Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gum tissue, which if left untreated, will ultimately lead to the need for periodontal care. Periodontal disease is an infection of the bones and gums that surround the teeth. Once healthy gums remain inflamed (gingivitis), they ultimately cause infection to set up and create the need for the patient to be treated immediately. There are different forms of periodontal therapy that are used to treat these infections, some of which require surgery.

Periodontal disease poses a drastic threat to dental health, and is mainly found in adults. In severe cases, the teeth and gums separate, ultimately resulting in the loss of bone. There are several warning signs of this disease including bleeding gums, sensitive teeth, painful chewing, and bad breath. If you notice any of these signs, you should schedule a visit with your dentist.

Corrective surgery may be needed in extreme cases of periodontal disease, but many patients can be treated with several deep cleanings below the gums. This form of treatment is called scaling. This process is normally performed in four different sessions, as the dentist works with one quadrant of the mouth at a time. After this process is complete, it is important to follow the dentist’s instructions for oral care at home.

Periodontal surgery is needed when there is severe loss of the bone that supports the teeth. In many cases, regenerative surgery may be performed which consists of folding back the area around the gums to remove the bacteria. Bone grafts or other material is then used to stimulate your body’s natural ability to regenerate tissue and bone.

Anyone that does not practice good oral hygiene is at risk of developing periodontal disease regardless as to their age or race. While some studies show that certain ethnic groups are more prone to developing this disease than others, the main cause of it is poor dental hygiene.

Regular checkups and communication with your dentist is just as important as checkups with a physician. Health and wellness includes all areas of the body, including your mouth. Gingivitis and signs of periodontal disease should not be ignored. If you have symptoms, or have noticed a change in your teeth and gums, getting to a dentist should be a priority. Poor oral health could lead to other dental problems with more serious side effects and could also lead to the loss of teeth.

Porcelain veneers are used to fix a variety of cosmetic dental problems. While they are typically not covered by insurance companies, there are some offices that will allow patients to pay for their cosmetic services on a payment plan. The process of obtaining veneers is fairly simple, and most treatments can be completed within three visits.

People with chipped or cracked teeth are good candidates for porcelain veneers. When you talk with your dentist, make sure that you ask about the other cosmetic options available to you before you proceed with this treatment. This conversation normally takes place during the diagnosis and treatment preparation prior to any services.

Once your dentist decides that porcelain veneers are the best solution for you, the next step would be to prepare your teeth to be covered with the veneer. To do this, the dentist will need to remove some of the enamel off of the tooth and make a mold of them to be sent to the dental laboratory. The veneers normally take one or two weeks to return to the dentist. Patients that have very unsightly teeth may have them covered with temporary veneers until the permanent molds are created.

When the molds return to the dentist’s office, they may need to make adjustments to ensure a perfect fit for your teeth. Before the veneer is permanently bonded, the dentist will take several steps to prepare the surface of your teeth for bonding. Once this process is complete, you may be asked to return in a few weeks to ensure that the new veneers are working well and are properly positioned.

One of the advantages to using porcelain veneers over other cosmetic products is that veneers look very natural. They are also stain resistant and available in different shades. With proper care and treatment, porcelain veneers could last anywhere between five and ten years.

People that clinch or grind their teeth are not good candidates for veneers, as this could cause cracking or other damage. Also, veneers are not often recommended for patients with severe tooth decay.

Porcelain veneers are a great way to get a natural, healthy looking smile in a short period of time, but they still require the same type of daily care that normal teeth need. This includes brushing at least twice a day and flossing. Ask your dentist if any other maintenance requirements are necessary with veneers.

At Suwanee Dental Care, we understand what you want in your dentist. If you want to look good, feel good and have strong, healthy teeth and a beautiful smile, then we are the place you want to go in Gwinnett.

Our four dentists are comprehensively trained so you get everything for your entire family done at one place. When you get the smile you want, you feel better about yourself and you prosper in business, in your relationships and you have peace of mind.

Join Suwanee Dental Care’s fine family of patients and see why they have been selected “Best of Gwinnett” for 9 straight years.

• Comprehensive Dentistry for the Whole Family
• Got Dental Fear? Sedation Dentistry IS For You!
• Missing Teeth or Loose Dentures? We Have The Solution
• Laser Dentistry…So Much Better Than Ever Before

Call Suwanee Dental Care today for your New Patient Examination 770-614-7300

One of the latest trends in dental treatment for the 21^st century, laser dentistry helps to minimize patient discomfort while enabling dental professionals to continue to offer the best in care. There are a few different types of laser dentistry systems available, along with different procedures that can be completed with lasers. Let’s take a closer look at how these high-tech beams of concentrated light can help make your smile brighter than ever before.

How Lasers Help Dentists
The light energy created by lasers helps dentists to remove tooth decay and infected tissues with a high level of accuracy and precision, by sterilizing the affected area and sealing off blood vessels that would otherwise cause bleeding. This technique reduces the chances for post-treatment infection and increases patient comfort, plus it minimizes the amount of time many patients must spend in the dentists’ chair. In some cases, the need for anesthetic injections is reduced or even eliminated.

