Microtherapy

Key Benefits

• Bacterial Culturing - A relatively new weapon used to identify the specific bacteria that are causing the disease in the patient's mouth.  The culture also helps us in choosing the right antibiotic, and treatment option for the patient.  The culture is obtained by taking a very small sample of the bacteria around the diseased gums (very painless)  and submitting it to a laboratory for analysis.
• Subgingival Debridment (Scaling and Root planning) - A non-surgical treatment which is basically is a detailed cleaning of the bacterial build up (plaque, and tartar) on the teeth.  With the advent of micro-ultrasonic tips the days of "scaling and scraping" are mostly over. This treatment can now be done under local anesthesia with an ultrasonic (using sound waves) instrument very comfortably.  This treatment is usually the first treatment we recommend for battling periodontal disease, and is sometimes the only treatment necessary.
• Atridox- Atridox is a medicated gel that is gently squeezed under the diseased gums.  Once in place the gel solidifies and slowly releases the antibiotic into the gum area for a period of ten days.  Atridox is an excellent non-surgical option for treating isolated diseased sites in the patient's mouth.
• Arestin- Arestin is a medicated powder (microsphers) that is gently inserted below the gum line, and allows for the slow release of antibiotic into the infected area.  Arestin is generally used in conjunction with scaling and root planing, and may need to be repeated.
• Periostat - Periostat is an oral pill that the patients take to combat periodontal disease.  The medication essentially block the effects of an enzyme in the body called collagenase, with the net effect of reducing bone-loss around teeth.    
• Periodontal Microsurgery - Through the use of high powerd surgical telescopes, and fiber-optic lighting, we can now perform surgery with minimal tissue (and patient) trauma.  Due to the small size of these new instruments effective treatment can be performed with far less surgical reflection (opening).  The magnification also allows for far more precise closure of the surgical areas which makes the recovery virtually painless.  Periodontal micro-surgery can be used for Pocket Reduction Surgery, and Periodontal Plastic Surgery

If you are interested in more information on microtherapy, or if you would like to schedule an appointment, click here.