Patient Success

Before Treatment

Figure 1. Before Treatment

After Treatment

Figure 2. After Treatment. Note how much larger the upper teeth are in proportion to the gums.

Background Information

Patient History: Linda is a 20 year old Caucasian female who presented with the complaint that she did not like her gummy smile.

Treatment Recommendations: I discussed various options with Linda including removing some of the excessive gums over her teeth to reveal her large teeth that were hiding. This condition is called Altered Passive Eruption (which means the teeth never fully erupt and are tucked away under the gums). Many people have this condition and are not even aware of how much bigger their teeth really are. Sometimes, more than HALF the tooth is hidden underneath the gums.

Procedure Performed: We went ahead and performed a CROWN LENGTHENING , which means making the teeth bigger and the gums proportionately smaller.

Outcome: At least half of her teeth were hidden underneath the upper gums. We revealed her teeth more, and she exhibits a lot more of them when she smiles today.

Patient comments before and after procedure: “Wow, I cant believe how big my teeth really are compared to what you could see before. Now I show my beautiful teeth instead of just gums. I don’t have to cover my mouth with my hand when I laugh now because I am not embarrassed anymore.”

What made our services stand out for the patient and the dentist is that she was very scared before treatment and we were able to put her to sleep for the duration of the procedure. When she woke up, she got the immediate gratification of seeing her brand new smile. Her dentist was looking for someone who could perform this procedure for her with anesthesia and sent her to us for the treatment with this in mind.

Before Treatment

Figure 1. Badly receding gums on upper and lower front teeth

After Treatment

Figure 2. Recession covered by gum grafting (8 weeks after treatment)

Background Information

Patient Age: Arnold is a 27-year-old Asian male

Problem Presented: The patient presented with severe sensitivity on his front teeth to cold (especially ice cream). He wanted to cover up the exposed roots on his upper and lower front teeth so he could enjoy drinking cold drinks and ice cream again. He was even sensitive to cold air while he was skiing in the winter.

Diagnosis: This condition is related to Gingivitis of his upper and lower gums, which essentially means inflammation of the gums. When the gums get inflamed, they start to recede and follow the bone deterioration away from the teeth. This can eventually cause tooth loss.

Treatment Recommendations: Gum grafting procedure to cover up the exposed roots of the upper and lower front teeth.

Procedures Performed: Gum grafts are normally taken from the patient’s own roof of the mouth. Most people are afraid of this procedure because they think it would be uncomfortable. The reality is that the procedure is performed in our office using the Perio Asleep technique while the patient sleeps through the entire process. Later, the patient might feel as though they have a Pizza burn on the roof of their mouth. This sensation only lasts for about 3 days after treatment.

Outcome: The patient was very pleased that not only did the grafts take and cover his roots 100% as compared to when he first walked in, but he could enjoy all the things he could not before. He could drink cold beer, eat ice cream again and ski to his heart’s content throughout the winter months. He was very happy with the outcome.

Conclusion: This treatment is easy, predictable, and works very well, especially when it’s caught early. The longer one waits later in life, the more difficult it is to correct the problem. What made our services stand out for the patient and the referring dentist is that we exceeded the patient’s expectations with regard to the fact we covered all the roots with the grafting procedure. The dentist told me that he has never seen such natural-looking results for such a treatment. He was especially happy considering that the patient was his son!

Before Treatment

Figure 1. Before dental implants

After Placement

Figure 2. Two weeks after dental implants were placed

After Restoration

Figure 3. A month after dental implants were inserted, patient is wearing the final crowns

Background Information

Patient Age: Amanda is a 19 year old Caucasian female
Problem Presented: Patient has been missing her lateral incisors (lateral front teeth) her entire life and had to walk around with a retainer with fake teeth. She was most unhappy about this and wanted to fill these unsightly spaces with permanent dental implant teeth.
Diagnosis: Congenitally missing lateral incisors
Treatment Recommendations: We discussed crown and bridge and dental implants. She refused crown and bridge because she did not wish to cut down perfectly good teeth to place a bridge in the front of her mouth. As well, she knew that over time, the bridges would fail and more extensive and expensive treatment would be necessary. She chose the dental implants option.
Procedures Performed: Amanda had the dental implants placed and continued to wear the retainer over the implants so that no one could see missing teeth or even know that she had any dental treatment. After 1 month of healing, she proceeded to have the crowns finally inserted over the implants.
Outcome: The patient was extremely pleased at her new smile and that she did not have to remove a retainer several times per day to clean it. As well, she can bite into and eat anything she wants now including, her favorite, candy apples.
Conclusion: Today, missing teeth can be replaced easily, efficiently and quickly with dental implant technology. In some situations, patients can walk out the door with the implants AND final crowns in under an hour.
Patient Comments before and after procedure: the patient was very frustrated and unhappy by her situation and wanted a PERMANENT solution to her missing front teeth. At completion of treatment, she told me I am more confident then ever about myself. I am being asked out on more dates and my presentations in school have improved because I am not worried about my retainer falling out when I speak in public.
What made our services stand out for the patient and for the referring dentist is the speed at which her treatment was completed. In ONE month, she had her final teeth placed over the implants. This was relatively new technology a few years ago when this treatment was completed and the dentist was astonished at how natural the final result was.