Dentures Philadelphia

During your first visit, your periodontist will review your complete medical and dental history with you. It's extremely important for your periodontist to know if you are taking any medications or being treated for any condition that can affect your periodontal care. You will be given a complete oral and periodontal exam. Your periodontist will examine your gums, check to see if there is any gum line recession, assess how your teeth fit together when you bite and check your teeth to see if any are loose. Your periodontist will also take a small measuring instrument and place it between your teeth and gums to determine the depth of those spaces, known as periodontal pockets. This helps your periodontist assess the health of your gums. Radiographs (x-rays) may be used to show the bone levels between your teeth to check for possible bone loss.

Dental Implants Philadelphia

 

Committed to your complete comfort during dental treatment, Dr. Stephen Brown is a nationally recognized expert, providing a wide variety of cosmetic, periodontal, and implant dentistry procedures to enhance your smile’s comfort, function, and beauty. 
 

 Dr. Brown creates a compassionate environment in which people may make informed choices regarding their oral health and wellness. Through our commitment to excellence and service to others, we also nurture our own personal growth and development.
 
He believes that all dental procedures can and should be delivered in an anxiety and pain-free environment. Dr. Brown is a certified expert in the delivery of sedation dentistry. 

 

 

Dental Implants Philadelphia

 

Committed to your complete comfort during dental treatment, Dr. Stephen Brown is a nationally recognized expert, providing a wide variety of cosmetic, periodontal, and implant dentistry procedures to enhance your smile’s comfort, function, and beauty. 
 

 Dr. Brown creates a compassionate environment in which people may make informed choices regarding their oral health and wellness. Through our commitment to excellence and service to others, we also nurture our own personal growth and development.
 
He believes that all dental procedures can and should be delivered in an anxiety and pain-free environment. Dr. Brown is a certified expert in the delivery of sedation dentistry. 

 

 

Laser Gum Treatment Philadelphia

Periodontist & Dental Implant Specialist Dr. I. Stephen Brown, Serving Philadelphia PA, Camden NJ & Montgomery County

I. Stephen Brown, D.D.S., F.A.C.D., F.I.C.D., is a nationally recognized expert, providing a wide variety of cosmetic, periodontal, and implant dentistry procedures to enhance your smile’s comfort, function, and beauty. Unconditionally committed to your complete comfort during dental treatment, Dr. Brown believes that all dental procedures can and should be delivered in an anxiety and pain-free environment. Dr. Brown is a certified expert in the delivery of sedation dentistry. For a healthy, beautiful smile, contact Dr. Brown.

Our mission at The Perio Group is to create a compassionate environment in which people may make informed choices regarding their oral health and wellness. Through our commitment to excellence and service to others, we also nurture our own personal growth and development.

Treating Overgrowth of Gum Tissue

Tooth eruption consists of an active and a passive phase. Active eruption is the movement of the teeth in the direction of the occlusal plane, whereas passive eruption is related to the exposure of the teeth by apical migration of the gingiva.

Altered passive eruption is characterized by excessive gingiva in relation to the crown of the tooth. This condition may be localized or generalized, may exist in conjuction with or without periodontal disease and should be considered in planning for restorative, orthodontic and esthetic dentistry.

While altered passive eruption is usually diagnosed by clinical observation, this condition is often overlooked or unrecognized. Failure to recognize this condition can result in compromised clinical outcomes.

Correct diagnosis of altered passive eruption and proper therapy will result in improved dental care and esthetic results for patients. Read more here about this condition and how Philadelphia Periodontist Dr. Stephen Brown treats the overgrowth of gum tissue.

Functional Crown Lengthening Procedure Available to Enhance Philadelphia Smiles

Cosmetic Dentistry: Functional Crown Lengthening

Periodontal procedures are available to lay the groundwork for periodontal and restorative dentistry and/or to improve the health and esthetics of your smile. Periodontal crown lengthening is a procedure that recontours the gum tissue surrounding one or more teeth so that an adequate amount of healthy tooth is exposed. Crown lengthening is often used as part of a treatment plan for a tooth that is to be fitted with a crown. This procedure provides the necessary space between the supporting bone and crown, preventing the new crown from damaging gum tissues and bone.

