We have recently had a few questions about whether patients require a "prophy" (or typical cleaning), or whether "periodontal maintenance" is required in our North County San Diego dental office.  I would like to take a minute to explain the difference between the two procedures. 

The American Dental Association description for Prophylaxis-Adult is: “A dental prophylaxis performed on transitional or permanent dentition, which includes scaling and polishing procedures to remove CORONAL plaque, calculus, and stains.”  Avoiding dental parlance, this simply means the code provides for using dental tools and polishing procedures to remove plaque, tarter, and stains from the portion of the tooth that extends ABOVE THE GUMLINE.  Of course, the key word here is above the gumline.  The reason a patient needs periodontal maintenance is because they build more calculus and have deep pockets that make it more difficult to clean below the gumline.

Once a patient has been diagnosed with periodontal disease, periodontal maintenance takes the place of prophylaxis.  Rather than only addressing the crowns of the teeth as in prophylaxis, periodontal maintenance also cares for your tooth roots, gums and bones.  Periodontal maintenance (PM) is distinctly different than prophy and is used for patients who have active perio treatment.  It is ongoing treatment for periodontists, which is a chronic and non-curable bacterial infection.  The objective of PM is to keep the disease under control.  Periodontal maintenance is provided every three months.  Alternating periodontal maintenance and prophys at 3 month intervals is inappropriate because the prophys are non-therapeutic.* (For further reference, please see www.dentistryiq.com, search “Prophy and Periodontal Maintenance.")

In response to a request from many patients that we provide seating to better accommodate their particular circumstances, our North County San Diego Dental Office has added preferential patient seating.  We specially reserve this seating for patients needing extra seating space.

Dental implants, or artificial tooth roots inserted into the jaw to replace missing teeth, are the preferred method for treating tooth loss because they function the same as natural teeth and help preserve the jaw structure by preventing atrophy from bone loss.

Commonly used bridgework and dentures are often used to address the cosmetic problem of missing teeth, but do not prevent bone loss.  Dr. Jason McGonegle often prefers to place permanent implants, because dental implants help to maintain proper chewing function and exert appropriate, natural forces on the jawbone to keep it functional and healthy.

Dr. Jason McGonegle spent many years placing implants in his prior office in Washington State, before implementing his dental implant system now in place at our Vista, California office.  He has attended multiple seminars on the best practices for placing dental implants, in addition to his education at USC School of Dentistry.  Dr. Jason McGonegle has had a dental implant system in place in his Vista, California office for several months now, and has placed many implants successfully.  Patients interested in receiving more information about dental implants are urged to call our office at (760) 726-0281.

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We are very pleased to announce that we have added an additional dental assistant to our North County San Diego dental practice. Carmen has been with the office of Jason McGonegle, D.D.S. in Vista California for 6 months now, and has fulfilled a much needed role a bilingual Spanish speaking Dental Assistant in our Vista, San Diego, California office. Carmen lives locally and has substantial experience as a dental assistant in other North County San Diego offices. Carmen is available to help Spanish speaking patients understand their dental needs. Sí, hablamos español.

                                                                *Image courtesy of 89studio at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Generally every dentist advises their patients to floss, and had done so  for decades. However, the Associated Press shook up this conventional wisdom last month with a report that said the evidence behind flossing’s effectiveness has not been reliable.

While social media exploded with consumers expressing joy in believing that they don’t need to floss anymore, prominent dental associations countered with support for the practice. The ADA issued a statement reiterating its view that interdental cleaners such as floss are essential to oral health. The organization noted that cleaning between teeth removes plaque and debris from areas where brushes don’t reach, decreasing the risks of gum disease and tooth decay. The ADA also said that these tools require proper techniques to be effective, though, so dentists may need to teach their patients how to floss correctly.

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) also issued a statement recommending daily flossing as part of regular oral hygiene. The AAP said that accumulated plaque bacteria beneath the gumline may cause an inflammatory response that could lead to gingivitis, periodontitis, tooth loss, and even other systemic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. Furthermore, the AAP said that periodontal disease develops slowly and is caused by multiple factors, so studies examining flossing’s efficacy need to be conducted throughout a number of years and among a large population.
                                                                           *Source: http://www.dentistrytoday.com/news