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It’s never a good thing to develop gingivitis or any other kind of gum disease, but if you do, there are treatments that patients have identified as better or easier to tolerate. It’s important that you know about them so you can get the relief you need to gain the upper hand against this disease. One of those procedures is LANAP laser gum treatment, and for many patients it is the turning point in their process.Why Laser Gum Treatment Is So EffectiveThere are a few different ways to clean the infection and provide patients with the opportunity to move into repairing tissue and working to prevent a recurrence of symptoms. They’re all effective, but older methods involve a surgical intervention that sometimes takes portions of healthy tissue with the infected portions. This is done to ensure the entire infection is cleaned, because of the margin of error involved with traditional surgical procedures. Laser gum treatment cleans the infected tissue without taking any healthy tissue because the lasers are calibra ...

If you have receding gums, you’ve probably noticed that your teeth seem to be larger than normal. However, in addition to this relatively mild aesthetic side effect, your receding gums could be quietly causing more serious problems. Here are a few ways untreated gum recession could affect your health, and why you should consider receiving the Pinhole Surgical Technique (PST™).   Oral Discomfort   Untreated gum recession can lead to oral discomfort, especially if your recession is so severe that your tooth roots are exposed. It’s wise to seek treatment when you first notice increased tooth sensitivity so your gums don’t’ continue to recede and cause you more pain than necessary.   Bone Loss   When your gums recede, they no longer provide adequate support to the teeth. As a result, the teeth can loosen or even fall out of the mouth completely. Additionally, as the gums recede, they can create deep gum pockets that trap bacteria. ...

If you’ve recently lost a tooth, you may be wondering if you need to replace it right away or if you can wait. Besides the obvious inconvenience and embarrassment tooth loss can cause, you should also know that leaving a missing tooth untreated can lead to a variety of oral health problems. Here are a few of the top risks associated with missing teeth, and how dental implants can help you avoid these risks.   Bite Changes   The way your upper and lower teeth fit together when you close your mouth is often referred to as your “bite”. When your bite is off, it can make it more difficult for you to speak and chew. A misaligned bite can also cause strain and discomfort in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Unfortunately, if you are missing teeth and don’t seek treatment, the remaining teeth in your mouth will slowly start to shift and fill in the gaps left by the missing teeth. Over time, shifting of the teeth will cause your bite to change. If you receive dental ...

It may not seem like a big deal to lose one or a few teeth. However, failing to replace your missing teeth can lead to serious issues that can negatively impact your oral and overall health. To prevent these issues from developing, it’s important to receive dental implants soon after you lose your teeth. Here are three unexpected complications that can be caused by missing teeth if they’re not quickly replaced. Bone Loss Did you know the roots of your teeth constantly stimulate your jaw bone and prevent it from losing mass over time? When the roots of a tooth are no longer there, the area directly beneath the site of tooth loss begins to degrade. Although the degradation process is generally slow, it can cause the shape of the jaw to change over time. If you have a periodontist quickly replace your missing teeth with implants, you can maintain your jaw bone health because implant posts stimulate the bone much like natural tooth roots do. Bite Changes When a tooth socket is left unfille ...

Did you know expecting mothers have an increased chance of getting gum disease?  Continue reading to find out more and put your gum health first this Mother's Day.

March is National Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month, and there is no better time reflect on your own circulatory system than now.March is National Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month, and there is no better time reflect on your own circulatory system than now.

Having bad breath, or halitosis, is extremely embarrassing.  Dr. Chertok shares a few reasons why your breath may smell bad including gum disease.  Continue reading to learn more about why you or a loved one have bad breath.

Restore your smile with dental implants to replace one or more missing teeth.  Continue reading to learn about the benefits of permanently replacing a tooth.  

Gum disease is 100% preventable.  Continue reading to learn about the different stages of gum disease and the best ways to prevent the disease.

Are your loved ones complaining about your bad breath?  Bad breath, or halitosis, is often a sign on gum disease.   Continue reading to learn more about gum disease and schedule an appointment with your Berkeley Periodontist.