healing. We use these lasers for procedures such as frenectomies (eliminating being tongue tied for example), gingivectomies (changing the shape of the gums), tissue grafting for recession and treating gum disease. Hard tissue lasers can be used for preparing fillings, root canals, dental extractions (having a tooth “pulled”), and dental implants. Again, it creates less sensitivity for the patient and promotes faster healing. Lasers have been around in dentistry for over thirty years and allow us to use technology to provide better care for our patients. Dr. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com
Keeping your teeth clean may just save your life
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010One of the best investments in life is in your own health. How much would any of us give to be in optimal health until the day we cease to exist? With heart disease being the number one cause of death in the United States, there are ways to decrease your risk with your oral health. Did you know that periodontal disease (gum disease) is directly related to health problems such as heart disease, strokes, and diabetes? It can also adversely affect people that are pregnant, immuno-compromised, or those with cancer. Keeping your teeth clean is important in decreasing the amount of inflammation and infection in the gum tissue, thus, putting less stress on the rest of the body. There is never a better time than now to get your teeth cleaned and work toward optimal oral health. You deserve it! Dr. Carson Kutsch DDS Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com
Laser Dentistry
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010Did you know that lasers have been in dentistry for over twenty years? Lasers can be used to help with a variety of procedures. There are primarily two major types of lasers. There are soft tissue lasers, or lasers used to work with gum tissue, and hard tissue lasers, or lasers intended for use on teeth. We have both of these lasers in our office and they can be used for everything from treating periodontal disease (gum disease), preparing cavities, eliminating ankyloglossia (being tongue tied), extracting teeth, cosmetically re-contouring gum tissue, teeth whitening, and tissue grafting. The benefit of lasers is that they are very kind to the tissue and provide better healing. In many cases, it is possible to perform a procedure without having anesthetic………no shot!! Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com
How often should you get your teeth cleaned?
Monday, April 12th, 2010Not every patient has the same requirements to maintain optimum oral health, thus, some patients have their teeth cleaned twice per year, four times per year, once per month, and once every five years. However, most patients typically fall within two to four times per year. Many things can affect how often you may want to get your teeth cleaned including gum disease, genetics, diet, home oral hygiene, and the patients goals for their teeth. The basis for determining a healthy maintenance schedule is determined by the patient based on the information found at each cleaning appointment. The better a patient gets with their home oral care, diet, etc. can often lead to a decrease in the frequency of professional dental cleanings. Whether a patient’s risk be to gum disease (periodontal disease), dental decay (caries), oral cancer, or TMJ pain, each of these conditions can be assessed on a regular basis to determine the best routine for having an exam and a professional cleaning. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com
What can you do if you hate dental floss?
Monday, April 5th, 2010There is nothing that works more effectively than good old, waxed dental floss. However, not everyone enjoys using floss or can make it part of their regular routine. There are a few other options that will help keep the areas between your teeth clean including brushes (interproximal), water pics, and Carifree anticavity treatments. The interproximal brushes are shaped in such a way that allow you to easily clean between teeth after meals or before bedtime. In fact, these are also a great supplement to dental floss for those really hard to reach areas. Any type of water cleaning device is going to help with removing food particles but these are less effective on tartar. The Carifree treatment system helps keep the pH in the mouth at a level that is less conducive for the bacteria that cause cavities. There is no complete substitute for dental floss but using something that can be done consistently is more effective than irregular flossing in preventing dental cavities, gingivitis, and periodontal disease. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com
What is a dental extraction?
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010A dental extraction is the removal of a tooth. This can be done for a variety of reasons including things like a tooth infection, pain, a broken tooth, periodontal disease (gum diasease), orthodontics (braces), or wisdom teeth. Today in dentistry, we have more options for replacing missing teeth with the development of dental implants. Thus, unlike in the past where the dentist continued to repair a broken tooth multiple times until it was finally removed (extracted), it is more common to remove a problematic tooth sooner and place a longer lasting and more predictable dental implant. Of course, this decision is up to the patient. Dental extractions are also done routinely to remove wisdom teeth or sometimes to provide more space during orthodontics. In any event, dental extractions are far more comfortable today due to advances with technology and techniques. Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com
When should I get my wisdom teeth taken out?
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010Wisdom teeth (third molars) are seldom a benefit to patients and often create problems with tooth crowding, gum disease (periodontal disease) and dental cavities (caries). Most patients do not have enough room in their mouth for wisdom teeth, however, there are a few individuals that will never have a problem with retaining their wisdom teeth. The best time to have wisdom teeth taken (extracted) out is typically when they are the smallest and patients are younger in order to make the procedure easier and the healing faster. Most patients have their wisdom teeth taken out between the ages of 15 and 25. We recommend that patients select a time that is convenient with their schedule since it may require a couple of days to heal. Getting wisdom teeth removed can be a very simple procedure with minimal healing and can prevent a variety of future problems. Carson Kutsch Dentist Albany Oregon www.drkutsch.com
Dental Cleanings and Pregnancy
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Having a baby is a very exciting time in life. There are many changes that occur in the body in order to make this miracle happen. As a consequence, a lot of stress is put on mother’s body and this can create a problem for the teeth. We frequently have patients without any dental problems become pregnant and then have problems with dental decay (caries) and gum disease (gingivitis, periodontitis). It is prudent to increase oral hygiene during this time. We recommend having your teeth cleaned every three months instead of six months in order to reduce the risk of periodontal disease as well as we monitor the bacteria that lead to cavities in the teeth. These two simple measures help ensure that “Mom” has a healthy mouth and a healthy baby! Carson Kutsch Dentist Albany Oregon www.drkutsch.com
How important is oral hygiene?
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009Did you know that there is a direct correlation between oral hygiene and other problems such as heart disease, pancreatic cancer, and low birth weights? There is also new research showing the relation of poor oral hygiene to a decrease in immune system function. Individuals with less frequent professional “cleanings” were more likely to suffer from seasonal sicknesses such as colds and the flu. With the H1N1 Virus (AKA Swine Flu) going around, how susceptible are you to getting sick? Symptoms of the flu include fatigue, chills, fever, muscle aches, sore throat, sneezing and coughing. To keep your immune system as healthy as possible be sure to get plenty of sleep, eat healthy, exercise and practice good oral hygiene. Don’t let the flu ruin your holiday season! For more info go to www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu Carson Kutsch Albany Oregon Dentist www.drkutsch.com