Biofilm Therapy | Ghina Morad, DMD

What Is Biofilm Therapy?

Guided biofilm therapy is a new special technique used to clean patients’ teeth to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. It is less invasive, more comfortable, and preserves more of the natural tooth structure compared to traditional scaling and polishing.

Guided biofilm therapy is different because it’s gentle and doesn’t require manually scraping off plaque. Instead, a harmless nontoxic dye is applied to the teeth. This dye is used to identify where plaque and tartar are located as it dyes any present calculus, exposing their location and appearing in different colors to reveal how long it has accumulated.

Then, we use a special airflow device known as the Airflow Max which combines heat, water, and fine particles. While biofilm therapy doesn’t completely eliminate the need for scraping away tartar, it greatly minimizes the need for it and it does so more gently, with a smart handle that emits waves.

Ghina Morad, DMD is proud to be the first office certified in biofilm therapy in the peninsula as an EMS office. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Morad.

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How Is Guided Biofilm Therapy Different From Traditional Cleaning?

A traditional prophylaxis cleaning is a routine dental cleaning used to scale and polish your teeth. It is usually done with handheld scrapers or ultrasonic tools that scrape off plaque and tartar buildup from around the gum line and between the teeth.

After this step, the teeth are polished to remove stains and bacteria with gritty toothpaste and a very powerful electric toothbrush. Then, the teeth are flossed. While this method gets the job done, it comes at a cost.

For one, this is a much more invasive manner of cleaning the teeth, often making patients uncomfortable due to the grinding noises or the feeling of tools scraping in their teeth, especially if they have tooth or gum sensitivity.

Benefits of Biofilm Therapy

Biofilm therapy makes teeth cleaning a much more bearable and enjoyable process for patients with special needs, dental anxiety, sensitivity, and special oral appliances. The process of cleaning is much simpler, more comfortable, and less invasive.

Traditional cleaning damages the natural enamel over time because it requires scraping the teeth. It can also cause some pain or discomfort in some patients, especially when there is a significant amount of tartar buildup. Since biofilm therapy can eliminate the need for scraping tools and eliminates cold sensitivity, there is no discomfort involved.

Biofilm therapy will keep your natural teeth intact and it is also very versatile and can be used on the teeth, gums, tongue, tooth restorations, and dentures. Our patients report that their teeth have never felt cleaner after trying biofilm therapy and they describe the process as revolutionary.

What is the Biofilm Therapy Process?

Assess

First, your dentist in Redwood City will assess your oral health by looking for signs of infection in your teeth and gums. We will examine any tooth restorations you have to look for problems with those. You will be given a special mouthwash to rinse with which reduces bacteria.

Identify Plaque & Tartar

We will apply the dye to your teeth which will dye biofilm (plaque) that is present in the mouth. This reveals where it is located and will show up in different shades according to how long the plaque has been there. Once we remove plaque, we can detect tartar more easily.

Motivate & Educate

We will speak to you about the importance of practicing preventative oral hygiene. We will also educate you on how you can care for your teeth and gums at home.

Airflow Max

Now it’s time to use the special airflow device that removes plaque and tartar with a jet of heat, water, and fine particles. Once this is removed, stains will be removed using a special powder.

Perioflow Nozzle

The combination of a special powder and Perioflow nozzle is used to clean around the gum pockets, tooth roots, and implants, without damaging your hard or soft tissues.

Remove Remaining Tartar

If there is any remaining tartar buildup, we will use a special tool called the Piezon PS which can remove tartar in 95% of cases without any pain. This tool can clean both above the gum line and 10mm below the gum line.

Final Check

After we have completed all of these steps, we will do a final check to look for any remaining plaque or tartar that may have been missed. This ensures all of the plaque and tartar have been thoroughly removed. We will also identify any cavities that are present in the teeth and apply a fluoride varnish.

find out more about veneers in Redwood City

The veneer placement Process

The process begins with a consultation with Dr. Ghina Morad. She will need to examine your teeth and take x-rays if necessary to determine if you are a good candidate for veneers. You must be in good oral health with no active gum disease or tooth decay.
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Once approved, she will formulate a treatment plan based on your needs. To prepare the teeth for porcelain veneers, we need to remove .5 mm of your tooth enamel so the veneers don’t stick out.
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We’ll then take impressions of your teeth and send them to a dental lab that will create your veneers. While you wait for your veneers to arrive (which can take a few weeks) we will place immediate temporary veneers over your teeth.
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Once we’ve received your official veneers, we’ll remove the temporary ones and apply an etching gel to your teeth to encourage the bonding process. We’ll check the fit of your veneers before bonding them to your teeth with dental cement and UV light.

How to Care for Veneers

Avoid staining foods and drinks and do not smoke. While porcelain is a stain-resistant material, surface stains can build up over time, just like your real teeth. Try sipping through a straw so beverages have less contact with your teeth.
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Do not grind your teeth or use them as tools to open packages. Never chew on your fingernails or other objects. You should also avoid chewing hard or sticky foods with your veneers. Concentrate chewing in your rear molars, not your front teeth.

Are Veneers Reversible?

Traditional porcelain veneers are not reversible, because they require permanently altering your tooth enamel. Should you choose these veneers, you will always have to keep your teeth covered. .5 mm of your enamel is shaven down and this puts your teeth at increased risk of damage, cavities, and infections if not covered.

They will also look very strange without your veneers. However, you can choose reversible composite resin veneers or Lumineers which are not permanent.

Redwood City Biofilm Therapy