Your dentist or Periodontist may recommend a crown lengthening procedure to make a restorative procedure possible. If a tooth is badly worn, decayed, or fractured, below the gum line, crown lengthening adjusts the gum and bone levels to gain access to more of the tooth so it can be restored.

What are the benefits of this procedure?

Functional crown lengthening is an important part of an integrated effort to optimize your health, appearance, comfort, and function. A beautiful new smile and improved periodontal health are your keys to smiling, eating and speaking with comfort and confidence.

Philadelphia Gum Specialist, Dr. Stephen Brown is uniquely qualified to deliver this service in the Philadelphia, PA, Montgomery County, Camden, NJ area. For a consultation with this gum disease dentist, call (215) 735-3660 or visit http://www.theperiogroup.com/.

TMD : Dental Treatment for Temporomandibular Disorders

Do you have frequent headaches, earaches, tender jaw muscles, or a dull, aching facial pain? Does your jaw lock or stray to one side when you open your mouth? These aches and pains may be related to the jaw joint, called the temporomandibular joint or "TMJ", and the muscles that work to move the joint. These painful conditions are often called "TMD" for temporomandibular disorders.

Signs and Symptoms of Temporomandibular Disorders

Temporomandibular disorders come in many shapes and sizes and include a wide array of signs and symptoms, all ranging in severity. Some patients will experience symptoms without any function loss that is apparent. Some specific symptoms are:

• tender jaw muscles


• clicking or popping jaw noises


• difficulty with opening and closing the mouth


• pain associated with yawning and/or chewing


• jaw joints the feel as though they are either "locked," "stuck" or "go out"


• headaches, including migraines
• pain in or around the ear

How the jaw joints and jaw muscles work

The joints and muscles on each side of your jaw help open and close the mouth. These joints move in many different directions and allow individuals to chew, talk and swallow.

The two temporomandibular joints are among the most complex joints in the body. They work together in a delicate balance with muscles, ligaments, cartilage and your jaw bones . When a problem prevents these parts from working together properly, pain may result.

What Causes TMD?

Several conditions my be associated with TMD. This often makes it difficult to pinpoint the cause of a particular case of TMD. Related conditions may include:

• injuries to the jaw or head


• diseases of the muscles or joints, such as arthritis


• bite problems (teeth don't fit together properly)


• stress

To determine how best to treat your condition, a thorough evaluation is recommended. Your dentist may check the joints and muscles for tenderness, clicking, popping or difficulty moving. Your complete medical history may be reviewed, so it is important to keep your dental office record up-to-date. Your dentist may take x-rays and may make a model of your teeth to see how your bite fits together. Your dentist may also request specialized x-rays for the TM joints.

Treatment Options

There are several ways TMD may be treated. Your general dentist may recommend treatment, or he or she may refer you to a physician or dental specialist.

Treatment may involve a series of steps. The step-by-step plan allows you to try simple treatment before moving on to more involved treatment. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research has recommended a "less is often best" approach in treating TMJ disorders.

The following self-care practices may be recommended:

• eating softer foods


• avoiding chewing gum and biting your nails


• modifying the pain with heat packs


• practicing relaxation techniques to control jaw tension, such as meditation or biofeedback.

If necessary for your symptoms, the following treatments may be advised:

• exercises to strengthen your jaw muscles


• medications prescribed by your dentist, for example, muscle relaxants, analgesics, anti-anxiety drugs, or anti-inflammatory medications


• a night guard or bite plate to decrease clenching or grinding of teeth.

In some cases, your dentist may recommend fixing an uneven bite by adjusting or reshaping some teeth. Orthodontic treatment may also be recommended. Your dentist can suggest the most appropriate therapy based on the suspected cause.

*This information is supplied by an American Dental Association patient brochure. To order copies, call 1-800-947-4746 or visit www.adacatalog.org.

To learn more about TMJ or TMD, if you have chronic headaches Philadelphia or any of the other symptoms of TMD, or if you would like to ask a question about treating TMD, contact The Perio Group at (215) 735-3660 or http://www.theperiogroup.com/.