Oral Surgery, Gum Recontouring, Gum Disease Treatment — Midtown Manhattan, near Central Park

Fifth Avenue Periodontics features comprehensive periodontal care and implant dentistry, performed by caring dental professionals, in a comforting atmosphere. We focus on finding and treating potential problems, such as tooth decay and gum disease, in their earliest stages before extensive treatment becomes necessary. Dr. Clifford Melnick and his staff combine state-of-the-art dental technology, advanced sterilization standards, and dental expertise to help make your visits with us as comfortable and efficient as possible. At our practice in Midtown Manhattan, across from Central Park, we offer gum recontouring, oral surgery, gum disease treatment, and other services to help our patients achieve and maintain healthy smiles.

Your First Appointment

Your first appointment will consist of a thorough examination and consultation, including a soft tissue exam where we look for any abnormalities that may be of concern. We will also perform a ViziLite® oral cancer screening to check for any potentially dangerous oral lesions. Your examination may also include a series of digital x-rays and an exam with an intraoral camera to check for any problems that may not be visible to the naked eye. A clear explanation of our findings will be given to you and we will discuss all of the treatment alternatives with you. Once a treatment plan has been established, we will set up a series of appointments to treat your specific problems. Financial arrangements will be discussed at your first visit, or during a subsequent consultation.

Gum (Periodontal) Disease Treatment

Keeping your gums healthy can help you maintain your overall health. Recent studies point to a link between gum disease and serious health conditions, such as stroke, diabetes, and heart disease. If you have gum disease, or you just want to keep your gums healthy, Fifth Avenue Periodontics in Midtown Manhattan offers a full range of gum disease treatment options to help return your gums to a healthy state and sustain health through our comprehensive maintenance plan.

We begin gum disease treatment with a thorough examination to determine the right course of treatment. Our treatment options include:

  • Scaling and Root Planing - Scaling and root planing involves the removal of calculus (tartar) from the necks of the teeth and below the gum line to help treat gum disease.
  • Non-surgical Chemotherapeutic Treatment - Our non-surgical chemotherapeutic approach to gum disease treatment involves the placement of antibacterial medication below the gumline. The antibiotic is called Arestin which is a minocycline in the tetracycline family of antibiotics. The Arestin microspheres remain in the pocket for up to 21 days.  This medication kills the bacteria which is associated with gum disease. Arestin is safe and painless. Localized sites are often treated with this conservative approach.
  • Surgical Treatment - We also offer surgical gum disease treatment, including bone grafting and guided tissue regeneration. These advanced techniques are used to help restore the bone that can be lost due to periodontal disease.
  • Comprehensive Maintenance - Once your gums are in a healthy state, we offer comprehensive maintenance to keep them healthy. Long-term success is achieved through our professional maintenance and diligent home care.

  • Surgical and Non-Sugical Laser Treatment - Our office is certified in the use of the CO2 ultraspeed laser.  This advanced treatment has many advantages over conventional surgical approaches.  Please visit our office for a laser consultation to see if this treatment is right for you.

Gum Recontouring - Surgical Treatment to Improve Aesthetics

Many patients develop gum recession around dental crown margins, which can cause an unsightly black line at the gumline. Other patients have an uneven contour of the gumline, or an overly "gummy" smile, which can adversely affect their appearance. Fortunately, Dr. Melnick can perform gum recontouring to create a more favorable aesthetic gum contour for his patients.

Gum recontouring is a minor oral surgical procedure, typically lasting less than one hour, which can dramatically improve a patient's smile. During the gum recontouring procedure, Dr. Melnick will gently reshape the gum tissue to create a gumline that proportionately frames the teeth. Through gum recontouring, he can make small teeth look larger or balance an uneven gumline by removing excess gum tissue. He can also adjust the gum tissue to eliminate the black line caused by dental crowns.

If you would like to learn more about the gum recontouring procedure, schedule an appointment for a consultation with Dr. Melnick.

Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Placement

In addition to gum disease treatment, and gum recontouring surgery, we also offer oral surgery services at our Midtown Manhattan practice, including the placement of dental implants. Dental implants consist of a titanium post, which is surgically placed into the jawbone where it takes the place of the original tooth's root. An artificial tooth is placed on the implant post for a result that looks and feels natural.

The oral surgery procedure to place the implant is performed under local anesthetic. Dr. Melnick begins by making a small incision in the gum to expose the jawbone where the implant will be placed, and uses a special drill to prepare the site for the post. He then places the post into the bone and closes the incision with stitches.

Some patients who don't have enough healthy jawbone to support an implant may need an additional oral surgery procedure performed before placement of the posts. This procedure, called bone grafting, builds up the bone at the implant site. Bone grafting is performed by Dr. Melnick at his office. This involves use of replacement bone material in the future implant site. In addition to bone grafting, guided tissue regeneration or GTR is very often performed.  A collagen membrane is placed over the bone-grafted site to help contain the bone material from leaving the defect and to act as a barrier to the soft tissue. When a site is prepared for implant placement, it is necessary to build new bone so the implant can be anchored.  If soft tissue forms, then implant placement is not possible.  The GTR procedure helps in maximizing the amount of bone fill that we can acheive with bone grafting.

Occlusal Equilibration - Bite Adjustment

When your bite is unbalanced, the excessive force it creates can lead to the breakdown of the teeth and supporting structures, as well as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disease. We offer occlusal equilibration, or bite adjustment, to help reduce or eliminate the damage caused by an unbalanced bite.

Schedule an Appointment at Our Periodontics and Implant Dentistry Practice

At our practice, conveniently located across from Central Park, we offer gum disease treatment, gum recontouring, oral surgery, and more for patients throughout Manhattan, New York City, and the surrounding Metropolitan area. Contact Fifth Avenue Periodontics to schedule a consultation with Dr. Melnick today.