Dr. Clark Serenades His Patients

If you've been with Dr. Clark for any amount of time, you know he loves to hum, whistle, or sing a great melody. 

Enjoy this little serenade, "In My Deep Purple Shirt, I can fix Them When They Hurt". 

If you haven't scheduled your semi-annual cleaning, please do so. Prevention is always better than the cure. 

 

Hello 2021 - January's eNewsletter from Dr. Clark & Team

Just in case you missed our newsletter in the email, we've posted it here for your review. Believe it or not, 2021 is underway and admittedly, it has been a rough start. But that doesn't have to foreshadow the end. 

We hope that as you begin your new year you will find the confidence to make the changes you need to make, and also give yourself the grace during the change and growth seasons in your life.

We look forward to seeing you this year during your semi-annual dental cleanings. Remember these appointments are critical for your self-care. Your mouth is a window into your overall health and when you ignore the warning signs your mouth gives you it always ends poorly. 

Risk Factors for Gum Disease

LANAP gum treatment also has many benefits, including:

• LANAP is a no cut, no sew, no fear procedure.
• Overall health upswing – Patients often tell us their overall wellness improves as the massive inflammation around their teeth is snuffed out, and their mouth returns to health.
• Less discomfort – LANAP treatment is more comfortable than traditional gum procedures, both during and after your treatment.
• Faster treatment time – your LANAP treatment requires fewer visits and less chair time.
• Quicker recovery – LANAP is minimally invasive, leading to much quicker recovery than traditional cut and sew gum surgery.
• Better long-term results – LANAP does not involve loss of gum tissue or removal of bone tissue as is experienced in the cut and sew technique.
• Safe for those who are medically compromised – LANAP therapy is safe for individuals with pre-existing medical conditions.
• Bad breath resolution: Dr Clark jokes that, “Bad breath is better than no breath at all!” Bad breath is resolved because the gums no longer are infected, bleeding or harboring accumulations of food debris and bacteria under the gums. Bad breath is toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. Imagine breathing toxic gas into your lungs constantly. It is killing you slowly as time goes by!

Patient Testimonial of LANAP

Dr. Clark interviews one of his patients about their experience with LANAP treatment. Pink gums after one week! "Had I gone to any other dentist I wouldn't have any teeth right now, they would have just pulled them."

Am I a LANAP Candidate?

Who is a candidate for LANAP laser surgery?

Patients with moderate-to-severe gum disease can especially benefit from the LANAP protocol. The LANAP protocol is also an excellent treatment option for patients who are fearful of conventional scalpel surgery.

Do I have to stop taking my medication for LANAP laser surgery?

Because of the unique properties of the PerioLase laser wavelength, patients on blood thinners or with aspirin regimens do not have to stop taking any medications.

What should I expect during LANAP treatment?

The LANAP protocol is typically performed in a dentist’s office under local anesthesia. Prior to the procedure, the dentist does a periodontal charting and takes X-rays to make a proper diagnosis and determine the extent of the disease. A tiny laser fiber (about the thickness of three human hairs) is inserted between the tooth and the gum, and the infection and disease are cleared away without cutting the gums. The tooth roots are then thoroughly cleaned of tartar and plaque, and the laser is used again with a different setting to create a stable, firm fibrin blood clot to seal the pocket. The dentist treats one half of the patient’s mouth at each session, and most patients are able to drive themselves back to work or home following the procedure.

What is the LANAP Protocol?

What is the LANAP protocol?

The LANAP protocol is a minimally invasive gum disease treatment that uses a specific dental laser, the PerioLase® MVP-7™. The LANAP protocol is the first and only protocol to receive FDA clearance for True Regeneration, which is re-growing new cementum, new periodontal ligament, and new alveolar bone. These three components are needed for full oral function. The LANAP protocol has been in widespread use by the dental community for many years.

What are the benefits of the LANAP protocol for the treatment of gum disease?

• Less post-operative pain — Using the PerioLase MVP-7 dental laser, the LANAP protocol helps avoid cutting and stitching of the gums. As a result, patients usually have minimal post-operative discomfort.
• Quicker recovery time — Most patients are able to return to their regular daily activities immediately following the procedure, which generally requires less than a 24-hour recovery period. Following traditional scalpel and suture surgery, recovery can take two to four weeks, during which patients can experience considerable pain and swelling.
• Healthy gums with minimal recession — When your gums are cut, the tissue shrinks and can show more of your tooth root. Because the LANAP protocol does not cut your gums, the tissue stays intact.
• Regeneration without foreign materials — Because the PerioLase laser stimulates your body’s own healing response, your LANAP dentist doesn’t have to add foreign ‘growth factors.’

Source: https://www.lanap.com/2016/09/15/lanap-protocol-frequently-asked-questions/

80% of Adults have Gum Disease! Are you one of them?

Recently on our Facebook page we posted a video of Whoopi Goldberg relating her nightmare experience with a serious gum infection that not only resulted in losing teeth, but also in losing bone.

Gum disease is killing us.  This deadly culprit has been linked to heart disease and stroke and also diseases like pneumonia and diabetes.  Research shows that if you have diabetes and gum disease your chance of dying increases upwards of 400 to 700%.  That's astonishing!


Where's the happy lining in all of this gloom and doom?  What many people don't know is that gum disease can be avoided altogether by making simple changes to your regular dental hygiene.  Many Americans have dental insurance, but don't take advantage of their benefits.  If you find yourself in that category, may we strongly urge you to make that leap and schedule an appointment with our office?  Sometimes fear of the unknown keeps us away from really taking care of ourselves.


Times have changed.  It used to be dentists would just clean and fix our teeth, but technology has advanced so greatly that it allows dental professionals the ability to make early detection of any possible disease that you may be susceptible to, and help you prevent it from progressing to dangerous levels.


We have had such great success with treating gum disease in our dental practice.  We have saved many teeth, and even lives due to the important technology that our dental practice has invested in and have been trained how to use it. 


Over the next several blog postings we will discuss different facets of gum disease and what you can do, no matter what stage you are in, to get the great smile you've always wanted!


Click here to here watch Whoppi Goldberg's story along with some other videos that will help you understand gum disease and what can be done to treat it.


We hope you join us on this educational journey and look forward to sharing some great insights with you over the next blog posts!

As always, if you have question or would like a free consultation, please give us a call!

(541)451-4011 or TEXT us at 541.6DC.DDS2