Indianapolis Periodontist
Implant Dentistry & Periodontics
Implant Dentistry and Periodontics offers a wide range of significant periodontal and dental implant services to assist all patients. Our conscientious team focuses on providing you with quality service for your overall oral health. We will address your dental procedures in a relaxing and stress-free environment, and we will approach your unique dental care as an important partner on your health care team. If you have questions about your oral health, call our Indianapolis office at (317) 574-0600 to schedule your appointment today. We are located at 8801 North Meridian Street, Suite 103, Indianapolis, IN 46260.
Indianapolis Location Reviews
Contact location
Address
8801 North Meridian Street, Suite 103
Indianapolis, IN 46260
Telephone
(317) 574-0600
Office Hours
Monday – Friday
8 am – 5 am
Award Winning Periodontics
in Indianapolis and Fishers
Dedication to providing the best periodontal care to Indianapolis and Fishers isn't just something Drs. Edwards and Christman talk about. They are board certified periodontist, which means they have gone above and beyond what most periodontists do to master his field of work. They have sought out further education to bring the most promising new treatments to their patients.
All on 4 Dental Implants Indianapolis, IN
All-on-4 Dental Implants are unique, implant supported dentures that are designed to eliminate the common issues of the constant shifting and slipping related to traditional dentures. This restoration solution was specifically designed to assist you if are suffering from missing teeth and limited jawbone density. Because this treatment only requires four implants, the All-on-4 dental implant method provides an effective and successful solution that reduces the total procedure time and cost involved.
Bar Retained Overdenture
Bar-retained dentures are a restoration type of implant-supported dentures called "overdentures". They are much more secure and provide a better fit than traditional dentures which can constantly slip and eventually wear down your gums. This implant treatment involves the placement of two to four implants and then the attachment of a customized bar.
Bruxism Treatment
Bruxism is the involuntary habitual grinding of your teeth. Bruxism is a quite common sleep disorder that is distinguished by the clenching or grinding of your teeth, especially while you are sleeping. There are several treatment options available, which include simple splints and mouth guards, dental correction, anxiety, or stress management, and if necessary, medication.
Cosmetic Periodontics
Cosmetic dentistry usually involves some level of the following dental treatment; the addition of a dental material to your teeth or gums such as bonding, porcelain veneers, crowns, or gum grafts. It also can include the removal of tooth structure or gums to improve the appearance of your smile. Cosmetic or plastic periodontal surgery is performed to provide you with a much-improved smile by correcting possibly an uneven gum line, problems with missing teeth and other restorative procedures.
Crown Lengthening
Crown lengthening is a simple surgical dental procedure to remove excess gum tissue and sometimes bone. This process will expose more of the natural tooth structure, and the treatment may be carried out for a variety of different reasons. The crown lengthening procedure may be necessary for a couple of different situations. You may simply have too much gum tissue covering up your teeth. Or we may find it necessary to remove some of the bone as well as gum tissue.
Scaling and Root Planing
A deep cleaning is a specific procedure performed to treat gum and periodontal disease. It often must be completed because you may have missed your regular professional cleaning appointments every six months. Your mouth is continually accumulating bacteria, or plaque. These bacteria, if left alone for too long, can then mineralize and begin to develop into tartar. Plaque can be removed through standard brushing and flossing, but when plaque becomes tartar, stronger measures are needed to intervene to remove the advanced decay.
Dental Bone Graft
Dental bone grafting is an advanced, safe, and effective way to promote healing and bone growth in your jaw. Because bone tissue has the natural ability to regenerate and to grow, strategic placement of bone grafts in your jawbone can encourage bone growth where it is needed. Once we place the graft, the jawbone will need four to nine months to heal before we can place the desired dental implants. With dental bone grafting, we now have the opportunity to not only replace bone, but also the ability to promote new bone growth in that location.
Dental Implant Restoration
Dental implants are one of the latest alternatives in tooth replacement. Dental implant restoration is an outstanding solution if you have missing teeth or require tooth extraction because of advanced disease or decay. A dental implant is a small threaded titanium post that is surgically inserted into your jawbone to replace lost tooth roots. After the post has been placed and fused to the bone you will receive your dental implant restoration.
