Studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that around 47.2% of all adults in the United States over the age of 30 years have some type of periodontal disease. This type of disease increases with age and can progress quickly if actions are not taken. Scaling and root planing are among the most common treatments to combat periodontal disease.

What Are Scaling and Root Planing?

These procedures are designed to help prevent periodontal disease. This treatment involves performing a deep cleaning below the gumline to remove any signs of disease or infection.

What Happens During These Procedures?

During the procedure, you will be provided a local anesthetic to minimize the discomfort you may experience. An ultrasonic scaler will be used to chip any existing tartar from your teeth in areas above the gum line. A water spray that is attached to the scaler will then be used to wash the tartar away and flush any plaque from pockets in the gums. Any small pieces of tartar that remain will be removed with a scraping device and a dental scaler.

The root planing procedure will then address areas below the gum. Using the same tools, Dr. Egger will push the gum tissue aside to expose the root surfaces in your teeth. Tartar will then be chipped away from the roots, creating a smooth finish. In some instances, antibiotic medications may be injected into the pockets of the gum to treat infections or prevent them from forming.

When Are Scaling and Root Planing Needed?

There are several issues that can indicate that you may have gum disease that needs to be addressed with scaling and root planing. Common signs include:

• Recessed gums
• Toothaches
• Blooding, swollen, or red gums
• Bad breath
• Loose teeth
• Sensitive teeth

If you notice any of these signs or symptoms, you should make an appointment right away to ensure your issues do not worsen.

See if Scaling and Root Planing Is Right for You

To see if scaling and root planing can help you, contact Dr. Kenneth Egger, D.D.S., by calling his Mount Pleasant, Michigan, office at 989-773-3560, or feel free to use the online form to request an appointment.

Periodontal disease, commonly known as gum disease, is a prevalent oral health condition that affects the gums and supporting structures of the teeth.

Left untreated, gum disease can lead to serious complications including tooth loss or systemic health issues, such as an increased risk of heart disease. As gum disease can present itself in numerous ways, dentists have several options for treatment at their disposal, both surgical and non-invasive.

Diagnosis of Periodontal Disease

Dr. Kenneth Egger assesses the severity by gently probing the gum pockets around each tooth to measure their depth.

Depths greater than 3mm indicate the presence of gum disease. X-rays may also be taken to evaluate if the disease has reached the underlying bone. Dentists place periodontal disease into different stages, ranging from mild (Type 1) to severe (Type 4) with significant bone and gum deterioration.

Non-Surgical Gum Disease Treatment Options

For mild to moderate periodontitis, Dr. Kenneth Egger prefers to start with non-surgical treatments. The most common options for addressing early-stage gum disease are scaling and root planing.

With scaling, dentists remove tartar and infectious material from below the gums. Root planing smooths the surface of the tooth root, which effectively inhibits bacterial growth.

These procedures are typically accomplished with local anesthesia to minimize discomfort. Antibiotic medications may also be prescribed to combat infection. These can be applied directly into the infected pockets or used in a mouth tray with antibacterial gel.

Surgical Periodontal Disease Treatment

In advanced cases of periodontal disease, however, surgical intervention is often necessary. The most common form is called pocket reduction surgery, which aims to reattach the gums to the tooth roots and reduce the depth of the periodontal pockets. During this procedure, the gums are temporarily pulled away to allow tartar removal.

Patients sometimes requires additional smoothing of the bone and removal of a small portion of gum tissue. This promotes gum reattachment and facilitates easier maintenance of oral hygiene later on. In cases where significant gum or bone tissue loss has occurred, grafting procedures may be required.

Address Your Periodontal Disease With Kenneth Egger, D.D.S.

Don’t put off addressing gum disease. The best treatment for periodontal disease is simply tackling the problem early on, so make time for a skilled dentist like Dr. Kenneth Egger, D.D.S.

To learn more about Gum Disease treatments and prevention, please call us today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kenneth Egger. We serve Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and surrounding areas, and you can call us at (989) 773-3560.

Your gums are more than just the aesthetic “frame” for your teeth. The gums are tissues that can tell you a lot about your oral health if you know what to look for. Dr. Kenneth Egger and his team in Mount Pleasant, MI, work routinely with patients in and around the area who are looking to achieve and maintain their oral health and wellness with the assistance of an experienced dental professional. At his office, patients are educated on how to maintain a healthy smile and what issues to look for that may indicate a serious problem is developing. Your gum tissues can help with this, allowing you to be proactive in your oral health needs.

