Class II Generalized Periodontitis and Rheumatoid Arthritis Requesting Implant Placement

Posted on December 6, 2019May 20, 2021 by Patricia Lugo DMD

Challenge: To establish periodontal remission by addressing the clinical manifestations of periodontal disease and altering the oral flora in order to lower the incidence of periodontal disease relapse. Bacterial management will eliminate a source of total body inflammation and increase success of implant placement. Background: The patient is a 66 year-old-male with rheumatoid arthritis, taking Lisinopril and is a potential candidate for implant to restore #19. Patient’s daily home care r...

I Don’t Need That, We’re Already Getting Good Results

Posted on November 29, 2019May 20, 2021 by Richard H. Nagelberg, DDS

The enemy of optimal patient care is complacency. Why would anyone settle for good results when optimal results are so easily achieved? Put yourself in your patient’s place in the exam chair: would you then want only good enough? Patients trust their dental professionals to provide the voice in decision regarding their care. If given the choice between practicing blindly, with no information about the specific bacterial cause of their individual case of periodontal disease, and having the ...

Identify & Destroy! Synergistic Pathogenic Biofilm Management

Posted on November 22, 2019May 20, 2021 by Karen Davis RDH, BSDH

Synergy is the combined effect of two things being greater than either one independently. As a veteran of managing periodontal diseases, that is how I view salivary diagnostics and Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT). With salivary diagnostics I can identify specific pathogens thriving in my patient’s biofilm, and through the process of GBT I am able to dismantle and destroy those pathogens. This is synergy at its best. Quick review of pathogenic biofilm, then we can focus on GBT and salivary...

How do you speak Joint/Musculoskeletal Health and Periodontal Disease to your patients?

Posted on November 1, 2019August 14, 2024 by Jill Wade DDS, MAGD

Dr. McGlennen: Like periodontitis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory condition. But unlike periodontitis, where the genesis of the inflammation is the complex infections in the gingival sulcus, the cause of RA is unknown. Recent studies, however, provide insights that, in part, oral bacteria play a role in evoking an abnormal immune response that then leads to joint disease. In a recent meta-analysis of 21 separate studies, there was a significantly increased risk of per...

Interview with Jessica Clarke, RDH

Posted on October 18, 2019May 20, 2021 by Jessica Clarke RDH

Dr. McGlennen: Let’s talk about how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics in your practice. Jessica Clarke RDH: We are currently using the OralDNA® MyPerioPath® test as standard protocol for all active non-surgical periodontal treatment in our office. Dr. McGlennen: What are the top two things you consider when selecting a patient for testing? Jessica Clarke RDH: We stick with the traditional signs of periodontal disease (PD) such as bleeding gums, and when we review the patient’s m...

Be the Guide, Not the Hero

Posted on October 11, 2019May 20, 2021 by Debbie Ozment DDS MS, NBC-HWC, ABAAHP

We care deeply for our patient family and are oral-systemic experts. Because we have invested enormous amounts of time and money in quality education, we know best what people need for strong teeth and a long health span. Our patients appreciate this and always listen intently to what we tell them they need to do. They happily reach into their wallets and hand us their credit card. Right? In my 34 years of clinical experience: Wrong! People buy what they want, not necessarily what they ...

Nobody Has Ever Done that Before

Posted on September 27, 2019May 20, 2021 by Lee Sheldon DMD PA

In this era of trying to differentiate yourself from the provider down the street, a simple solution is incorporating OralDNA® salivary testing services. Imagine a patient who has had periodontal disease and has seen several dentists and periodontists in the past. They may have been told they have pockets, but what do pockets mean to a patient? Perhaps a lot, but only if they have been properly educated about the consequences of a pocket deepening. Let’s look at this from another persp...

Traditional Periodontal Disease Case Study

Posted on September 20, 2019May 20, 2021 by Brain Davey DDS

Challenge: Patient with extremely limited history of dental care presents seeking dental wellness. Although patient is anxious, she is highly motivated to create a healthier dental foundation. Background: A 33-year-old woman with history of acid reflux, seasonal allergies and anemia is seeking to better her dental care. The patient has limited recollection of any dental care in her life, even childhood. The patient’s home care consists of manual tooth brushing 1-2 times per day with the ...

What’s Your Excuse?

Posted on August 30, 2019May 20, 2021 by Richard H. Nagelberg, DDS

It is difficult to understand the resistance by dental professionals to test for the bacteria that cause gum disease. The excuses are numerous including, “I’ve always done it this way”. A variation on this notion is “We were always taught”. Other excuses shift the decision to the patients. “My patients won’t accept it”. Equally unsupported excuses include “We’re already getting good results”, or “I don’t need that”, or “What difference will it make?” Claims of insufficient time are very comm...

Interview with Richard Zbaraschuk DDS

Posted on August 23, 2019May 20, 2021 by Richard Zbaraschuk DDS

Dr. McGlennen: Tell me how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics. Richard Zbaraschuk, DDS: For each patient we utilize chairside microscopy. When I see mature biofilms and/or Fn (Fusobacterium nucleatum), yeast, white blood cells (WBC), or spirochetes with the aid of the microscope, or the patient has consistent bleeding upon probing, I’ll make the recommendation of OralDNA® testing. All new patients are given the MyPerioPath® brochure so they know all the options for testing that our of...