BACK TO SCHOOL!

It's almost that time! Back to school! As you are hurrying to the the doctor, the optometrist, etc...to get those last minute appointments out of the way before another school year, you may also want to check with your dentist to make sure that your child is eating and speaking properly and that they are not bothered by a minor mouth muscle called a frenum. A frenum is the muscle that attaches either to your upper lip and gum between the two front teeth, or the bottom lip and gum between the two bottom front teeth. Sometimes this frenum can be attached to close to the teeth causing either recession of the gums or spaces between teeth. Sometimes this is referred to as being "tongue-tied".

Dr. Sutor performs a simple in office procedure called a frenectomy. A frenectomy is often performed with a laser, where with part or all of the frenum in question is removed in order to return a healthy balance to the mouth. Your child should plan on spending about 30 minutes in our office the day of the procedure. The treatment itself only takes about 10-15 minutes, but we allow plenty of time to get your child comfortable and then review post-operative instructions with you following the procedure. Your child can expect mild soreness in the area later that day, most of the time an over the counter pain reliever such as Tylenol or Motrin works well to handle any discomfort. You will also want to have them rest and avoid sports or other strenuous activities the day/evening of your procedure. They should be able to resume activities the day after the procedure. It is so exciting to immediately see the successful results such as listening to your child's speech improve and watch them lick an ice cream cone.

Call us today for an appointment! We are always accepting new patients!

Top Ten Tips for Denture Care Maintenance

1) Daily removal of bacterial biofilm in the mouth and on complete denture surfaces is critically important to minimizing denture stomatitis and contributing to good oral and general health.

2) In an effort to reduce or minimize denture stomatitis, dentures should not be worn continuously (24 hours per day) – leave them out at night. Removing your dentures at night will slow down the bone loss that occurs from the pressure caused by wearing dentures. Soft tissues should be massaged twice daily with a moistened washcloth to clean the gums and minimize infection.

3) To reduce levels of biofilm and harmful fungi, denture wearers using cleansers should:
• Clean dentures by daily soaking and brushing with an effective, nonabrasive denture cleanser
• Only use denture cleansers outside of the mouth
• Thoroughly rinse dentures after soaking and brushing with denture cleansers prior to placing dentures into the mouth
• Always follow denture cleanser instructions

4) Dentures should be cleaned annually by a dental professional using ultrasonic cleaners to minimize biofilm accumulation over time.

5) Dentures should never be placed in boiling water.

6) Sodium hypochlorite bleach is a superior denture cleanser; however dentures should not be soaked in sodium hypochlorite bleach, or in products containing sodium hypochlorite, for periods that exceed 10 minutes to avoid damage to them.

7) Denture adhesives can improve the retention and stability of dentures and help seal out the accumulation of food particles beneath them.

8) Denture wearers should be checked annually by a dental professional for maintenance of optimum denture fit and function, and for evaluation for oral disease, bone loss, and oral health status.

9) If increasing amounts of adhesives are required to achieve the same level of denture retention, you should see a dental professional to evaluate the fit and stability of the dentures.
(Dental Implant Consultations with Dr. Sutor’s office are ALWAYS complimentary)

10) Dentures should be stored immersed in water after cleaning, when not replaced in the mouth, to avoid warping. The water should be changed daily and the container cleaned.

Complete article can be found in the Dear Doctor Patient Education Magazine. www.deardoctor.com

Tragedy of an Infection

We read a sad article this week. We at Dr. Sutor's office hope by using the lab testing technologies available to us now, specifically the Oral DNA lab testing, www.oraldna.com, we can redirect the way a patient thinks about and deals with their periodontal disease.

STORY: The tragedy at our local elementary school this spring happened to the husband of one of the third grade teachers, who cut his finger at work one day. He washed it and put a small bandage on it. In fact, he washed it every day. It did not seem to be getting much better, but because it did not hurt, he just kept cleaning it until his wife, the teacher, insisted he go and have it checked out. By the time the lab results came back showing him positive for a staph infection, it had spread throughout his entire body, and he ultimately passed away.

If only the wound had been checked out earlier and the lab test done, he could have been treated for the staph infection in a timely manner and his life would have been saved.

The way this man tried to treat his wound is similar to how many patients and, frankly, many dental practices, treat periodontal disease. “Just clean it.” Unfortunately, just trying keeping the “wound” clean won’t take care of the
ultimate problem.

How we think about periodontal disease and how it is treated have changed. It is no longer just a site-specific problem. It is a systemic problem. Grasping the concept and emotionally embracing it is as big of a problem for some practitioners as it is for patients.

Dr. Sutor approaches and treats periodontal disease in his practice using a company called Oral DNA to assist him with the following...

