Patient Education
Our goal is for you to completely understand your condition and the treatment procedure. We encourage you to ask any questions you may have.
Patient Safety
We adhere to the highest professional standards of cleanliness, sterilization, and radiation control. Our staff regularly attend safety seminars and are quite knowledgeable on the latest techniques.
Sterilization
We know that preventing the spread of infectious diseases such as AIDS, herpes, hepatitis and even the cold virus is critical and our team takes sterilization very seriously. We use extensive sterilization procedures, going well beyond the guidelines recommended by the American Dental Association and Centers for Disease Control.
We use barrier techniques such as disposable masks and gloves and replace them with each new patient. Each piece of fixed operatory equipment is wiped-down with antibacterial solution prior to each clinical procedure. We have sterile water delivery systems and use autoclave sterilization for all instruments prior to dental examination and treatment. You can be assured that our staff have been specifically trained on sterilization procedures and their importance.
Pre-medication
Patients with certain medical conditions (e.g. valvular heart conditions and artificial joints) may be asked to pre-medicate with antibiotics prior to treatment. We do this with your safety in mind. Please inform us if you have a condition that might need pre-medication.
Post Treatment Instructions
After treatment, home care and medication instructions will be thoroughly explained. For your convenience, we provide you with printed instructions. Of course, we are always available for questions after treatment.
Patient Comfort
We go to extraordinary lengths to ensure our patients are as comfortable as possible during dental procedures. Please click here for more information on this topic.
Special Equipment and Procedures
We strive to stay on the leading edge of periodontal techniques and equipment. In order to do this, we take a great deal of continuing education. We also utilize advanced equipment and procedures in our office. This includes:
Magnifier Loops
You have probably seen a Magnifier Loop in a jewelry store when the jeweler was closely examining a diamond. Dental Magnifier Loops are made for periodontists to view your teeth and gums in minute detail during periodontal procedures.Lasers (Biolitec, Yag, Waterlase MD)
Lasers can be used to get rid of periodontal bacteria in coordination with traditional techniques, such as scaling and root planing or pocket depth reduction (see the Periodontal Treatment section). In some cases a dental laser can be used to go deeper in the pockets around teeth in a less invasive manner. Lasers can also be used in several other procedures, such as gum contouring and crown lengthening (see Individual & Cosmetic Procedures section). Dental lasers have been used nearly 20 years and are proven safe and effective. Refer to our Dental Lasers page for more information.Advanced Periodontal Cosmetics
There are now many more periodontal procedures to enhance the appearance of your teeth and gums. Teeth that look short due to gum tissue can be lengthened and teeth that appear too long, giving a prematurely “old” look, can be corrected with gum grafts.
