Gummy Smiles Can Be Easliy Corrected: Gordon Dental Kansas City

Stressed Out about a Gummy Smile? Did You Know it Can Be Corrected?

The amount of gum tissue we possess, just like how much hair we have on our heads, is merely a matter of personal anatomy - some of us just have more of it than others. If you are unhappy with your smile though, and consider yourself to have "too much" gum tissue, there are a few ways to relieve you of a gummy smile. Let's take a look at the three most common options:

Gingivectomy (Gum Lift, Gum Contouring)

The most common and speediest solution for revitalizing a gummy smile is a gingivectomy.  A gingivectomy is the medical term for the surgical removal of gum tissue from the crown of the tooth. It can be done with a scalpel, an electrosurgery unit, lasers or diamond dental burs. There's some art to this procedure, since your dentist effectively "carves" away the excessive tissue, reshaping the landscape of your smile so it conforms to your desired result. The procedure is done under local anesthetic and takes only a few minutes to an hour to complete depending on the number of teeth to be done. 

Lip Repositioning

This one might sound a bit scary, but other than post surgical swelling and some initial tightness, it can be a good solution if your gumminess comes from how high your lip raises when smiling, instead of excessive gingiva.

In this procedure, a small horizontal section of tissue inside your upper lip is removed, then stitched back together in what is effectively a "lower" position. If you can imagine having a cut in your skin where some of the skin tissue in the middle of the cut is lost, and the remaining "ends" of the skin are stitched back together, that is essentially what happens in a lip positioning. Your lip isn't actually lowered, it’s just that some of the movement of your top lip is restricted so it doesn't raise too high and show too much gum. Surgery only lasts about 45 minutes, and the results are immediate.

Crown Lengthening

With the word “lengthening” in the name of this procedure, you may think it requires some sort of painful stretching of the tooth's crown to make it longer. Thankfully, that's not what happens. Instead, in this surgery a dentist would make an incision in the gum tissue, creating a “flap” that can be folded downward, exposing the bone that encases your teeth. A portion of that bone would then be shaved down few millimeters and the gum flap sutured back into place. At this point, however, because the bone height is lower than it was previously, the gum tissue would rest at a lower height, leaving more of the crown visible when smiling. This would make it appear as though the crown were “longer” and thus the name – “crown lengthening” is given to this procedure. While crown lengthening is a means to correct a gummy smile, many dentists recommend orthodontic treatment, instead (which, over time actually does pull the crown down a few millimeters), because it doesn't require surgery, or the permanent removal of bone tissue.

Modern dental surgery can really do wonders for our smiles in a multitude of ways. If you're concerned about how much gum you are flashing each time you smile, or have stopped smiling all together, have a chat with your dentist. You might be surprised at just how quickly we can get you back to smiling widely again!

Gordon Dental 913-649-5017

www.kcgordondental.com

Missing a Tooth? We have A Solution, Gordon Dental Kansas City

Born Without a Tooth, or Lose One Along the Way?

Sometimes in life, the tooth fairy leaves us with the short end of the stick. If you're missing a tooth due to trauma, or decay, medication or hypodontia (meaning, one or two of your permanent teeth never arrived), then you'll know exactly what we mean. And, while the imaginary tooth fairy might have left you hanging without a replacement tooth, your real life dentist can help provide an affordable and cosmetically appropriate solution in the form of a dental bridge. Let's find out more about how they work!

Why You Might Need a Bridge

With 69% of adults experiencing the loss of a tooth between the ages of 35-44, if you're in the missing tooth camp, you're certainly not alone. A “bridge,” then, is a form of dental prosthetic that allows for the placement of an artificial tooth in an area where a healthy tooth used to exist.

When an entire tooth is lost, a bridge acts as a unifying device that supports the artificial tooth, and eliminates the gap between adjacent teeth. To accomplish this, the artificial tooth (known as a pontic), needs to be joined to these adjacent teeth in order to stay in place.

How Do They Work?

This can be done by using a crown as a connecting anchor for the artificial tooth, or a type of tooth colored filling known as an “inlay” or “onlay,” can be used in the same fashion. An onlay is used when support is needed along a "cusp" (the raised points on the biting surface), and an inlay is used when support is required between these cusps. To visualize how this type of filling functions, it might help to think of them as the raised pins on upside-down version of a Lego® block. Essentially, like a Lego block, they help to keep the bridge secure once cemented to your healthy teeth.

How Are They Installed?

