Oklahoma Center for Implants and Periodontics specializes in strong bones, teeth and implants for dental health, beautiful smiles

By Heidi Brandes | Photos by Emily Brashier

 

Imagine your mouth is a house. Your dentist builds the frame of the house, keeping teeth and gums clean and checking on the overall health of your mouth.

But, no matter how well the frame of a house is built, if the foundation is bad, the house will fall down. Gums recede and bone deteriorates, making teeth become shaky and loose. Sometimes the foundation needs to be built up. Sometimes, teeth need to be removed and replaced with titanium implants.

Dentists build the house, but periodontists create the important foundation.

Many people do not know what periodontists do and how they differ from dentists. Very simply, they take care of the foundation of the mouth, which leads not only to tooth health, but overall body health as well.

“Periodontists do three things,” said Chris Poore DDS, MS, one of the partners at the Oklahoma Center for Implants and Periodontics. “We do implants, gum grafts and surgical treatment of gum disease. The problem is that gum disease doesn’t hurt, so you don’t realize it until it’s too late. The biggest thing we fight with in gum disease is ‘out of sight, out of mind.’”

The Oklahoma Center for Implants and Periodontics in Oklahoma City specializes in periodontics and implants, one of the few centers in the state that does so. Most of the business comes from dental referrals, and with the most up-to-date technology, the doctors at the center are rebuilding the foundations of mouths everywhere.

 

 

The Center

Dr. Robin D. Henderson, Dr. Chris Poore and Dr. Mary Hamburg are specialists in Periodontics and Implantology in Oklahoma City and are all diplomates of the American Board of Periodontology. Dr. Henderson started the center in 2000 and Poore joined in 2009. The center moved to its current location at 9112 North May Avenue in 2010, and Dr. Hamburg joined in 2011.

The center specializes in gum disease treatments that include cosmetic procedures that enhance smiles and dental implants that replace missing teeth in the most natural appearance possible.

Periodontists diagnose oral diseases and treat these diseases with highly-technical equipment and skill.

“If you go to the dentist with a bad tooth, he could look at it and say, ‘Oh Lord, that’s way too bad, you need to get implants,’” said Poore. “That’s what we do.”

With a 94 percent success rate in treating gum disease and damaged tooth structure, the Oklahoma Center for Implants and Periodontics also has X-ray, CG scanners, lasers and a titanium mill for custom designed dental implants.

“We do everything from simple cleaning to oral surgery,” said Robin Henderson, DDS, MS. “We like to think we are the foundation of the mouth. Without healthy gums and bones, you can’t have teeth.”

The Center also specializes in technology and therapy designed to rebuild bone in order to place titanium dental implants that replace ruined teeth.

“We also have 3D printers, which we use to print models of your skull, so we can hold it in our hand and really look at it,” said Henderson. “The titanium milling allows us to make teeth, teeth parts and implant parts. We are beyond what a regular dentist office is able to do.”

 

Why So Important

Why is mouth health so important, especially since gum and bone disease very rarely comes with pain? Because mouth health is tied directly to overall health.

For instance, a person with a heart condition is seven times more likely to have a heart attack if he or she has untreated gum disease. Gum disease also affects other conditions like diabetes and auto-immune disorders, exacerbating them to the point of possible death.

“Tissue is the issue, but bone sets the tone,” said Dawn Wilson, communications director for the center. “If the infected bone underneath deteriorates, the teeth become loose.”

In addition to soft tissue grafting and bone therapy, the Oklahoma Center for Implants and Periodontics excels in the science of dental implants.

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root which acts as an anchor for replacement teeth. Shaped like a screw, it is surgically placed into the jawbone in order to secure a replacement tooth or bridge in place. Implants are stable and permanent and are not reliant on neighboring teeth for support. They are an ideal tooth replacement procedure because they look and feel like natural teeth. They are also ideal for patients who are unable to wear dentures.

“We do a broad range of procedures and treatments to save your teeth,” said Mary Hamburg, DDS, MS. “We also are the plastic surgery of the dental world. We make sure all is healthy and free of any kind of chronic infection. A very small part of what we do is pull teeth—most teeth can be saved.”

 

Don’t Fear The Periodontist

At the Oklahoma Center for Implants and Periodontics, the customer comes first. Thousands of people are terrified of going for dental treatment, and the doctors at the center want to change that.

“I like to say that we specialize in scaredy cats,” said Hamburg. “Some people haven’t been to the dentist in years because of fear. We see people all the time who are very anxious, and we have sedation options. If you don’t want to be awake for any procedure, we can arrange that.”

Because the mouth is such a personal space, the doctors at the center work to put patients at ease. The dental chairs all have television sets, music and massage capabilities.

“We do everything in our power to make you comfortable and not scared,” said Hamburg. “Our patients tell us what they need, and we make it happen.”

The Oklahoma Center for Implants and Periodontics may receive 95 percent of its business from referrals, but the public can also make appointments.