My Recommendations on Use of Arestin in Periodontal Therapy

Where Arestin® is very useful is in Periodontal Supportive Therapy (aka Recare or Periodontal Maintenance). Used correctly it can enable patients to not require periodontal surgery as frequently or at all. Here is where I believe it is best utilized.

Dr. Young on San Antonio Living

Dr. Young was on San Antonio Living this week talking with Shelly Miles about periodontal disease and how to prevent it. Watch it and let us know what you think! If you think you may be developing periodontal disease, please sign up for a free consultation.

You have Periodontal Disease, Now What?

Patients have a right to understand exactly what it means when they are told they have periodontal disease. “You have periodontal disease and this is what it will cost to treat it,” is not enough information. Here are three things every patient needs to know about their oral condition. 1. An explanation of the periodontal […]

What Causes Gingivitis?

Let me tell you a fun little story about how we came to know what causes gingivitis and how to best treat it. In my field of periodontics prior to 1965 it was not universally agreed that gingivitis and periodontal disease (periodontitis) were caused by bacteria. Many scientists understood this, but because there was so […]

Difference between Periodontal Disease and Gingivitis

Patients Need to Know the Difference between Periodontal Disease and Gingivitis This is more than an academic question to those with gum problems. If you know the difference, you can better manage your own health and better control the cost of dental care. Both Periodontal Disease (also called “Periodontitis) and Gingivitis have similar signs and […]

Possible immune marker for refractory periodontitis

http://www.joponline.org/doi/pdf/10.1902/jop.2010.100508 Neutrophils and other phagocytic cells kill bacteria using a process called respiratory burst where the immune cell produces superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. These chemicals effectively kill bacteria as well as healthy cells and extracellular connective tissue (both mineralized and unmineralized). The investigators of this study theorize that refractory periodontitis patients may have a unique […]

Thoughts About Documentation

Paperwork. I don’t know anyone who likes doing it… including me. But when it comes to documenting patient care, it’s important. Having stated this, we really aren’t taught to do it well. In dental school we document to prove competency, which means we are writing for reasons beyond immediate care of a specific patient. After […]