• Signs of a healthy smile. If your gums are bright, smooth, and even in coloring, you aren’t having any issues in this area of your mouth. This is the proper color and appearance of the gums if you are not experiencing issues such as gum disease. However, pain in teeth may indicate a problem elsewhere, such as a cavity or infection. These can still occur if your smile appears to look healthy when using the gum tissue as an indicator.
• Signs of an unhealthy smile. However, if your gums are redder than normal or show indications of swelling in the tissue, it could be a sign that you have some underlying problem developing. Other signs to watch for include bleeding when brushing or flossing, or seeing puffy tissue around the base of your teeth. This might mean that you are experiencing the early signs of periodontal disease, sometimes referred to as gingivitis. While this condition is easily reversible, the later stages of periodontal disease, known as periodontitis, are not. The development of gum disease is preventable, and once it has developed, it cannot be “cured” in the traditional sense. However, Dr. Kenneth Egger can work with you to manage the condition and keep the health of the smile from getting worse with time.

What Do I Do if I Notice the Signs of Gum Disease?

Dr. Kenneth Egger is a Mount Pleasant, MI, area dentist who can assist both new and returning patients at his practice, ensuring proper care and attention for those who are interested in maintaining a smile free from disease and decay. Call 989-773-3560 to request your evaluation.

At the practice of Dr. Kenneth Egger, Mount Pleasant, MI, area, patients have access to solutions to improve their oral health and wellness. In some situations, patients will need to have procedures done to address a problem or improve dental health. This may include fillings, whitening, or gum treatments. Dr. Kenneth Egger is pleased to offer state-of-the-art solutions for patients, including the administration of services with a specialized diode laser device. It is often used for gum treatment following periodontal disease but can also be used in other areas of dentistry as well.

Understanding the diode laser gum treatment

The diode laser is a specific type of laser that is commonly used in dentistry. It is used for a variety of dental procedures, including gum surgery, tooth whitening, and cavity preparation. The diode laser emits a beam of intense light that can be precisely targeted to the specific area being treated.

What are the benefits of diode laser gum treatment?

The main advantage of using a diode laser for gum surgery is that it can remove tissue with very little damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. This helps to minimize bleeding and pain during and after the procedure. In addition, the recovery time after diode laser gum surgery is typically much shorter than with traditional surgical methods.

Will Dr. Kenneth Egger recommend diode laser gum treatment for me?

If you are considering having gum surgery, your dentist will likely recommend that you have the procedure done with a diode laser. This is because the laser can provide more precise and controlled results than other types of lasers. It also facilitates faster healing and is far more comfortable than surgical alternatives.

Request an upcoming appointment to learn more about laser treatments with Dr. Kenneth Egger

If you have any questions about diode laser gum surgery or if you would like to learn more about this particular type of procedure, please contact Dr. Kenneth Egger and his team. He can provide you with more information and answer any questions that you may have and assist you in determining if you are a proper candidate. Call 989-773-3560 to request an appointment at our office, conveniently located in Mount Pleasant, MI.

Science fiction movies aside, Dr. Egger loves lasers just as much as Luke Skywalker. But Dr. Egger puts his lasers to a far more useful purpose than blasting random storm troopers, he uses his diode laser to treat various gum conditions. 

What is the diode laser? 

If you’re a science person, you probably already know this — the word laser is actually an acronym. It stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. No wonder we just call them “lasers.” Different lasers are categorized by the wavelength of the energy they produce. Dr. Egger uses the diode laser, whose wavelength is ideally suited for soft tissue procedures since it is highly absorbed by hemoglobin and melanin. This gives the diode laser the ability to precisely cut, coagulate, ablate, or vaporize targeted soft tissue. 

Uses of the diode laser 

When the gums become inflamed or infected, tissue can need to be trimmed back. This is called a gingivectomy. A gingivectomy removes and reshapes loose, diseased gum tissue to get rid of the pockets that have formed between the teeth and the gums. The laser removes any loose tissue, while simultaneously causing hemostasis (stopping the flow of blood). The laser eliminates the former problems of unruly soft tissue and blood when performing a gingivectomy. Plus, the laser gently disinfects the area while it evaporates the diseased tissue. 

Root planing and scaling are done when the gums have either started to pull away from the teeth or the roots of the teeth have hard mineral deposits, tartar, on them. Root planing and scaling cleans between the gums and the teeth down to the roots. 

