Meghan Greening, RDH, BSDH, EFDA
Gingival Recession: When Surgical Options Should be Considered Instead of Patient Education
Gingival recession is something most of us see in our patients’ on a daily basis. It is defined as the apical migration of gingiva,1 which can cause various problems for our patients that include sensitivity, periodontal complications, esthetic concerns, and decay. Gingival recession results from many different factors such as patient habits (brushing too hard/using the wrong technique, picking...
How to Recognize the Most Common Complications of Dental Implants
According to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, 500,000 dental implants are placed in the United States annually.1 As dental hygienists, the number of patients we treat who have at least one dental implant will increase. For this reason, it is important for dental hygienists to become familiar with dental implants from both restorative and preventive aspects.
We need to...
Oral Cancer: Why the Biopsy is Still the Most Important Treatment to Recommend
According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, one person in the United States dies every hour each day from oral cancer. Dental hygienists are often the first clinician to find these cancers in our patients’ mouths. The identification of suspicious lesions in the oral cavity can be tricky. However, the more familiar we become with the lesions, we will hopefully...