Dental Implants
Dental implants serve as titanium replacements of the natural tooth's anchoring roots. Dental implants are successful replacing missing teeth by mimicking nature as closely as possible. Dental implants are designed to provide a strong foundation for replacement teeth that feel, look, and function like your natural teeth. If you have lost teeth you regain the ability to eat virtually anything you wish and you can smile with confidence, knowing that your teeth appear natural and that your facial contours will be preserved.
Frenectomy
Your frenum, also called frenulum, is the little piece of tissue that connects your cheeks, tongue, or lips to your gum area. You have several frenum’s in your body. However, the ones that usually require a frenectomy are inside your mouth. A frenulectomy, or frenectomy, is a common procedure that is performed to correct problems related to the frenulum. These issues are most often diagnosed in children but can also be found in adults. The frenectomy is a quite simple procedure that requires your frenulum to be removed.
Full Mouth Dental Implants
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root made of titanium. It is placed in the jawbone and a crown, dental bridge or a denture made of acrylic or ceramic is attached. With this artificial root the options for your restoration expands dramatically. You can choose individual implants replacing each tooth, implant-supported bridges for multiple teeth and implant-supported overdentures for an entire arch. Traditional dentures can be inconvenient, uncomfortable, and unstable.
Full Mouth Reconstruction
Full mouth reconstruction is a broad term used to describe the process of rehabilitating your entire set of teeth, while carefully considering your smile, speech, bite, facial support, and jaw joints. It is also known as full mouth restoration or a full mouth rehabilitation. The objective is that the entire system of the mouth and oral structures will be considered, taking into account all everyday functions such as chewing, speech, smiling, joint health, and the life expectancy of the result.
Gingivectomy, Gum Lift
A gingivectomy or gum lift is the surgical removal of gingiva (i.e., gum tissue). A gingivectomy is necessary when your gums have pulled away from your teeth creating deep pockets around those teeth. These pockets make it difficult to clean away damaging plaque and calculus. A gingivectomy or gum lift is usually done before gum disease has begun to damage the bone supporting the teeth. The procedure involves removing and reshaping loose, diseased gum tissue to get rid of those pockets between the teeth and gums.
Guided Tissue Regeneration
Guided Tissue Regeneration is a technique using a combination of both bone grafting and membrane placement to guide and direct bone formation. This procedure uses the bone-grafting material to retain space for your future bone growth and then a covering membrane to block the fast-growing soft tissue. Two weeks after being grafted, the bone begins to form, which will then regenerate itself filling in the bone defect with healthy bone. Guided Tissue Regeneration is an operation usually performed on those who have been affected by periodontitis.
Gum Disease
Periodontal or gum disease can harm the bone and surrounding tissues of your teeth. Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. If treated at this earlier stage, gum disease can be prevented and even reversed. If not treated, it will lead to periodontitis, which will damage the gums, bones and other structures that support your teeth, causing tooth loss.
Gum Grafting
A gum graft, also known as a gingival graft or periodontal plastic surgery, is a collective name for several surgical periodontal procedures whos’ intent is to cover an exposed tooth root surface with grafted oral tissue. A gum graft refers to a variety of surgical procedures which when performed thicken your existing gums, and possibly cover an exposed tooth root surface to prevent any further gum recession. There are several potential causes for exposed roots but the most common of which is gum disease. It can also be the result of overly aggressive tooth brushing.
Gum Recession
Gum recession exposes the roots of your teeth, making the teeth appear longer than they normally should. Not only will you look older with receded gums, but your teeth will become sensitive to heat and cold. They will also be subjected to increased damage since the root surfaces are softer than tooth enamel and not as well protected. Gum recession is a common issue and has many causes. Gum recession can develop because of pockets forming around the teeth due to gum infections, genetics, and some previous orthodontic therapy.
Gum Surgery
Sometimes, periodontal surgery may be needed to treat certain gum diseases and conditions, such as gingivitis or periodontitis. This type of surgery is commonly known as gum surgery. Daily brushing and flossing, along with regular visits to see us, will help keep your teeth healthy and strong. But good oral hygiene is not just for your teeth, it also keeps your gums healthy. Regular oral exams give us the chance to detect gum disease in its early stages and treat it before it progresses.
Gummy Smile and Gum Contouring
When you smile, do you feel the appearance of your upper teeth is out of balance with excessive gum tissue? Do you think that your upper teeth seem too short compared to the amount of gingival tissue displayed when you smile? If you answered yes, you may have a condition that is commonly called a gummy smile, or excessive gingival display. A gummy smile can have a negative effect on the perception of your smile. But a gummy smile can be easily corrected through several different treatment options, one being gum contouring.