Totally understanding the true nature of periodontal disease and its systemic and total health consequences, having the right diagnostics in place, that will identify the type and severity of the systemic problem, new treatment modules that address the “whole” problem, not just the localized problem, presentation and verbal skills that help patients make the shift and embrace the problem and what it will take on their part to treat it.

(Story from OralDNA Labs)

A More Comfortable Procedure: Conscious Sedation

Conscious Sedation - Halcion (Triazolam)

This type of sedation is an option we offer our patients. Halcion or Triazolam induces an altered state of consciousness to allow your body and mind to relax during a surgical procedure. Patients who receive conscious sedation usually are able to speak and respond to verbal cues throughout the procedure, communicating any discomfort they experience to the provider. A brief period of amnesia may erase any memory of the procedure. Conscious sedation is extremely safe when administered by a qualified provider such as Dr. Sutor.

Because patients can slip into a deep sleep, proper monitoring of conscious sedation is necessary. Dr. Sutor and his qualified assistants monitor patient heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, oxygen level and alertness throughout and after the procedure.

Written postoperative care instructions are given to our patients prior to your surgical appointment so that you may provide this information to your caretaker and/or driver as well. Patients should not drive a vehicle, operate dangerous equipment or make any important decisions for at least 24 hours after receiving conscious sedation. Patient's must have a caretaker be with them from the time they take the medication and throughout the day of the procedure to ensure that they are safe and have the medication and care that they need post-operatively. A follow-up phone call is made by Dr. Sutor the evening of the procedure to check on the patient's condition and answer any remaining questions.

One of the best benefits of conscious sedation is that it allows patients to recover quickly and resume normal daily activities in a shorter period of time than an IV sedation.

Our ultimate responsibility is to your comfort and safety while you are in our care. If instructions are followed properly, conscious sedation can be a great way for you to go through a procedure in our office.

Dental Implants - Description & The Consultation

Dental implants are artificial tooth roots used to support a restoration for a missing tooth or teeth, helping to stop or prevent jaw bone loss.

People who have lost teeth might feel too self-conscious to smile or talk. Additionally, biting irregularities caused by tooth loss can have a negative effect on eating habits, leading to secondary health problems like malnutrition.

By replacing missing tooth roots, dental implants provide people with the strength and stability required to eat all the foods they love, without struggling to chew. Additionally, dental implants stimulate and maintain jaw bone, preventing bone loss and helping to maintain facial features.

Some reasons teeth are lost because of tooth decay, root canal failure, gum disease (periodontitis), trauma to the mouth, excessive wear and tear, or congential defects.

To determine if implants are right for you, a consultation with your dentist, and/or Dr. Sutor is needed. During this appointment, Dr. Sutor will thoroughly examine your teeth and gums and evaluate bone density and quantity. This may involve X-rays and computer tomography scans (CT scans) to ensure there is sufficient bone structure for placing the implant(s), and to determine exactly where the implant should be placed.

Based on the condition of your oral tissues, oral hygiene and personal habits, and commitment to follow aftercare instructions, your dentist will advise you of the most appropriate dental implant treatment plan. Some patients with insufficient bone or gum tissue require bone or soft tissue grafts and/or the use of small diameter implants (also called mini implants).

Depending on your situation, Dr. Sutor will advise you of how long the entire treatment process will take, how many appointments will be necessary and what you can expect after each procedure. During the consultation, options for local anesthesia (to numb the affected and surrounding areas) and sedation dentistry, if necessary, also will be discussed.

Dr. Sutor believes strongly in making sure everyone knows their treatment options regarding dental implants, so he provides all of our implant consultations complimentary.

NEWLY REDESIGNED WEBSITE ANNOUNCEMENT!

It Is Here!

New Website Announcement!

We are proud to announce the release of our newly redesigned website for Periodontics & Dental Implant Center of Southern Indiana - Dr. Mark Sutor. By updating our main site, www.sutordds.com, we’ve been able to improve navigation, connect more visitors with our practice and provide more detailed information about the services that we provide.

HYGIENE STUDY CLUB

Continuing Dr. Sutor's passion for continuing education, we have started up our Hygiene Study Club once again! This continuing education study club is a wonderful way for our local hygienists here in Bloomington and surrounding areas to connect with each other, learn what is new in clinical products and technology and earn many of their needed continuing education hours without even leaving their backyard! For convenience and comfort, all meetings are held at Dr. Sutor's office. Our year runs this year from March thru November with a total of 4 meetings with our hygienists discussing everything from legal documentation, to anatomy/pathology using 3-D technology, and treatment planning sessions. We had a great group join us in March for our first meeting! There are still spaces available for this study club year if you are a hygienist or know a hygienist that could benefit from this unique program! Call Cindy for more information at 812-333-4550!