Over many years of practice we have frequently found patients getting confused over the difference between a dental prophylaxis and periodontal maintenance. If you have never had periodontal disease before then this article may not be very relevant to you, but if you have then hopefully it will clarify any confusion you may have had.
It is important to understand that a dental prophylaxis (prophy) is intended for a health mouth. The American Dental Association (ADA) defines a prophy as a dental prophylaxis performed on the dentition that includes scaling and polishing procedures designed to remove plaque, calculus, and stain from those surfaces of the tooth above the gum line.
In the strictest sense of the definition a prophy is a procedure performed on a patient that does not have subgingival (below the gumline) deposits or periodontal pocketing. The typical prophy patient gets their teeth cleaned every 6 months, exhibits good home-care habits, has healthy gingival tissues, and has no pockets over 4mm.
Periodontal Scaling, also referred to as Root Planing, or Deep Cleaning is a procedure designed to remove bacteria, calculus, and their accompanying toxins from areas below the gum line. It is indicated for patients with periodontal disease. Periodontal procedures are for the most part subgingival in nature. Periodontal scaling requires more skill, time and expertise than a prophylaxis, and typically requires local anesthetic. Patients with periodontal disease will exhibit bone loss and pocketing around the affected teeth. It is a bacterial proliferation of pathogens that overwhelm the host defenses and spurs the host's own immune system to initiate a breakdown of the supporting tooth structures. We also know that periodontal disease is not a "curable" disease, but it is controllable in most patients. Therefore when a patient has experienced periodontal disease in the past, we must be ever-vigilent to monitor them for signs of active disease long after the disease has been brought under control.
The Periodontal Maintenance procedure is designed to follow active periodontal therapy. This procedure is intended for patients who have completed periodontal treatment whether it be surgical and/or nonsurgical (root planing). It includes the removal of the bacteria from deep pocket areas, scaling and polishing of the teeth, periodontal evaluation, and a review of the patient's ability to control their plaque. Typically an interval of three months between appointments results in an effective treatment schedule. Periodontal maintenance treatment following periodontal therapy is not synonymous with a prophylaxis or regular cleaning.
Periodontal Maintenance is quite different from a regular prophy because it is controlling the disease process, whereas a prophylaxis is preventive in nature and not therapeutic.
About the author: Dr. Anthony Dailley is a practicing general dentist in Berkeley California. He has been practicing since 1981 and graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Cell & Molecular Biology, and obtained his dental degree from the Pacific School of Dentistry. Dr. Dailley also holds a fellowship position with the International Congress of Oral Implantologist (ICOI). Dr. Dailley has also been a founder in a biotech company called NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and was a member of their board of directors from 1997 -2014.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Treating Gum Disease to Reduce Prostate Symptoms
You might be asking yourself, how in the world can prostate problems be related to gum disease?
Well according to a study conducted at Case Western Reserve School of Dentistry and the Departments of Urology and Pathology at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, symptoms of prostate inflammation, or what is referred to as prostatitis, were reduced by treating the patients’ gum disease. Studies like the Case Western study have clearly shown that gum disease not only affects the mouth but it is a system-wide condition that can cause inflammation in various parts of the body.
The Case Western study showed there was a very high correlation between men who had prostatitis and those with moderate to severe gum disease. Following a 4-8 week period of gum treatment for a group of men who had moderate periodontal disease and concurring prostatitis, the study showed that 77% of theses men also experienced a decrease in inflammation of their prostate glands and decreased PSA scores without any treatment being directed towards the prostate condition itself.
Prostatitis is just one of many systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and kidney disease, that have shown a clear connection with periodontal disease. For these reasons and for the prevention of gum disease itself we always recommend regular dental visits along with twice a day flossing and brushing.
About the author: Dr. Anthony Dailley is a practicing general dentist in Berkeley California. He has been practicing since 1981 and graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Cell & Molecular Biology, and obtained his dental degree from the Pacific School of Dentistry. Dr. Dailley also holds a fellowship position with the International Congress of Oral Implantologist (ICOI). Dr. Dailley has also been a founder in a biotech company called NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and was a member of their board of directors from 1997 -2014.
Well according to a study conducted at Case Western Reserve School of Dentistry and the Departments of Urology and Pathology at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, symptoms of prostate inflammation, or what is referred to as prostatitis, were reduced by treating the patients’ gum disease. Studies like the Case Western study have clearly shown that gum disease not only affects the mouth but it is a system-wide condition that can cause inflammation in various parts of the body.
The Case Western study showed there was a very high correlation between men who had prostatitis and those with moderate to severe gum disease. Following a 4-8 week period of gum treatment for a group of men who had moderate periodontal disease and concurring prostatitis, the study showed that 77% of theses men also experienced a decrease in inflammation of their prostate glands and decreased PSA scores without any treatment being directed towards the prostate condition itself.
