Dental Questions: Who Places Dental Implants?

Implants represent a new shift in how dental offices can replace missing teeth. Never before have dentists been able to reproduce one or more teeth in a non-removable fashion without altering adjacent teeth. In the midst of this new treatment trend, many different general practices and specialists are placing implants. In this article, we hope to make sense of who offers implant surgeries and why they do so!

For starters, almost any licensed dentist can become trained to place implants. There is no specific requirement for a specialist to place them, and training programs are very common. As such, our office places implants on healthy, long standing patients in uncomplicated scenarios. We feel that any case beyond these parameters requires the expertise of a specialist.

Many times, an oral surgeon will place implants. They benefit from years of surgical training and managing medically complex patients. Most offices will offer various sedation options when providing the surgery. Periodontists also frequently perform implant treatment. Here, their specialized knowledge of gum tissue, bone characteristics and healing allows them to place implants in highly esthetic areas. They also typically offer sedation as a part of treatment. Other specialists, such as prosthodontists and endodontists may place implants on a case-by-case basis.

No matter who places your implant, know that your referral from Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry was made with the highest quality care in mind. We take surgical treatment very seriously and only refer patients to our trusted network of specialists. If you want to know more about implants and how they might improve your treatment options, please give our office a call!

Dental Questions: Why Do I Need A Deep Cleaning?

According to recent estimates from the CDC, about half of all American adults have some form of periodontal disease. In these patients, gingivitis (inflammation of the gum tissue) has progressed to affect the bone and tissue levels around the teeth. The body's natural response to tarter (hardened plaque) is to lower the bone levels around the teeth, creating deep periodontal pockets.

In normal, healthy tissue, the pockets around the teeth have a depth of about 1-3 millimeters. With a toothbrush or floss, you can clean to a depth of about 4mm at home. Additionally, a toothbrush can remove soft, loose plaque but is ineffective at removing hardened tartar. Cleaning pockets deeper than 5mm or removing tartar from teeth requires the skills of a dental hygienist or a dentist. 

Patients with Severe periodontitis have pockets over 5mm on multiple sites throughout their mouths along with gum recession, bleeding and excessive tartar. For this group, a simple cleaning will not suffice. To manage their disease, a hygienist/dentist will provide a deep cleaning, also known as scaling and root planing.  Here, the gums are numbed so that the ulcerated tissue around the deep pockets is undisturbed by the cleaning process. The practitioner then proceeds to remove all tartar and plaque from the teeth, including the areas far below the gum line. This process is commonly performed over multiple appointments, so that your entire mouth is not numbed at once. 

The ultimate goal of a deep cleaning is to plane the roots of the teeth so that new tissue can heal around them, creating shallower pockets. However, the deep cleaning session is only a half treatment. We can get the teeth cleaned and ready to heal, but periodontal disease can only be managed long term with good oral hygiene- brushing twice a day for two minutes and flossing daily. 

Scaling and root planing is only one of many options in treating periodontitis. Depending on the location and severity of the disease, a general dentist or periodontist might recommend anything from a deep cleaning to gum surgery. As with everything in dentistry, a complete exam (including X-rays) is imperative in creating an appropriate treatment plan. If you would like to schedule an appointment today, please contact our office!

Periodontists we work with

Properly managing your dental care can take a team of dentists, specialists and laboratories. For our patients that need the help of a periodontist, we are proud to work with Dr. Jeremy Wilgus of Camarillo Periodontics. His office combines the technology, expertise and compassion that our patients seek. 

If you have conditions such as deep pockets or periodontitis you may be referred to Dr. Wilgus. He specializes in a number of surgical and non-surgical techniques to improve gum health and repair damage. Beyond these services, his office offers various procedures to adjust and re-contour the gums. For some patients, a full cosmetic reconstruction will include visits to Dr. Wilgus for crown lengthening or grafting to create an ideal gumline. He is also an expert in placing implants in sensitive areas, such as the anterior teeth. If you would like to know more about periodontal services or why a patient might benefit from the services of a periodontist, please call our office! 

Specialist Spotlight- Periodontist Dr. Jeremy Wilgus

At Thousand Oaks Family Dentistry, we are proud of the incredible patient centric experience we have built at our practice. At the end of every day, our goal is to see every person leave happier, healthier and more satisfied with their oral health.  However, this experience does not stop once you walk out our front door. A major component of our unique patient care is the incredible network of dedicated and skilled specialists we work with.

One of these great specialists is periodontist Dr. Jeremy Wilgus at Camarillo Periodontics. As a periodontist, Dr. Wilgus’ emphasis within dentistry is the treatment of periodontal disease, gingival recession and replacement of missing teeth with dental implants. Gingival grafting, crown lengthening, implant placement and bone grafts all fall under his scope of dental treatment.

At his office, Dr. Wilgus offers a combination of state-of-the-art technology and compassionate treatment. We are always impressed with the clinical results of his work, while our patients have nothing but great things to say about him and his office staff. Among the modern techniques he provides is the use of a Cone Beam CT scanner. This device allows him to capture a true 3D image of your jaw to aid in implant placement, diagnostics and other sensitive situations. This technology proves to be more accurate and revealing than the two dimensional nature of traditional dental X-rays.

Dr. Wilgus grew up in Sacramento, Ca and received his DDS from UCSF in 2003. He went on to finish a periodontal residency at the Los Angeles VA in 2006. In his off time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons. You can typically find him cycling, golfing, skiing or coaching his son’s sports teams.

Whether you need a gingival graft, crown lengthening, or a complex bone graft you will be in good hands with Dr. Wilgus. Our office is extremely selective with our referral network and are proud to extend his services to our patients. If you are curious about periodontics or want to know more about our specialist referral network, feel free to call our office!

Additionally, make sure to check out Dr. Wilgus' office website at http://www.camarilloperio.com/