LINK FOUND BETWEEN GUM/PERIODONTAL DISEASE AND HEART DISEASE

As you know, flossing is really not popular with most people. And dentists have to constantly remind their patients of the importance of flossing in preventing gum/periodontal problems and maintaining healthy gums.

There is often no pain associated with gum disease, with the only sign being bleeding gums during flossing. This bleeding is due to inflamed gum tissues which is directly linked to the plaque/film which sits between the teeth when flossing is not done consistently. When you don't floss nightly, bacteria and food particles can remain between the teeth, in areas where the toothbrush cannot reach.

Numerous studies have shown a direct link between oral bacteria and heart disease. Bacteria from the mouth can travel via the bloodstream to other areas of the body, where they can cause infections and inflammation. For example, the plaque that builds up in blood vessels of the heart is an inflammatory process, which can be worsened by further infection with oral bacteria.

Bacteria from the mouth can also cause low birth weight in pregnant mothers, cause infections around joints, and worsen diabetic infections.

So be sure to have a strong oral hygiene regimen at home: use an antibacterial rinse(like Crest Pro Health(r)), floss regularly(use a waxed tape, like Glide(r)), and use a quality rechargeable electric tooth brush with a timer.

Here at FOOTHILL SMILE DESIGNS, we take the periodontal/gum health of our patients very seriously- that is why we recommend regular checkups for our patients so that we can catch problems early, and treat them accordingly.

We often use our BIOLASE Waterlase dental laser to treat gum disease without the need for painful surgery, shots, or sutures!!!

Posted by Foothill Smile Designs at 8:31 AM

DENTAL SAVINGS PLAN

An Affordable Dental Plan for You and Your Family

Your entire family is eligible! You may enroll your spouse and eligible dependents. Eligible dependent children under age 18 or under age 23 if attending school on a full time basis. (A full-time student is defined as taking 12 or more units. Verification may be required). Also included is any child, regardless of age, who is incapable of self-sustaining employment due to physical or mental disorders, illness or condition and who is dependent on you for support.

PUT A STOP TO GUM DISEASE

Have you ever been told that you have gum disease, or that you may need gum surgery? Well, with the revolutionary laser technology, our Doctors can treat these conditions comfortably and non-surgically. After many years of research, Dr. Sadri & Dr. Djifroudi have developed advanced techniques that can help you achieve healthy gums, without the need of painful or expensive surgery. You and your loved ones will appreciate our expertise and gentle touch!

HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ABOUT LOOKING YEARS YOUNGER WITHOUT PAINFUL SURGERY?

At Foothill Smile Designs we are not only passionate about creating beautiful smiles, but changing lives, as well. In fact, our Doctors are proud to partner with a world renowned surgeon to offer our patients Full Face Rejuvenation services. Facial rejuvenation can not only take years off your appearance, but greatly improve the quality of your life. If you have noticed that your teeth are worn down, broken or missing and they are causing problems with both your bite and the appearance of your smile, you’d be glad to know about the amazing treatment options that are available to you.

1. Gentle Laser Gum Reshaping (“Gummy” smile.)- Are you showing more gums than teeth? Showing excessive gum tissue can give your smile an unbalanced, "gummy" look. Fortunately, our Doctors can fix that quickly, comfortably, and without traditional surgery.

2. Porcelain crowns- By using the most lifelike porcelain systems, Dr. Sadri and Djifroudi can rejuvenate your smile, correct your bite, and alleviate TMJ problems all without the use of any unsightly metal!

3. Invisalign- As certified Invisalign ™ providers, Dr. Sadri and Djifroudi will use this fantastic technology to quickly straighten crowded or crooked teeth, correct bite problems, and close unsightly spaces between teeth. All this without the use of metal In fact, you can have beautiful, straight teeth in as little as a few months!

4. Implants- Whether you need to replace one or more missing teeth or if you are tired of those loose dentures, implants can help restore your smile and let you enjoy your favorite foods again. Let our Doctors show you today!

LASER DENTISTRY

LASER DENTISTRY

Our practice is one of very few in the California to offer this fantastic technology to our patients!

We have been utilizing the BIOLASE WATERLASE dental laser in thousands of procedures since 2002. The BIOLASE WATERLASE dental laser allows us to treat many dental problems WITHOUT the need for shots, needles, anesthesia, drills, or painful surgery.