Prostatitis is just one of many systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and kidney disease, that have shown a clear connection with periodontal disease. For these reasons and for the prevention of gum disease itself we always recommend regular dental visits along with twice a day flossing and brushing.
About the author: Dr. Anthony Dailley is a practicing general dentist in Berkeley California. He has been practicing since 1981 and graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Cell & Molecular Biology, and obtained his dental degree from the Pacific School of Dentistry. Dr. Dailley also holds a fellowship position with the International Congress of Oral Implantologist (ICOI). Dr. Dailley has also been a founder in a biotech company called NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and was a member of their board of directors from 1997 -2014.
Saturday, May 23, 2015
The Risks of Smoking & Your Dental Implants
If you smoke, you are opening your mouth to all kinds of different dangerous oral conditions. And, if you are pursuing treatment with dental implants, your treatment may actually fail because of your habit.One of the worst possible habits you could have for your teeth is smoking. Not only does smoking have many negative cosmetic effects on your teeth, such as severe tooth discoloration and bad breath, but it can also lead to much more serious problems, which include gum disease, tooth decay, and oral cancer. And, if you are a smoker who is trying to replace any missing teeth with dental implants, your habit could actually prevent your treatment from being a success. Today, Anthony Dailley DDS is blogging from Berkeley, CA to talk about how smoking can affect your dental implant treatment.
Protect Your Dental Implants by Giving Up Smoking
Smoking can actually affect your dental implants ability to heal. During the procedure, an implant fixture is placed in the empty space left behind by your missing tooth. While healing, a process called osseointegration occurs, which works to integrate your implant with the bone in your jaw. This process, however, can be stopped or hindered by inflammation of the tissues around the implant fixture, causing the implant to fail. This is called peri-implantitis and, while it can occur in any dental implant patient, it tends to occur much more frequently in patients who smoke.It is also much more difficult for dental implants to heal and integrate with the bone in smokers because smoking can slow the circulation of blood in your body, making it much more difficult for your body to naturally heal itself. It is also possible for the nicotine inside of cigarettes to damage the tissues that make up your jaw, teeth, gums, and facial muscles. This damage can result in even more missing teeth for our patients who smoke, further exacerbating their condition. Not only that, but smoking can even increase the rate at which your jawbone deteriorates, which comes with its own threat of missing teeth.
Not only can jawbone deterioration result in even more missing teeth, but it can also have many negative effects on your facial structure. This occurs because our jawbone and teeth play a large part in determining our facial appearance. When your jawbone deteriorates, you are losing the support your face needs to maintain its shape. One symptom of this is that your cheeks may begin to appear hollow, giving your face a “sunken appearance”. It is also common for the skin around your jawline to prematurely wrinkle. As a result of these effects, patients suffering from jawbone deterioration tend to be described as appearing aged or unhealthy.
As you can see, it is very important that you give up smoking before moving forward with your dental implant treatment. While this treatment can be a success for patients who smoke, the rate of failure is simply much higher. For this reason, we highly recommend people who smoke to consider finally putting an end to their smoking days. If you would like to learn more about dental implants and what makes a good candidate for treatment with them, we encourage you to contact us and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with Dr. Anthony Dailley, today.
About the author: Dr. Anthony Dailley is a practicing general dentist in Berkeley California. He has been practicing since 1981 and graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Cell & Molecular Biology, and obtained his dental degree from the Pacific School of Dentistry. Dr. Dailley also holds a fellowship position with the International Congress of Oral Implantologist (ICOI). Dr. Dailley has also been a founder in a biotech company called NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and was a member of their board of directors from 1997 -2014.
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be considered a good candidate for treatment with dental implants? Well, it turns out that there are many different factors that help determine if dental implants are right for your needs.
A good candidate for treatment with dental implants will also be free of jawbone deterioration and gum recession. It turns out that, when you lose a tooth, both your jawbone and gums will begin to deteriorate because they are no longer able to get the exercise they need to stay healthy and strong. As a result of this deterioration, your jaw structure may be weakened to the point where it will no longer be able to support dental implants.
If you are suffering from either jawbone deterioration or gum recession, you may still be able to move forward with treatment using dental implants. Fortunately, we can perform supplementary procedures that can restore the damage done by these conditions. For instance, if you are suffering from jawbone deterioration, we can perform bone grafting to restore your jawbone back to a healthy state. This procedure takes bone samples from another part of your body, usually the hipbone, and grafts them to the deficient areas of your jawbone. For our patients with gum recession, a similar procedure, called soft tissue augmentation, can be performed.
