Our North Austin dental assistant school is an all-inclusive dental assistant program that provides students with classroom learning, hands-on training and the opportunity for an externship. Students in our school also get the opportunity to do rotations through our specialty departments including Endodontics, Periodontics and Oral Surgery.
Our North Austin dental assistant program is conveniently located for students from North, Central and South Austin along with the surrounding areas including Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander and Georgetown.
Our students truly get the opportunity to find their passion when they work side-by-side with the specialists. Some of our students have already found that they want to continue their career with Periodontal assisting.
Here’s a look at one Periodontal procedure that our dental assistant students get to explore.
Cosmetic Elective Periodontal Plastic Surgery: Tissue Re-contouring
When you smile or talk, your teeth are framed by your lips and the 
visible gum tissue. People looking at you notice your teeth. People notice missing teeth, tooth alignment, gum color, discolored fillings, silver fillings, tooth color, and how much of your teeth actually show. If everything is integrated well and looks natural, people say you have a nice smile. If something does not look natural, it may be easy to define, such as crooked, stained, or yellow teeth; periodontal disease shown by red-colored gum tissue; or discolored fillings. Or it may be something not as readily discernible. Something does not look quite right.
That “something” may be related to the teeth and gum architecture. The position of the gums where they meet is esthetically important. If the teeth look too short, there may be more gum tissue covering them that is considered attractive. You may show too much gum tissue when you smile. There may be a difference in height of the gum of one tooth versus an adjacent tooth or its partner on the other side of the mouth. This could be caused by recession from brushing too hard; gum disease; poor or defective restorations, especially crowns; or just a problem with the way the tooth erupted into place. All of these things can detract from your appearance.
Several different simple periodontal procedures can correct most of these routine problems. Some involve removal of unwanted tissue; some involve grafting of tissue. Orthodontics might be helpful in some cases. The more extensive procedures will require referral to specialists.
In one common type of cosmetic periodontal plastic surgery, the gum tissue is reshaped and re-contoured without the use of sutures (stitches). This procedure is done in the dental office. One tooth or several teeth may benefit from treatment. Postoperative discomfort is usually minimal. There may be transient sensitivity of the teeth if tissue is removed. The improvement generated by this type of procedure can be startling.
Your dentist will show you and describe in detail how you can benefit from cosmetic periodontal procedures. In many cases, the cosmetic periodontal surgery will complete the treatment you need. In some cases, it will be part of a larger treatment plan including crowns, veneers, or bonded restorations.
If you have any questions about cosmetic elective periodontal plastic surgery or any other procedures our students are learning about, please feel free to ask us. Our North Austin dental assistant school is now enrolling students for our fall session.
