What's New

Smiles For Life believes in utilizing the latest technology to provide the best care possible.

We provide chair-side digital photos so our patients can see what we see. The photos provide indepth visual understanding of the condition of the mouth and helps our patients understand the recommended care and why it is being performed.

All of our patient areas have above chair television screens that help put patients at ease and take their mind off of the dental procedure being performed.

Our digital x-ray equipment provides excellent quality films of the patient’s mouth while avoiding much of the chemicals and radiation associated with traditional radiographs. Since the image is digital it also provide Smiles For Life with options to enlarge or manipulate the images in ways not possible with traditional x-rays.

Periodontal Disease

October 27, 2006

Three out of 4 Americans are affected by periodontal diseases. Are you one of them? Answer the following questions and find out if you may be at risk.

Oral Health Self-Test

• Do you smoke?
• Are you 30 years or older?
• Are you pregnant?
• Do you have diabetes?
• Do you have a family history of cardiovascular disease
• Do you grind or clench you teeth?
• Does anyone in your immediate family suffer from gum disease?
• Do you have bad breath?
• Are your gums red and swollen?
• Do you gums bleed when brushing and/or flossing?
• Are your gums pulling away from your teeth or receding?
• Are your teeth ever loose?
• Do you have teeth that appear to be loosening?
• Have you noticed a change in the way your teeth fit together?
• Have you recently lost a tooth?

The #1 reason for tooth loss among adults in the United States is periodontal disease, also known as “periodontitis” or “gum infection”. This silent infection occurs when harmful bacteria travel beneath the gum line and create “pockets” or gaps in the gums around the teeth.

The good news is that there are effective treatments available for periodontal disease. The adjunctive treatment to Scaling and root planing is Arestin. Arestin is a small amount of antibiotic powder that is easily applied by a dental professional down into the pockets. This treatment has been proven to further reduce the bacteria inside periodontal pockets.