Call and Schedule a Consultation in Berkeley, CA
In order to determine your candidacy for treatment with dental implants, you will need to call and schedule a no-obligation consultation with dental implant provider, Dr. Anthony Dailley, today. During your consultation, Dr. Dailley will perform a thorough examination to find out whether or not you might be a good candidate for treatment with dental implants. We will also take the time to address any additional questions or concerns you may have regarding the implant process at this time. We encourage you to contact us soon so that we can help you along your way to a restored smile as soon as possible!
About the author: Dr. Anthony Dailley is a practicing general dentist in Berkeley California. He has been practicing since 1981 and graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Cell & Molecular Biology, and obtained his dental degree from the Pacific School of Dentistry. Dr. Dailley also holds a fellowship position with the International Congress of Oral Implantologist (ICOI). Dr. Dailley has also been a founder in a biotech company called NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and was a member of their board of directors from 1997 -2014.
Do You Qualify for Dental Implants?
What makes dental implants in Berkeley completely unique among teeth restoration treatments is the fact that they are integrated into your jawbone through a biological process called osseointegration. It is this assimilation into your oral anatomy that allows your dental implants to work and feel just like your natural teeth. However, in order for this process to be successful, there are many standards you must meet. In fact, you may require a supplementary procedure before you can move forward with the implant procedure. Today, Dr. Anthony Dailley is blogging from Berkeley, CA to talk about the various factors that determine a patients candidacy for treatment with dental implants.What Makes a Good Dental Implant Candidate?
There are many aspects of your health we look at before allowing a patient to move forward with the dental implant procedure. For instance, we check to make sure that each patients mouth is free of any dangerous oral conditions, as they can prevent implants from healing properly. It is also important that a patient be in good general health as well, as the procedure can be rather intense. Some patients may also not qualify for implant treatment because of their age. This is because when we are young, our teeth are in a state of change. A patient cannot move forward with the implant procedure until their teeth are finished growing.A good candidate for treatment with dental implants will also be free of jawbone deterioration and gum recession. It turns out that, when you lose a tooth, both your jawbone and gums will begin to deteriorate because they are no longer able to get the exercise they need to stay healthy and strong. As a result of this deterioration, your jaw structure may be weakened to the point where it will no longer be able to support dental implants.
If you are suffering from either jawbone deterioration or gum recession, you may still be able to move forward with treatment using dental implants. Fortunately, we can perform supplementary procedures that can restore the damage done by these conditions. For instance, if you are suffering from jawbone deterioration, we can perform bone grafting to restore your jawbone back to a healthy state. This procedure takes bone samples from another part of your body, usually the hipbone, and grafts them to the deficient areas of your jawbone. For our patients with gum recession, a similar procedure, called soft tissue augmentation, can be performed.
Call and Schedule a Consultation in Berkeley, CA
In order to determine your candidacy for treatment with dental implants, you will need to call and schedule a no-obligation consultation with dental implant provider, Dr. Anthony Dailley, today. During your consultation, Dr. Dailley will perform a thorough examination to find out whether or not you might be a good candidate for treatment with dental implants. We will also take the time to address any additional questions or concerns you may have regarding the implant process at this time. We encourage you to contact us soon so that we can help you along your way to a restored smile as soon as possible!
About the author: Dr. Anthony Dailley is a practicing general dentist in Berkeley California. He has been practicing since 1981 and graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Cell & Molecular Biology, and obtained his dental degree from the Pacific School of Dentistry. Dr. Dailley also holds a fellowship position with the International Congress of Oral Implantologist (ICOI). Dr. Dailley has also been a founder in a biotech company called NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and was a member of their board of directors from 1997 -2014.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Help Support your Healthy Teeth & Saliva
Essential For Those With Dry Mouth Conditions
A Quantum Leap in the Science of Oral Care
Developed after 40 years of research on saliva chemistry at Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine in New York, BasicBites™ which is a sugar free chocolate flavored soft chew, helps maintain the proper acid-base (pH) levels that are necessary for the prevention of tooth decay and also bad breath conditions. When the oral cavity experiences a reduction in salivary flow the pH in the oral cavity becomes more acidic, thus greatly increasing the risk of gum disease, tooth decay and even halitosis. For more information on how to resolve a halitosis condition see our other web site. This more acidic oral environment results in an overgrowth of the gram (-) anaerobic bacteria (halitosis causing bacteria) in the mouth. This more acidic environment also greatly increases the risk of tooth decay in individuals suffering from xerostomia or dry mouth conditions. Xerostomia is common in older patients whose metabolisms have either slowed or are taking medications that reduce their salivary flow. BasicBites™ acts to neutralize the acidic environment caused by xerostomia, and by "sports" or "power" drinks such as Gatorade®. These drinks are very acidic and are known to produce pitting in the teeth, especially in children.
