Periodontal Disease

Did you know that it’s abnormal for your gums to bleed while brushing your teeth? Your hands shouldn’t bleed when you wash them, but many people seem to think that bleeding from the gums is normal. In actuality, this is a sign of an underlying issue. We at Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group dedicate our time and expertise to educating our patients about good oral health. Your Austin, TX dentist can help you achieve that winning smile.

If your gums are swollen and bleeding, these are signs of the beginning stages of periodontal disease known as gingivitis. The gums have been infected with bacteria-infested plaque, which is usually caused by poor dental hygiene or pre-existing conditions. Periodontitis is the advanced stage of the disease, where the teeth can actually be loosened and fall out.

Factors that can increase your risk of periodontal disease include:

- Chronic stress

- Certain medications such as antidepressants, diuretics, high blood pressure meds, seizure-controlling meds, and calcium blockers

- Poor nutrition

- Fluctuating hormones

- Diseases such as diabetes, leukemia, inflammatory bowel disease, and HIV

- Teeth grinding

- Crooked or crowded teeth

- Tobacco use

- Genetics

Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group is located on 1500 W 38th St., Suite 34, in Austin, TX 78731. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit fredrickshawdds.com or call 512-451-7491.

 

Preventive Dentistry

Through preventive dental services provided by Dr. Fredrick Shaw, patients will avoid dental problems and save money, while having a clean and healthy smile. Preventive dentistry is the practice of caring for your teeth to keep them in optimal health. Dr. Fredrick Shaw helps patients avoid periodontal disease, bad breath, cavities, and tooth loss through professional cleanings and oral exams.

The goal of preventive dentistry is to reduce the negative impact of oral diseases and improve the quality of life for people who already have them. Dr. Fredrick Shaw may make nutritional suggestions such as reducing the amount of sugar in your diet to prevent cavities and/or screening for oral cancer. Through proper home care and regular dental visits, you will improve the health of your smile as well as your overall wellbeing.

If you have questions or concerns about preventive dental services, please give us a call. To learn more about services we provide at the practice, visit FredrickShawDDS.com for more information.  To schedule an appointment with Dr. Fredrick Shaw in Austin, TX, call 512-451-7491.

Foods That Promote a Healthy Smile

Once tooth enamel is lost, it doesn’t return. To keep it strong, our eating patterns need to reflect healthy choices. Fruits and vegetables that have high water content, such as apples, celery, and strawberries, increase saliva flow. Saliva is our mouth’s primary defense against dry mouth and tooth decay. Dr. Fredrick Shaw is dedicated to keeping patient’s mouth’s healthy as possible, and that begins with a nutritious diet.

To maintain a balanced diet, it’s important to eat a variety of foods from each of the five major food groups. It’s necessary to avoid sugars and added sugars as they provide no nutritional benefit to the teeth and gums. Avoid sodas, fruit juices, and energy drinks by replacing them with milk or water. Milk contains calcium that keeps enamel strong and water cleans the mouth with every sip, fighting against periodontal disease and decay.

If you have questions or concerns about dental health, please give us a call. To learn more about our sedation options and all the services we provide at the practice, visit FredrickShawDDS.com for more information.  To schedule an appointment with Dr. Fredrick Shaw in Austin, TX, call 512-451-7491.

Loose Teeth

When patients are suffering from loose teeth, the services offered at the Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group are crucial to their recovery. A loose adult tooth is always a major problem, and the sooner it’s treated, the better.

Dentists distinguish between two kinds of occlusal trauma: primary, which is caused by mechanical damage, and secondary, which is caused by periodontal disease. Teeth that have slowly become loose over time have usually done so as a result of periodontal disease, which damages the jaw bone tissue as well as the gums. Some patients who lose the use of their back teeth attempt to compensate by chewing with their front teeth, but this pressure only serves to further push the remaining teeth out of place.

A periodontist must bring the gum infection under control before the patient’s teeth can be fixed. The recovery process usually involves the placement of a splint at some point, although it varies whether the splint will be permanent. To repair the damage to their jaw bone or prepare for an implant, a patient may need to receive a bone graft at our office.

Frederick Shaw, DDS, operates the Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group at 1500 W 38^th Street, Suite 34, Austin, Texas, 78731. To schedule an appointment, call 512-451-7491 or visit FrederickShawDDS.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Periodontitis Prevention

If you’ve been told you have gingivitis, you better get to brushing. When gingivitis is left untreated it can turn into a more aggressive form of periodontal disease called periodontitis. Gingivitis is reversible, but periodontitis is not. If you’ve reached this level of gum disease, Dr. Fredrick Shaw, DDS may suggest scaling and root planing which is a deep cleaning below the gum line to improve your periodontal health status.

When plaque and tartar buildup isn't removed by adequate brushing and flossing, periodontal disease will develop. We encourage you to practice proper oral hygiene habits so that you never reach this level of neglect. Periodontitis cannot be completely reversed like gingivitis can. Mild periodontitis will be treated with scaling and root planing, while moderate to severe periodontitis may require surgery. If you have gums that are tender to touch or bleed easily when brushing, visit us immediately for a professional cleaning and dental exam.