While scaling and planing are still sometimes performed with dental picks, now Dr. Egger performs these procedures with a diode laser whenever possible. The laser not only makes for easier recovery for our patients, but it also reduces bacteria normally involved with the procedure. This makes the procedure safer and more comfortable. 

So, in case you thought lasers were only good for Ernst Blofeld to threaten James Bond, know that Dr. Egger uses them for a far more useful purpose. Call us at (989) 773-3560 to make your next appointment. And please remember, we’re closed on Fridays during the summer.

At Dr. Egger’s, we love teeth, and we want our patients from Mt. Pleasant and the surrounding areas to love their teeth, too. Toward that end, sometimes it’s good to know what you’re dealing with to help keep your chompers happily chomping. That’s why we’re always trying to enlighten you about stuff like dental implants or periodontitis. 

In this first blog to accompany May’s flowers, let’s have a review of just what a tooth is. Think of it as Tooth 101 over at Central Michigan. 

What are the parts of a tooth? 

These are the parts that make up all of your teeth: 

•     Crown — This can be confused with a dental crown, a prosthetic that fits over your upper part of the tooth. The crown actually fits over the “crown” of the tooth. This is the portion of the tooth above the gumline.

•     Gumline — This is where the tooth and the gums meet. When you develop problems with your gums, bacteria and tartar begin to move up under the gumline.

•     Root — About two thirds of the tooth mass, the root is the part of the tooth that is embedded in the jawbone.

•     Enamel — Enamel is the hardest tissue in the human body, but it is actually porous. That’s why it can accumulate stains from coffee and red wine. Enamel protects the inner tooth.

•     Dentin — The layer under the enamel, the dentin has millions of tiny tubes that lead directly to the dental pulp. When a tooth is stained from a reaction to tetracycline or from trauma, it is stained in the dentin. This type of staining can’t be corrected with teeth whitening.

•     Pulp — This is the soft center of the tooth. Here there are nerves and blood vessels. When decay invades the pulp, you’ll begin to feel extreme pain. A root canal removes all of the nerves and blood vessels.

What are the different types of teeth? 

Before a person loses any teeth, the normal number of teeth is 32, 16 on top and bottom. You probably have never spent much time thinking of the function of your teeth, but the different shapes make for different purposes. Here are the types of chompers in your mouth. 

•     Incisors — These are the sharp, chisel-shaped front teeth (four on top and four on bottom) used for cutting food.
•     Canines — These are also called cuspids, these pointed teeth (two on bottom and two on top) are used for tearing food. These are vampires’ favorite teeth.
•     Premolars — These teeth have pointed cusps on their biting surface and are also called bicuspids. These teeth (four on top and four on bottom) are for crushing and tearing.
•     Molars — These teeth have several cusps on the biting surface. The molars (six on top and six on bottom) are meant for grinding up food.

Now you’ve passed Tooth 101. The next time you’re munching on a dog at a Tigers game, now you know which teeth are doing the cutting, tearing, or grinding. 

Is it time for your next professional exam and cleaning? Call us Dr. Egger’s, (989) 773-3560, to schedule your appointment.

How Arestin Helps Solve Your Gum Problems

Plaque is a sneaky little customer. You brush and floss and remove this sticky film that covers your teeth and is a fun playground for bacteria. But it doesn’t stay removed for long. As soon as you put your toothbrush back in your LittleMermaid toothbrush holder plaque is already starting to mount its next push.

Such is the day-to-day battle for the hygiene of your teeth and gums. Diligence is required in this battle. And a lack of sloth.

Ah, but slothdom and home oral hygiene can go arm in arm, and what follows is gingivitis and then periodontitis. Dr. Egger is an ally in this fight, and he enlists the help of a relatively new weapon, Arestin, to help.

Gum disease

Back to plaque. If you don’t get it off your teeth twice every day, that’s the start. Plaque forms from a mix of bacteria, bacteria by-products, and food residue. It’s easy to beat back behind enemy lines. But if you don’t pay attention, plaque builds and begins to turn into tartar, the hard, off-white, calcified stuff that forms in certain places in your mouth. Plaque and tartar begin to push under your gums and the gums aren’t happy about it. This is gingivitis quickly turning into gum disease.

