New Jersey Periodontist Joins The Total Confidence Dentistry Team of Chester County, Pennsylvania

Periodontal specialist, Dr. John Nikas has joined Dr. Briglia's West Chester dental practice team. His expertise is focused on developing strategies to prevent the ravages of gum disease, which includes tooth and bone loss and can produce to other oral, general health problems. As a periodontist, Dr. Nikas is trained in implant treatment, improving function, health, comfort and smile appearance. End Quote

Preventing tooth loss is much more affordable than tooth replacement. More importantly, it is the best approach for a longer and healthier life.

Philadelphia, PA-NJ (1888PressRelease) March 22, 2010 - Our West Chester dental office team welcomes Dr. John Nikas, a periodontal disease specialist with extensive experience in implant dentistry. While he began his career in Pittsburgh after his graduation from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine almost 20 years ago, he recently relocated to the Philadelphia area, where he spends time in our comprehensively focused dental practice and in another office in New Jersey.

Dr. Nikas concentrates on periodontic treatments, which includes gum disease management to prevent its damaging effects on oral health as well as provides reconstructive dentistry when bone deterioration and tooth loss occurs. Unfortunately, neglecting the periodontal system is all too common. As a veteran periodontist, he is dedicated to reversing that negative trend in West Chester and throughout the region.

When there is a need to replace missing teeth, his rehabilitation strategy starts with proper treatment planning. Dental implants are a solution he provides to achieve the comprehensive results our patients expect and, he is able to expertly place them when appropriate. Implants are recommended for different reasons and implemented with various systems including as a healthier alternative to crown and bridge dentistry. Options like implant-supported dentures provide significant benefit compared to traditional adhesive or partial dentures, which are known for slipping countless times and harmfully impacting the diet of the denture wearer.

Dr. Nikas offers our patients an advanced perspective on preventing the problems caused by inattention to this disease and its affects on oral and overall health. By collaborating with our entire team including Dr. Briglia, the director of our Total Confidence Dentistry approach, our hygiene staff and Dr. Schreiber, who focuses on root canal therapy, Dr. Nikas is able to develop comprehensive and effective treatment programs for each patient.

The value of dental implants is substantial with their ability to preserve adjacent teeth and achieve a youthful result in jaw strength, biting confidence, facial appearance and diet variety. That said Dr. Nikas would rather prevent disease than place implants. Too many people are consistently unhealthy because periodontal disease is never fully controlled. There is no way to entirely end its assault but ongoing management and persistent therapies will deter its damaging effects.

According to Dr. Nikas, "Preventing tooth loss is much more affordable than tooth replacement. More importantly, it's the best approach for a longer and healthier life. While I am excited to restore the health of people who have lost one or many teeth with implant dentistry, I intensely focus my energies on periodontal disease management. Patients as well as their spouses, family and friends deserve a proactive response and assertive plan to avoid the damage caused by oral disease, which can include associated systemic and overall health complications. I am committed to preventing negative outcomes, not just responding to them effectively when they occur."

Perpetual oral health problems are intrinsically related to other health issues. While direct links in some areas are still being determined, numerous studies provide insight into potential serious problems. For example, a NIH news release updated in 2008 offered this caveat: older adults who have higher proportions of four periodontal-disease-causing bacteria inhabiting their mouths also tend to have thicker carotid arteries, a strong predictor of stroke and heart attack.

More worrisome, dental health data also presented by the NIH showed that 38 percent of the 1,347 men in a 2009 study (averaging 75 years of age) had severe periodontitis. What makes this a dramatic statistic is that the men were highly educated, largely in good to excellent health, most visited the dentist annually, and 37 percent never smoked. Interestingly that low level of smoking should have meant less chronic periodontitis, but the researchers noted a 'surprisingly high proportion' of the men had some form of gum disease.

That means the incidence of gum disease in the general population, especially those middle-aged and older, is even more pronounced. Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. It is said that 3 out every 4 people who have it do not know it. Seniors alone account for about 12 percent of the population or about 600 thousand people in the Philadelphia MSA. While complete tooth loss (edentulism) has declined by nearly half in the last few decades, about 24% of Pennsylvanians age 65 and above are without any teeth (18th in nation). Of course, gum disease is present and doing its damage for many years before the toll hits this 'retirement age' range.

Dr. Nikas provides our patients with oral health strategies to make these periodontal disease and tooth loss statistics irrelevant for our patients. And when needed, he is able to rejuvenate their oral function and boost their smile confidence with dental implants.

ABOUT THE DOCTOR
John Nikas, DDS is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. He completed his specialty training in periodontics at Temple University School of Dentistry. After private practice in Pittsburgh for 17 years, Dr. Nikas now resides in the Philadelphia area, and limits his practice to periodontics. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and is an Academy of Osseointegration member.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Total Confidence Dentistry
John Nikas, DDS • Periodontist, Implant Specialist

Ronald Briglia, DMD • Dentist/Owner

Chester County Medical Bldg
600 East Marshall Street, Suite 201
West Chester PA 19380
www.TotalConfidenceDentistry.com

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Visit Ronald Briglia, Dmd Website

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