Implant Overdenture
Implant overdentures are a set of dentures which are supported by implants. Overdenture implants are also often called implant dentures, implant-retained dentures, or just implants. Overdenture implants can either be a fixed denture or a removable denture. Both types of implant overdentures are better than traditional dentures with respect to comfort, convenience, and your overall health. Once you have implant overdentures placed, you will need to take good care of them, just like your natural teeth.
Implant Problems
Even though dental implants have a success rate approaching 98%, you may still encounter implant problems. An implant problem could be the result of the initial healing period and infections, or your use period and the implant becoming loose, or implant problems with the structural components. There are two parts to a dental implant. First, there is the implant, which is a titanium post that is surgically placed in the jawbone. Second, there is the restoration that is attached to implant, which is usually a single dental crown, a bridge or denture.
Implant Retained Dentures
Implant retained dentures are a great alternative to conventional dentures if you require replacement of many teeth. Implant retained dentures do not require a lot of dental implants. Two to six implants can restore an entire arch of teeth to function like your natural teeth. By requiring less implants the implant retained dentures are more affordable and less invasive than implant supported dentures. This restoration makes it easier to talk and eat without discomfort, but the dentures will still need to be removed at night for cleaning.
Implant Supported Bridges
With a traditional dental bridge, the replacement teeth are fused to two dental crowns, one on both sides of the required false teeth, and then these crowns are glued to the adjoining healthy teeth to hold the bridge in place. An implant supported bridge does not need the support of the two neighboring teeth. The artificial crowns are instead mounted to a dental implant. The implant is positioned in the jaw alongside the gap in your smile.
Implant Supported Dentures
Unlike conventional dentures, which rest on your gums and are held in place with dental adhesive, implanted supported dentures are anchored in place with titanium implant posts that allow the denture to snap into place for stability. Implant supported dentures are designed for you if you are have become frustrated with the common issues associated with traditional dentures, such as the slipping and shifting, restricted diets, and regular discomfort.
Laser Periodontal Therapy or LANAP
LANAP® is yet another advancement in dental technology offering a gum disease treatment option that uses laser technology to eliminate diseased tissue and infection caused by periodontal disease. It allows for a far less invasive, far more comfortable experience for you than traditional surgery. The Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure, or LANAP, Protocol is a method we now can use to regenerate bone tissue around your teeth. This system uses an FDA-cleared laser tool called the PerioLase® MVP-7™.
Mini Dental Implants
Mini Dental Implants is a system that allows small titanium implants to replace what would otherwise have been the root of your natural tooth. Using mini dental implants will enable your dentures to be permanently inserted into your mouth, just like natural teeth. The holding fixture on the mini dental implants fits into a socket on the backside of the denture containing a rubber “O” shaped ring. The fixture snaps the mini dental implant into place and stays in place better than a traditional denture otherwise would.
Occlusal or Bite Adjustment
Occlusion is a dental term that means how the teeth in your upper and lower jaw fit together, or your bite. When you close your mouth, the entire arch of your bottom and top teeth should make total contact at the same time. When some of your teeth touch before others do, this is known as malocclusion. If this is left uncorrected, the malocclusion can result in extra pressure being placed on some of your teeth, which will result in oral health issues. If you have a malocclusion you may be a candidate for an occlusal adjustment.
Oral Cancer Screening
Oral cancer can develop in several parts of your mouth, including your lips, the tongue, your gums, the floor and roof of your mouth, your throat, and the inner lining of the cheeks. Oral cancer is said to kill one person an hour, 24 hours a day, in the United States. It is the sixth leading cancer among men and one of the few diseases that is still increasing among young adults. Like many other cancers, early detection of oral cancer is the absolute key to increasing your likelihood of survival.
Oral Pathology and Biopsy
Oral pathology is the dental specialty that focusing on the causes and effects of diseases that affect the mouth and the surrounding structures. These diseases involve the teeth, the supporting bones, and the temporomandibular joints, as well as your gums, your tongue, and other soft tissues such as your salivary glands. Tooth decay and gum disease are the most familiar oral issues, there are quite a few of other conditions that affect the health of your mouth.
