Learn About the Work of a Costa Rica Periodontist

Periodontal surgery is not something that you would normally wish to associate with your Costa Rica vacation, but it is something that can certainly improve your life – in many cases it could save your life.

Not many dental practices that cater to dental tourists in Costa Rica include a periodontist on staff. At the Flikier Insititute of Dental Rehabilitation, the Clinical Director insists on having the expert opinion of a periodontist on just about every treatment performed.

Costa Rica periodontists do not usually treat teeth; instead, they focus their expertise on the gum tissue, which is perhaps the most important aspect of a healthy dentition. Advances in technology as it relates to dentistry have made it possible to fabricate artificial teeth that can be permanently implanted in case our natural teeth are irretrievable lost. The same does not exactly apply to the gum tissue that surrounds the teeth and the jaws.

In essence, a Costa Rica periodontist is one of the most important specialists to consult prior to implantation. Periodontists specialize in the prevention and treatment of diseases that cause teeth to fall out in the first place, and thus their opinion is vital when it comes to the placement of implants.

When a periodontist in Costa Rica determines that a dental tourist has a healthy dentition, implants may no longer be considered and less invasive crowns may be recommended instead for cosmetic purposes. In other cases, however, a periodontist may determine that oral tissue inflammation may require treatment prior to performing any other procedures.

Root planing, scaling and root surface debridement are some of the procedures conducted by periodontists to ensure that patients have healthy mouths conducive to supporting an optimal dentition. In some cases, however, periodontal surgery may be needed.

Periodontal Surgery in Costa Rica

It is not uncommon to learn about dental tourists who come to Costa Rica specifically for periodontal surgery. These cases typically start with a diagnosis made at their local dental clinics, and the recommended surgical procedures may be too costly.

As vital as periodontal surgery can be to a patient, most health insurance plans in the United States do not offer adequate coverage in this regard. Canadian and European dental tourists who come to Costa Rica for periodontal surgery often complain about long waiting times in their home countries.

At the Flikier Institute, the staff periodontist will always evaluate the possibility of restoring periodontal health in the least invasive way possible. Scaling and root planing are often good strategies to remove tartar (calculus) and plaque from those hard to reach pockets where bacterial toxins accumulate. Antimicrobial and antibiotic therapy may also be applied in these minimally invasive procedures.

Gum graft surgery is a periodontal strategy that aims to cover the dental roots laid bare by tissue recession caused by severe gingivitis. Exposed roots can be dangerous to systemic health, and they are unsightly when they affect the visible teeth.

Through a series of regenerative procedures, Costa Rica periodontists may be able to actually reverse tooth damage to a certain extent. The idea is to regenerate not just gum tissue but also bone material through grafting and filtering. The goal is direct the flow of proteins so that affected portions of the gum tissue can be regenerated in the most natural way possible.

When it comes to the treatment of periodontal pockets, periodontists in Costa Rica can reduce them through a series of surgical procedures. By identifying deep pockets and removing all the tartar therein, periodontal specialists can eliminate the harmful bacteria that consumes the dentition.

In addition to the aforementioned surgical procedures, the periodontal team at the Flikier Institute can also design a therapeutic plan of cleansing and disinfecting so that gum tissue can regenerate on its own without complications.

Some of the surgical interventions above may sound a bit scary, but periodontists at the Flikier Institute in Costa Rica know how to perform them in ways that cause the least amount of discomfort to patients.