The WATERLASE dental laser is a fantastic tool for not only removing decay/cavities but also in painlessly treating gum disease without resorting to invasive surgery. We also use THE WATERLASE dental laser for correcting GUMMY SMILES in our cosmetic cases. Again, we gently use the dental laser to correct excessive gum tissues so the final smile is balanced, beautiful, and symmetrical. A simple topical anesthetic gel does the trick- so no "shots" or "needles" are necessary.

The following is an actual patient case, where we used the WATERLASE dental laser in our smile design procedure:

J.P. was interested in improving his smile. He presented with 'old, worn-out, and stained composite/white bondings on his front upper teeth (see before pictures). He was also a rather heavy 'grinder'- and his grinding habit had made his teeth look very short, and worn-down.

He also had a 'gummy smile' which further made his teeth look round and overly short.

We used the WATERLASE dental laser to gently reshape his gums, allowing us to lengthen his teeth without making them look too long. Without the WATERLASE dental laser, J.P. had to be referred to a gum specialist/periodontist to correct his uneven gumline- this would require painful gum surgery, where he would have to heal for almost 8 weeks before starting on his cosmetic makeover.

J.P. was ecstatic with his new smile, and he was even happier about the fact that it only took two short visits to complete his smile makeover. He is no longer shy about smiling in pictures- in fact, his job, as a wedding coordinator, is much more enjoyable, since he is much more confident with his new, radiant smile!

Case study with Cerec/Laser

Here's an actual patient case description that we recently completed in our Folsom office that demonstrates how far dentistry has advanced in just the last few years. A patient presented with two broken teeth in the lower right area. She had just completed a root canal in one, and was about to leave for an overseas trip for about a month. She already knew both teeth would need to have crowns, and simply wanted some temporary work to hold her teeth together until she could come back from her trip

Compounding the problem, the patient's teeth had been broken for a few months, and her gum tissue had overgrown into the empty space left by the broken teeth. Before the use of lasers and Cerec in dentistry, the teeth would have received temporary crowns, then the patient would see a periodontist for gum surgery to remove the overgrown gum tissue once she would return from her trip. Six weeks of recovery for her gums would be needed post-surgery until impressions of the teeth could be taken for a lab to make the permanent crowns(usually two weeks are needed for this stage as well). Thus, the patient would be wearing her temporary crowns for 8 weeks + the one month that she would be overseas.

Instead, what we did for her was use our laser to trim back the overgrown tissue. The laser cauterizes the overgrown tissue as it removes it; unlike gum surgery, no sutures are needed with a laser. Also, unlike gum surgery, the laser healing time is almost immediate. Once her tissue was trimmed back to ideal using the laser, we used the Cerec machine to fabricate her permanent crowns in the office. A special camera designed for Cerec use takes three dimensional optical images of the prepared teeth and surrounding areas, and the Cerec software designs the optimal crowns to fit the teeth. This information is transmitted to the Cerec milling machine, which then fabricates the permanent crowns within a few minutes. Consequently, we were able to fabricate both permanent crowns for our patient within two hours. Both crowns were cemented, and our patient left for her overseas trip without having to worry about not chewing on one side of her mouth in order to protect temporaries. Not only was she saved the trouble of going through her trip with temporaries, but most importantly, she did not have to go through gum surgery and an additional 8 weeks of wearing temporaries during her healing period/impression period.

This patient case demonstrates how the latest techniques and equipment have made a dramatic improvement in dental care offered to patients.

B. Djifroudi

CEREC, THE CROWNS OF THE FUTURE ARE HERE TODAY!

Cerec technology allows us to fabricate natural, all porcelain crowns for our patients in a single visit. In the traditional technique for fabricating crowns, teeth are prepared for crowns, an impression of the teeth is taken and sent to the laboratory, and temporary crowns are prepared for the teeth. Patients have to wear their temporaries for a couple of weeks, before returning to have the permanent crown cemented. With Cerec, an optical impression of the prepared teeth is taken immediatedly after preparation using a special, high resolution camera, and the Cerec 3D software designs a crown that fits the prepared teeth. This information is then transmitted to the Cerec milling machine, which fabricates an exact model of the crown in the office within a few minutes.

Obviously, the biggest advantage with Cerec crowns is that patients receive their permanent crowns in a single appointment. They no longer have to wear temporaries for two weeks, and they don't need to come back and receive anesthesia for a second visit. Also, with the Cerec technology, the crown can be designed chairside by the dentist, who can modify the shape and contours of the crown to best fit the prepared tooth.

With time, every dental office will eventually be using Cerec technology for beautiful, metal-free crowns, but for now, only a few offices are offering this technology. We have been successfully using Cerec technology in our Folsom office since February to fabricate all porcelain crowns for our patients.