Dr. Egger to the rescue

At this point, while Dr. Egger may be disappointed in your lackadaisical home hygiene when he sees your mouth, he probably won’t say so. No need to hurt anyone’s feelings here. He’ll just get to work repelling the invaders. This involves root scaling, where he goes under your gums and removes the tartar and plaque buildup. He usually uses a diode laser for this. Then he’ll smooth the same areas of the tooth roots — this is called root planning — to make them want to make up with the angry gums.

Bring on the Arestin

Arestin is another tool Dr. Egger brings to this gum fight. When your gums become irritated and begin pulling away from the teeth, they form pockets. These pockets are the perfect man cave for bacteria to hang out and watch daytime TV. But Dr. Egger places Arestin in these pockets. Arestin is made up of tiny microspheres, smaller than Lake Michigan sand grains, which are filled with antibiotics. By placing Arestin in your gum disease pockets, it helps wipe out the bacteria and get the gums to cozy back up to your tooth roots. And that’s the path to a happy mouth moving forward. And who wouldn’t want that?

If your gums are bleeding and look to be an angry red color, it’s time to call Dr. Egger, as you’re looking at gum disease. Call us at (989) 773-3560 to you’re your appointment.

The Sauce Isn’t In This Tartar

In Michigan, whether it’s a pond in the woods down the street or the expanses of Lake Superior, we love to fish. It could be perch and sunfish in a pond or a monster pike or muskie in the Great Lakes. And when those fish are cleaned and grilled or fried, many of us like to add a little tartar sauce.

But don’t tell Dr. Egger, he hates tartar, because tartar on teeth if left unattended is the start of gum disease and lots of dental problems.

How does tartar get on my teeth?

Plaque is always trying to form on our teeth. It’s a sticky, colorless film of bacteria. Plaque and your toothbrush have an ongoing battle for supremacy. Every day you brush it away only to have it re-form the next day. But plaque isn’t tough to remove; all it takes it some attentive brushing and flossing. However, if you’re a haphazard brusher, that’s the start of problems with plaque.

That’s because if you allow plaque to stay on your teeth it hardens, a process known as calcification. Now it’s no longer called plaque — this hard stuff is tartar, and it’s no good on fish. It starts on your teeth above the gums and then progresses slowly under the gumline. Initially this creeping up under the gums irritates the gums. This is called gingivitis. But as more tartar builds up and the gums become more inflamed, they begin to pull away from the teeth. Pockets form, trapping bacteria. Now you have periodontitis, dreaded gum disease.

Chipping away at your tartar

Everyone forms some tartar, especially on their bottom incisors. But that’s why six-month intervals for professional cleanings with Dr. Egger and his team are so important. Six months is about the time it takes for tartar to form, but not to begin to move under the gumline.

Tartar can’t be removed at home. We use dental picks in a process known as scaling. The pick is applied to the edge of the tartar, and some force is applied. The tartar often then will flake off, like a shell. Other times, we need to scrape back and forth with the pick to break it off.

Some people think they can get tartar off their teeth at home. But while you may get a bit of it off, the rest well remain and continue grow and expand under your gums.

Tartar on your trout? That’s fine, although a lemon dill sauce would probably be tastier! Tartar on your teeth? That’s not fine. Come in and let us get it off before it starts creating mayhem with your oral health.

To make your next appointment, call Dr. Egger at (989) 773-3560.

Is that Buzzing Doing a Better Job? Electric Toothbrushes

When people come to see us at Dr. Egger’s practice, they may want to talk about the Red Wings missing the playoffs for the second straight year, or they may want to talk the recruiting class for either the Wolverines or Spartans. But they don’t usually want to talk about their toothbrushing prowess.

But maybe they should because we’d like to discuss with you the possibility of switching over to an electric toothbrush.

No, Dr. Egger didn’t just buy stock in Oral-B or Philips (makers of the two dominant electric toothbrushes out there); it’s just that we like to see our patients with the healthiest teeth possible. And electric toothbrushes seem to do a better job for most people.

Why is an electric toothbrush better?

Electric toothbrushes aren’t all that different than the pedal-powered electric polisher we use to polish your teeth after we’ve removed all the plaque. Electric brushes feature a circulating/vibrating head that basically does all the work for you. You place the brush head on your teeth and gums and let it get to work. Both Philips and Oral-B toothbrushes have a built-in timer that tells you when you’ve been brushing for two minutes, the length of time recommended by the American Dental Association. Basically, all you need do is move the head from tooth to tooth and it will remove the plaque from your teeth.

