New Technology

Improving the beauty and function of your gums with the Latest Technology

Laser Surgery/LANAP

Your Chula Vista periodontists can improve your appearance and smile with confidence.

The LANAP protocol is the only laser gum disease treatment FDA cleared for True Regeneration. Simply put, the LANAP protocol can re-grow the tissues and bone lost to gum disease. Compared to traditional osseous surgery, patients say the LANAP protocol is:

Less painful
Less post-op sensitivity
Less gum loss (gum recession)
Very little downtime after treatment

LANAP periodontal surgery is a full-mouth procedure usually completed in one, multi-hour visit. It is very common for patients to quickly resume normal activities or return to work. LANAP is a surgical procedure, so your body will adjust depending upon your individual pain tolerance. The first few days following the surgery you may experience mild soreness of the treated areas- generally alleviated with Ibuprofen. It is rare for patients to experience any facial bruising or swelling after LANAP.

3D Cone Beam CT

At the forefront of periodontics through the use of modern technology and innovative techniques.

Dental cone beam computed tomography (CT) is a special type of x-ray machine used in situations where regular dental or facial x-rays are not sufficient. This type of CT scanner uses a special type of technology to generate three dimensional (3-D) images of dental structures, soft tissues, nerve paths and bone in a single scan. Images obtained with cone beam CT allow for more precise treatment planning. CT scans are especially useful to evaluate pathology, bone anatomy, and precise nerve location. It is necessary when planning dental implant placement.

Laser Pocket Disinfection

Restoring your natural defenses against gum disease.

Laser pocket disinfection (LPD) is laser dental procedure typically performed as an addition to the standard dental cleaning procedure. Its purpose is to eliminate harmful bacteria living in pockets between the gums and teeth, bacteria a standard cleaning wouldn’t reach.

How Does Laser Pocket Disinfection Help the Patient?

Harmful bacteria cause the infection that is gum disease. LPD gets rid of the bacteria and the toxins they produce. That will improve gum heath. The laser cleaning is often sufficient to eliminate the disease entirely and provide normal healthy gums. Controlling the gum disease prevents it from progressing to the point where it results in tooth loss and erodes the jawbone. Moreover, the benefits of eliminating gingivitis and periodontitis can extend beyond simply restoring the patient’s healthy teeth and gums. Research suggests gum disease is linked to diseases of the immune and circulatory systems and that it has the potential to aggravate arthritis.

Non-Intravenous Conscious Sedation

Introducing science into periodontal surgery

Oral Conscious Sedation, or OCS, provides a stronger level of sedation than Nitrous Oxide. Many patients prefer to use OCS for the deeper relaxation it provides. Though you are still able to stand, walk, or answer questions, you remain in a calm and drowsy state throughout the treatment. With OCS, many patients have found they have little memory of the procedure after the fact. For patients with dental anxiety, this can be a great benefit.

Biopsy | Lesion Removal

A biopsy is a sample of tissue taken from the body in order to examine it more closely. A biopsy is recommended when an initial test suggests an area of tissue in the body isn’t normal. The suspicious area may be noticed during a physical examination or internally on an imaging test.

Lesion Removal

A lesion is any abnormal damage or change in the tissue of an organism, usually caused by disease or trauma. In some cases, a biopsy is done to diagnose a problem or to help determine the best therapy option.

Ridge Augmentation/Bone buildup

Introducing science into periodontal surgery

Jawbone always shrinks when teeth are removed. Dr. Nguyen is a certified periodontist with years experience in careful extraction techniques aimed at preserving gum and jaw bone. She can minimize jaw shrinkage (ridge atrophy) by immediately bone grafting the extraction site. When bone destruction is severe from trauma or infection additional bone grafting (ridge augmentation or sinus augmentation) may be necessary. Dr. Nguyen is trained in a variety of techniques to rebuild missing gum and jawbone.

Our Holistic Approach

Your oral health has a direct effect on your overall health, and vice versa. A poor diet can be the first step toward gingivitis. Gum disease can lead to bone loss and tooth loss.

If allowed to progress, inflammation from gum disease can spread throughout the body and even cause systemic conditions like heart disease and stroke. With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting over 50% of the U.S. population having some form of gum disease in their lifetime, we don’t ignore this life-altering connection. When we provide care, we take a minimally invasive and holistic approach in Chula Vista.

Traditionally, a condition or symptom is paired with a treatment or drug. That’s ideal for acute concerns or emergency care but for chronic diseases and life-long solutions, we consider more. Using a holistic and biological perspective, we look at the root source of your issues instead of the results they cause. Your genetics, environment, diet, current and past health, and your lifestyle all play a part in shaping your overall health.

As a board-certified periodontist with a deep understanding of the oral-systemic connection, Dr. Susan Nguyen leads our practice in taking a truly whole-body approach to your care.

How We Treat You Holistically

Nutritional Counseling

As mentioned above, we consider your oral health along with your gut health. By offering nutritional counseling at our practice we can improve the overall health of our patients, even after they receive necessary periodontal care. Most periodontal patients have a related systemic disease with the same underlying inflammation. That’s why we treat the whole patient and consider more than just a single symptom.

Metal-Free Dental Implants

Dental implants are traditionally made from titanium. These have the potential to lead to biocorrosion or microbiological corrosion causing a darkish grey area in the gumline and thus harming aesthetics. In other cases, patients may have an allergy to titanium leading to the body rejecting it and ultimately a failing dental implant.

Some have found that titanium ions can leak from an implant over time and activate inflammatory cells causing chronic inflammation. Whatever the concern, we offer a metal-free alternative made from zirconia instead. A durable, tooth-colored material, many patients find zirconia dental implants more biocompatible and more aesthetically pleasing in the long-run.

Laser Periodontics

Dental lasers have revolutionized dentistry and periodontics. Using a specific wavelength of light energy, our dental laser can penetrate soft tissues, only destroying the bacteria that cause disease while leaving healthy tissue unharmed.

Some evidence suggests that this laser gum disease therapy technique also stimulates the cells that inspire healthy bone growth and regeneration after tissue has been lost to disease. With faster treatment times and faster healing times, it’s no wonder why so many of our patients prefer this minimally invasive alternative.

Giving You the Right Options

Skillfully and accurately caring for your teeth and gums