Types of Laser Procedures
Dentists around the world are putting lasers such as the cooling WaterLase to use; these lasers are low-powered and ideal for working on delicate tissues. Various types of lasers are used for different applications, including removing old fillings, eliminating cavities, shaping bones, lengthening crowns, treating painful mouth ulcers, and as an important aspect of oral surgery.

How Patients Benefit
Patients undergoing laser dentistry benefit in a number of ways. The first, and possibly the most attractive way in which they benefit is by the fact that this type of dentistry enables dental care professionals to complete a number of procedures in a single appointment, saving both valuable time and money. Healing time is often much faster, too. Patients love the fact that the amount of noise is decreased along with the time spent in the dental chair, and the fact that there is less bleeding, and less need for anesthesia and other injections often leads to reduced swelling around the affected area. This translates to reduced sensitivity and much less pain post-op, as well as better results overall.

Patients with symptoms of oral cancer can be tested right in their dentist’s office. The Oral CDX biopsy is a simple, non invasive test takes only seconds, but has the potential to save lives. During the process, the mouth is swabbed with a biopsy brush and the samples are then sent to a lab for testing.  Early detection and education are the key to defeating this disease.

The early symptoms of oral cancer can mimic other non life threatening everyday ailments. The most common is a lesion in the mouth. This is often associated with several things including biting the jaw, or biting into something hot. Normal oral lesions usually heal within a week or so. Cancerous lesions take much longer, and often never fully heal. Other signs of oral cancer include bleeding of the mouth and difficulty swallowing.

Patients with oral cancer also report having red and white splotches on the mouth and lips. These are signs that appear early in the disease, well before any serious damage has occurred. If left untreated, the cancer could become aggressive and spread to other areas of the mouth including the lips and tongue.  Detection at this stage using the Oral CDX biopsy could mean the difference between targeted drug treatments or the need for radiation therapy.

If you have a family history of cancer, it may also be recommended that you be tested using the Oral CDX biopsy method. People who smoke also have a high risk of developing this disease. Studies also show that oral cancer is twice as common in men as in women.

Oral cancer can lead to death if it is not detected soon enough. The Oral CDX biopsy is a reliable method for detection that is easily accessible. The first method of prevention starts with the patient. Keep your scheduled appointments with your dentist and pay attention to any changes in your mouth. Ask the dentist about the symptoms of oral cancer and whether or not you should be tested. Prevention is definitely not prohibited, and your dentist will be more than happy to administer the test.

Whether you are missing permanent teeth or suffering from tooth discoloration, or you simply wished that your teeth were straighter, cosmetic dentistry can help bring a smile back to your face. With less invasive procedures than ever before, and new options for straightening and whitening teeth, cosmetic dentistry is faster and easier than you might imagine. Here is some basic information about a few of the most popular procedures.

Dental Implants
Permanent dental implants are designed to replace missing permanent teeth or replace dentures. If you have gaps left behind by those missing teeth and avoid speaking, eating in public, laughing, or even smiling, out of worry or embarrassment, then this type of cosmetic procedure can help restore your confidence.

Teeth Whitening
A number of different teeth whitening procedures are available, from deep bleaching to restore deeply darkened teeth, to quick and easy Zoom whitening and BriteSmile whitening. Whether you want to look your best for an upcoming reunion, or if you simply wish to erase years of coffee and tea stains from your teeth, whitening is the perfect solution.

Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain Veneers give your teeth a brand new lease on life, particularly if you have chipped or worn teeth. Whether you need a single tooth repaired or if you would like to transform your smile, this procedure is a fantastic solution.

Cerec 3D Tooth Restoration
Imagine your teeth undergoing an incredible transformation in just a single visit, and you’ll have an idea about what Cerec 3D Tooth Restoration is like. Beautiful crowns, inlays, and onlays that fit perfectly now take about twenty minutes to create, plus the procedure is cost-effective. Even better, the ceramic material used to create these dental restorations looks just like natural tooth enamel, even close up.

Invisalign Orthodontics
Say goodbye to unsightly, uncomfortable braces. Invisalign Orthodontics straighten crooked teeth with a series of almost invisible aligners instead of brackets and wires. Suitable for anyone from age twelve and up, Invisalign is suitable for mild to moderate crowding and takes anywhere from nine to eighteen months to straighten teeth. Dental professionals can also whiten teeth while the Invisalign system is doing its job, so by the time you are finished, your smile will look better than ever.

Thanks to procedures such as these, embarrassment caused by unsightly teeth can be a thing of the past. Once you regain your confidence, you can focus on doing the things you enjoy, rather than worrying about who might be looking at your teeth.

When you first meet someone, what do you notice about him or her most? With all likelihood, one of the first and most noticeable aspects you see is the smile – or lack of a smile – that the person you are meeting sends your way. Are you the kind of person who would like to smile more, or smile better? If so, have you considered the benefits of a smile makeovers? You might be a great candidate for a simple, yet life-changing procedure that will not only change the way you perceive yourself; it will change the way others perceive you. Why is a smile so important? It affects the way others see you.