Osseous Surgery
Osseous surgery is performed when periodontitis is not corrected with traditional treatments, such as deep scaling and root planing. Osseous surgery involves the recontouring or the removing of damaged bone around a tooth or teeth to reduce the sagging pockets, eliminate bacteria, and to finally smooth the bone that has been damaged. By performing osseous surgery it allows the healthy gum tissue to reattach to the bone, which will then prevent additional damage from occurring and finally stop the decaying process.
Periodontal Exam
The objective of a periodontal exam is to check the health of your gum tissue. We will measure the pockets that surround your teeth using a periodontal ruler that is inserted between the tooth and the gum. This periodontal ruler is a narrow tool calibrated with lines marked in millimeter increments. We will measure the perimeter of each tooth and check the depth of each pocket around it. Depths of 1-3 millimeters, with no bleeding, indicates your gums are considered healthy. If the pockets are deeper than 3 millimeters it can indicate a problem.
Periodontal Maintenance
Periodontal maintenance is a treatment for gum disease that includes a series of regularly scheduled deeper dental cleanings. These cleanings might be performed every three months, but the exact frequency of your cleanings depends on your situation. Your appointments always begin with an extensive exam. We check the condition of your teeth, measure the depth of the periodontal pockets, and take x-rays. These x-rays allow us to assess the condition of your teeth and jaw below the gum line. We then proceed to your cleaning.
Pinhole Surgical Technique
The Pinhole Surgical Technique, PST™, is a procedure in which specialized instruments are used to make a small hole in your gum tissue that is receding and to then insert collagen material to stabilize the area of gum recession. This new method is simple, suture-free, and minimally invasive. Receding gums, also known as gingival recession, are a common problem, especially in older adults. A study found that 88% of people over 65 have gum recession in at least one tooth.
Platelet Rich Fibrin
Platelet rich fibrin (PRF) is an autologous platelet concentrate prepared from your own blood at our office just before the dental procedure in which it will assist. Platelet rich fibrin (PRF) is a by-product of your blood that is exceptionally rich in platelets. PRF has been used in hospitals to accelerate the natural healing process, and now it has been into oral surgery procedures. Your blood platelets perform several essential functions in the body, including blood clot formation and the release of growth factors that help to heal wounds.
Pocket Reduction
Pocket reduction surgery, also known as gingivectomy, osseous surgery and flap surgery, is a common term for a variety of several different surgeries directed at gaining access to the root of the teeth to remove bacteria and tartar (calculus). Our mouths contain hundreds of different bacteria at any given time. The bacteria found in plaque, the clear sticky substance on your teeth, produce acids that lead to the demineralization of the tooth surface, and ultimately are the source for periodontal disease.
Ridge Augmentation
A ridge augmentation involves placing a bone graft directly into the empty socket where a tooth's roots used to be, to help re-create the natural shape of the gums and jaw that have been lost following tooth extraction. Ridge augmentation is used to reestablish your jaw’s natural contour. After a tooth is extracted, the jawbone begins to weaken and deteriorate to the point of recession. The empty socket, once supported by the removed tooth, now shrinks in height and width. An indentation in the gums or jawbone can develop.
Sedation Dentistry
Sedation dentistry uses medication to help you relax during a dental procedure. It is sometimes referred to as sleep dentistry, although that is not entirely accurate. You will usually be awake with the exception of being under general anesthesia. The different levels of sedation dentistry include:
- Minimal sedation -- you are awake but relaxed.
- Moderate sedation -- you may slur your words when speaking and not remember much of the procedure.
- Deep sedation -- you are on the edge of consciousness but can still be awakened.
- General anesthesia -- you are totally unconscious.
Sinus Lift
A sinus augmentation is a dental surgical procedure. When a tooth is lost, the vacant tooth socket collapses as it recovers, leaving a toothless area. This collapse results in a loss in both height and width of the surrounding bone, which makes dental implantation impossible. A dental sinus lift corrects the area of your upper jaw in between your molars and premolars. It fills the area on both sides of your nose, between your jaw and the maxillary sinuses. The sinus membrane will be lifted to make space for the bone.