The saliva-mimicking technology in BasicBites™ consists of two main ingredients – arginine bicarbonate and calcium carbonate. Arginine is an amino acid found in saliva and naturally present in many foods. When used twice a day, BasicBites™, will support the proper pH levels on the surfaces of the oral cavity. Keeping the pH of the surfaces of the teeth balanced is extremely important in preventing tooth decay. The bacteria responsible for dental decay produce acids that dissolve the enamel and produce what is commonly referred to as a cavity. BasicBites™ will produce a thin alkali coating on the teeth and other surfaces in the mouth and counters the acids being produced by these bacteria. Because of the proclivity to tooth decay we recommend that people who experience dry mouth conditions or are prone to tooth decay chew two BasicBites™ per day. BasicBites™ also provides calcium to the diet, and studies show that many adults today have insufficient levels of calcium in the bodies and need to take calcium supplements, especially post-menopausal women. Each BasicBites™ contains 20 calories. If you have any questions about BasicBites™ please feel free to ask us about this new product. We do keep it in stock it in our office if you feel you might benefit from it.
About the author: Dr. Anthony Dailley is a practicing general dentist in Berkeley California. He has been practicing since 1981 and graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Cell & Molecular Biology, and obtained his dental degree from the Pacific School of Dentistry. Dr. Dailley has also been a founder in a biotech company called NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and was a member of their board of directors from 1997 -2014.
The saliva-mimicking technology in BasicBites™ consists of two main ingredients – arginine bicarbonate and calcium carbonate. Arginine is an amino acid found in saliva and naturally present in many foods. When used twice a day, BasicBites™, will support the proper pH levels on the surfaces of the oral cavity. Keeping the pH of the surfaces of the teeth balanced is extremely important in preventing tooth decay. The bacteria responsible for dental decay produce acids that dissolve the enamel and produce what is commonly referred to as a cavity. BasicBites™ will produce a thin alkali coating on the teeth and other surfaces in the mouth and counters the acids being produced by these bacteria. Because of the proclivity to tooth decay we recommend that people who experience dry mouth conditions or are prone to tooth decay chew two BasicBites™ per day. BasicBites™ also provides calcium to the diet, and studies show that many adults today have insufficient levels of calcium in the bodies and need to take calcium supplements, especially post-menopausal women. Each BasicBites™ contains 20 calories. If you have any questions about BasicBites™ please feel free to ask us about this new product. We do keep it in stock it in our office if you feel you might benefit from it.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Replace that Missing Tooth with a Dental Implant, Tiger!
Tiger Woods recently made the trip out to Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy in order to surprise his girlfriend, Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn. Vonn was set to compete in the Alpine Skiing World Cup being held there, and was about to race the super-G for what would hopefully be her 63rd career World Cup win. During a rush at the podium after the race, a man with a shoulder mounted video camera stood and turned suddenly, causing his camera to collide with Woods’ face. This impact chipped one of Woods’ teeth and completely knocked out another. Despite the accident, Vonn was pleasantly surprised to see her boyfriend following her big win.
With dental implants, it is possible for Tiger Woods and our many teeth restoration patients to replace their missing teeth with beautiful restorations that function and feel just like natural teeth. Dental implants are titanium stakes that perfectly replicate natural tooth roots. This is possible because a process called osseointegration occurs, which is the acceptance of the implant by the body as a natural part of your oral anatomy. This process is possible because titanium is a metal that isn’t recognized by the body as a foreign material.
Dental implants receive many benefits because of osseointegration. For instance, dental implants are comfortable and reliable because they are held permanently in place by your jaw structure. In fact, dental implants use the same method your natural teeth do to work properly and stay in place. Dental implants also require no additional maintenance in order to stay healthy and strong. You will merely brush and floss your implants regularly, just like you do your natural teeth. So long as you are sure to take care of them, your dental implants can last you a lifetime.
Call and Schedule a Consultation in Berkeley, CA
Because of how great of a treatment dental implants offer, it’s safe to say that Tiger Woods will be enjoying a new, restored smile very soon. And, since dental implants are carefully matched to each patients remaining natural teeth, chances are high no one will even be able to tell which tooth he had replaced. If you would like to learn more about the dental implant process or find out if you might be a good candidate for dental implant treatment, we encourage you to contact us and schedule a no-obligation consultation with dental implant provider Dr. Anthony Dailley today at 510-848-0114.About the author: Dr. Anthony Dailley is a practicing general dentist in Berkeley California. He has been practicing since 1981 and graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Cell & Molecular Biology, and obtained his dental degree from the Pacific School of Dentistry. Dr. Dailley has also been a founder in a biotech company called NovaBay Pharmaceuticals and was a member of their board of directors from 1997 -2014.
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