If you have questions or concerns regarding periodontal disease, please give us a call. To learn about other services we provide at our practice, visit www.fredrickshawdds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Fredrick Shaw in Austin, TX, call 512-451-7491. 

What is Periodontal Splinting?

When teeth are so badly damaged that they need to be extracted, we at the Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group have a number of removable and permanent replacements for them. But what about when teeth are loose enough to cause problems, but not bad enough to justify replacements? A middle ground procedure we offer is periodontal splinting, also known as teeth binding.

An important note about teeth binding is that it is a means of distributing bite force across numerous teeth, not actually a way of tying teeth together. When binding the front teeth, we dip a porous fiber into resin and cement it to the back of the incisors. In the past, the resin and cement created a large and intrusive ridge, but with modern technology, the splint is much less annoying while remaining just as strong. During the application process, the teeth will be etched with acid, in the same way they are when orthodontic brackets are applied, in order to give them more surface area and a stronger grip. Gaps between the teeth will be temporarily filled with a gel to shield the gums.

Splinting won’t repair any damage that has been done to the teeth or the gums, but it does relieve the demand on individual loose teeth while the patient is biting.

Frederick Shaw, DDS, operates the Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group at 1500 W 38^th Street, Suite 34, Austin, Texas, 78731. To schedule an appointment, call 512-451-7491 or visit FrederickShawDDS.com and fill out a contact form.

 

Gingivitis Symptoms

Gingivitis – an inflammation of the gums – is the initial stage of gum disease and is the easiest to treat. If the plaque is not removed by daily brushing and flossing, it produces toxins that can irritate the gum tissue, causing gingivitis. Dr. Fredrick Shaw recommends scheduling professional dental checkups every six months to prevent gingivitis from occurring, however, proper oral hygiene starts at home. Be aware of these symptoms and risk factors if you notice a bit of blood in the sink when you brush.

Healthy gums are firm and pale pink. If your gums are puffy, dusky red and bleed easily, you may have gingivitis. Because gingivitis is rarely painful, it is possible to have it without even knowing it. Signs and symptoms of gingivitis include: swollen, soft, puffy, receding, or occasionally tender gums, gums that bleed easily when you brush or floss, a change in color of your gums, as well as bad breath.

If you suffer from any of the symptoms above, give us a call so we can help you stop gingivitis in its tracks. To learn about other services we provide at our practice, visit www.fredrickshawdds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Fredrick Shaw in Austin, TX, call 512-451-7491. 

Gum Grafts

At the Austin clinic of the Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group, we regularly see the ravages of periodontal disease on gum tissue. There are many restorative approaches for teeth, and mild gum surgery is frequently done to close pockets in the tissue, but reconstructing receded gums could require a more complicated type of graft.

If the gums have receded too far to be stretched back over the roots of the teeth, Dr. Shaw may think it best to add new soft material. If the new tissue also comes from the patient, this is referred to as a “self-donation.” Donor tissue is usually taken from the soft palate at the roof of the mouth. In some cases, a flap is cut into the soft palate and tissue is removed from beneath it, and the flap is sutured afterward. At other times, some of the outer surface may be transferred as well and sewn over the exposed tooth roots. The donor site would then be protected with surgical film while it heals.

The development of synthetic grafting materials and use of cadaver donors eliminates the need for one of the surgical sites. Getting new gum tissue may seem frightening to a patient, but the surgery has a very high success rate and should greatly reduce the sensitivity of their teeth.

Frederick Shaw, DDS, operates the Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group at 1500 W 38^th Street, Suite 34, Austin, Texas, 78731. To schedule an appointment, call 512-451-7491 or visit FrederickShawDDS.com and fill out a contact form.

Pocket Reduction Surgery

Reducing gum pockets is one of the most important procedures performed at the Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Center. Before full-blown periodontal disease develops, the gums become inflamed, which is scientifically described as gingivitis. At every step in the gingivitis to periodontal disease process, tooth decay below the gum line creates pockets which will lead to further decay without intervention.

When bacteria feed on tartar, they produce plaque. This is what causes inflammation, which makes the roots of teeth difficult to clean. As tissue rots away, the pockets they leave behind become breeding grounds for bacteria and repositories for more plaque. These pockets are difficult to reach with a toothbrush, but the damage they do to the gum around a patient’s teeth roots is easy to see. To fix the gums, Dr. Shaw will start with a deep cleaning to remove whatever plaque and bacteria colonies have accumulated in the gum pockets.

Closing the pockets may require a gum graft, but if the decay can be caught before it advances too much, it may only require the gum tissue to be pulled over the exposed tooth roots. Whether sutures or post-operation maintenance are required will depend on the specifics of the situation. However, gum reduction is a crucial preventive step, as well as a cosmetic restoration.

Frederick Shaw, DDS, operates the Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group at 1500 West 38^th St, Suite 34, Austin, Texas, 78731. To schedule an appointment, call 512-451-7491 or visit FrederickShawDDS.com and fill out a contact sheet.