At the core of Stillwater Dental Wellness Center’s philosophy is a focus on prevention. Dr. Jim Telloian, who owns the family dental clinic, believes in providing their patients with the most up-to-date, research approved technology available, while treating people the most conservative way without surgery and drugs whenever possible. In addition, Dr. Telloian and his team believe that good health and a healthy mouth are linked.
For example, research links a type of bacteria in a patient’s mouth to cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association published a statement in April 2012 supporting an association between gum disease and heart disease. The article noted that current scientific data do not indicate if treatment of gum disease will decrease the incidence of atherosclerosis, however, many studies show an as-yet-unexplained association between gum disease and several serious health conditions, including heart disease, even after adjusting for common risk factors.
“We offer Laser Assisted Bacterial Reduction (LABR) or Laser Periodontal Therapy. This procedure uses laser at a very low level to clean bacteria from deep gum pockets that are difficult to clean properly with scraping,” he said. “Laser keeps the bacteria away for two months, allowing the gums to heal and the ligaments to reattach, compared to a deep cleaning that only keeps the bacteria at bay for 24 hours.”
LABR is painless, not very expensive and not surgery. Candidates for LABR are patients who have pockets five or six millimeters or greater.
Once we remove the bacteria, it is less likely to return, according to Dr. Telloian. “Cleaning your teeth is not just about pretty teeth, it is more than that. Cleaning is about preserving health and preventing disease,” he said.
To learn more about using Laser Peridontal Therapy to treat gum disease, contact Stillwater Dental Wellness Center at 360.352.0847.
