Other Periodontal Services
Tooth Extraction is the complete removal of a tooth from the mouth. Some extractions require cutting into the gums and removing supporting bone and/or cutting the tooth into sections prior to removal.
Sinus Augmentation - For some patients, the upper back jaw is a difficult area for dental implants due to insufficient bone and the close proximity to the sinus. A sinus augmentation or lift is a procedure that corrects this problem by raising the sinus floor and developing bone in the upper back jaw in the area of the molars to make it taller. To make room for the bone, the sinus membrane has to be moved upward, or "lifted." First an incision is made in the gum to expose the bone. Then a small circle is cut into the bone, and the bone piece is lifted into the sinus cavity like a trap door. The bone graft material is added between the jaw and the maxillary sinuses, which are on either side of the nose. The bone graft material is a substance called decalcified freeze-dried bone allografts (DFDBA) which is obtained from a donor.
Ridge Augmentation is a type of bone graft that is performed when the jaw is not wide enough and/or tall enough to support implants. Dr. Fletcher will create space at the site and place donor bone material in order to gain height and /or width. The site is allowed to heal for 3 or more months to achieve dense bone prior to implant fixture placement into the new bone. Occasionally, bone augmentation and implant fixture placement can be performed at the same time.
Distal Wedge is a surgical procedure to remove excessive soft tissue behind a molar to gain access to underlying bone and eliminate periodontal pockets.
Biological (Root) Reshaping is the re-contouring of the existing root and tooth structure to remove defects, abnormalities and disease. The root surface is smoothed and the result is a more acceptable surface for gum tissue attachment.