Periodontics: Caring for your gums

Caring for your teeth is an essential part of maintaining good oral health, but your gums also play an important role in your health, and proper care is crucial. Gum disease can be a serious detriment to your oral health and overall wellness, and Dr. Matthew Garrison of Garrison Family Dentistry provides the regular periodontal and checkups you need to maintain peak periodontal health and prevent gum disease.

 

With periodontal disease responsible for 75 percent of all adult tooth loss cases in the United States, it is critical to check for and treat periodontal issues when they first arise. Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums that starts when a build-up of plaque on your teeth hardens into tartar. As the tartar accumulates, bacteria collect and attack the soft tissue in the surrounding gums. In its early stages, this gum disease is gingivitis, but if it is left untreated, it becomes periodontis. Periodontis can destroy your gum tissue and lead to tooth loss. Periodontis can even result in a loss of bone mass in your jaw bone, and heart disease, diabetes and stroke have also been linked to poor periodontal health.

 

The state of your gums affects the health of your entire body, so come to our office for periodontal cleanings and treatment. We can even refer you to a recommended specialist if you require special treatment. We will make sure your gums are well cared for. Call (816) 532-8778 to schedule an appointment. For more information about our practice, visit www.garrisondentistry.com.

Preventative Dentistry

We’ve all heard the expression, “prevention is the best medicine” when it comes to your overall health, but the same can be said when it comes to your oral health. Preventative dentistry is the most sensible, efficient and cost effective means of avoiding serious and expensive periodontal health problems.  Here at Garrison Family Dentistry, we’d much rather see you for preventative dental care-- including regular exams, cleanings and health screenings-- than we would for a complex and invasive procedure to correct a problem that could have been avoided.

 

While routine dental care is an essential part of preventative dentistry, your at-home oral care practices play a major role in prevention of gum disease, infection and other issues. At our practice, we work with you to help you take the right steps towards excellent oral health and proper preventative dental care.

 

For more information on the preventative dentistry services we provide here at Garrison Family Dentistry, please view our websitewww.garrisondentistry.com to contact us directly.

Bone Grafting

If you need restoration procedures, such as implants, you may first require bone grafting. In some situations, your jawbone may be too soft or not thick enough to support a dental implant. Bone loss in the jaw typically is caused by periodontal disease. That’s where bone grafting can help.

 

Dr. Matthew Garrison and his team at Garrison Family Dentistry have experience performing various types of oral surgery including bone grafts. The procedure involves removing small amounts of bone from another area of the body, such as the hip. Bone fragments can also be retrieved from an area of the mouth, which was drilled. In some cases, cadaver bone can be used.

 

After the bone is retrieved, it is placed on top of your existing bone in a procedure called grafting. The procedure builds up the bone in the jaw area and increases the chances of success when placing an implant or other type of restoration.

 

In addition to bone grafting, Garrison Family Dentistry also offers other types of oral surgery including extractions. We also offer cosmetic and preventative dentistry. If you are looking for outstanding customer service with an exemplary reputation, consider Garrison Family Dentistry.

 

For more information on bone grafting or any of our other services, please call our office at 816-532-8778 or visit us online at www.garrisondentistry.com. 

Mouth Guards

Does your child play a sport?  Whether they play a sport for fun or for a school team, mouth guards are an essential piece of equipment.  Mouth guards are used to protect your teeth when playing football, hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, basketball, baseball, soccer, and other contact sports.  Athletes of all ages who participate in contact sports should wear a mouth guard.  This dental appliance helps to prevent:

• Tooth damage
•  Jaw damage
• Concussions
• Lacerations to the checks, tongue and lips

We offer custom mouth guards at Garrison Family Dentistry.  We encourage parents to bring their children in for a mouth guard fitting for the best level of protection for your smile!

Bonding and White Filling

When accidental damage affects your smile, you want to opt for the most cosmetically appealing dental solution.  Whether you are looking to correct a chipped tooth or you need to fill a cavity, we offer cosmetically appealing restorative services at Garrison Family Dentistry.  Bonding and white fillings have helped many of our patients restore the health and beauty of their smiles.

 

Bonding is used to restore structural damage like chipped, cracked, or fractured teeth.  It can even correct gaps created by teeth that are too narrow or short.  This affordable, beautiful solution fixes damaged teeth for a realistic look.

 

White fillings have replaced traditional metal amalgam fillings at our practice. Unlike dark, metal fillings, white fillings blend in with your natural tooth color.  You can improve your oral health and correct tooth decay without affecting the aesthetic appearance of your smile.

 

If you are ready to fix your damaged tooth and restore the beauty of your smile, contact our practice and learn about how our bonding and white filling services can help.

Nitrous Oxide

Dental anxiety is a common occurrence among our patients, which is why we offer nitrous oxide. This helps patients take the edge off while getting dental procedures, whether it is a root canal, root planing and scaling, or an extraction.

 

Nitrous oxide is also referred to as laughing gas and given by having a mask placed over the patient’s nose and mouth so they can inhale the gas. The patient is monitored by Dr. Matthew Garrison the entire time.

 

There are many benefits to choosing nitrous oxide as a way for dental sedation, such as the following:

• It wears off quickly, so you can still drive yourself home.
• It is a safe and effective form of sedation.
• The level of sedation can be controlled by the dentist, increasing or decreasing the gas.
• Patients resume normal activities immediately after their dental appointment.
• Sensations experienced with nitrous oxide include relaxation, euphoria, and relief from anxiety and tension.

You can contact us at Garrison Family Dentistry in Smithville, MO by calling 816-532-8778 or by visiting us online at www.garrisondentistry.com for more information.

Wisdom Teeth Extractions

At Garrison Family Dentistry, wisdom teeth extractions are a fairly common procedure. Your last set of molars to come in, wisdom teeth usually emerge when you are between 17 and 21 years old. Since wisdom teeth can often become impacted, which means they come in at an angle rather than straight through the gums, it is many times necessary to remove them before they cause pain or begin to push on your other teeth.

 

If a wisdom tooth is impacted and can only emerge partially, it is possible for an operculum to form over the tooth. If this flap of skin forms, the tooth will be hard to clean and can be infected. This infection is called pericoronitis.

 

When a wisdom tooth is in danger of causing such problems, Dr. Matthew Garrison will extract the tooth. It is often necessary to remove all four at once. This is done either by using a local anesthetic or a general anesthetic, based on the preference of the doctors and patient and how far the wisdom teeth have emerged. After the anesthetic is applied, the gum tissue around the wisdom tooth is cut and the tooth is loosened and pulled out. If necessary, the gums will be sutured for healing.

 

After the surgery, rest is required, and you will need to change the gauze applied to the incision. To see if your wisdom teeth may need to be removed, schedule an appointment with us by calling 816-532-8778. For more information on our practice, visit www.garrisondentistry.com.