To prepare for a two-surface bridge onlay, a dentist will first remove the portion of your healthy tooth that will act as the anchor (or, abutment). Then, depending on the process used by your dentist, either a physical impression of the tooth will be made, or 3D imaging will be used to render a digital impression. Next, your dentist will likely fit you with a temporary bridge until your custom bridge has been completed.

In total, you should expect to visit your dentist once to sort out all of the diagnostics and abutment tooth preparation, and then again to sort out all of the customization details. Once your custom bridge has returned from the lab, it would be laid into the excavated areas of your abutment teeth, and then either bonded or cemented into place.

And, that's it! With the kind of care you already provide to your other teeth, your bridge should last anywhere from 10-15 years. So, if you're concerned about what you look like without a tooth, or several teeth, check with your dentist. A bridge may be a great option for you.

Call Gordon Dental For a Free Consult 913-649-5017

www.kcgordondental.com

Reviews of Gordon Dental Leawood. Best Dentist Office in Kansas City

Dentures: Gordon Dental Kansas City,Overland Park, Leawood Kansas

Complete Upper Denture 

A “denture” is a form of dental prosthetic that allows for the placement of a series of artificial teeth in an area where healthy teeth used to exist. They can be made from a variety of materials, and can contain as many teeth as are missing in either jaw. However, once all teeth are lost in either the mandibular (lower) or maxillary (upper) jaws, a complete (or, full) denture would be necessary. This dental procedure code refers to a complete “upper” denture that is worn in the maxillary arch (or, upper jaw).

When a person experiences the loss of all the teeth in either jaw a complete denture may be a viable solution. This appliance allows the wearer to properly pronounce words that would be otherwise difficult, and most importantly provides a familiar and effective mechanism for chewing food. A complete denture also helps relieve cosmetic concerns that arise when teeth are missing. It isn't commonly known that the shape of our faces is largely determined by the shape and dimension of the teeth and bone within our mouths. When teeth are lost and bone mass decreases, so too does the natural appearance they support, and instead a face tends to “collapse” inward. So, in addition to the practical application of a denture as described above, a denture also provides an affordable fix to this less-than-ideal social stressor.

The procedure for making a full denture is akin to that of making a partial denture, albeit with a few more steps and different materials. The process begins about 8-12 weeks after the extraction of any remaining “non-vital” (dead) or decayed teeth. Once the gums are healed, a mold is made as a base for additional molds so as to accurately define and capture a person's bite. Finely tuned measurements of the mandibular (lower) arch will be matched with the complete upper, and tissue-shaded powders will be used to match the color of the artificial teeth and gums in the upper with the natural color of any remaining teeth and visible gum tissue in the mandibular arch. The complete process can take anywhere from three to six weeks and will require several appointments to ensure the best fit possible.

Call Gordon Dental for a Free Consult 913-649-5017
www.kcgordondental.com

Need To Have A Tooth Removed? Why Your Dentist Might Suggest Socket Preservation: Gordon Dental

Need To Have A Tooth Removed? Why Your Dentist Might Suggest Socket Preservation

When we experience the loss of a tooth, either through trauma or decay, the bone that surrounds the tooth undergoes a remarkably quick process known as resorption, where the bone is “broken down” at the cellular level and dispersed elsewhere throughout the body. Essentially, because the body believes it no longer needs this bony material due to the tooth’s absence, it reclaims this material into the body for other use. While this might sound like nothing to worry about, your dentist is likely to suggest socket preservation to prevent a host of further complications that accompany this rather intriguing bit of biological science.

What Is Socket Preservation?

Socket preservation is another name for what is clinically known as a bone graft. Essentially, it’s a stopgap measure for filling in the hole where the tooth used to reside, so it can heal in preparation for later treatment. If nothing were done to stop this dissipation of bone it would likely destabilize your neighboring teeth, and make future implants and other forms of prosthetic devices unlikely to work. Aside from the clinical consequences of bone loss, what might concern you more is the fact that the bone height determines our facial features, and a loss of that height due to an unpreserved socket can alter one’s appearance dramatically. Because of this, many dentists prefer to proactively stunt this resorption by using a bone graft.

There are four different types of bone graft that can be used at the time of the extraction, to preserve ridge integrity. They are:

• Autograft: Bone harvested from patient’s own body
• Xenograft: Bone grafts or collagen from bovine or porcine origin
• Allograft: Block bone graft from a cadaver
• Alloplast: Synthetic biomaterials such as PLGA, hydroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate, bioglass – ceramics, etc.

Generally speaking, a bone graft is a surgical procedure where one of the above materials is layered into the socket where the tooth used to exist. There is a great variety to the type and procedure involved in bone grafts, and much is dependent on your dentist, your budget, the quality of the extraction performed, your overall health, your oral health, and the type of material to be used.

