I have not been to my medical doctor for years. Do I need a current physical?

We get a medical consult and clearance from your medical doctor before we do surgery. Your doctor will determine if you need to be seen to update your physical.

Can the body reject a dental implant?

No, the body will not reject a dental implant. The reason is that the implant has a surface that keeps the body from recognizing the implant as a foreign body. It is not like people are with transplanted tissue (i.e. heart or lungs), where the body sees the tissue as a foreign body.

I am on blood thinner. Can I have dental implant or other dental surgery?

There is a value to how well your body clots blood, it is call the INR – International Normalized Ratio. If your INR is 2 or less we can do treatment. We will confer with your medical doctor to see what your INR is and if your medication needs to be adjusted to correct the value for surgery.

I am diabetic. Can I have dental surgery?

Controlled diabetics can have dental surgery. If not controlled you will need to see your medical doctor.

I take fosamax or boneva (bisphosponates). Can I have dental surgery?

The rule of thumb for invasive dental surgery is that you must take a drug holiday.  You will need to be off your medication for 8 weeks before surgery then wait another 8 weeks after surgery before starting your medication again. If you have ever been on I. V. medications for bone loss then you may not be a candidate for surgery.  Our doctors may also order blood work to see your bisphosponate medication level.

I plan on having children.  Is there any Rh sensitivity risks with any bone or gum grafting products that come from a tissue bank?

No, these products have the blood cells removed from them so there will be no Rh factor to be sensitive to.

If you have ever experienced gum recession around your teeth or felt like you had too much tooth showing, it may be a result of inadequate gum tissue around your teeth or dental implants.

The pink part of the gum tissue is the top part by the teeth. It is attached to the bone underneath. The dark part of the mouth under the tongue or in the cheek is called unattached tissue. You must have adequate attached tissue around teeth or dental implants. The way to increase this area or band of tissue is to add to it through gum grafting.

Adequate attached tissue is important in keeping a zone of health around your teeth and implants; it acts as a barrier to the bad bacteria that cause tooth loss. The tissue to be added can be harvested from your palate or we can use a donor source (Alloderm). The grafted material is then sutured next to and under the gum where tissue is to be added.

To avoid harvesting at a second surgical site most people opt for using the donor membrane (Alloderm). Alloderm has been used for over 10 years with no history of any donor to recipient disease transmission. It has become the standard for tissue grafting. As with all donor products the patient must be aware of the inherent risk with any donor product.