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Call 512.341.2321 if you have any questions about the periodontal services we offer at our Round Rock office.
Treatment Methods
Periodontal Disease Treatment
Dr. Owens’ practice provides a variety of surgical services. We pride ourselves on the fact that we are very conservative in our treatment recommendations and limit surgery to the areas where it is absolutely necessary.
Many times, the early stages of periodontal disease are best treated with non-surgical periodontal therapy. Even in severe cases, non-surgical periodontal therapy often precedes surgical therapy. This is done to improve the overall tissue quality prior to surgery and also to help limit the areas requiring surgery.
Crown Lengthening
Crown lengthening (or crown exposure) is required when your tooth needs a new crown or other restoration and the edge of that restoration will be deep below the gum tissue and not accessible to your general dentist. It is also usually too close to the bone or below the required height of the bone, interfering with the amount of gum tissue required for optimum oral health.
The procedure involves adjusting the levels of the gum tissue and bone around the tooth in question, to create a new gum-to–tooth relationship. This allows us to reach the edge of the restoration, ensuring a proper fit to the tooth. It should also provide enough tooth structure so the new restoration will not come loose in the future. This allows you to clean the edge of the restoration when you brush and floss to prevent decay and gum disease. The procedure takes approximately one hour. You will need to be seen in one or two weeks to evaluate your healing.
Cosmetic Enhancement
Gum Grafting Overview
For a brief narrated overview of the gum grafting process, please click the image below. It will launch our flash educational MiniModule in a separate window that may answer some of your questions about gum grafting.
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These procedures are a predictable way to cover unsightly, sensitive or exposed root surfaces and to prevent future gum recession. If you are unhappy with the appearance of short unsightly teeth this can be greatly improved by a combination of periodontal procedures by Dr. Owens and cosmetic dentistry by your dentist.
Gummy Smile or Uneven Gumline
Although your teeth appear short, they may actually be the proper length. The teeth may be covered with too much gum tissue. We can correct this by performing the periodontal plastic surgery procedure, crown lengthening.
During this procedure, excess gum and bone tissue is reshaped to expose more of the natural tooth. This can be done to more than one tooth, to even your gum line, and to create a beautiful smile. If necessary, this procedure
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After
sets the stage allowing your new veneers or crowns to have the correct length and shape, giving you a new smile with just the right look.
Long Teeth/Exposed Roots
Another cosmetic procedure is the soft tissue graft. It is used to cover unattractive tooth roots, reduce gum recession and protect the roots from decay and eventual tooth loss.
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Indentations in the Gums and Jawbone
When you lose one or more teeth, you can get an indentation in your gums and jawbone where the tooth used to be. This happens because the jawbone recedes when it is no longer holding a tooth in place. This indentation does not look natural and causes the replacement tooth to look longer than the neighboring teeth if it is constructed to fill in the space.
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After
This defect can be filled to recapture the natural contour of your gums and jaw. A new tooth can then be created that is natural-looking, easy to clean and esthetic.