However, since preserving the bony ridge of your mouth is critical to future restorative work and your appearance, it is wise to consider the procedure if recommended. The benefits of socket preservation are many, chief among them the overall continual health of the other teeth in your mouth. Ask your dentist if you have more questions about this procedure.
 

Call Gordon Dental For a Free Consult 913-649-5017

www.kcgordondental.com

Leawood Kansas Dental Office, Gordon Dental Services Intro

What's in your toothpaste? Gordon Dental Kansas City

What's in your toothpaste? An ingredient checkup.

When was the last time you read the ingredient list of your favorite toothpaste brand? Actually, have you ever read the ingredient list? If you’re like most Americans, you’ve become an ingredient-list-reading crazy person these last few years, and it would be wise to add that toothpaste label to your list of reading materials. So, let’s explore the most common ingredients, learn a bit about how they function, and help you make the personal choice whether to avoid any or not.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

Of all the ingredients that make their way into toothpaste, if there’s one you may be familiar with, it’s likely Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. It’s used in toothpaste mainly as a foaming agent, to give you the sense that your brushing is having the effect it should. Some argue it’s an unnecessary ingredient given that it’s prone to irritate the oral tissues of some, and can contribute to the formation of canker sores. More dubious, however, is the claim that SLS is a carcinogen. And, while the american cancer society and the federal government do not consider SLS to be a carcinogen, there are some scientists who believe more testing is necessary, and that consumers should avoid the ingredient if possible. If you’re at all concerned, the decision to avoid SLS is yours – not all toothpastes contain the ingredient.

Flavorings

Making toothpaste taste good isn’t a simple task. And trust us, you want that stuff to be palatable! Flavor additives are often oils/extracts/flavorings such as cinnamon, anise and mint, but can be synthetic (aspartame, for example.) Most would prefer a natural flavoring, but recognize that in some people these additives can cause irritation to oral tissues, and mint for some is a heartburn trigger. If you suspect your toothpaste is the cause of any mouth irritation you may be experiencing, play around with different flavored toothpastes till you find what works best for you.

Dyes and Colorings

It’s not really that necessary to have colored toothpaste. So, if you’d like to avoid things like colors followed by numbers like Blue #2, just say no to additional colors. These too can be irritants to some individuals.

Fluoride

Fluoride! You need it, you want it. Make sure your toothpaste has it. Fluoride works by strengthening tooth enamel and making teeth more resistant to acid attacks from plaque, bacteria and sugars in the mouth. Some of us may even require fluoride supplementation.

Alcohol

Alcohol dries out your mouth, and your mouth doesn’t enjoy that feeling very much. It can contribute to gingivitis, and generally doesn’t leave you feeling as fresh as you’d like. So, why use toothpaste with alcohol?

Triclosan

The jury is still out on Triclosan.  Only Colgate Total contains it – and it’s used (very effectively) as an antibacterial agent to fight gingivitis. Some researchers, however, contend it needs more recent and continued study given its questionable relationship with cancer. Measuring risk vs. benefit is always yours to consider. Here is what some in the scientific community are saying about Triclosan.

Abrasives

Silica, along with Baking soda, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphates and alumina, are abrasive agents used to remove stains from teeth. If you’re a frequent coffee, tea, red wine, or soda drinker, you might feel the need to brush with a toothpaste containing these ingredients. Recognize, however, that they are abrasive to your teeth. Go with toothpaste with a low abrasiveness. Or, reduce the quantity of your stain-inducing foods and beverages. Also, we’re going to assume that you’re not a smoker – which really stains teeth!

Humectants

Keeping toothpaste moist and in good form requires a humectant. Otherwise, you’d end up with a hard block of toothpaste or a chalky mess. Glycerin, sorbitol and water are the most common additives to your toothpaste to get this job done, and wonder-ingredient Xylitol has also been making an appearance as of late because it not only provides moisture but helps fight cavities.

Thickeners

Carrageenan, cellulose gum, guar gum, xanthan gum, and even gluten help thicken your toothpaste. They’re generally benign ingredients, though if you have celiac disease or if gluten is a concern for you, you’ll want to try to avoid them.

Preservatives

The last thing you want to be spreading all over your teeth is moldy toothpaste. Sodium benzoate, methyl paraben, and ethyl paraben are the three most common preservative ingredients used to keep your toothpaste from become home to all sorts of nasty bacteria. 

Call Gordon Dental for a Dental appointment at 913-649-5017