Teeth Cleaning
A dental prophylaxis is a teeth cleaning treatment professionally performed to thoroughly clean your teeth and gums. Prophylaxis is an important dental treatment for stopping the progression of gingivitis and periodontal disease, or gum disease. Periodontal disease and gingivitis occur when bacteria from plaque colonize on your gingival (gum) tissue, either above or below the gum line. These bacteria colonies will cause serious inflammation and irritation which in turn produce a chronic inflammatory response in your body.
Teeth-in-a-Day
Teeth in a day are replacement teeth that utilize just four dental implants. Teeth in a Day are a beautiful new set of permanent teeth that can become your new smile in a one-day procedure. The dental implants in the procedure are placed at an angle, allowing for increased contact by utilizing the natural support of your jawbone. Teeth-in-a-Day is a safe and precise approach to dental implants that provides you with fully functioning dental implants in just one single procedure.
TMJ Treatment
TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, which is your jaw joint. Everyone has two of these: both left and right. TMJ syndrome or TMD, temporomandibular disorder, is a medical problem related to the function of this jaw joint. The symptoms are usually a popping, clicking, or rustling in your jaw joint and can be accompanied by jaw joint or muscle pain, headaches, a jaw that locks in position or is difficult to open, ringing in the ears, and even numbness in your face and fingertips.
Tooth Exposure Uncovery
Tooth exposure uncovery is a procedure where we uncover a permanent tooth that has not erupted. To free the tooth from being stuck underneath the bone or impacted by the gum, we will make a small incision through which your tooth can erupt through. The most common need for tooth exposure occurs when the wisdom teeth fail to erupt because of being at an angle, overlapping with molars, or crowding. It is also not uncommon for a child to have permanent teeth that fail to erupt and require the need for tooth exposure uncovery.
Tooth Extractions
If you have a tooth that has been severely damaged due to injury, accident, or decay, it may need to be extracted. Some teeth that are damaged or decayed may be treated effectively with a filling, but teeth that are too damaged to be repaired must be removed. Tooth extraction is often referred to as pulling a tooth and is the procedure where a tooth is removed entirely. While every effort is made to conserve and preserve your natural teeth, there are simply some cases in which a tooth or teeth must be extracted.
Wilckodontics
Periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontics, referred to as wilckodontics, is a technique that involves inducing the bones that surround the teeth into a process called rapid acceleratory phenomenon, or RAP. This phase allows your teeth to move quicker, making any realignment easier and faster. This treatment can offer you a newly aligned smile two to three times quicker than traditional braces and has become popular with both children and adults.
Wisdom Teeth Removal
Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt in your mouth. They are a third set of molars that usually erupt during your late teens and early twenties. If wisdom teeth erupt properly and grow in straight, they most often do not need to be removed. Often wisdom teeth can be the cause of serious oral problems, including infections, tooth decay, pain, misalignment, and even jaw and nerve damage. Studies today estimate that up to 85% of all wisdom teeth will eventually need to be removed.
Earning your Trust with High Quality Periodontal Care
When you schedule an appointment with our thorough staff at Implant Dentistry and Periodontics, you will be impressed with our level of professionalism and that we are also proud of the advanced dental technology at our disposal in our clinic. We are very thoughtful because we understand how different and unique each of us really are. We are quite conscientious in creating your personalized treatments, to ensure success that works for your desires and budget. The entire staff focuses on the restoration of an undervalued personal asset, your healthy smile, so every procedure we perform is with your best interests and oral health in mind.
At Implant Dentistry and Periodontics, our clinic has a quiet and calm atmosphere, and we want you to be confident with our abilities and services. Scheduling an appointment for an evaluation is a beneficial important step towards being proactive in your oral health and regaining your healthy smile. To schedule an appointment, call our Indianapolis office, 8801 North Meridian St., Ste 103, Indianapolis, at (317) 574-0600.
Some More Fun Information about Indianapolis
We cherish the opportunity to help the residents of Indianapolis. We also love these fun facts about our wonderful city. It is the largest city in the state of Indiana, the state capital and also the 17th largest city in our country. We are the home of three Fortune 500 companies and have the largest collection of monuments dedicated to war veterans only second to our nation’s capital. Since its inception in 1911 the Indianapolis 500 Motor Speed race has held the distinction of being the largest sporting event in the entire world.
Implant Dentistry and Periodontics draws from over 99 neighborhoods that make up our fine city. We enjoy the four seasons with all our patients. Whether hot or cold you will find our clinic always warm and inviting.