can create more tooth structure, build new bone or gum grafting
Restorative Crown Lengthening
When a tooth is broken near or below the gum line, it cannot support a crown or other prosthetic materials. Rather than pulling the tooth and having to replace it with a dental implant, we can frequently salvage it using a Restorative Crown Lengthening technique.
Crown lengthening is a surgical procedure that can create more tooth structure by removing soft tissue (gum) and hard tissue (bone) from the patient’s adjacent teeth (one tooth in front and one tooth behind the damaged tooth). This, therefore, becomes a three-tooth procedure, and its goal is providing adequate tooth structure to anchor the new crown.
Osseous Surgery
Reconstructive Periodontal Microsurgery
Gum Grafting
The gingiva is the gum area around the root of the tooth. When a major recession of this gum area occurs, the body loses a natural defense against both bacteria and trauma. Gum recession often results in root sensitivity to hot and cold foods as well as an unsightly appearance to the gum and tooth. Significant gum recession can expose the root surface, which is softer than tooth enamel, leading to root caries and root gouging.
A gingival graft is designed to solve these problems. A thin piece of tissue is taken from the roof of the mouth (palate), or gently moved over from adjacent areas, to provide a stable band of attached gingiva around the tooth. The gingival graft may be placed in such a way as to cover the exposed portion of the root.
In certain cases, we can avoid using the palate as a donor site by using a bioactive gel (Gem-21, Emdogain) in conjunction with a bone graft material and a bioabsorbable membrane to achieve the same goal of root coverage. The gingival graft procedure is highly predictable and results in a stable healthy band of attached tissue around the tooth.
Bone Grafting
Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth sinks in and shrinks. This often leaves a condition where the poor quality and quantity of bone makes the patient ineligible for the placement of dental implants.
We now have the ability to grow bone where needed and prevent bone loss as well, using advanced biomedical materials such as Regenaform®, Dynablast®, and Cerasorb®. This gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, and it also gives us a chance to more effectively restore esthetic appearance and functionality.
Sinus Graft
In the upper jaw when molars (back teeth) are lost, it is common that bone above the sinus will be shallow and have too little depth to hold dental implants. Sinus lift refers to a surgical bone graft technique whereby the floor of the maxillary sinus can actually be elevated to change the anatomy, increasing bone depth and volume.
The scientific term is called subantral augmentation, which means below the sinus addition of bone. The bone graft is placed under the sinus, not actually inside it, so sinus physiology and function are not disturbed. This is a safe and predictable procedure, which is often required when patients need dental implants in the posterior maxilla (upper position jaw).