The goal is to be a thorough brusher, and many people are any but that. Because the heads rotate or otherwise move, the odds of doing a better job than your hand and arm are heavily weighted in favor of electric toothbrushes. If you’re a very diligent brusher, you may get every tooth brushed and hit your gums. But not many people ever brush for the full two minutes recommended. The problem with some even good manual brushers is they can be too aggressive. This can lead to gum recession.

Here are some specific cases where electric toothbrushes are a no-brainer.

• If you’re a haphazard, cursory brusher — Yes, we’re looking at you! You brush your teeth but are lackadaisical about it. You could easily leave a tooth here or there with plaque on it.
• If you’re a kid — Little kids love electric toothbrushes because they’re fun gadgets. Some think they tickle their teeth. Once you explain to place the brush head on each tooth, they’ll do a good job brushing. Also, kids with traditional braces benefit mightily from electric brushes because of their thoroughness.
• If you’re elderly — As we age, many of us have some dexterity issues with our hands and fingers. Electric brushes don’t require any hand or finger dexterity.

Statistics?

Your hand and arm can produce around 200 strokes per minute with your manual toothbrush. An electric toothbrush generates 30,000 strokes per minute. That’s quite a difference. Which do you think will clean better?

Want research proof? Oral-B makes both electric and regular toothbrushes. The company ran a test. They had dentists and hygienists ask 16,000 patients to use an Oral-B electric toothbrush from one visit to the next, basically for six months. When asked to monitor how their patients’ teeth looked afterwards, the dental professionals said the electric toothbrush had a positive effect on the oral health of over 80 percent of the patients. Case closed.

It’s not that you can’t do just as good a job as an electric toothbrush; it’s just that the odds are that you won’t. If you have any questions about these electric options, give us a call and ask away, (989) 773-3560.

Resembling a wad of Double Bubble, your gums look all pink and wimpy. Don’t be fooled. These bodyguards of your tooth roots are tough customers, despite their resemblance to Patrick Star on SpongeBob.

While they are tough, your gums still need you to take care of them. Prevention is the key to keeping them healthy. Really all you need to do is be diligent with your home brushing and flossing, and keep your twice-yearly appointments for professional cleanings and exams with Dr. Egger.

While that advice seems sensible enough, it is often ignored. But you do so at your own peril because it will end with gum disease, and you don’t want that.

Gum disease

Periodontal disease is the medical term for gum disease, periodontitis if you want to get downright clinical. It involves infection of the gums that can end up with tooth loss and an extra spot in a remake of Deliverance.

The good thing about periodontitis is that it is almost wholly preventable. It all begins with dental plaque, the sticky film that forms on your teeth throughout the day. Plaque has lots of bacteria in it. Dental plaque is easy to remove with daily brushing and flossing. In fact, a good home dental hygiene program of brushing twice daily for two minutes and flossing once a day is usually enough for most people to never have to deal with gum disease.

But if you pay more attention to the Tigers’ off-season trades than home dental hygiene, and if you throw in lifestyle choices such as smoking, plaque can have its way with your mouth. When plaque isn’t removed it hardens into calculus, also known as tartar. Once tartar forms it doesn’t belong on fish sticks — it can only be removed by a professional hygienist.

Gingivitis becomes periodontitis

Gum disease isn’t like some other diseases where one day you have a pain in a certain spot and the doctor tells you that it is some disease and you have three days to live! Gum disease gives you plenty of warning. The bacteria in plaque produce toxins that irritate the gums. Irritated gums are not happy gums, and they become red and bleed easily. Plus, the tartar that has formed gradually makes its way below the gumline, leading to more irritation. This irritation is called gingivitis.

You may be as busy as a beaver in the U.P., but at this point you can still reverse things with a professional cleaning from Dr. Egger and his team, along with more dedicated home hygiene. But if you think you’re just too busy and opt to stay away, the gum irritation worsens and the gums begin to pull away from the teeth causing pockets to form. These pockets hold all the bacteria from the plaque and that bacteria begin to attack the roots of the teeth. You can see where this is leading — tooth loss and jawbone deterioration.

Now, a trip to our office will be necessary just to keep your teeth. Dr. Egger will need to do things such as gum planing and scaling. You may receive an antibiotic prescription if infection has taken hold. A root canal could be required to save a tooth or teeth.

All of this mayhem could have been avoided with some home hygiene and keeping up with your twice-yearly visits to Dr. Egger’s office. Is it time for your next exam and cleaning? Call us at (989) 773-3560 to make your appointment.