Experiences with Perio Protect Method for dental gum disease?

[HpRyder]

Anyone have experience with a dental gum procedure called Perio Protect Method? Do you know of any cheaper alternative approach?

Some background. I went to medicare dentist yesterday (Monday 6/13) and after doing an ultrasonic deep cleaning & gum examination, he said I have mostly gum-tooth separation in the 3-4 mm range and two in the 5-6 mm range. He recommended a Perio Protect system. It is a “non-invasive treatment for oral bacteria associated with gum disease”. It basically is an upper tray & lower tray made from dental molds which hold a proprietary gel & doctor proscribed medication. It is designed to put medication into gum pockets, space between teeth & gum's. “This space is beyond the reach of toothbrush or floss.” He wants $1400 just for the molds.

I did a tooth whitening a couple years back & had molds made. They were not any where near this expensive.

So is there a less expensive alternative? Is this approach even effective? I know for teeth whitening there are dramatically less expensive approaches using molds and equivalent gels.


Since dental insurance does not pay for this, I’m going to call some other dentists and get competitive prices & opinions (if possible). I'm also going to do a web search to see whats in the proprietary jell & medication and if whitening sites also have similar gum items.


Anyone have any experience with this or potential other solutions?

 

[eytonxav]

How about brushing a few times per day with a peroxide/baking soda solution, using a vibrating tooth brush, and combine that with some meticulous flossing after every meal?

 

[HpRyder]

DFW_M5, thanks for your reply.
I already brush 2/day with such a tooth brush for 2min each time. Approximately 30 sec/quadrant. Floss in the evening after dinner. Dentist says this will only reach 3 mm at the most if I get lucky. Not the 5 & 6 mm in the back that he says I need.

Any other suggestions / alternatives anybody?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Some dentists are great and have you and your best interests in mind.

Others are drilling for dollars on real or imagined / major or minor issues.

I have my suspicions about which camp your dentist falls in.

 

[powerplay]

A couple of opinions found by Google search:

Perio Protect - What You Should Know

Oral Surgery: Perio Treatment, periodontal disease treatment, gum recession


I don't have any personal experience with the product nor know anyone who has. The product sounds that it may be to good to be true. You could ask your dentist if he can provide any references to studies or trials that have been done on the product.

 

[Alan]

I've had periodontal problems for 35 years and I have had great success with a waterpik. You also need to keep up the flossing.

Add some listerine to the water in the water pik while using it, and then flush out the waterpik with water afterwards for maintenance.

 

[calmloki]

Hygienist suggested Crest Clinical toothpaste and not rinsing it out. Yummy. I also use a water pic with a bit of diluted mouthwash at a low pressure to flush pockets.

Ah - just as Alan says, though I use dilute Crest Pro Health mouthwash in the Waterpic rather than Listerene mostly. The Listerene feels great but I've concerns about it damaging the gums

 

[HpRyder]

OK, the web has too many conflicting opinions, several of which say passive chemical treatment is not affective is dislodging plaque, so before I start competitive pricing I called the insurance (Delta Dental) and they suggested the dentist call them for a periodontist consultation authorization. So I'll try & see a periodontist not associated with the dental firm.

In the meantime, since Father day sales are on, I'll switch from a vibrating tooth brush to a water pick.

So it looks like any action on the Perio Protect Method is on hold until I get a consult. Before I spend that kind of money, I want to have a better confidence level that it will work.

 

[calmloki]

...
In the meantime, since Father day sales are on, I'll switch from a vibrating tooth brush to a water pick.

....

Nonono - ADD the waterpic to your regimen. I rinse with Hydrogen peroxide, then floss, then vibrating brush w/ toothpaste and baking soda, then waterpic. Probably should waterpic before the brush, but so it goes.

 

[Chickadee]

Is there a dental college near where you live? If so, that might be an option to find alternatives, or a second opinion. The schools often offer two options: students (they are supervised by an instructor who is a dentist, and each step is inspected by the instructor), and faculty practice (the dentists who teach the students also see patients separately).

About 15 years ago, when I was in my 20s, I went to a regular dentist about a cavity on the outer side of one of my back upper teeth. Because that tooth already had the center filled due to a crack when I was a kid, the dentist told me he had to do a crown and an inlay ... $3,000 !!! Since I didn't have that kind of cash back then, or dental insurance, I HAD to seek alternatives. I went to the dental school nearby, was examined by one of the staff (a consultation), then one of the student dentists filled the cavity a few days later (for $75!, including x-rays). They are graded on how well they do, so there is incentive to do a good job. My experience was very positive. Now, the dentist I see regularly is part of the faculty practice of that same dental college, where he teaches students, and also sees his own patients on campus. I have to always pay up front, but the staff submits everything to my dental insurance for me, and so far I have always received 100% reimbursement (thankfully, no problems since 15 years ago).

 

[Alan]

Nonono - ADD the waterpic to your regimen. I rinse with Hydrogen peroxide, then floss, then vibrating brush w/ toothpaste and baking soda, then waterpic. Probably should waterpic before the brush, but so it goes.

+1

I use the waterpic immediately before using my electric toothbrush.

 

[bubba]

Not to highjack the thread, but can everyone in the family use the same Water Pik with their own tip or whatever that piece is called, or does everyone need their own applicance?

 

[omni550]

Not to highjack the thread, but can everyone in the family use the same Water Pik with their own tip or whatever that piece is called, or does everyone need their own applicance?

Water Piks units come with changeable tips...so everyone can have their own.

omni

 

[growing_older]

I'm also a big fan of waterpik. Using it regularly substantially reduced pocket sizes that were developing. Also, compared to $1400 just for molds, it's very inexpensive. You can buy everyone their own device if you want. I like the cordless one, and I can waterpik in the shower. I got my son his own so we don't have to hassle with tips.

Soon there will also be a new airfloss machine from sonicare.

I'd be skeptical that a one time chemical bath will be all that effective, and wow is it expensive. If it were me, I would work hard to exhaust the less expensive alternatives before I tried it.

 

[SarahW]

HPRyder--I have had a procedure that is basically a soft tissue graft done by a periodontist. It was a surgical procedure where a small patch of skin is harvested from the roof of the mouth and grafted onto the area where the pocket is forming. I'm not sure how much the procedure cost since I have fairly comprehensive dental insurance. The recovery was fast and easy, and my results outstanding.

Personally, I believe that going to a periodontist for treatment was the best thing I could have done. I return to the periodontist for maintenance cleaning three times a year. I plan to hang onto my teeth and I'm willing to do whatever necessary to keep 'em.

 

[HpRyder]

Good idea Calmloki & Alan, I’ll add it.

Chickadd, good idea. I’ll ask around at Cal State Univ. Fullerton & Cal State Irvine.

SarahW, I want to avoid having that kind of a procedure so I’m putting in the effort now. The dentist recommended cleaning every quarter. I’ll see what the periodontist says.

The dentist front office is suppose to get a periodontist referral authorization from the insurance co. I'll be calling them today to see if it's come in. I've already told them I want an out-of-office referral for a second opinion.
Yesterday a Hydro Floss Oral Irrigator from Amazon arrived. MBI, who works as a CS for a photographic dental eq. broker on the east coast recommended this brand.

Thanks for the suggestions all. I’ll keep you updated.