Why People Are Afraid to Smile

People who are afraid to smile are often self-conscious about the way their teeth look, due to discoloration, old dental work that shows in an unattractive manner, missing teeth, or teeth that are worn, chipped, or discolored. Sometimes, people with crooked, protruding, or crowded teeth are afraid to smile, too. Sad as it is, many people who have every reason in the world to smile are just too afraid to show their teeth.

Types of Smile Makeovers

There are a number of different types of smile makeovers. Some are very quick, simple procedures, while others require several different steps and can take as long as eighteen months or longer to complete in cases where orthodontic work is required. Each of the following smile makeovers can be combined with other treatments as needed to give someone just like you a brand new, sparkling smile.

• Teeth Whitening – Treatments like Zoom whitening and BriteSmile are quick and easy for dentists to apply. Deep bleaching is simple, too, and can even remove staining caused by tetracycline.

• Invisalign Orthodontics – These invisible “braces” are actually aligners that can be removed. They are worn over teeth and are perfect for anyone age 12 and up. They can be used in cases of mild to moderate crowding

• Traditional Orthodontics – Traditional braces using brackets and wires are prescribed for the worst cases of crowding.

• Restorative Dentistry – The ravages of time show on our teeth just as badly as they show elsewhere. New, less invasive techniques allow dentists to provide patients with pearly white crowns, veneers, and other cosmetic enhancements in as little as a single appointment.

These are just some of the most popular smile makeovers available; everyone who gets a makeover experiences something different. Pain and fright can be a thing of the past too, thanks to the advent of sedation dentistry. Talk to your dentist today to come up with a plan that will leave you smiling brighter than ever.

If you avoid smiling, laughing, eating in public, or even speaking up because you are afraid that unsightly gaps left by missing teeth might show, or if you are afraid that your denture may slip, you could be a good candidate for dental implants. These prosthetic teeth work just like real teeth do, and they look just like the real thing, too. They allow people who have dental problems to eat and speak comfortably and confidently once more.

Who Benefits from Dental Implants

People who have missing teeth or badly damaged teeth are ideal candidates for dental implants, particularly in cases where dental restorations are not a viable solution. People who wear dentures are also great candidates, particularly those who are active and who worry that slipping dentures might cause embarrassment or discomfort.

About Dental Implants

Dental implants look and feel just like they are part of your mouth. They are used to support strong, beautiful prosthetic teeth to your jawbone to allow you to live a normal life. While these new teeth are easy to care for with good oral hygiene practices, they are not maintenance free. Regular dental checkups will ensure they are staying in place and working correctly.

Before your dentist prescribes implants, he or she will have an in-depth conversation with you, followed by an examination. You will also need to answer some questions regarding your dental and medical history, as well as answer some questions about your lifestyle; for instance, if you are a smoker or if you suffer from diabetes, you may not be a suitable candidate for implants.

What to Expect

Before the implants are set in place, you will undergo a complete examination and models of your jaws will be made. Potential problems will be identified, and diagnostic testing will enable your dentist to come up with a complete treatment plan. Bone grafts and tissue regeneration may or may not be part of that plan. The process of having implants set in place is three-fold and involves two separate procedures. During the first procedure, the implants, which are usually made of titanium, are put in place. During the second procedure, abutments are attached, which hold the prosthesis; some patients are able to undergo both surgeries as a single treatment. Finally, the prosthetic teeth are added, and after you have recovered completely, you can enjoy chewing, smiling, and speaking normally once more.

Dr. Williams and team at the Gwinnett Healthcare Excellence Awards

Wednesday, December 7, Dr. Williams and team members from Suwanee Dental Care made their way to the Gwinnett Marriott Grand Ballroom for the Gwinnett Chamber Healthcare Excellence Awards. The Gwinnett Chamber Healthcare Excellence Awards recognizes excellence, innovation, and honors the efforts of individuals and organizations making a significant impact on the quality of healthcare in Gwinnett County. Dr. Williams was nominated for three awards; Volunteer of the Year, Philanthropist of the Year, and Physician of the Year. Dr. Williams said “it’s an honor to be in the company of such great practioners in the Gwinnett healthcare community.”

As the Master of Ceremonies, Johnny Phelps, read the winner of each category, Dr. Williams was surprised to hear his name called for Volunteer of the Year Award. The Volunteer of the Year Award is awarded to an individual who exemplifies community service. This individual makes an outstanding contribution to the community through volunteer service and demonstrates commitment, service, cooperation, and leadership while inspiring others. Dr. Williams summed up the night by thanking his team. He had this to say, “I want to thank my team who supports me through all of our various service projects. The Deserving Divas, Brighter Smiles for Brighter Futures, and the Hebron Dental Clinic all play a special role in our lives and without the support of my family and the team at Suwanee Dental Care this award would have gone to someone else tonight.”

Greg Bowen & Dr. Bill Williams with the Cub Scouts of Pack 530 sponsored by Suwanee Dental.

“Scouting was instrumental in my development as a young boy.” says Dr. Williams, “I started our in Cubs, went on to Boy Scouts and then Explorers where I earned my Eagle Rank and Order of the Arrow. There is no better organization for youth to learn leadership, organization, achievement and teamwork. I encourage all girls and boys to enter the scouting program and to give it a real go!”